To nobody’s shock, 2020 was a bumper 12 months for streaming. With folks caught at house final 12 months, companies noticed thousands and thousands of recent subscribers — Netflix attracted 16 million clients in simply three months, alone. The early a part of 2021 continued that pattern, however because the 12 months attracts to an in depth, it seems the growth is slowing down across the board. This means that as restrictions ease around the globe, folks is likely to be returning to pre-pandemic norms.

But on the entire, 2021 was nonetheless a reasonably large 12 months for streaming. Netflix now has 214 million global subscribers, and companies like Disney+ and HBO Max lured clients with unique TV exhibits and films. US platforms, like Peacock, expanded internationally and online-only programming was well-represented at a number of award exhibits. Titles unique to streaming, corresponding to Squid Game and WandaVision, turned a part of the cultural panorama. A sluggish 12 months or not, it’s clear that that is how most of us watch our exhibits now. Here are a few of the greatest tales in streaming this 12 months.

Netflix continues to dominate

As talked about above, Netflix is the undisputed chief in streaming with over 214 million subscribers worldwide. Sure, it’s confronted just a few challenges from rivals like Disney+ and Amazon Prime, however Netflix continues to be holding sturdy. Part of that’s as a result of firm’s technique of investing in authentic content material that you would be able to’t get anyplace else, like Stranger Things and The Crown.

And in fact, there’s Squid Game which is undoubtedly the primary TV present of the 12 months. Netflix has mentioned that round 142 million households watched the Korean-language present, making it the most-viewed new present in Netflix historical past. There’s additionally the not too long ago launched Red Notice, which turned the service’s most-watched movie in its first 28 days of launch, with round 328.8 million viewing hours in that point span. That tops the earlier file held by Bird Box, which had 282 million viewing hours again in 2018.

Things don’t appear to be slowing down, both. Netflix has signed multi-year offers with massive names like Kevin Hart and Steven Spielberg, it has unique rights for Universal animated movies and it bought the rights to Roald Dahl’s whole catalog. this phenomenon

Still, 2021 wasn’t with out its hiccups. The largest one by far is when Netflix workers staged a protest over the CEO’s remarks defending Dave Chappelle’s standup particular, which was closely criticized for its transphobic content material. CEO Ed Sarandos has since mentioned he “screwed up” on the messaging, however has not rescinded his protection.

Disney+ proves it’s a critical contender

Disney+, however, presently has 118.1 million paid subscribers worldwide, which doesn’t fairly examine to Netflix. But the service nonetheless gained floor in 2021, with around 43 million more subscribers in comparison with final 12 months. A number of that may be attributed to Disney’s powerhouse manufacturers corresponding to Pixar, Star Wars and, particularly in 2021, Marvel.

2021 was when the Marvel Cinematic Universe launched 4 totally different TV exhibits, all completely on Disney+: WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki and Hawkeye. This is an enormous deal, as Marvel has mentioned that these TV sequence are key to the MCU’s “Phase Four” chapter, indicating that followers will seemingly wish to watch them with a view to perceive the context behind upcoming films set in the identical universe.

But there was extra to those exhibits that made them required viewing. As the primary out the gate, WandaVision set the tone. The episodes have been meant to be watched weekly, as each spurred so-called “water cooler” discussions in-person and on-line. This felt loads like “anti-binging” TV, as a lot of the enchantment of those exhibits lay within the anticipation of what would occur subsequent. At the very least, it confirmed that Disney+’s slate of authentic content material — which additionally contains The Mandalorian and the upcoming The Book of Boba Fett — may maintain its personal in opposition to that of extra established platforms.

The direct-to-streaming revolution that wasn’t

During the thick of the pandemic, many films eschewed theatrical releases for direct-to-streaming debuts. Examples embody The Lovebirds, Borat Subsequent Movie Film, Mulan (through paid Premier Access), Soul, and Wonder Woman 1984. That carried into this 12 months as properly, with Disney+ persevering with its paid Premier Access mannequin with Cruella, Black Widow and Jungle Cruise (Luca, nevertheless, didn’t have Premier Access launch).

