The millions from the successful Argentine series 'El Eternauta' and its impact on the economy

Since its global premiere last April 30, El Eternauta, an adaptation of the famous comic by Héctor Germán Oesterheld, became a true international phenomenon. The series, entirely produced by the private sector, reached the number one spot in Netflix's global weekly Top 10 for non-English speaking series in just one week, with 10.8 million views worldwide. It also entered the weekly Top 10 in 87 countries, including strategic markets such as the United States, France, India, Germany, Brazil, Mexico, Spain, and Italy.

This cultural event is not only an artistic achievement: it represents an unprecedented economic and productive milestone for the Argentine audiovisual industry. According to a report by Empiria Consultores, in collaboration with Netflix, the production of the first season caused an impact of over 41,000 million pesos (approximately 41 billion pesos) on the national economy, by directly and indirectly energizing multiple sectors linked to the value chain.

The study, prepared in April 2025 based on an input-output model, identified multiplier effects in areas such as transportation, hospitality, logistics, catering, set design, technical services, and construction, in addition to the direct impact on audiovisual production.

But the numbers don't stop there. The project mobilized 2,900 workers, including actors, extras, and technicians, over 148 shooting days, with more than 50 physical locations and 35 virtual sets. Additionally, more than 500 masks were specially designed for the series. In terms of technology, innovative processes such as photogrammetry and 3D scanning were applied, allowing entire sectors of the city of Buenos Aires to be digitally recreated with unprecedented detail.

These investments in technical infrastructure not only raised the quality standards of the series but also left permanent installed capacities, enabling new local and international productions with more efficient costs and greater creative autonomy. In a country seeking to reconfigure its productive matrix toward high value-added intangible goods, El Eternauta stands as an exemplary case of the new paradigm: talent, intellectual property, and economic freedom as key factors for generating employment, exports, and global prestige.

No less important is the symbolic value. Directed by Bruno Stagnaro and starring Ricardo Darín, with a script by Stagnaro and Ariel Staltari and production by K&S Films, the series revives a cult work —originally published in 1957— that, beyond its political readings, challenges a present marked by collective challenges through fiction. The participation of Martín Oesterheld, the original author's grandson, as a creative consultant, adds legitimacy to a project of very high narrative and technical quality.

In this context, the official confirmation of a second season not only promises the continuity of this artistic and commercial success but also projects greater investment attraction, generation of qualified employment, and international positioning for the country. The government of Javier Milei, whose libertarian approach has favored creative freedom and clear rules for private investment, can consider this phenomenon as a tangible demonstration of the dynamism that emerges when the State stops obstructing.