The number of U.S. program premieres (across broadcast, cable and digital distribution platforms) declined -21% from 2022 (2,264 vs. 1,784).
Contents
In the ever-evolving landscape of the television, film and SVOD industries, 2023 proved to be another notable year for trend shifts. New economic realities cast a formidable shadow over the filmed content sector, particularly impacting the budgets allocated for new content production. Combined with an increasingly competitive landscape vying for viewer attention, those economic realities have prompted a strategic shift in the approach of both linear TV networks and streaming platforms. As a result, linear TV networks are premiering fewer programs, and streaming platforms, while also unveiling fewer titles, are strategically bolstering their catalogs with a notable emphasis on foreign language programs and films. These industry-wide adjustments underscore the complex interplay between economic forces and creative strategies, challenging the traditional paradigms that have long governed the entertainment domain.
It’s also no secret how dual strikes initiated by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA introduced an additional layer of complexity during the summer and fall. The collective bargaining disputes not only disrupted ongoing productions but also raised pertinent questions about fair compensation and the evolving nature of work in an industry that is undergoing rapid transformation. In response to these challenges, film distributors adapted their release strategies, unveiling more films than the previous year. However, a closer examination reveals a nuanced shift in the types of films being released, indicative of a recalibration in response to the prevailing uncertainties. As we navigate this intricate landscape, it becomes apparent that the intersection of economic factors, labor disputes, and evolving audience preferences is reshaping the very fabric of the entertainment industry, demanding a strategic reevaluation of traditional approaches.
In Luminate’s first-ever Film & TV Year-End Report, we unpack the aforementioned takeaways with our industry-leading intelligence and insights data. From genre shifts in production and audience preferences to new findings about foreign-langauge content and existing IP, the following is a reflection of the 2023 film, television and SVOD most notable trends.
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Trend 1
Series Slow Down, Cinema (Re)Surge
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2023
Luminate Year-End Film & TV Report
Trend 2
Laughs, Chills & Thrills
Trend 3
Foreign Film from the Family Room & Other Arena Trends
Trend 4
Empresses of Entertainment
Overall U.S. Premieres Decline in 2023
TREND 1
Series Slow Down, Cinema (Re)Surge
Unpacking the Current Landscape of New Content on Screen
-21%
Counts based on program premieres across U.S. Broadcast, U.S. Cable, and U.S. Digital Networks from January 2018 to December 2023. Excludes Title Type = Development and Network Type = U.S. Syndication.
U.S. Program Premieres
Counts based on program premieres across U.S. Broadcast, U.S. Cable, and U.S. Digital Networks from January 2018 to December 2023.Excludes Title Type = Development and Network Type = U.S. Syndication.
TV Season Premieres by Year & Quarter
Season 2 of Ginny & Georgia was released in Q1 2023, nearly two years after Season 1's launch on Netflix.
Counts based on Theatrical Wide Release Films in the U.S. from January 2018 to December 2023.
WIDE FILM RELEASES by Year & Quarter
Counts based on Completed Films released in the U.S. from January 2018 to December 2023.*Only Films released Wide in Theaters OR via Streaming were counted. Note: films released Wide in Theaters and via Streaming were counted in each category.
Number of Films Released in U.S.
In 2023, the number of films released wide in Theaters and via Streaming Platforms in the U.S. actually grew slightly (+4%).
+4%
Overall, the Number of Films Released* in U.S. Increased in 2023
Counts based on Theatrical Wide Release Films in the U.S. with a budget of $100M+ released from January 2018 to December 2023.
$100M+ Film Releases by Year & QUARTER
Counts based on Completed Films released in the U.S. from January 2018 to December 2023.
Only Films released Wide in Theaters were counted.
Number of Films Released, by budget
Low-budget films and Blockbusters drove the +41% year-over-year increase in films released wide in theaters.
+41%
Increase in Theatrical Wide Releases was Driven by Year-Over-Year Surge in Low and High Budget Films
YEAR-OVER-YEAR CHANGE BASED ON COMPARISON OF 2023 VERSUS 2022 PREMIERES AMONG TOP 4 GENRES ACROSS U.S. BROADCAST, U.S. CABLE, AND U.S. DIGITAL. EXCLUDES TITLE TYPE = DEVELOPMENT AND NETWORK TYPE = U.S. SYNDICATION.
Year-Over-Year Change Among Genres by Network Type
Counts based on program premieres across U.S. Broadcast, U.S. Cable, and U.S. Digital Networks from January 2018 to December 2023.
Excludes Title Type = Development and Network Type = U.S. Syndication.
