20/02/2026 - The share of non-English Originals rose to 52% in 2025, up from 49% in 2024, with Spanish and Korean content recording the strongest gains

The German-language Original series Cassandra, a title that has travelled beyond its local market and performed well internationally

According to fresh research from Ampere Analysis, non-English-language titles accounted for 52% of Netflix’s Original TV season releases in 2025 – the first time they have formed a majority. The findings, published on 17 February, underline how local production strategies have become central to Netflix’s expansion into new markets. Ampere notes that audiences worldwide continue to favour locally produced stories, pushing the share of non-English Originals above parity for the first time, up from 49% in 2024. By contrast, Netflix Original films remain more English-language-focused, with non-English titles making up 44% of releases.

Spanish remained the leading non-English language for Netflix Original TV seasons in 2025, accounting for 21% of new releases. Ampere highlights a shift in genre mix, with scripted content rising sharply from 63% of Spanish-language titles in 2024 to 86% in 2025. Comedy saw the fastest growth, climbing from 6% to 19%, while crime and thriller continued to dominate overall.

Unsurprisingly, Korean content registered some of the strongest gains, rising from 12% to 20% of non-English Original TV releases year on year. Ampere attributes this growth to major scripted hits and returning unscripted formats, and points to 39 Korean-language TV seasons commissioned in 2025 alone. The firm expects Korean content to grow further in strategic importance for Netflix, given its proven international reach.

Japanese content moved in the opposite direction, declining from 6% to 4% of Original TV releases. Ampere notes that Netflix continues to rely heavily on acquired Japanese titles instead of Originals, with Japanese shows accounting for 20% of acquired TV seasons on the platform – second only to English. Anime remains a notable exception: while 67% of acquired Japanese TV seasons were animated, only four Original animated Japanese TV seasons were released in 2025.

Despite the shift in release volume, spending patterns tell a different story. Ampere emphasises that English-language productions still account for the majority of Netflix’s Original content investment, reflecting higher budgets and the platform’s continued focus on globally scalable flagship titles.

Finally, Rahul Patel, principal analyst at Ampere Analysis, commented: “Crossing the 52% threshold is a meaningful milestone for Netflix. For the first time, non-English-language titles now form the majority of its Original TV releases, highlighting how global and local content strategies are no longer peripheral, but central to the platform’s growth. And when non-English-language titles travel beyond their local market and perform well internationally – such as the Korean-language Bon Appétit, Your Majesty and the German-language Cassandra – they provide stronger returns on content investment for the global streamer.”