Netflix sets up Spanish production hub

Netflix’s first original Spanish drama Las Chicas del Cable

Netflix is to open its first European production hub in Madrid after agreeing a partnership with local media company Grupo Secuoya.

As part of the multi-year partnership, Grupo Secuoya will provide facility management and other services to the US-based streamer, which claims to have 20 originals from the country in the works this year including season three of Las Chicas del Cable.

The base will be a central facility for the streamer’s growing slate of Spanish originals, including new and existing titles. Series and films made by production partners of Netflix will also be developed there.

Grupo Secuoya will become the exclusive production services partner for projects from the new campus, which will open for business in September.

The production hub will see Netflix expand its investment in Spain, with more than 13,000 cast, crew and extras working on Netflix original productions in the country this year.

Spanish shows already on the way include Élite, a young-adult drama, while titles in production range from Isabel Coixet’s new original film Elisa & Marcela to The Alcásser Murders, an original documentary series.

Netflix recently announced an overall deal with Álex Pina, creator of the worldwide hit La Casa de Papel (Money Heist), the most-watched non-English-language show on the platform.

It is also investing significantly in licensed and coproduced titles created by Spanish broadcasters and producers.

This includes a recent agreement for first-option access to drama series from Atresmedia, with Fariña and La Catedral del Mar among the titles launching on Netflix globally.