Netflix says its ad-supported plan includes “the vast majority” of TV shows and movies available on the standard no-ads tiers — but more than a year after the streamer introduced the cheaper option, several popular titles remain unavailable to customers with the ad plan.
Most recently, Netflix customers noticed that Eli Roth’s horror film “Thanksgiving” (pictured above), added Feb. 17 for subscribers on ad-free tiers, is unavailable on the ad plan. The service notes that the slasher pic — currently at the No. 3 spot on Netflix’s top 10 movies in the U.S. — is not available to members on the ad plan because of licensing restrictions.
“While the vast majority of TV shows and movies are available on an ad-supported plan, a small number are not due to licensing restrictions,” the streamer says in an article on its help site. “These titles will appear with a lock icon when you search or browse Netflix.”
Popular on Variety
Ahead of Netflix’s November 2022 launch of the ad tier in 12 markets, the company said as much as 10% of the overall catalog would be unavailable on the plan depending on region. Last July, it said the ad-supported plan had hit 95% content parity globally based on viewing.
“Thanksgiving” is distributed by Sony Pictures Entertainment’s TriStar Pictures — and it appears that the studio’s movie output deal with Netflix excludes titles from ad-based viewing. Other Sony movies unavailable on Netflix’s U.S. ad plan include animated hit “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” “No Hard Feelings,” the R-rated comedy starring Jennifer Lawrence, Tom Hanks-starrer “A Man Called Otto,” John Singleton’s “Boyz N the Hood,” “Gran Turismo,” “Dumb Money,” “Morbius” starring Jared Leto, thriller-comedy “Bullet Train” starring Brad Pitt, “13 Going on 30” starring Jennifer Garner, biopic “Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” “Whiplash” starring Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons, “Equalizer 3” starring Denzel Washington.
Meanwhile, TV series currently unavailable to Netflix’s ad-supported members in the U.S. include AMC’s “The Walking Dead,” “Peaky Blinders” starring Cillian Murphy, “The Tourist” thriller starring Jamie Dornan, DreamWorks Animation shows including “Dinotrux,” “Dragons: Race to the Edge,” “Voltron: Legendary Defender” and “Home: Adventures with Tip & Oh,” and “House of Cards,” the landmark Netflix original series from MRC.
Of course, thousands of Netflix original and licensed titles are available on the ad plan. In December 2022, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said the company would work to renegotiate license agreements where possible to bring more movies and shows to the ad tier. However, he noted, the content lineup for the ad plan would not be “complete parity but near parity.”
In the U.S., Netflix’s Standard With Ads plan is priced at $6.99/month, less than half the cost of the Standard ad-free tier at $15.49/month. In the fourth quarter of 2023, Netflix ad-tier members grew almost 70% compared with the prior quarter, according to the company, but it didn’t break out numbers. At the Variety Entertainment Summit at CES 2024, Netflixpresident of advertisingAmy Reinhardsaid the company had more than 23 million active monthly users on ad plans worldwide.
To spur sign-ups to the ad-supported plan,Netflix last month said it will fully discontinue the entry-level Basic plan without adsin certain markets starting in Q2 in the U.K. and Canada.
FAQs
“While the vast majority of TV shows and movies are available on an ad-supported plan, a small number are not due to licensing restrictions,” the streamer says in an article on its help site. “These titles will appear with a lock icon when you search or browse Netflix.
Why is Netflix taking off so many shows and movies? ›
Due to licensing agreements, Netflix's library constantly rotates, and many movies and shows leave after short periods. Below, we'll track monthly removals planned for the United States and the United Kingdom and Netflix Original departures.
Is Netflix with ads going away? ›
Basic users in the US who want an ad-free viewing experience on Netflix will now have two choices: Netflix's Standard plan, which costs $15.49 per month, and its Premium plan, which costs $22.99 per month.