NUMBER OF TV PREMIERES, by GENRE
All Major TV Genres Posted Year-Over-Year Declines
TREND 2
Laughs, Chills & Thrills
The Latest Genre Trends in Film & TV Content
Source: Entertainment 365 2023
STREAMING FILM RELEASES
Horror Movie fans are +80% more likely than the average U.S. Gen Pop to watch movies via streaming (88% vs. 49%, Wave 8 Avg.) and they are +89% more likely than the average U.S. Gen Pop to watch movies in a theater (51% vs. 27%, Wave 8 Avg.).
+80%
Counts based on films released Wide (>600 theaters) in Theaters OR on a Streaming Platform from January 2018 to December 2023.Note: films that were released in both ways are credited to each release type (2022: 33, 2023: 35). Chart ranked on 2023 Releases.
NUMBER OF WIDE RELEASE FILMS, by GENRE
Drama and Comedy Continue to Rank as the Top 2 Film Genres, but Horror and Thrillers both Showed Momentum
THEATRICAL WIDE RELEASES
Percentage Differences based on totals for FILMS RELEASED WIDE IN THEATERS from January 2022 to December 2023. Note: films that were released in both ways are credited to each release type. Chart ranked on 2023 % Difference from 2022
Percentage Differences based on totals for films released on a Streaming Platform from January 2022 to December 2023. Note: films that were released in both ways are credited to each release type. Chart ranked ON 2023 % Difference from 2022
TV (Linear & Digital): In 2023, the number of U.S. program premieres (across broadcast, cable and digital distribution platforms) declined -21% from 2022 (2,264 vs. 1,784), which was already down versus the peak year among those analyzed (2021). This trend signals a more measured approach to content spend was already in the works before the start of the dual strikes this year.
TV (Linear & Digital) by Quarter: In addition to the dual strikes, macro-economic factors have led media companies to put more emphasis on profitability versus growth. As a result, content spending has leveled off, which negatively impacted the # of programs ordered. In total, program premieres were down -45% from their peak in 3Q 2021 (3Q21: 678 vs. 4Q23: 372). In fact, there were fewer program premieres in the 4th Quarter of 2023 than there have been in any other quarter analyzed since 2018, dipping below even COVID levels in 4Q 2020.
Film (Theatrical-Wide & Streaming): In 2023, the number of films released wide in Theaters and via Streaming Platforms in the U.S. actually grew slightly (+4%). Films released in the U.S. via Streaming platforms were down slightly (-3%), however there was a surge in films released wide theatrically (in 600 theaters or more) in 2023 versus the prior year.
Film (Theatrical-Wide) by Quarter: In fact, widely released theatrical films got off their strongest 1st quarter start since 2018 and remained high through the 2nd quarter, but dipped in 3rd quarter as a result of the strikes. That said, theatrical wide releases did rebound in the 4th quarter of 2023 and were on par with 2019's totals.
Film (Theatrical-Wide): Low-budget films (<$10M budget) and Blockbuster films ($100M+) were both up significantly versus the prior year, driving the +41% year-over-year increase in films released wide in theaters. Low budget films grew +110%, while big budget blockbusters ($100M+) grew by +86%.
Film (Theatrical-Wide): In preparation for the dual strikes, Studios front-loaded the year with the release of $100M+ films. The first two quarters of 2023 saw more $100M+ films released than in all prior years analyzed (since 2018), with five $100M+ films released in Q1 2023 vs. just three in Q1 2022.
TV (Linear & Digital): All major TV/Digital genres suffered year-over-year declines versus their 2022 levels. Alternative reigned as the top genre in 2023 (1,038 premieres) and has since at least 2018. This is not surprising given alternative series tend to be more budget-friendly and are faster to produce. Drama, the second strongest genre with 381 premieres in 2023, was down -25% year-over-year, as a result of a steep drop off in premieres across Broadcast and Cable networks due to the dual strikes. Animation ranked third (194 premieres) and Comedy ranked fourth with 134 premieres. Of the four major genres (e.g. those with 100 premieres per year or more), Comedy fell most sharply year-over-year (from 192 in 2022 to 134 in 2023, down -30%). Animation, which was down a slight -7% overtook Comedy as the #3 genre in 2020, as network and platforms rushed to order animated series to take advantage of increased screen time by kids sheltering in place and production logistics that were more adaptable to the WFH setting.
TV (Linear & Digital) Genre Deep-Dive: Broadcast saw the largest year-over-year percentage declines in Drama and Comedy premieres (down -57% and -67%, respectively). Cable networks cut back on Drama (-42%) and Alternative (-12%) premieres versus the prior year, while Digital Platforms decreased Alternative (-34%) and Comedy (-30%) premieres versus 2022.
Film (Theatrical-Wide & Streaming): Drama is perennially the top genre among Streaming and widely released Theatrical films. However, Comedy, which consistently ranks second, was up +13% versus 2022. The Thriller and Horror genres were also up in 2023, posting double-digit gains over the prior year (+22% and +14%, respectively).
