Netflix today announced its earnings for the fourth quarter of 2020 — as well as its year-end numbers. The bottom line? The service added some 37 million paid subscriptions in 2020, a year that saw the entire world spending more time at home and far, far less time in theaters.
"2020 was an incredibly difficult year with extraordinary loss for so many families, new restrictions that none of us have ever had to live with before and great uncertainty," the company wrote in a letter to shareholders. "We’re enormously grateful that in these uniquely challenging times we’ve been able to provide our members around the world with a source of escape, connection and joy while continuing to build our business."
The 37 million net paid additions mark an increase of 31 percent from 2019's 28 million paid net additions. Of 2020's increase, some 83 percent came from outside the United States and Canada.
Other notes from the earnings letter:
- The Crown saw more member households stream Season 4 in the first 28 days than in any of the previous three seasons, and more than 100 million households have watched the series since it premiered.
- The Midnight Sky (read our review) will have an estimated 72 million household views in its first four weeks.
- Netflix says to expect "some exciting news about Bridgerton" later this week.
- Robert Rodriguez's We Can Be Heroes has a projected 53 million member households in its first four weeks.
- Over the Moon has 43 million member households in its first four weeks.
- Some 68 million member households enjoyed Holidate with Emma Roberts.
- The Queen's Gambit scored 62 million member households in its first four weeks.
- Production of new content is "back up and running in most regions."
