Netflix's first movie, war drama Beasts of No Nation looks like a success. Netflix says that in its first week it was the “most watched movie on Netflix, in every country we operate in”. In the US alone, more than 3 million have seen it since launch, Ted Sarandos tells Deadline.
Even in Japan
Netflix released its first movie Beasts of No Nation on October 16 to some controversy. Most theatre chains in the US flat out refused to show the movie because Netflix wanted to release it online and in cinemas on the same date.
Netflix usually refuses to give out viewership number but this time the company has made an exception, and judging from the numbers Netflix’s strategy looks like a success.
- “It is worth sharing that this movie, in North America alone, has over 3 million views already... In the first week of release, Beasts Of No Nation was the most watched movie on Netflix, in every country we operate in. Even Japan, and I’m only calling out Japan because most specialty films don’t do very much of their box office outside the U.S. at all, let alone in Japan” said Ted Sarandos, Head of Content at Netflix, to Deadline.
To put the numbers for the US market into perspective, blockbusters such as Skyfall and The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn are estimated to each have sold about 33-34 million tickets during the full theatrical run. Netflix is operating in over 50 countries and currently has 69 million subscribers.
Netflix is not slowing down and has plans to release several new movies over the coming months.
- Source: Deadline & Mrob