The greatest transfer, nevertheless, was when Warner Bros. introduced that each single one among its films in 2021 would have a one month unique entry interval on HBO Max concurrent with the movie’s home launch. This meant that massive blockbuster films like Suicide Squad, Dune and Matrix 4 could be accessible on HBO Max on the identical day they debuted in theaters for a whole 12 months.

While some might have heralded this phenomenon as the way forward for leisure, it appears to be like to be short-lived. Disney revealed just a few months in the past that each one of its remaining 2021 films will get a 45-day head begin in theaters. This may very well be on account of sturdy responses to titles like Free Guy and Shang-Chi, however Disney may additionally wish to keep away from lawsuits just like the one Scarlett Johansson filed for breach of contract over shortened theatrical releases. Warner Bros. additionally mentioned that it’s going again to theater-first releases in 2022. It appears to be like just like the direct-to-streaming revolution isn’t fairly right here simply but.

Other notable streaming information

• Paramount+ replaces CBS All Access, which primarily opens up the service to different ViacomCBS channels, corresponding to Comedy Central and VH1, plus Paramount’s current film library.

• Discovery+ makes its debut. The service options content material from HGTV, Food Network, Animal Planet, TLC, the Magnolia Network, and Discovery.

• AT&T spun off its WarnerMedia division and merged it with Discovery in a $43 billion deal. The new firm will mix Warner’s movie division, HBO Max and Discovery+.

• Roku bought Quibi’s exhibits and launched a few of them as “Roku Originals.”

• Roku pulled YouTube TV from its channel retailer amid a contract dispute with Google. The latter apparently requested precedence placement in search outcomes and wished to dam outcomes from different suppliers whereas the app was in use. As of December eighth, each events have lastly agreed to a multi-year extension.

• In different notable YouTube TV information, the service not too long ago misplaced entry to all of Disney’s channels, which incorporates ESPN, ABC and FX, as Google and Disney had didn’t strike a deal. After simply a few days, nevertheless, the 2 corporations reconciled and reached an settlement, thus restoring the entire aforementioned channels. When YouTube TV initially misplaced these channels, Google had dropped the value of the service by $15 (from $65 to $50 within the primary package deal). Now the value is again to regular. However, if customers had already initiated the cancellation course of, Google will nonetheless honor the one-time $15 credit score in the event that they resume their membership. 

• WWE Network ceased operations as most of its content material moved to Peacock.

• Peacock aired a number of reside Olympics sporting occasions in addition to the opening and shutting ceremonies.

• Universal made a deal the place Peacock and Amazon Prime Video would have some streaming rights for its live-action films after their theatrical run. They would air on Peacock for 4 months, then on Prime Video for 10 months, after which again to Peacock for a minimum of one other 4 months. This kicks into impact in 2022.

• Netflix gained unique streaming rights to all of Sony’s upcoming films, together with upcoming titles within the Spider-Man franchise.

• Peacock debuts within the UK and Ireland.

What to sit up for in 2022

While the expansion in streaming is likely to be slowing, there are nonetheless loads of exhibits and films to anticipate subsequent 12 months. Netflix has confirmed that the aforementioned Sandman will be released in 2022, in addition to The Witcher: Blood Origin and new seasons of favorites like Stranger Things, The Crown and Ozark. Disney+ will proceed its MCU run of TV exhibits with Ms. Marvel, and can introduce a few Star Wars sequence too: Obi-Wan Kenobi and Andor. Perhaps the 2 greatest TV sequence to get enthusiastic about, nevertheless, are HBO’s Game of Thrones prequel sequence, House of the Dragon, and Amazon’s epic Lord of the Rings sequence, which is about hundreds of years previous to The Hobbit.