Netflix to Double Original Programming in 2016

It has been some time since Netflix was purely a service that streamed the content from other companies. Its expansion into original programming has been a hugely successful one, and now the streaming giant has announced that it is to double its output in 2016.

At the UBS Media Conference in New York this week, chief content officer Ted Sarandos confirmed that Netflix would release 31 scripted series next year, as opposed to 2015's total of 16. There would also be 30 kids shows, plus the production of 10 new feature films. "This is high quality stuff," Sarandos commented, via Wired. "This is programming people want to watch."

High-profile shows released this year have included Marvel's Daredevil and Jessica Jones, the hit comedy Master of None, and the acclaimed drama Bloodline, as well as ongoing series such as House of Cards and Orange is the New Black. In addition, the company acquired the drama film Beasts of No Nation, which clocked up three million views in its first week of release in the US alone.

As Wired notes, one of Netflix's biggest issues for expansion are the licensing terms that affect when titles can be released in certain territories. Unlike the company's own productions, which are simultaneously available in every country that gets the service, obtaining the global rights for other movies and TV shows remains a challenge. "I don't know if it's more difficult than I expected, but it has not been an easy road," Sarandos said. "It's a big change."

Netflix's next film release will be the Adam Sandler comedy western The Ridiculous Six, which arrives on the service later this week. A trailer for next year's martial arts sequel Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny has also been released. Check it out below: