Content is king for streaming services, and Netflix may be going the extra mile to ensure its content is up to par with subscribers. According to The Wall Street Journal, Netflix's prerelease screening program will soon enlist tens of thousands of subscribers to preview new movies and shows and provide their feedback.
Netflix declined to comment to TechCrunch on The Wall Street Journal's report.

Similar to how major Hollywood studios test-preview new films, the "Netflix Preview Club" has over 2,000 previewers that preview Netflix titles before they are released to the streaming platform, The Wall Street Journal wrote. The program should increase by 400% in early 2023 if the report proves correct.

The program has existed since May 2021, Variety previously reported. Netflix confirmed to Variety that it runs subscriber-feedback panels in the U.S. only.

Quoting Reddit users who say to be part of the program, the Netflix Preview Club seems to be invitation only. According to one Reddit user, subscribers have to sign an NDA before they can view the film. Then, they need to fill out a series of questionnaire questions, one read. "You get a special Netflix account. and they email when they have a movie in there for you to watch. Usually you have to watch and review within a week, one added on Reddit.

Amazon and Hulu have similar programs, the “Amazon Preview” program and the “Hulu Brain Trust,” where subscribers offer feedback on content.

WSJ remarks that "Don't Look Up" was apparently too serious for the Netflix Preview Club, and creators took this feedback and added more humor before it was released. Despite "Don't Look Up" receiving low reviews by critics with 56% Tomatometer score and 78% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, it had four Oscars nominations and broke a Netflix record with 152.29 million weekly viewing hours.

The media streaming company will spend $17 billion in content next year, and it needs to make smart decisions where it invests. And in order not to repeat the disaster of Netflix's first and second quarters of 2022, the company needs to keep subscribers engaged to limit churn.

Netflix rebounded in Q3 2022 to 223 million global subscribers, so if it proves successful with the expansion of its preview program, it may be able to expand its subscriber base further with its content.

The streamer has had hits with its drama programs such as "Stranger Things," "Bridgerton," "Squid Game," and Tim Burton's new series "Wednesday," which just reached more than 340 million hours streamed. But Netflix is going to need a lot more to fill in the gaps. Hopefully the show will serve to guide the streamer on what viewers want.