What movies are locked on Netflix with ads? ›
List of 122 Licensed Movies Unavailable on Netflix US Advertising Tier
- 65 (2023)
- Ali (2001)
- Aloha (2015)
- Anyone But You (2023)
- Baby Driver (2017)
- Bad Boys (1995)
- Bad Boys II (2003)
- Big Daddy (1999)
When a title isn't available on Netflix it can be for a few different reasons, including: The title may not be released yet in your country. The rights to the title aren't available or aren't available for your region. If you're using a VPN, you may only see TV shows and movies that are available globally on Netflix.
Why is Netflix losing all the good shows? ›
If a television programme has a smaller audience, even with an ardent fan base, it could be cancelled by Netflix. If a series has a particular niche genre, it might be using up the budget that could be spent on a show in a more popular genre.
Why has Netflix lost so many movies? ›
Netflix is the streaming service most committed to new movies and shows, but to make room for the fresh stuff, some of the content you've always wanted to watch—and have had on your to-watch list for months—have to be taken off of the service. That's because Netflix doesn't own everything it streams.
Is Netflix discontinuing the plan? ›
The announcement about sunsetting this subscription plan is not new. The streamer dropped its Basic commercial-free tier for new subscribers in the US and UK in July 2023 and followed up last October with a price increase for legacy customers with the subscription.
Why has my Netflix plan changed? ›
As we continue to add more TV shows and movies and introduce new product features, our plans and prices may change. We also may adjust plans and pricing to respond to local market changes, such as changes to local taxes or inflation.
How much does Netflix cost per month in 2024? ›
Netflix Prices in 2024
Additional tiers include $15.49 for Standard service, which includes 2 screens, and $22.99 for Premium, which includes 4 screens as well as upgraded HDR/4K resolution.
Fast forward and skip aren't available when an ad is playing. While the vast majority of TV shows and movies are available on an ad-supported plan, a small number are not due to licensing restrictions. These titles will appear with a lock icon when you search or browse Netflix. Ads will not be shown on Kids profiles.
Is the 6.99 Netflix plan worth it? ›
The mighty red N has been the No. 1 streaming service for years for a reason—it's consistent in quantity and quality. At a base price of $6.99 a month, Netflix's ad-supported plan delivers a thunderous bang for your subscription buck.
Why can't I watch everything on Netflix with ads? ›
A small percentage of devices that can play on ad-free Netflix plans can't be used with an ad-supported plan. This is because either the Netflix app or software on the device can't be updated to a version that supports ads. You can check which Netflix plans your TV or TV-connected device supports.
Why do some Netflix movies disappear? ›
Netflix licenses TV shows and movies from studios around the world. Though we strive to keep the titles you want to watch, some titles do leave Netflix because of licensing agreements.
Where can I find hidden movies on Netflix? ›
To explore these collections — ordering off the secret menu, if you will — all you need to do is fire up your web browser, type in “netflix.com/browse/genre/” and then add your ID code of choice to the end of the URL.
What is Netflix removing in 2024? ›
Beginning on May 1, 2024, Netflix will be removing 39 total titles. Unfortunately, there are some fan favorites included here. Notably, all four Hunger Games films will be removed next month! Other title leaving are one of the Magic Mike movies, You've Got Mail, The Great Gatsby, Split, and more.
Why is Netflix losing so many viewers? ›
Why the decline? Netflix's viewership atrophy may be due to implementing paid sharing, leading casual viewers to drop off and account holders to downgrade their plans or cancel their subscriptions altogether. This decline will come despite offering a lower-priced ad-supported option.
Why are people leaving Netflix? ›
One reason for the unprecedented drop in account holders is Netflix's monthly fee, which has been increasing rapidly over the past few years. On top of that, viewers have also voiced criticism over Netflix's cancellation of popular shows and its lack of big movie franchises.
Why is Netflix cutting out? ›
This usually happens when data stored on your device needs to be refreshed, or when a network issue stops Netflix from loading. Note:If your device isn't working or responding at all, see these troubleshooting steps.
