Looking forward, popular entertainment studios and productions are at a crossroads. The Writers Guild and SAG-AFTRA strikes of 2023 highlighted the tension between studio profits and artist welfare. Furthermore, the rise of generative AI threatens to upend production design and scriptwriting.
Simultaneously, consolidation continues. Warner Bros. Discovery, Disney-Fox (sports), and the potential mergers of other media giants suggest that the future holds fewer, larger studios. Yet, paradoxically, the demand for diverse productions has never been higher. Studios are now investing in "vertical" content—shows designed specifically for vertical viewing on TikTok and YouTube. Bangbros - Ass Parade - Brianna- Indecent Ass Exposure 1
The definition of popular entertainment studios is no longer US-centric. South Korea’s CJ ENM (Studio Dragon) produced Parasite and Crash Landing on You, dominating both cinema and K-dramas. India’s Yash Raj Films and Dharma Productions are the backbone of Bollywood, creating massive spectacles like Pathaan and Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani. Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Nollywood studios, particularly EbonyLife Films, are producing glossy, high-drama productions that are finding global audiences on Netflix. Simultaneously, consolidation continues
Netflix changed the game by abandoning the pilot system. Instead of testing a show with one episode, they order entire seasons and let the algorithm do the talking. Yet, paradoxically, the demand for diverse productions has
Their biggest hits of 2024—Baby Reindeer and The Gentlemen—couldn’t be more different. One is a deeply uncomfortable psychodrama; the other is a slick action comedy. Netflix’s superpower is genre fluidity. They don’t care if a show is weird, as long as it is talked about.
The takeaway: Netflix has proven that "popular" no longer means "lowest common denominator." It means "niche, but executed perfectly."