Netflix to open first European production center in Madrid
Netflix is expanding its presence in Europe and has chosen Madrid as the location of its first production hub on the continent.
The streaming entertainment giant said last week that the new operation will be at Ciudad de la Tele, a new 72,000-square-foot complex in Tres Cantos, in northern Madrid.
The company will occupy three sound stages starting in September and will work with Grupo Secuoya, an audiovisual production services company that will serve as Netflix’s partner in Spain.
Netflix said the hub will act as a center for its growing slate of Spanish-language original content in the coming years, including production of new and existing titles, as well as series and films made by its partners.
Spain has become an important market for Netflix, which is the home of such series as “Paquita Salas,” “Las Chicas del Cable” and “La Casa de Papel (Money Heist),” the latter of which Netflix said is its most-watched non-Englishlanguage show.
Netflix said it has more than 13,000 cast, crew and extras working on 20 Netflix original
“Spain heritage has of a innovative, rich immersive content creation.” Erik Barmack, Netflix
productions across the country this year. Upcoming Spanish releases include the third season of “Las Chicas del Cable” in September and a new feature film from acclaimed director Isabel Coixet that is in production. In addition, the streaming service recently signed a production deal with Álex Pina, the creator of “La Casa de Papel (Money Heist).”
“Spain has a rich heritage of innovative, immersive content creation, and we are excited to strengthen our investment in the cultural heartland of Madrid,” Erik Barmack, Netflix’s vice president of international originals, said in a statement.
“The establishment of our first European production hub will create new opportunities for Spain’s incredible creative talent, as well as demonstrating our commitment to the production of original content throughout Europe.”
Netflix has expanded its locallanguage productions throughout Europe, making original shows in Germany, France, Italy and other countries.
A Netflix spokesman said the company sets up production hubs in foreign territories where it has a critical mass of production and where there is a great density of talent. For instance, Netflix has established hubs in different parts of Canada, depending on the needs of productions.
The Los Gatos company has been investing more in production space in recent years, as it expands its production of original content. The company has a 10-year lease at Sunset Bronson Studios in Los Angeles, including an adjacent office tower that serves as its headquarters there.
Netflix recently reported that it has reached 130.1 million subscribers globally. The company fell short of new subscriber additions for the second quarter, adding a million fewer subscribers than it had forecast.
Most of Netflix’s subscriber growth is coming from international territories as the U.S. market continues to mature.