A few years ago, TV series were much less expensive to produce than films. Today, things have changed somewhat. With the increase in the number of TV series, the popularity of streaming platforms, and the public's growing interest in the serial format, TV series have become increasingly expensive. So much so that some TV series budgets are at least as large as those of films. The proof with these 10 Netflix series, the most exorbitant on the platform.
10) Sandman
Exit in 2022, the first season of Sandman is based on the famous graphic novels by Neil Gaiman. Released from 1989 to 1996, these comics are emblematic works of the genre, offering a different horizon to readers accustomed to consuming Marvel and DC products. Directed by Neil Gaiman and Allan Heinberg, the budget for the first season of Sandman is said to be around 165 million dollars. This equates to a 15 million dollar budget per episode. At least that much was needed to bring to life the ostentatious and ultra-general universe of Dream, the character of Sandman. Initially, a second season was in the pipeline. But following the terrible cases of sexual harassment, sexual assault, and rape that are currently tarnishing Neil Gaiman, it's not certain that Netflix will do it again.
9) Marco Polo
Released from 2014 to 2016, Marco Polo was born at a time when Netflix was still very ambitious, capable of releasing an incredible budget for such a low-rated series. In addition, the series was canceled after 3 seasons due to poor press and audience feedback. It's not certain that Marco Polo is worth its budget of 10 million dollars per episode over 20 episodes...
8) The Witcher
A hit Netflix series, The Witcher, a famous adaptation of the eponymous novels and video games, was released in 2019. Led by Henry Cavill, the series already has 4 seasons, while a fifth is currently in production. The show also spawned animated spin-off films like The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf. In short, The Witcher quickly became a Netflix classic, even after Henry Cavill's departure, replaced at short notice by Liam Hemsworth. The first season of The Witcher had a budget of $80 million, or $10 million per episode. Season 2 saw a budget increase, averaging $20 million per episode. In total, Netflix reportedly spent almost $320 million on this series. This is almost equivalent to the budget of a behemoth like Avengers: Endgame ($356 million). 7) Arcane
Riot Games' visual slap reportedly had a budget of over $250 million. It took no less to bring the adventures of Violet and Powder to life in an ultra-generous, highly stylized and polished animated universe. In just 18 episodes, Arcane established itself as an instant classic. Yet, according to Riot Games' figures, Arcane would not have been profitable for the company. Too bad, because it was a truly ambitious and innovative proposition.
6) Bridgerton
Developed since 2020, Bridgerton takes place in London during the Regency and follows Daphne Bridgerton, the eldest daughter of a powerful dynasty, who must find a husband. A costume drama with impressive sets, Bridgerton is obviously an expensive series. The first season of the show was valued at more than $7 million per episode. That makes an average of $56 million per season, for six seasons.
5) Sense 8
We go back in time with Sense 8, the fantasy series by the Wachowski sisters. Airing from 2015 to 2018, the two seasons of Sense 8 were a hit with Netflix users. Some fans even consider it THE best Netflix series of all time. It is rumored that the first season of Sense 8 received a budget of $120 million, or $10 million per episode. Season 2 was reportedly cut by $1 million per episode.
4) One Piece
The live-action adaptation of the famous manga One Piece was highly anticipated. Yet, against all odds, Steven Maeda and Matt Owens managed to deliver, in 2023, a surprisingly successful adaptation of Eiichirō Oda's immense manga. Aesthetically, it's superb, and the tone and plot allow it to remain faithful to the adventures of Luffy. Budget-wise, One Piece was reportedly subsidized to the tune of $18 million per episode. This translates to a total budget of $144 million, just for the first season.
3) The Get Down
The Get Down was canceled after only one season. A forgotten series by Baz Luhrmann released in 2016, The Get Down focuses on the ruins of the South Bronx, a motley crew of lost teenagers. An ambitious musical series like its showrunner, The Get Down was the most expensive series in the history of the platform at the time of its release on Netflix. In addition, Baz Luhrmann completely blew his budget and caused the cost of the series to increase by 33%, thus increasing the initial budget of 90 million dollars for 13 episodes to a budget of 120 million dollars for 11 episodes.
2) The Crown
Another costume series developed from 2016 to 2023, The Crown was a necessarily very expensive proposition. The biopic of Queen Elizabeth II reportedly cost more than $648 million spread over 60 episodes of its 6 seasons. The final season alone cost $144 million. And yes, it takes a certain budget to bring the Queen of England to life.
1) Stranger Things
It's perhaps THE Netflix series par excellence. Fans of the Duffer brothers' series have been following the adventures of Eleven, Jim Hooper, and the Byers family since 2016. While the fifth and final season is currently in production, Stranger Things still has a colossal budget of $400 million. In fact, given the show's growing success, Netflix hasn't hesitated to extend the checks for each new season. The first season reportedly cost $6 million per episode. From the second season onward, the budget increased to $8 million per episode. The budget for the third season isn't public, but the fourth had a deposit of $30 million per episode. A significant increase that explains the show's profitability. Rumor has it that the budget for the final season is equal to that of the previous one. See you next fall for the big conclusion of Stranger Things!
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