When Netflix first expanded into Europe around 12 years ago, it had no original productions on the continent. Audiences were largely watching content made in, by and for the United States. But the company quickly realised that European stories could not be developed from a Los Angeles office alone.
In 2019, Larry Tanz, now Head of Content for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, moved to Amsterdam to lead the streaming giant's European operations. Today, Netflix runs ten regional teams across the continent, each shaping the content that local audiences watch. Over the past decade, the company has invested more than €13bn in Europe, and last year it committed an additional €1bn to Spain alone by 2028.
Tanz recently joined Hannah Brown in the studio for the first episode of the new series of The Big Question to discuss the secrets behind producing internationally successful content. His central message: creativity and regulation are not happy bedfellows.
Local authenticity over global hits
Netflix's approach to commissioning is not what many might expect. Rather than aiming for a gigantic international hit, the company focuses on producing authentic content that resonates with a specific audience. Tanz explained: “Let's say you try to make a film in Spain and you cast it with people from everywhere and you try to make it for everybody - you end up making it for nobody and nobody watches it.”
He attributes the success of Squid Game, Netflix's biggest international hit, to its distinctly Korean style. Its commitment to being unapologetically Korean was precisely what resonated with audiences worldwide. Tanz emphasised that every Netflix show that has achieved global success first found an audience in its home market.
This strategy appears to be paying off. A decade ago, non-English-language content accounted for less than 10% of total viewing on the platform. Today, that figure has grown to more than a third. Netflix is also one of the few global platforms that dubs and subtitles content in more than 40 languages, making international productions more accessible to audiences everywhere.
Regulation as a barrier
While many Europeans grew up with public broadcasters that have clear mandates—such as the BBC in the UK, which aims to inform, educate and entertain—Netflix operates without such explicit obligations. Yet Tanz argues that European legislation is making its work more challenging. He criticised outdated regulation for discouraging risk-taking and investment, both of which the industry urgently needs to grow and to support European talent.
“We have a very audacious vision, which is to entertain the world,” Tanz told The Big Question. But he fears that restrictive investment obligations could force Netflix to funnel money into shows that audiences don't actually want to watch, rather than backing productions with a good chance of success. While investment in local productions is always a good thing, producing content that nobody watches is not a sustainable business model.
Tanz urged policymakers to introduce consistent incentives to support investment while giving creators the freedom to tell whatever stories they want. He believes that a more flexible regulatory environment would allow Netflix and other platforms to take the creative risks that lead to breakout hits—both locally and globally.
The debate comes at a time when Netflix's engagement and revenue growth are slowing, and the company is looking to international markets to sustain momentum. In the third quarter of 2026, EMEA revenue grew 11% year on year, but maintaining that growth will depend on preserving creative freedom across Europe.
As Europe's digital economy evolves, the tension between regulation and creativity is likely to intensify. For Netflix, the stakes are high: its European investments have already transformed the continent's streaming landscape, and the company is betting that local stories, told authentically, will continue to captivate audiences worldwide.
