As the hype for Severance Season 2 continues to build, it’s been revealed that the budget for the second chapter makes it one of the most expensive projects on TV.
It’s felt like an age waiting for the return of Ben Stiller’s Apple TV+ drama, with Severance Season 2 needing to answer our burning questions.
There is an end in sight, although we won’t be getting new episodes until January 2025. Until then, a new report from Bloomberg has revealed that the cost of the second chapter has ballooned to more than $20 million an episode.
To put that in perspective, this puts the dystopian workplace drama in the same group as House of the Dragon, while Star Wars’ The Mandalorian and The Last of Us series cost an estimated $15 million per episode.
While this might indicate good news for the quality on offer, it’s not looking great for the future of the show, as Apple is seeking to cut down spending on its streaming service, according to more than a dozen insiders.
Apple is spending billions of dollars on prestige content, from Martin Scoresese’s Killers of the Flower Moon to Band of Brothers follow-up Masters of the Air.
Much like these titles, its original series, including Slow Horses, The Morning Show, and Severance, continue to fare well with critics and awards – but they’re not drawing in enough viewers.
As stated by Bloomberg, Apple TV+ generates less viewing in one month than Netflix does in a single day.
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When it comes to Severance, Season 2 was hit with delays amid the writers’ and actors’ strikes, causing costs to rise.
The same goes for Stiller remaining on the project, with insiders telling the outlet that Apple also paid House of Cards writer Beau Willimon millions to “contribute to a few episodes.”
Conversations about the future of Severance are ongoing. The good news is that Apple is keen to keep making more of the hit series. But sources state Stiller and the show’s studio Fifth Season have been asked by management to bring the cost down.
The news has left fans wary, with one writing on Reddit, “This comes from a report that Apple is trying to get smarter with the money they invest into TV and film projects.
“With any luck, Season 3 of Severance won’t run into any more [global shutdowns] or strikes, but a fourth season is now feeling less likely to me. We’ll have to see how Season 2 performs.”
“Oh boy this makes me nervous,” said another, while a third agreed, “Yup, same. My favorite Netflix show Mindhunter was canceled because of spending like this. I hope it doesn’t happen here.”
Severance Season 2 will premiere on January 17, 2025. Until then, check out the new TV shows coming to streaming this month, as well as the best binge-worthy series and where to watch them.