Netflix Expands Southeast Asian Content with Star-Studded Slate
Netflix is significantly expanding its content offerings in Southeast Asia, featuring a lineup anchored by some of the region’s most prominent stars. The streaming giant’s 2026 slate includes Filipino box office draws Kathryn Bernardo and Anne Curtis, and Thai superstar Nadech Kugimiya, alongside a diverse range of original films and series across the Philippines, Thailand, and Indonesia.
Philippines: Thrillers, Dramas, and Coming-of-Age Stories
Kathryn Bernardo takes the lead in the romantic thriller series “Someone, Someday,” alongside James Reid and Maja Salvador. Directed by Chad Vidanes and Dolly Dulu, the series centers on a dating app CEO who unwittingly connects with someone seeking revenge, putting her company, family, and personal life at risk.
Anne Curtis stars in Erik Matti’s action series “BuyBust: The Undesirables,” partnering with Gerald Anderson as a vengeful ex-cop and corporate outcast. They unite to confront a ruthless drug lord following the murder of a senator’s daughter in a lawless, dystopian city.
The Philippine lineup also includes television personality Dingdong Dantes in “The Master Cutter,” a crime thriller by Dominic Zapata. The story follows a former scout ranger-turned-tailor who discovers his biological daughter is involved with a criminal syndicate. Award-winning actor Jodi Sta Maria and veteran Agot Isidro collaborate in “Ganito, Ganyan, Ganoon,” a family drama directed by Cholo H. Laurel, about a TV writer returning home to her estranged mother.
Further Filipino offerings include Dolly Dulu’s coming-of-age feature “18th Rose,” starring Xyriel Manabat and Kyle Echarri; Rae Red’s mystery series “Balaraw,” featuring Janine Gutierrez and Isidro; and Mark A. Reyes V’s holiday anthology “Paskong Pinoy,” with an ensemble cast including Angelu de Leon, Bobby Andrews, Rica Peralejo, Barbie Forteza and Enchong Dee.
Thailand: Revenge, Assassins, and Legal Battles
Nadech Kugimiya, known as Thailand’s “King of Lakorn,” headlines “The Debt Collector,” a revenge thriller directed by Surapong Ploensang. The series follows a former brutal debt collector haunted by his past, who races against a terminal illness to avenge injustices against loan shark victims and find redemption.
Pimchanok Luevisadpaibul appears in two Thai titles: Taweewat Wantha’s action film “My Dearest Assassin,” co-starring Thanapob Leeratanakachorn, about a girl raised by assassins fighting for her freedom; and Sivaroj Kongsakul’s period series “Empress of Flames,” about a fallen princess seeking to reclaim her throne.
Rhatha Phongam leads “The Evil Lawyer,” a legal thriller directed by Nottapon Boonprakob, where a principled young lawyer accused of murder teams up with the notorious “Evil Lawyer” to prove his innocence.
The Thai slate begins on with Sitisiri Mongkolsiri’s “The Red Line,” about women victimized by call-center scams who pursue justice themselves. Other titles include the comedy “Overacting,” directed by Prueksa Amaruji and starring Phongsak Phongsuwan; Chayan Laoyodtrakool’s thriller series “Delusion”; and the documentary feature “Chompoo: Lost & Forgotten,” directed by Nontawat Numbenchapol, which examines a missing child case that captivated the nation.
Indonesia: Romance, Mystery, and Action
The Indonesian slate, which launched on with Sim F.’s orphanage drama “A Letter to My Youth,” features ensemble casts across multiple genres. Teddy Soeria Atmadja’s culinary romance series “Made With Love” stars Mawar Eva de Jongh and Deva Mahenra, while Monica Vanesa Tedja’s “Night Shift for Cuties” follows K-pop fans Shenina Cinnamon and Nadya Syarifa as they become rivals.
Additional Indonesian titles include Gina S. Noer’s father-son drama “Me Before Me” starring Ringgo Agus Rahman and Bima Sena; Ravi Bharwani’s thriller “Secrets” featuring Sha Ine Febriyanti and Abimana Aryasatya; and Sidharta Tata’s action film “Never Surrender” with Lukman Sardi.
