2025: The Year in Drama

Prequel, sequel, revival and adaptation orders abounded in 2025 as drama buyers sought to contend with budget constraints and the battle for eyeballs amid a crowded content landscape. And a new format emerged with gusto: the vertical, micro-drama.

As known IP reigned supreme, various spin-offs came about last year. STARZ premiered Outlander: Blood of My Blood, already renewed for a second season, and ordered Power: Origins. It also debuted Spartacus: House of Ashur. MGM+ greenlit Bosch: Start of Watch, while Prime Video premiered the Bosch spin-off Ballard. Sony Pictures Television began developing S.W.A.T. Exiles, with Shemar Moore reprising his role. A sequel to Blue Bloods, led by Donnie Wahlberg and Sonequa Martin-Green, debuted at MIPCOM and found buyers around the world. FX gave the go-ahead for a spin-off of Snowfall. Paramount+, meanwhile, ordered Nola King, a spin-off of Tulsa King, to be led by Samuel L. Jackson.

Other broadcasters opted for straight revivals. FOX is bringing back Baywatch, and Netflix is plotting the returns of Peaky Blinders and A Different World. Hulu debuted its reboot of King of the Hill and ordered an additional two seasons. Channel 4 announced it was reviving A Woman of Substance, 40 years since the show ranked as its biggest-ever drama.

Several hit IPs began development as TV series as well, with HBO’s Harry Potter series making headlines as it rounded out its cast throughout the year. Netflix planned out TV remakes of Little House on the Prairie and Pride and Prejudice. Netflix also lined up an adaptation of the video game Assassin’s Creed, while Prime Video set an adaptation of Tomb Raider. M. Night Shyamalan and Brad Falchuk boarded Mattel Studios’ live-action scripted series inspired by Magic 8 Ball.

A large swath of books were optioned for the development of screen adaptations, too. Netflix has many in its pipeline: Vladimir, The Age of Innocence, Unaccustomed Earth, The Woman in the Cabin, All the Truth Behind My Lies and So Far Gone. Apple TV optioned The Husbands, I’m Glad My Mom Died, Berlin Noirand Down Cemetery Road, while Prime Video lined up adaptations of Rise of the Empress, Every Summer After and Off Campus. Paramount UK & Ireland commissioned TV versions of The Revenge Club and Baby Doll. ITV went for The Party andDeath at The White Hart, the debut novel from Broadchurch creator Chris Chibnall. In North America, Crave and HBO Max premiered a Heated Rivalry adaptation, which was greenlit for a second season before its first finished airing. Also, Synchronicity Films is developing adaptations of Isabel Dalhousie novels, Made Up Stories is working on a screen version of 17 Years Later and Tomorrow Studios is prepping an adaptation of Don’t Let the Devil Ride. And this is only a fraction of the book adaptations to come.

In terms of genre, crime and thriller series often topped the news in 2025, whether through sales, premieres or commissions. ITV Studios sold the detective drama Ludwig around the world, and All3Media International secured sales across five continents for Two Brothers Pictures’ The Assassinand also shored up deals for New Pictures’ Protection. Hulu’s Paradise premiered at the start of the year and was quickly renewed about a month later. Hulu (and Disney+) also set the premiere of the new Ryan Murphy thriller The Beauty. Paramount+ lined up the psychological thriller Girl Taken. Apple TV added the conspiracy thriller Prime Target, the Hugh Laurie-led crime thriller The Wanted Man, the French-language political thriller La Décision and the espionage thriller Safe Houses to its offering. MGM+ greenlit the crime drama The Westies, created by Narcos’ Chris Brancato, and Fifth Season signed on to take the series global. Several A24 thrillers were given the go-ahead, with straight-to-series orders given to Trigger Point by Netflix and Discretionby Paramount+. Prime Video expanded its catalog of crime and thriller titles with Malice, Storm and Vanished.

A fast-growing section of the drama landscape is that of vertical and micro-dramas—mobile-first, short-form series. A study from Ampere revealed that more than one in ten internet users had watched drama episodes lasting ten minutes or less on social media. The micro-drama market outside of China is projected to generate revenues of $9.5 billion by 2030, per Media Partners Asia. FOX Entertainment made an investment into the vertical video space with the acquisition of an equity stake in HOLYWATER. Night Train Media partnered with Spirit Studios to fund the development of a vertical micro-drama for Night Train Digital. Inter Medya expanded into the vertical drama space, with plans to develop its own titles and collaborate with third-party producers. Telemundo Studios unveiled its first mobile-first scripted slate.

AI started to pop up in more and more conversations throughout the year as the technology improved. Wonder Studios began to rollout the AI-driven anthology Beyond the Loop, and Vigloo launched two full-length vertical dramas that were produced entirely in AI. Rogue Matter clinched a deal that will see Fairground Entertainment develop AI-powered adaptations of its slate of graphic novels and comic books. In order to tap into this rapidly advancing technique, Amazon MGM Studios expanded its AI Studios team.

There was also plenty of consolidation in 2025 as companies vie for audiences who are being pulled in many directions. ITV Studios took a majority stake in Moonage and in Plano a Plano. Fremantle combined Monster Scripted and Miso Film, while Banijay brought together Banijay Studios France and Shine Fiction. VICE Media took control of Cuba Pictures.

Several new companies launched—Leonardo Padrón’s Leonardo Padrón Productions and Richard Tulk-Hart’s consulting company Volteo Media—while others made plans for shuttering. Angie Fielder and Polly Staniford announced the closing of Aquarius Films, and Apple Tree Productions revealed plans to close at the end of 2026. Others expanded their scripted capabilities. Dash Pictures launched a scripted arm, and BBC Studios introduced the BBC Studios Fiction division.

There was, of course, plenty more news throughout the year. You can catch up on all the drama news of last year and stay up-to-date on this year’s articles by visiting TVDrama.com and subscribing to TV Drama Daily and TV Drama Weekly for free here.