Be it the scenic landscapes or the wealth of creative talent, Australia and New Zealand have long attracted Hollywood directors and producers. Even the dazzling version of New York seen in The Great Gatsby, which grossed $353.6 million, was actually filmed in Sydney, Australia. Happy Feet Two is among the several movies that were filmed in Australia, and this speaks volumes about the region’s strong presence in Hollywood. 

So, it is not surprising then that streaming giant Netflix is also leaning into Australia and New Zealand, with its 2026 slate featuring major titles and notable names.

Netflix’s 2026 Australia–New Zealand slate features projects that relied on Australian locations and local talent, and are led by big names Alan Ritchson, Charlize Theron, and Florence Pugh. The scenes showing rocky and dangerous roads in the newest Netflix action sci-fi feature, War Machine, were actually filmed in Bright, Myrtleford, Melbourne, and Docklands Studios. Starring Alan Ritchson, Jai Courtney, Keiynan Lonsdale, and Daniel Webber, it will arrive on March 6.

The survival thriller Apex sees Charlize Theron playing the role of a climber being chased by a hunter in the Australian wilderness. And for these scenes, the movie relied on the Blue Mountains and Canberra. Starring Eric Bana and Taron Egerton, the movie is set for release on April 24.

East of Eden is set to bring the world of John Steinbeck’s classic novel to life. And to show the Salinas Valley of Northern California, the producers decided to shoot in New Zealand. Starring Florence Pugh, Christopher Abbott, Hoon Lee, and Mike Faist, it is expected to arrive in the first half of 2026. These are just some of the several more projects from Netflix’s slate that relied on Australia, either for cast, crew, locations, or production.

The third and final season of the Australian television drama Heartbreak High is also part of the slate. The Gold Ticket by Australian-American television production company Eureka Productions, Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 by producers including Sydney-based Flying Bark Productions, The Mosquito Bowl (filmed in Australia), and Allen (filmed in Australia) are some of the other projects in the lineup.  It also includes My Brilliant Career, which was filmed mostly in Australia. 

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So, there is clearly much to look forward to from the Australia–New Zealand slate that Netflix is excited about. And Netflix's content director, Amanda Duthie, has also voiced her excitement over the slate.

This 2026 Australia–New Zealand content slate comes under the newly appointed content director, Amanda Duthie, who is excited about this creative direction. After all, the 2026 lineup brings together a brilliant mash-up of stories that shine the spotlight on different voices and moments across Australia and New Zealand. 

“Throughout my career, I’ve seen that local stories resonate most powerfully when they’re deeply specific, true to a character, a community or a moment in time,” she said.

“This 2026 slate brings together stories that differ widely in tone, scale and ambition, from every corner of the region,” she continued. 

Since 2021, the streamer has reportedly invested over AU$10 million to support development programs in Australia and New Zealand. If anything, it shows the platform’s continued push to bring authentic storytelling to life. And these efforts are likely to expand in the coming years.

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What do you think about Netflix’s Australia–New Zealand content slate? Let us know in the comments.