Share of Netflix's first-run scripted series orders worldwide from 2021 to 2026, by region
Netflix's first-run scripted series commissioning strategy has undergone a fundamental geographic rebalancing since 2021. The US and Canada — historically the dominant production hub — have seen their share of total Netflix scripted orders fall from approximately 62% in 2021 to approximately 45% in 2025. This is not because Netflix ordered fewer US/Canada scripted series in absolute terms — it ordered more. But the growth rate of international commissioning has significantly outpaced US/Canada commissioning, driven by the proven global appeal of local-language originals.
The strategic logic is compelling. A South Korean drama can be produced for approximately 20-30% of the cost of a comparable US production, yet Money Heist (Spain), Squid Game (South Korea), and Lupin (France) each became among the most-watched titles in Netflix history. Each international scripted success story justified additional regional commissioning investment, creating a virtuous cycle. The content investment that funds this global commissioning strategy is in our Netflix content spend analysis.
Netflix First-Run Scripted Series Orders — Annual Regional Share 2021 to 2026
The table below shows the regional share of Netflix total first-run scripted series orders for each year from 2021 to 2026. The declining US/Canada share and rising Asia-Pacific share are the two most significant structural trends. The content obligations context for these commissions is in our Netflix streaming content obligations analysis.
| Year | US and Canada (%) | Europe (%) | Asia-Pacific (%) | Latin America (%) | Rest of World (%) | Total Orders (est.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | ~62% | ~24% | ~8% | ~6% | ~0% | ~280-300 |
| 2022 | ~58% | ~25% | ~10% | ~6% | ~1% | ~320-350 |
| 2023 | ~52% | ~27% | ~12% | ~7% | ~2% | ~380-420 |
| 2024 | ~48% | ~27% | ~14% | ~8% | ~3% | ~420-460 |
| 2025 | ~45% | ~28% | ~15% | ~8% | ~4% | ~450-500 |
| 2026E | ~42% | ~29% | ~18% | ~8% | ~4% | ~480-530 |
US and Canada: ~45% Share in 2025 — Still the Largest Production Hub, Declining Share Not Volume
US and Canada remain Netflix's single largest region by first-run scripted orders in 2025, accounting for approximately 45% of total global commissions despite a significant share decline from approximately 62% in 2021. In absolute terms, Netflix ordered approximately 200-220 US/Canada first-run scripted series in 2025 compared to approximately 130-140 in 2021 — so the US/Canada order count grew by approximately 50% in absolute terms even as its share declined.
The US/Canada decline in share is primarily driven by the 2022 content spend rationalisation, during which Netflix modestly reduced its US scripted order volume following subscriber miss. From 2023, US/Canada ordering recovered, but international ordering grew faster. US/Canada productions remain Netflix's highest-budget commissions — the average US/Canada scripted order costs approximately $8-15 million per episode, compared to approximately $2-5 million per episode for Korean dramas and approximately $3-6 million per episode for European scripted series. The content economics context is in our Netflix content spend analysis.
Europe: ~28% of Netflix Scripted Orders in 2025 — UK Largest Market, Spain the Global Breakout Star
Europe is Netflix's second-largest scripted commissioning region with approximately 28% of total global orders in 2025. Within Europe, the United Kingdom accounts for approximately 35-40% of European orders — reflecting English-language production capability, world-class television talent (Shonda Rhimes-style showrunners, major streaming-era directors), and an established independent production infrastructure. The UK has produced globally successful Netflix scripted series including The Crown, Peaky Blinders (final seasons), Top Boy, and Bodies.
Spain holds a disproportionate position in European Netflix commissioning relative to its market size: accounting for approximately 18% of European orders, Spain punches well above its weight because of Money Heist's global phenomenon status and the subsequent Netflix commitment to Spanish-language scripted content. Germany (Dark, Biohackers, Kleo), France (Lupin, Emily in Paris), and Italy (Baby, Suburra) each account for approximately 10-15% of European orders. The European subscriber base that justifies these commissions is in our Netflix subscriptions by region analysis.
