When Netflix first dipped its toe into original horror with modest acquisitions such as *The Ritual* (2017), the goal was simple: test audience appetite. The modest budget and limited promotion meant the film barely made a ripple, but it set the groundwork for data‑driven content decisions that would later define the platform’s strategy.
A turning point arrived in 2019 with *The Haunting of Hill House*, a series that blended psychological terror and family drama. Its critical acclaim proved that Netflix could not only fund but also nurture horror that resonates beyond jump scares, reshaping the streaming service’s reputation as a serious home for the genre.