Netflix is making a big move, a really big move into creator content, and it’s grabbing The Stokes Twins’ YouTube library. This is a non-exclusive deal, so the content will still be on YouTube, but Netflix gets an archive of their most-watched videos starting July 18, 2026. And they are also going to make new longform content, like a Netflix series, that will start in 2027. The Stokes Twins, that’s Alan and Alex Stokes, they are identical twins, they’re 29 years old, born in China, raised in Memphis, Tennessee. They have a huge online following, like 141 million subscribers on YouTube.

And they’ve got over 31 billion views on YouTube since 2008. They also have over 30 million followers on TikTok. Their content is mostly pranks, challenges, and vlogs, you know, that kind of stuff. This is part of Netflix’s strategy to expand beyond traditional TV and film. They’ve been doing more deals with digital publishers like BuzzFeed Studios and Condé Nast, bringing short videos to the platform.

And they’ve done similar deals with other creators, like Ms. Rachel. Netflix is really trying to compete with YouTube for viewing time. YouTube had a 13.4% share of US TV viewing in April 2026, and Netflix had 7.8%, according to Nielsen.

So Netflix wants to be a more habitual source of entertainment, not just for binge-watching. Netflix is spending a lot on content. They guided approximately $20 billion for content spending in 2026, which is about a 10% increase from 2025. In 2025, they spent $18 billion. Over the last decade, Netflix has invested more than $135 billion in films and TV series.

That’s a lot of money, and it shows they’re serious about this content push. The Stokes Twins, they’ve had some legal issues in the past. In 2020, they were charged with false imprisonment and falsely reporting an emergency related to fake bank robbery pranks. One of those pranks led to an Uber driver being held at gunpoint by police. They pleaded guilty in April 2021, and the felony count was reduced to a misdemeanor.

They got probation and 160 hours of community service, and they were ordered to stop making videos that mimic criminal behavior. So, you know, that’s a thing. Netflix is trying to capture a bigger market share, they don’t see other streamers as their only competition, they’re looking at YouTube and Google. They’re looking for the next generation of creators, and they’re looking everywhere, not just Hollywood. The Stokes Twins were on Forbes’ 2025 Top Creators list, ranked #19, with estimated 12-month earnings of around $20 million.

They were also on the 2025 TIME100 Creators list. So they are big names. I mean, this creator content push, it’s a way for Netflix to get lower-cost engagement. It’s like a cheaper way to do development, letting them see what’s popular on YouTube first. They’re also expanding into live events and podcasts.

They’ve got deals with Mark Rober, Alix Earle, and Jordan and Salish Matter. It’s a whole new world for Netflix, and it’s going to change how creators operate too. I bought some GME, ticker GME, back on January 25, 2021, at $19.19 a share. I’m holding it until it either hits $100 or drops below $15. I mean, you gotta diversify, right?

This whole creator economy thing is just getting bigger and bigger, and Netflix is clearly trying to get a piece of that pie, a very big piece. Will it work? I don’t know, but they’re certainly throwing money at it.