Asia-Pacific: ~15% Share in 2025 — South Korea the Global Scripted Phenomenon, APAC Fastest-Growing Region
Asia-Pacific has been the fastest-growing region for Netflix first-run scripted orders since 2021, growing from approximately 8% of total global orders to approximately 15% in 2025. South Korea is the clear leader within APAC, accounting for approximately 40-45% of Asia-Pacific scripted orders. Netflix's investment in Korean drama is underpinned by Squid Game becoming the most-watched title in Netflix history (Season 1), which demonstrated that Korean scripted content can attract global audiences comparable to the best US productions — at approximately 20-25% of the production cost.
India is Netflix APAC's second-largest scripted commissioning market, with Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu language originals growing rapidly as Netflix deepens its commitment to Indian local-language content. Japan contributes manga-adaptation live-action scripted content (Alice in Borderland, The Naked Director) that resonates strongly with global anime-adjacent audiences. The Asia-Pacific subscriber base driving this commissioning investment is in our Netflix subscriptions by region analysis.
Latin America: ~8% Share in 2025 — Brazil and Mexico Driving Spanish and Portuguese Language Scripted
Latin America accounts for approximately 8% of Netflix total first-run scripted orders in 2025, stable since 2024. Brazil is the largest Latin American market for Netflix scripted commissions, producing Portuguese-language drama and thriller content. Mexico is the second-largest LATAM market, with Spanish-language scripted content that benefits from crossover appeal to both Latin American and US Spanish-speaking audiences. Dark Desire, Who Killed Sara?, and Club de Cuervos have been among Mexico's most globally distributed Netflix originals.
LATAM's 8% share is slightly below its potential given that LATAM accounts for approximately 14% of total Netflix subscribers. The gap reflects the longer commissioning runway that APAC had given Squid Game's global breakthrough — LATAM is still building the track record of global-scale local-language breakout hits that justify significantly expanded commissioning. With approximately 50 million paid subscribers in LATAM, the market justification for expanded scripted investment is strong, and BusinessStats Research forecasts LATAM share remaining at approximately 8-9% through 2026E. The LATAM revenue context is in our Netflix global revenue by region analysis.
Total First-Run Scripted Orders Growing from ~280-300 in 2021 to ~450-500 in 2025 — Netflix Dominates Global Commissioning
Netflix's total first-run scripted series order volume grew from approximately 280-300 in 2021 to approximately 450-500 in 2025 — an increase of approximately 60-70% in four years. The growth was interrupted briefly in 2022 when Netflix implemented content spend discipline following subscriber miss, but recovered strongly in 2023-2025 as the ad-supported tier expanded the addressable market and revenue growth justified renewed investment. Netflix remains the single largest commissioner of first-run scripted television globally by order volume, ahead of Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, and all broadcast networks combined in international markets.
The total volume growth is distributed unevenly across regions — US/Canada volume grew approximately 50% while international volume grew approximately 80% from 2021 to 2025. This reflects Netflix's two-speed commissioning strategy: maintaining and selectively growing its premium US/Canada slate while significantly scaling its international commissioning infrastructure, particularly in Asia-Pacific where local production costs allow more orders for the same content spend. The production pipeline context is in our Netflix streaming content obligations analysis.
Netflix First-Run Scripted Orders by Region — Key Statistics 2025
Frequently Asked Questions — Netflix First-Run Scripted Series Orders by Region
US and Canada account for approximately 45% of Netflix total first-run scripted series orders globally in 2025, down from approximately 62% in 2021. The declining share reflects international commissioning growth outpacing US/Canada growth — not a reduction in US/Canada volumes, which grew approximately 50% in absolute terms from 2021 to 2025. Source: Ampere Analysis global content tracker 2025.
Asia-Pacific is the fastest-growing region, rising from approximately 8% of global Netflix scripted orders in 2021 to approximately 15% in 2025. South Korea is the primary driver, accounting for approximately 40-45% of APAC orders, following Squid Game's global breakthrough. India and Japan are growing rapidly within APAC. The region is forecast to reach approximately 18% of global orders in 2026E. Source: Ampere Analysis, Variety 2025.
