Some productions changed how studios operate. Here are three case studies:
| Production | Studio | Why It Was a Game-Changer | | --- | --- | --- | | Avengers: Endgame (2019) | Disney/Marvel | Proved 10+ years of interconnected storytelling could culminate in a $2.8B box office. Studios everywhere tried to build “universes.” | | Squid Game (2021) | Netflix | First non-English series to become a global phenomenon. Sparked a wave of international greenlights. | | Barbie (2023) | Warner Bros. | A toy-based movie with feminist themes, memetic marketing, and $1.4B gross. Showed IP films can be smart and subversive. | 18 The Brazzers Podcast Episode 12 -2025- www....
Streaming platforms are no longer just distributors—they are major studios producing award-winning original content. Some productions changed how studios operate
While often overshadowed, Sony owns the Spider-Verse (both live-action and the Academy Award-winning Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse). Their collaborations with Marvel have yielded some of the highest-grossing films. Beyond cinema, Sony’s production arm is a leader in television, producing hits like The Crown (via Left Bank Pictures) and Outlander. Their unique strategy focuses on licensing rather than a proprietary streaming service, making their productions ubiquitous across Netflix, Apple TV+, and Amazon. Sparked a wave of international greenlights
With over 270 million subscribers, Netflix produces more original content in a year than MGM did in its entire history. Their productions range from the Korean sensation Squid Game (the most-watched Netflix series ever) to the German sci-fi epic Dark and the Spanish heist thriller Money Heist. Netflix’s algorithm-driven production model prioritizes global appeal over local niche. They famously produce content in over 50 languages, backing shows like Lupin (France) and Rana Naidu (India). Their strategy? Data-informed greenlighting, auteur-friendly (if massive) budgets, and the total elimination of the "pilot season" wait.
Any global list of popular entertainment studios must now bow to South Korea. The success of Parasite (CJ ENM) and Squid Game signaled a tectonic shift.