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⏳ Series Production Now Takes 40% Longer
At the Series Mania forum in Lille, Ampere Analysis analysts presented a grim diagnosis for the industry: the crisis stems not only from funding shortages but from a catastrophic production slowdown.
Television simply can’t keep up with its own demand.
Production bottleneck. European series commissions have dropped just 2% since 2020, yet production timelines have stretched 40%. The average journey from greenlight to premiere now takes 404 days, up from 288 days in 2020.
Budget squeeze. Original content spending has dipped only 3%, while industry revenues have cratered 53%. Platforms no longer need expensive “toys” to lure new subscribers — the market is saturated.
Genre shift. Costly sci-fi and fantasy are giving way to “cosy detective” stories. Mysteries are faster to produce (28% of all short cycles) and remain viewer favorites.
Asian expansion. Western content shortages have opened the door for K-dramas. In 2025, the Asia-Pacific region overtook the U.S. and Europe in licensed content sales volume.
Future lies in efficiency and micro-dramas. Turkey and Latin America will drive growth, as their telenovela traditions align perfectly with modern streaming demands.
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