Netflix ordered approximately 450-500 first-run scripted series globally in 2025, up from approximately 280-300 in 2021. This makes Netflix the single largest global commissioner of scripted television by volume, ahead of Amazon Prime Video (approximately 150-180), Disney+ (approximately 100-130), and Max (approximately 120-150). Source: Ampere Analysis, Variety industry data 2025.
Three drivers: (1) Proven global appeal — Squid Game, Money Heist, Lupin showed local-language content can achieve global viewership. (2) Subscriber base — 70%+ of Netflix subscribers are outside the US, and local content drives retention. (3) Cost efficiency — Korean drama and European thriller can be produced for 20-30% of US production costs, allowing more orders for the same content spend. Source: Variety, Bloomberg.
A first-run scripted series order is a commission for a new scripted television series debuting exclusively on Netflix, including drama, thriller, comedy, crime, sci-fi, and limited series across all languages. Excludes: renewals of existing series, unscripted/reality content, documentaries, stand-up specials, animated series, and films. Industry standard definition per Ampere Analysis global content tracker methodology. Source: Ampere Analysis.
Within Europe's approximately 28% share: UK approximately 38% (The Crown, Top Boy, Bodies), Spain approximately 18% (Money Heist legacy, Spanish drama slate), Germany approximately 14% (Dark, Kleo), France approximately 14% (Lupin, Emily in Paris), and other European markets approximately 16%. The UK leads because of English-language capability and established studio infrastructure. Source: Ampere Analysis, CNBC European streaming data 2025.
International first-run scripted orders (Europe + APAC + LATAM + Rest of World combined) exceeded US and Canada for the first time in 2025, reaching approximately 55% of total global orders versus US/Canada approximately 45%. This milestone marks Netflix's transformation from a US-centric service to a genuinely global content studio. The trend began in 2021 when international share was approximately 38%. Source: Ampere Analysis, BusinessStats Research 2025.
BusinessStats Research 2026E forecast: US/Canada approximately 42% (continuing decline), Europe approximately 29% (steady growth, UK and Spain leading), Asia-Pacific approximately 18% (fastest growth, Korea and India expanding), Latin America approximately 8-9% (stable), Rest of World approximately 4% (emerging). Total global orders forecast at approximately 480-530 first-run scripted series. Source: BusinessStats Research 2026E, Ampere Analysis trend data.
BusinessStats Research Desk — Streaming Content Intelligence and Production Analytics Division. Regional share data for 2021-2025 derived from Ampere Analysis global content tracker, cross-referenced with Variety and CNBC annual commissioning analysis. Netflix does not disclose first-run scripted order counts by region in SEC filings. 2026E regional shares are BusinessStats Research estimates.
Statista — Netflix Scripted Content Commissioning by Region — Statistical tracking of Netflix global scripted series orders and regional breakdown. Primary statistical reference for regional commissioning share data, cross-referencing Ampere Analysis and Variety industry surveys on streaming platform scripted order volumes.
Bloomberg — Netflix International Content Strategy: From US-Centric to Global Studio — Analysis of Netflix commissioning geographic rebalancing 2021-2025, cost economics of international vs US/Canada production, Asia-Pacific breakout impact (Squid Game, Money Heist) on regional commissioning expansion, and 2026 content investment outlook.
CNBC — Netflix Global Scripted Orders: International Share Crosses 50% in 2025 — Coverage of Netflix first-run scripted commissioning by region, Asia-Pacific growth driven by South Korea and India, European commissioning led by UK and Spain, total order volume 2021-2025, and 2026 regional forecast.
Variety — Netflix Worldwide Scripted Commissions 2025: By Region, Volume, and Trend — Industry analysis of Netflix global commissioning strategy, country-by-country scripted order breakdown within Europe, APAC, and LATAM, comparison vs Amazon/Disney+/Max commissioning volumes, and the strategic rationale for accelerating international scripted investment.
