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Young adult dramas have always been pivotal to Netflix’s programming. Think of massive global hits like “Stranger Things” and “Outer Banks.”
Now, the streaming giant wants to make it easier for viewers to find them on its vast and eclectic platform.
Netflix on Friday launched a new hub for YA content that includes several hundred titles of original or licensed movies and shows about the coming-of-age stories of young adults.
The genre is popular with viewers: 23 young adult titles made Netflix’s global top 10 list this year. Those include the third season of “XO Kitty,” about a young woman studying in Korea; and ice skating drama called “Finding Her Edge.”
Since 2023, Netflix said its YA shows and movies have generated more than 10.5 billion global views. The programs also are buzzy on social media, with YA titles representing 30% of Netflix’s most-talked-about titles since 2022, according to the Los Gatos-based company.
“It’s just been really clear that this audience has a voracious appetite, and they really look to Netflix as a premier destination for these types of stories,” said Jinny Howe, Netflix’s head of scripted series for U.S. and Canada.
Despite recent layoffs, Netflix said it is doubling down on Los Angeles, filming at least 70 productions in the area this year as the streamer spends roughly $18 billion on content globally.
Netflix is not alone. The genre has become increasingly important to streamers as stories about first loves, high school drama and coming-of-age tales connect with a wide demographic, from young people to older generations. The third and final season of “Euphoria” ranks among HBO Max’s three most-watched returning seasons. Amazon Prime Video in June held a fan event for its YA series and films called “Obsessed Fest.” “Off Campus,” which launched in May, reached 36 million viewers in its first 12 days on Prime Video, Amazon said.
Disney+, Paramount+ and HBO Max have also released young adult titles, including “Percy Jackson and the Olympians,” “School Spirits” and “Euphoria,” whose third and final season was among HBO Max’s most popular.
“There’s just this hunger for this kind of content that’s very relationship driven and set in a time period of growth and struggle and really figuring yourself out,” said Sarah Lampert, creator and executive producer of Netflix YA series “Ginny & Georgia,” about a mother and daughter’s relationship. “It’s just so deeply human.”
The young adult push comes as Netflix faces growing pressure from investors to increase the amount of time people spend on the service. To that end, Netflix has diversified the type of content it offers, adding games, video podcasts and live events like NFL football games to its platform.
Still, the streamer’s stock is down 35% from a year ago, as competition from other platforms has grown. Shares closed Thursday at $78.24, up 5%.
YouTube in particular remains a formidable rival, representing about 14% of streaming-watch time by U.S. viewers on TVs, compared to Netflix’s 8% in May, according to Nielsen.