Film Genre Deep-Dive: Thriller, Horror, and Sci-Fi/Fantasy were the three genres that posted the largest percentage gains on Streaming platforms (+27%, +17% and +17%, respectively). Conversely, Horror and Thriller posted little to no growth, and Sci-Fi/Fantasy actually declined among Theatrical Wide releases, while all other genres were up.
TV (Broadcast & Cable): True Crime continues to grow. There were 80 program premieres in the arena of True Crime across Broadcast and Cable in 2023, an increase of +48% over 2022. Note the sharp increase in this arena from 2018 is due in part to a shift from coding programs as "True Story / Event" to a more specific "True Crime" tag for cable networks like Investigation Discovery and Oxygen, which rely heavily on programming in this space. Survival-themed shows also saw a notable percentage uptick from 2022, while more kid-friendly fare like Children's Animation and Animal-focused shows also saw year-over-year growth, rebounding from their 2022 lows.
Counts based on program premieres on U.S. Broadcast and Cable networks from January 2018 to December 2023.NOTE: TV SEASONS that were classified as having more than one Arena were credited to each arena. Chart ranked on Actual Difference between 2023 and 2022 PREMIERES .
Top Arenas Among TV (Broadcast & Cable) - based on Actual Growth in 2023 vs. 2022
There were 80 program premieres in the Arena of True Crime across Broadcast and Cable in 2023, an increase of +48% over 2022
+48%
Counts based on program premieres on U.S. Broadcast and Cable networks from January 2018 to December 2023.
Note: TV SEASONS that were classified as having more than one Arena were credited to each arena. Chart ranked on 2023 PREMIERES.
Top Arenas Among TV (Broadcast & Cable) - based on # of Premieres in 2023
While Linear TV Continues to Rely on Reality, Digital Platforms Gravitate to Foreign Language
TV (Broadcast & Cable): Non-Scripted arenas dominated the Top 5 among Broadcast and Cable networks in 2023, as they have every year since at least 2018. Even the Crime arena, which broke into the Top 5 this year, was propelled by series in the Alternative genre. Roughly 8 in 10 program premieres categorized as Crime fell within the Alternative genre.
TREND 3
Foreign Film from the Family Room & Other Arena Trends
TV (Digital): Global platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video are driving an increase in the number of Foreign Language premieres. In fact, 2023 marks the first time that Foreign Language has ranked as the top arena, outpacing Documentary programs and Serialized Dramas, both of which had fewer premieres in 2023 versus 2022. Crime and Comedy rounded out the Top 5 but also posted double-digit declines versus 2022.
Counts based on program premieres on U.S. Digital/Streaming platforms from January 2018 to December 2023NOTE: TV SEASONS that were classified as having more than one Arena were credited to each arena. Chart ranked on 2023 PREMIERES.
Top Arenas Among TV (Digital) - based on # of Premieres in 2023
TV (Digital): In terms of actual year-over-year growth, Stories from Asia outpaced all other arenas, more than doubling its 2022 total (55 vs. 27 in 2022). Relationship Dramas (e.g. The Crown and The Summer I Turned Pretty) ranked second in terms of year-over-year growth in actual number of premieres. Police Dramas and Mystery arenas ranked 3rd and 4th, and Anime rounded out the Top 5. Interestingly, 78% of the Anime premieres were also classified as Stories from Asia so an influx in the Anime arena also contributed to the overall growth in Stories from Asia.
Source: Entertainment 365 2023
Top Arenas Among TV (Digital) - based on Actual Growth in 2023 vs. 2022
Twice as many people who watch Foreign TV Series identify as Asian / Asian American compared to the average U.S. Gen Pop
2X
Theatrical-Wide Releases: Films in the Crime space were up +71% year-over-year and matched 2019's total. Comedy also had a stronger year in 2023, but still trails pre-COVID levels. However, the biggest story in terms of year-over year growth was Foreign Language films. Eleven made it to wide-release in 2023 an increase of +450% over 2022 as theaters looked to fill screens during the dual strikes.
Counts based on films released WIDE IN THEATERS from January 2018 to December 2023.Note: films that were classified as having more than one Arena were credited to each arena. CHART RANKED ON ACTUAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 2023 AND 2022 RELEASES.
Top Theatrical-Wide Arenas - based on Actual Growth in 2023 vs. 2022
Films in the Crime space were up +80% year-over-year and matched 2019's total.
+71%
Theatrical-Wide Releases: Films based on existing IP continue lead the pack in terms of sheer number of films released. Literary Adaptations topped all other arenas in 2023, while Remakes finished second — proving Studios are still betting on proven IP (and their built-in fan bases) to draw audiences back to the theaters. There was a notable uptick in films in the Family arena (31) as well as films in the Thriller arena (30), and both continue to climb back to pre-pandemic levels.
