The global film and television industry began in 2025 with a downturn in production activity, reflecting a mix of seasonal slowdowns, economic caution, and shifting commissioning strategies by major studios and streaming platforms. According to Vitrina’s Production Pulse report for January 2025, production volumes declined across most regions compared to both December 2024 and January 2024, with only the Americas showing signs of growth.
The last 37 months have seen turbulent shifts in global production, from the post-pandemic boom of 2022, where studios rushed to greenlight projects post-pandemic, followed by budget tightening due to entertainment market corrections; to the Hollywood strikes of 2023 leading studios to focus on unscripted content and international projects; and a stabilization phase in 2024, with regional production spikes in Japan, Australia & New Zealand, Germany, and Brazil, while broadcasters scaled back commissioning.
Now, in January 2025, a global 10% decline in production activity highlights new challenges and shifting market conditions. In Asia-Pacific (APAC) there was a 35% decline in production volume, marking the steepest drop, driven by reduced financing in India and Japan. In Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) it was reported a 32% decline, affected by seasonal slowdowns and commissioning pullbacks from key broadcasters. And the Americas shown a resilient performance, with an 8% increase compared to January 2024 and a 9% rise from December 2024, showing stronger market stability and investment flows.
The overall decline reflects a mix of holiday-related production delays, seasonal commissioning gaps, and more conservative content spending by major studios and streaming platforms.
In terms of genre and language preferences, drama remains the most-produced genre, followed by comedy and documentary, while English-language productions accounted for 49% of all projects in January, followed by French and German productions.
Despite the overall decline in production activity, several major players continued to invest in new content. Globally, Netflix, Prime Video, and BBC led new commissions, maintaining their dominance in the market. In EMEA, Netflix remained stable, while BBC experienced a resurgence following a slowdown in late 2024. In APAC, Netflix, Maddock Films (India), and Disney+ Hotstar (India) were the most active commissioners, driving regional content production. Meanwhile, in the Americas, Netflix and Prime Video continued to dominate, with Disney+ closely trailing behind, reinforcing their stronghold in the region.
Season renewals remain a crucial content strategy for broadcasters and streamers, ensuring audience retention, stable production workflows, and cost efficiency. However, renewals declined across APAC and EMEA, while the Americas saw modest growth. In APAC, renewals dropped significantly, though Troyca (Japan), Studio N (South Korea), MAPPA (Japan), Nine Network (Australia), and Netflix remained active in commissioning new seasons. EMEA experienced a 19% decline, with Netflix, BBC, ITV, and Canal+ leading the region’s renewal efforts. Meanwhile, the Americas saw a 5% increase in renewals, with Netflix, Blue Ant Media, HGTV, and Paramount+ driving continued investments. Drama emerged as the most renewed genre, followed by Reality TV and Comedy, reflecting audience demand for long-running, character-driven series.
With intensified competition among tax incentives and production grants, film commissions worldwide are enhancing their strategies to attract productions and foster industry collaborations. Over the past three months, key trends shaping their role include expanded tax breaks and financial incentives in select regions, increased investments in local talent development and post-production facilities, and a shift in traditional filming locations as productions seek more cost-effective alternatives. As the industry navigates economic uncertainties and evolving business models, film commissions will be instrumental in shaping production hubs and securing major projects, ensuring long-term growth and sustainability in the global entertainment landscape.
As 2025 unfolds, global production activity is expected to fluctuate, influenced by content spending strategies, evolving audience preferences, and economic pressures on studios and streamers. The next few months will be critical in determining whether the industry rebounds from January’s slowdown or enters a new phase of recalibration.