The Incredible Numbers Behind Netflix’s ‘Senna,’ Its Most Ambitious Brazilian Production to Date

variety.com:

Anna Marie de la Fuente What a difference a decade makes. It’s been nearly 10 years since Brazil produced the dystopian “3%,” its first series for Netflix.

Since then, the country has launched an average of two shows a month on the platform, said Elisabetta Zenatti, VP of content for Netflix in Brazil, who announced last year that the streaming giant was investing $165 million (1 billion Reales) in Brazilian productions thru 2023 and 2024.

On Nov. 29, Netflix’s most ambitious and expensive Brazilian series, “Senna,” launched worldwide. According to the Associated Press, the streamer spent over $170 million on production.

Currently ranking number two in Brazil and number six globally in its first week, it’s likely to sit high in Netflix’s Top Ten charts in Brazil and other territories, given the fervent interest in motorsports around the world. “Senna” chronicles the triumphs, setbacks and personal journey of Brazil’s three-time Formula 1 world champion Ayrton Senna, from his Formula Ford beginnings in England to his tragic accident at the San Marino Grand Prix in Imola. “It was a challenge to make as Brazil may have a storied tradition in making telenovelas and films, but not in series, which are not as entrenched,” said Zenatti, who estimates that up to 15 writers were involved in the project.