Counts based on films released WIDE IN THEATERS from January 2018 to December 2023.Note: films that were classified as having more than one Arena were credited to each arena. Chart ranked on 2023 Releases.
Top Theatrical-Wide Arenas - based on # of Releases in 2023
of all Theatrical Wide releases in 2023 were categorized as Literary Adaptations or Remakes
46%
Film (Streaming): In addition to ranking as the top arena in terms of total 2023 releases, Foreign Language ranked as the top arena in terms of actual growth in 2023, posting an increase of +34 releases from 2022.
Counts based on films released on a Streaming Platforms from January 2018 to December 2023.Note: films that were classified as having more than one Arena were credited to each arena. CHART RANKED ON ACTUAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 2023 AND 2022 RELEASES.
Top Streaming Films Arenas - based ON Actual Growth in 2023 vS. 2022
Counts based on films released on a Streaming Platforms from January 2018 to December 2023.Note: films that were classified as having more than one Arena were credited to each arena. Chart ranked on 2023 Releases.
Top Streaming Films Arenas - based on # of Releases in 2023
Foreign Language easily ranked as the top arena among Streaming films, as 191 films in this arena were released in 2023
Foreign Language Films Rank as Top Arena on Streamers; Films Based on Existing IP Top for Theatrical Wide Releases
Film (Streaming): Foreign Language easily ranked as the top arena among Streaming films, as 191 films in this arena were released in 2023, marking a +22% increase over its 2022 total as well as a noteworthy +85% advantage over the second place arena (Family).
TREND 4
Empresses of Entertainment
Taylor, Beyoncé and Barbie Take Center Stage in 2023
“The Eras Tour” concert film has grossed more than $250 million globally
$250M+
Taylor Swift
2023 has been "The Year of Taylor."
Her "Eras" Tour has generated $1.04B as of early December, making it the highest grossing tour of all-time, and it's projected to hit $2B by the end of its run.
Her movie, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour has become the highest-grossing concert film of all-time domestically.
Her impact has even haloed to her boyfriend Travis Kelce, who's ScreenScore grew from 26 in March, shortly after his team won the Super Bowl, to 63 (up +37 points) in October following Taylor's appearances at his games.
In February 2023, Beyoncé became the top Grammy winner of all time, with 32 Grammys.
32
Beyoncé
Beyoncé also had a record-breaking year.
In February she won 4 Grammys, which brought her career total to 32, officially making her the Top Grammy winner of All Time.
On December 1st, Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé opened wide in theaters and has amassed $30M domestically and nearly $40M worldwide.
As a result of the stellar year, Beyoncé's ScreenScore jumped 27 points over the course of the year (from 57 in January to 84 by the end of December).
Barbie is WB's highest-grossing worldwide release of all time.
$1.44B
Barbie
Barbie was the highest-grossing film of 2023 ($1.44B YTD).
It was also WB's highest-grossing worldwide release of all-time (eclipsing Harry Potter), Warner's biggest domestic title in 100 years and the highest-grossing movie directed solely by a woman.
It’s currently the 14th-biggest domestic release and 15th-biggest global release in history.
Greta Gerwig's ScreenScore was already at an impressive 76 at the beginning of 2023 and grew +7 points to reach its current level at 83.
+22%
SWIFt: Michael Buckner
BEYONCé: Christopher Polk
GRETA GERWIG: Gilbert Flores
Entertainment 365 is an original study that provides visibility into consumer behaviors, preferences, attitudes, likes, dislikes and all of the most popular ways people engage with entertainment.
Oppenheimer capitalized on fewer wide releases in3Q 2023. The critically-acclaimed film captivatedaudiences and has amassed just under $1B in box office revenue.
Cruising to record-breaking success, Barbie proved to be more than just a fun summer romp.
Streamers rely on binge-worthy, serialized dramas like Netflix’s The Night Agent to keep broad audiences engaged.
Hulu’s hugely successful original comedy, OnlyMurders in the Building, premiered on ABC in January 2024 to help shore up the network’s strike-impacted primetime schedule.
R-rated comedies like Joy Ride rebounded to pre-pandemic levels. 13 were released wide in theaters in 2023, on par with 2018 totals.
Documentary series like NBC’s LA Fire & Rescue continue to be among the most heavily utilized arenas across broadcast and cable.
Disney+’s Korean serialized drama Moving ispart of a growing trend by streamers to launch foreign language series to U.S. audiences.
Ballerina, Netflix’s revenge-fueled action/ adventure film from South Korea, illustrates the streamer’s growing interestin foreign-language films.
Counts based on program premieres on U.S. DIGITAL/STREAMING PLATFORMS from January 2018 to December 2023.Note: films that were classified as having more than one Arena were credited to each arena. Chart ranked on Actual Difference between 2023 and 2022 PREMIERES.