Netflixunveiled its 2025 international programming slate to members of the press for the first time on Monday. It was the first-ever event of its kind for the streamer, and the hour-long presentation gave a peek at an array of intriguing titles that represent a variety of genres and countries. Squid Game was among the featured programs, but the record-breaking hit series merely scratches the surface of what Netflix is bringing.
The long-awaited third season of the Japanese hit series Alice in Borderlandand a sequel to the Norwegian monster flick Troll are coming in the new year. Big-budget programs like Brazil's Senna, Italy's The Leopard and Japan's Last Samurai Standing are formidable projects with high production quality, engaging story and scope.
These shows and movies are growing in reach too. Roughly 13% of the Netflix hours viewed last year in the US were non-English titles, resulting in bigger audiences for Korean, Spanish and Japanese titles. In fact, according to Minyoung Kim, vice president of Content, APAC), "Over 80% of Netflix members around the world watch K-content."
"Today, more than 70% of all viewing on Netflix is either with subs or dubs," Bela Bajaria, Netflix's chief content officer, revealed during the event. "That's not just great for audiences -- it's great for creators too. Because it means their stories can have an even bigger impact in the world."
Netflix operates in over 190 countries with a global audience of over 650 million people. "Two-thirds of them," Bajaria said, "live outside the US." The numbers speak for themselves and guide Netflix's content strategy into 2025 and beyond. And the backbone behind all of this is the creative voices with deep roots in their countries and cultures.
In addition to the titles mentioned above, here is a closer look at some of the standout international movies and TV shows coming to Netflix.
Read more: Squid Game Season 2 Is Your Creepy Christmas Present This Year
- One Hundred Years of Solitude (Colombia): Cousins José Arcadio Buendía and Úrsula Iguarán marry against their parents' wishes and leave their village in search of a new home. They found the utopian town of Macondo on the banks of a river with prehistoric stones. The Buendía lineage will shape Macondo's future, marked by madness, impossible loves and a curse that condemns them to one hundred years of solitude. This is the first adaptation of Gabriel García Márquez's noteworthy masterpiece, which was originally published in 1967.
- The Empress season 2 (Germany):The International Emmy-winner is a historical fiction take on the story of Empress Elisabeth of Austria. Season 2 follows Elisabeth, now married to Emperor Franz Joseph, as she tries to find her footing in this new position of power. She must contend with an array of conflicts and expectations that make her contend with responsibilities to the people -- as well as her own personal integrity.
- Bullet Train Explosion (Japan):This movie is a reboot of Bullet Train, not the Brad Pitt movie, but the original flick that served as the inspiration for the movie Speed. Director Shinji Higuchi, the man behind Shin Godzilla, creates a panic-suspense thriller showing the struggles of people racing to save lives in extreme conditions.
- Mantis (Korea): The spin-off to the 2023 movie Kill Boksoon follows Mantis, an elite assassin and former colleague of Gil Boksoon, as he returns from vacation to the chaotic world of hired killers. He meets his rival Jae-yi and retired legend Dok-go, both of whom are also vying for the top spot among assassins.
- Revelations (Korea): The series, based on the comic by Yeon Sang-ho and Choi Gyu-seok, follows a pastor and a detective, each driven by their beliefs. The pastor believes it's his divine calling to punish the culprit behind a missing-person case, while the detective assigned to the case continues to be haunted by visions of her dead sister. Alfonso Cuarón and Gabriela Rodríguez are executive producers; Ryu Jun-yeol and Shin Hyun-been star.
- The Gringo Hunters (Mexico): The series takes its inspiration from a Washington Post article that follows an elite squad of Mexican Police officers who hunt and capture American criminals who cross the border to evade justice.
- El Refugio Atomico (Spain): As World War III looms, a group of billionaires finds shelter in the luxury bunker known as Kimera Underground Park. They watch the world collapse above while enjoying amenities like a basketball court, restaurant and spa. A different war begins to brew underground as past conflicts between two feuding families reignite.
