If you've been keeping any tabs on Netflix over the past few years, you should be aware that Netflix has been seriously ramping up its original programming. A lot of this includes TV series and comedy specials, but another way Netflix has started branching out is by becoming the exclusive home of certain movies, including Adam Sandler flicks and more. If you've been wondering roughly how much these movies cost, we have answers for you.
This week the trailer premiered for Death Note, an anime-turned-live action movie that has been gaining interest for a while. According to Engadget, Netflix shelled out between $40 and $50 million to adapt the earlier anime project to fit Netflix's audience. That's not the most expensive project Netflix has shelled out money for either. Brad Pitt's War Machine reportedly cost $60 million. On the higher end of the spectrum Bright cost $90 million and that Martin Scorsese movie reportedly is costing Netflix $100 million.
On the one hand, these movies and their cost make a whole lot of sense. Movies often cost in the tens of millions or more if they are going to be released in theaters. The other pro of heading straight to Netflix is that Netflix will always be the home of those films. They will always be housed on the streaming service and provided Netflix doesn't thin its library and pull them at any point, you should be able to watch them whenever you want in perpetuity.
However, the con to this is that it means fewer non-original movies and programs are being housed by the streaming service. While we are often upset when our favorite shows get pulled from Netflix, it is kind-of nice that Netflix has swapped out its content over the years, bringing us new programming every month--of both the original and non-original variety. While it's great that Death Note, for instance, will always be housed on Netflix, only time will tell if that will be a movie people will want to revisit over and over again or watch once and be done with it. In that case, leased movies that are only on for a little while may be the better call.
Right now, Netflix is certainly in new territory and still figuring out what people like and how best to serve its audience. Because of this, Netflix is experimenting, and certainly has the budget to do so. We'll have to wait and see how many more original movies hit the schedule. What do you think, though? Is $100 million a reasonable amount to spend on one movie for a streaming service?
Take a look at what originals the subscription streaming service has coming up with our Netflix premiere schedule.
