Meloni meets Netflix boss Ted Sarandos in Rome.
Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni received Netflix chief executive Ted Sarandos at Palazzo Chigi in Rome on Monday, pressing him to expand the streaming giant’s presence and spending in Italy.
A statement released by her office said that during their meeting Meloni underscored the strategic importance of investments in the audiovisual and creative sectors, encouraging Sarandos to further strengthen the company’s presence and investments in Italy, “leveraging the country’s talent, professionalism and excellence”.
The two reportedly discussed the broader role of film and television as both a cultural and industrial sector, and the part they play in projecting Italian identity internationally.
Italian market
Sarandos indicated his readiness to invest in new stories and to contribute in an increasingly significant way to the development and competitiveness of the Italian audiovisual sector, according to La Stampa newspaper.
He also outlined Netflix’s decade-long engagement with Italy through both domestic and international productions made and set in the country.
The meeting comes with substantial sums already flowing into Italian content, Milano Finanza reports.
According to data from Ampere Analysis, total streaming investment in Italian content in 2026 amounts to $1.58 billion, up from $1.41 billion in 2025. Amazon Prime Video leads with $675 million, followed by Netflix with $618 million, and Disney+ with $223 million.
Netflix and Rome
Netflix has been present in Italy since launching its service there in 2015. The company initially operated from its main European hub in Amsterdam before establishing a local foothold.
Its Italian headquarters are close to the US embassy on Via Boncompagni, just off Via Veneto – a location chosen, Netflix said, for its resonance with Rome’s celebrated cinematic tradition.
The Italian office employs around 70 people across production, marketing, and dubbing, among other roles.
Notable Italian originals produced under the Rome operation include the crime dramas Suburra and Baby, as well as Zerocalcare’s animated series Tear Along the Dotted Line, whose sequel Due Spicci was previewed last weekend at the Circus Maximus.
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