The fourth quarter of 2021 will see Netflix release the greatest quarterly volume of Original titles to date. Prior to Q3 2021, the previous high was in Q1 2020, mid pandemic, with 126 titles released in a single quarter. While 129 new Netflix originals had been released by mid-December Q4 2021, Netflix had a further 14 titles scheduled to release over the course of December, which will bring the total number of Q4 new releases to a record- breaking 143.

Netflix’s decision to invest in more Originals was a response to the dual challenges of the pandemic (and accompanying increase in consumer demand for new content) and the launch of studio-backed rival platforms through 2019 and into 2020, when Original releasing previously peaked. However, the volume of releases slowed through late 2020 and into 2021, as the pandemic began to impact on planned shooting schedules. This saw the average number of Netflix Original releases drop to around 111 per quarter.

The increase in releases at the end of 2021 is indicative of filming schedules returning to normal through the last year as cast and crew adapted to the risks posed by the pandemic. In addition, Q4 has often seen a significant number of new signups to SVoD services as consumers look for ways to entertain their families over the festive period. Netflix already has a significant number of Christmas-themed titles within the Originals catalogue to tempt seasonal viewers, with a further four added this year. However, these seasonal titles have been supplemented with a cascade of Scripted content, such as The Witcher season 2, whose previously scheduled release was delayed by shooting issues.