Netflix is celebrating its 10th anniversary in France, accompanied by its famous intro sound that needs no introduction. But how was it created?
“Toudoum”. These two sounds resonate in the ears of millions of Internet users when they launch a film or series on Netflix. If this sound is familiar to many people’s ears, where does it really come from? On the occasion of Netflix’s tenth anniversary in France, Tech&Co looks back at the origin of this famous jingle.
A controversial origin?
The leading theory is that the Netflix jingle originated from the series House of Cards. In the last episode of season 2, Frank Underwood, the main character of the series played by Kevin Spacey, becomes President of the United States. Entering the Oval Office, he leans over the desk and taps the surface twice and very quickly. A sound similar, if not identical, to the Netflix jingle.
Yet according to Lon Bender, the Oscar-winning sound designer who helped create the intro, the origins are quite different. In a 2020 podcast, he explained that he was inspired by the sound of his wedding ring hitting a wooden cabinet. He supplemented the sound with sound effects, such as the sound of an electric guitar in reverse.
“There was also a slowed-down anvil sound that had a deeper tone,” he explains, detailing his complex approach, which took him several months to achieve the desired sound.
Above all, he never refers to House of Cards as inspiration. A kind of amnesia that could well be linked to the misfortunes of the series’ lead actor, Kevin Spacey, accused of sexual violence in 2017. Although the latter was acquitted of several charges in 2023 – other accusations have since emerged – he is clearly no longer in good odour at Netflix.
Kevin Spacey had also returned to the subject last year in an interview given to the Fox News channel. “Do you know what it is?” he explained, referring to the “Toudoum”, before banging twice on the coffee table in front of him. “So it’s weird that they publicly chose to cut ties with me after allegations that turned out to be false.”
Although the origin of this jingle is still debated, it has since been adapted into a long version by the composer Hans Zimmer for the cinema.
A way also to stand out from the original jingle… and from Kevin Spacey.
