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 The plan, which includes nine productions in India and five
anime series, should help ease concern that the video streaming
pioneer is running out of space to expand in developed markets.
Netflix reported bumper quarterly earnings last month as it
exceeded forecasts in both the U.S. and international markets,
with the bulk of new subscribers coming from outside the United
States where the company has been investing aggressively.
"More than half of Asian content hours viewed on Netflix this
year are viewed outside the region," Ted Sarandos, Netflix's
chief content officer, said when unveiling the plan at the
firm's content showcase event in Singapore.
"So we have confidence that our upcoming slate of Asian
productions will find fans in their home countries and abroad."
Netflix has earmarked $8 billion for content this year, and had
spent $6.9 billion as at the end of its third quarter.
On Thursday, the company said the new productions will include
anime series such as Trese, based on a Philippine graphic novel
of the same name, and Pacific Rim, an adventure story about two
siblings searching for their missing parents.
Netflix will make two Thai language originals including
Shimmers, a drama series about five teenagers at an isolated
school in northern Thailand. It will also broadcast Triad
Princess, a Chinese-language original from Taiwan in which the
protagonist seeks independence in defiance of her Triad father.
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The new titles build on Netflix's recent forays into Asian
productions, including India's Sacred Games, Japanese anime series
DEVILMAN crybaby, and variety comedy BUSTED! in South Korea.
In Asia, led by India, Netflix has won fans among a young,
tech-savvy middle class. Chief Executive Reed Hastings has said
India could deliver the service's next 100 million subscribers.
The company will announce details of nine projects from the country
on Friday.
Netflix scored a hit in India with Mumbai-based crime thriller
Sacred Games. However, the Bollywood studio that produced the show
disbanded last month after sexual harassment allegations against one
of its partners, Vikas Bahl, and the show's lead writer, Varun
Grover. Both men have denied the allegations.
Netflix later backed the series for a second season.
The firm had 137 million subscribers to its movie and TV streaming
service worldwide as of September-end. It began releasing original
English-language programing nearly six years ago and has since
expanded into other languages.
(Reporting by Jonathan Weber and Aradhana Aravindan; Writing by
Miyoung Kim; Editing by Darren Schuettler and Christopher Cushing
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