Netflix may have triumphed in our living spaces, but when it involves achieving success in cinema? The statistics reveal the truth. And it’s not flattering.
The most recent indication of Netflix’s challenges with feature films comes from The New York Times, which revealed a reader-chosen compilation of the top 100 films of the 21st century. Over 200,000 participants contributed, and among the multitude of original films Netflix has produced since embarking on its original movie journey over a decade ago, can you guess how many made the list?
Not a single one.
Knives Out, positioned at #91 on the list, at least has a peripheral association with the platform, as the original was released in theaters by Lionsgate in 2019; Netflix subsequently landed a $450 million deal for the sequels. But that’s the extent of it.
Clearly, this should serve as a sobering wake-up call for Netflix, which has invested years and billions in trying to persuade everyone that it holds just as much credibility in filmmaking as it does in television. The company has indeed attempted to purchase its way into cinematic acknowledgment: Alfonso Cuarón’s Roma, Noah Baumbach’s Marriage Story, and David Fincher’s Mank all garnered awards recognition and critical acclaim. Yet, Netflix still tends to come up short in the areas that matter most.
At this year’s Oscars (the 97th), the streamer’s main emphasis was on the cringeworthy Emilia Pérez, yet another Netflix production to accumulate numerous nominations while departing with two minor awards — for Best Original Song, “El Mal,” and Best Supporting Actress (Zoe Saldaña). That film, by the way, currently holds a dismal 17% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, based on over 10,000 user ratings.
In my view, this ongoing divide between prestige and audience reception points to a larger issue that Netflix has thus far struggled to rectify. Its films repeatedly tick all the appropriate boxes — from award-winning directors to high-profile stars — yet they seem to come and go without leaving much of a cultural mark. Meanwhile, Netflix continues to invest astonishing sums in film projects, often with minimal returns. A recent instance is The Electric State, a 2025 sci-fi blockbuster from the Russo brothers that is reported to have cost an eye-popping $320 million.
