The amount of content we digest is, frankly, terrifying. The myriad of ways we can enjoy the visual medium is astonishing, and it means that we’ve all become experts in the field. Some of us are content creators, making the most of the fact that we can produce good quality productions without having to break the bank.
Netflix is, of course, just one of many streaming services that we collectively sign-up with, but they are leaders in their field and consistently beat the opposition both in terms of the scale of their productions and the numbers that view them.
Talented viewers, who may also be budding filmmakers, can now look to shoot quality productions just by using their phones or a reasonably priced film camera. They can also look to make their projects all the more professional in nature by selecting a great stock footage provider to help boost and complement the footage they shoot themselves.
In this field, there is one undisputed leader, Artgrid, who is now well-known not just within the stock video industry but also with those who may not even be aware of what they offer. Offering the most competitively priced packages and content shot by professional directors, the level of footage offered will invariably enhance any production it’s placed within, and the scope of options available from any of their packages is mindblowing.
Indeed many in Hollywood choose to use stock footage in their own productions and no doubt a number of key Netflix productions do as well. 2021 has been an interesting year for the streaming service, with subscriptions and viewership buoyed by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, as well as a number of massive hits.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the biggest Netflix films/shows of 2021.
The Queen’s Gambit
This show was released in late 2020 but racked up an astonishing 62m views in 2021 and was a hit with viewers and critics alike. Lead Anna Taylor Joy put in a masterful display as young chess prodigy Beth Harmon in a show with excellent production values that helped to transport viewers to the 1950s and 60s.
Lupin: Part One
Netflix enjoyed success with a number of foreign shows, and Omar Sy-led show Lupin was something of a surprise hit. A modern take on a classic, Lupin reeled in viewers by the bucketload with its mystery/thriller premise and retained their interest throughout a series that was watched by over 75m viewers, and a second series is on its way.
Extraction
The most-watched film on Netflix in 2021 has been Chris Hemsworth’s Extraction, an action thriller helmed by the Russo Brothers, who worked with Hemsworth on Marvel projects. This big-budget thriller included many explosive sequences and was perhaps heavier on these than the plot but still managed to grab the attention of almost 100 million viewers.
Bridgerton
No one could have predicted the success that this period drama would have, and as well as being a hit with the viewers, it’s likely to have launched the careers of leads Phoebe Dynevor and Rege-Jean Page. Produced by Grey’s Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes, Bridgerton was seen as something of a guilty pleasure and a show that was big with a teen audience and is the second most popular show of 2021.
The Witcher
A show based on a book and a video game, The Witcher could so easily have proven a flop but has managed to successfully placate the massive fans of the franchise as well as draw in a whole new audience to the antics of Geralt. Clearly, it helps that Henry Cavill, aka Superman, was cast as the lead and the show neatly filled the gap left by the ending (disappointing though it was) of The Game of Thrones.
Squid Game
The undisputed king when it comes to the most successful production shown on Netflix in 2021 comes in the form of the South Korean survival drama Squid Game. The show has outstripped its rivals by a massive distance, racking up 142m viewers since it started airing in mid-September. No one could have predicted just what a runaway success this production would have been, and its popularity has elevated the show to something of a cultural phenomenon.
Indeed its success was perhaps best characterized by the fact that costumes paying homage to the show are the most popular of Halloween 2021.
What’s Lined Up for the Rest of 2021 and 2022?
The size of the Netflix operation never ceases to amaze, and as such, they have projects planned well in advance; after all, they need to service the requirements of over 200 million subscribers.
There may only be a couple of months left of 2021, but Netflix is keen to go out with a bang with new series of The Witcher, Cobra Kai, and Money Heist set for release. In 2022 a number of popular shows are also set for a return.
Stranger Things, The Crown, and Ozark will be back in the new year, as well as the second series of Bridgerton, albeit without London’s most eligible bachelor Simon Basset. There is also the fourth series of the hugely popular show You set for a late 2022 release.
