Globally, streaming services have hit the brakes on scripted TV commissioning. Ampere Analysis reports that in the first half of 2025, the six largest global platforms, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, HBO Max, Paramount+, and Apple TV+, ordered just 242 first-run and renewed scripted titles. That’s a sharp 24% year-on-year drop from 318 in H1 2024.
This retreat marks a reversal from 2024’s modest growth (up 14% in H1, 5% in H2), reflecting a shift in original content strategy post-peak TV and post-Hollywood strikes. While the broader industry saw an 8% fall in scripted commissions, the top six streamers’ pullback was three times deeper.
Regional Breakdown
- North America: Stable at 95 titles, matching H1 2024 levels.
- Western Europe: Down 44%, with notable declines in the Crime & Thriller genre.
- Asia Pacific: Down 52%, mainly due to Amazon halving its activity in the region and commissioning only a couple of titles in India.
- Central & South America: Up 17%, bucking the global trend.
- Other regions: Smaller gains of around 35% from a lower base.
Platform-Level Shifts
- Least affected: Netflix (-6%) and Apple TV+ (-4%).
- Most significant cutback: Amazon Prime Video, more than halving its scripted commissions.
The Take
The slowdown signals a deliberate shift in streamer strategy. Investment in original scripted content is being pared back in favor of licensed programming, as platforms tread cautiously in a shaky economic climate. Commissioning decisions are slowing amid uncertainty over future demand, profitability, and potential new taxes on international productions. Although April 2025 saw a short-lived uptick, new movie tariffs in May quickly stalled momentum. If tariff rules and the broader economic picture stabilize, commissioning activity could pick up in the second half of the year.
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