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Global Streamers Reveal Star-Studded Holiday Originals Slate

Global Streamers Unwrap Record-Breaking Holiday Originals Slate Led by Oscar Winners and Franchise Finales

Los Angeles, November 19, 2025 — The streaming sector’s “holiday quarter” officially began this week as the world’s largest platforms released line-ups that combine A-list talent, franchise finales and day-and-date theatrical events. Industry analysts say the aggressive slate is designed to lock in year-end subscriber growth and reverse the post-pandemic slowdown in advertising-supported tiers.

Netflix will debut 23 originals, including Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (Dec. 12) and the final episodes of Stranger Things 5 on Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve

. Roku Originals counters with 10 holiday films and unscripted specials—its biggest seasonal slate since the ad-supported channel launched in 2021—headlined by a new Jeff Probst survival special and the romantic comedy Mistletoe & Metrics

. Disney+ will add nine titles, among them Toy Story 5: Holiday Shorts and the Marvel one-shot A Very Stark Christmas, as the service leans into family co-viewing and merchandise tie-ins.

“November and December now account for 28 % of our annual sign-ups,” said Maya Krishnan, Netflix VP of Global Series and Franchise Planning. “The data tell us that viewers actively look for fresh, escapist stories once the clocks change, and we’re programming accordingly with both tent-pole universes and new IP.”

According to Parrot Analytics, demand for holiday-themed originals has risen 34 % since 2022, while the cost to acquire a new subscriber during the fourth quarter has fallen 11 % for services that release at least one high-profile title between Thanksgiving and Christmas

. Premium original films also boost ad-tier CPMs: Roku’s internal metrics show a 22 % increase in average CPM when new holiday content is front-loaded on the home screen.

The competitive calendar is already reshaping release strategies. Netflix will experiment with a split-volume drop for Stranger Things, offering the first four episodes on Nov. 26 and the remaining four on Dec. 31, a move intended to keep the title in the global top-10 for five consecutive weeks

. Meanwhile, Roku is gifting early access to Roku+ members for four titles, mimicking the windowing model long used by theatrical exhibitors.

About Netflix

Netflix, Inc. is the world’s leading subscription streaming service with 278 million paid memberships in over 190 countries, offering TV series, documentaries, feature films and mobile games across a wide variety of genres and languages.

About Roku Originals

Roku Originals is the in-house content arm of Roku, Inc., producing ad-supported series, films and specials available exclusively on The Roku Channel in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Mexico.