The Spanish-language streaming wars escalate as Hollywood moves past lip service Ryan Faughnder
Is the next streaming war in Spanish?
Media executives often extol the importance of reaching Spanish-language audiences, drawing eyerolls from people who’ve heard all it before.
But if a flurry of recent investments and deals is any indication, Latino and Hispanic viewers in the U.S. and beyond have become a key part of audience expansion plans for streaming platforms.
Netflix spent $200 million in 2020 to produce content in Mexico, an amount expected to increase this year, and has also invested significantly in Spain. Disney, which launched Disney+ in Latin America in November, has said it plans to make 70 original programs for the region. WarnerMedia will invest heavily in Latin American markets with HBO Max.