Netflix and Amazon ordered half of all streaming content in Q1 as Hollywood survives till ’25

EXT. Hollywood — DAY… Streamers’ budgets haven’t faded to black. New research found that Netflix and Amazon accounted for 53% of all original streaming content orders in the first quarter. Netflix commissioned 200+ new shows and movies in Q1 (its most in three years), and Amazon nabbed 140 (a record for Prime Video). Rivals like Disney, Apple, and Warner Bros. Discovery ordered far fewer, continuing a trend of studios slashing content budgets.

• Location scouting: Most of the orders were international. Amazon commissioned nearly 40 productions from India — more than in its past six quarters combined.

• Money calls action: Netflix and Amazon have $$ to spend. Their stocks are both up about 50% over the past year, and Netflix last year raked in $5B in profit.

The dim-screen era… In the “peak TV” days of 2022, ~600 shows premiered in the US (triple the # from 20 years earlier). But later that year, Wall Street turned on streaming’s unprofitable strategy, and entertainment biggies started slashing costs. Last year’s Hollywood strikes made matters worse, and Netflix cut 100+ shows. Nearly all major streamers have sharply pulled back on originals, shifting to more cost-effective licensing agreements (think: “Grey’s Anatomy” on Netflix).

• Just keep filming: It’s been rough for entertainment workers. Between August 2022 and the end of last year, film and TV employment fell 26%. Global production is down 7% this year, and “survive till ’25” has become an oft-heard phrase in Hollywood.