Only 4% of streaming output qualifies as hits

Three years ago, when the studios and streamers were dragging out negotiations with writers and actors unions for months during the strikes, a big sticking point for all sides was bonuses. At some point, the supposedly massive viewership of streaming titles would have to loop back around into the pockets of those responsible for creating and delivering the projects. If streaming won’t provide its creatives with residuals, the lifeblood of Hollywood’s economy, then the least it can do is provide writers with bonuses for success. The problem is, however, that Netflix, Prime Video, HBO Max, and Disney+ don’t produce hits. Using data from the TV analytics firm Digital I, Bloomberg reports that 4.4% of the streaming shows released in 2025 qualified for bonuses. Bonuses are only eligible on titles viewed by 20% of streaming service’s US subscribers in the first 90 days, and there are too many Electric States and not enough KPop Demon Hunters to generate worthwhile payments. This means that of the 350 productions Netflix released last year, only 26 were eligible for bonuses. It’s even worse on Prime, where only five of the streamer’s 337 2025 releases were big enough hits to trigger payments.