Severance season 2 reportedly costs HOW much an episode?
The second season of Severance is not coming to Apple TV+ until next year, but what we want to discuss here has less to do with the story, and more to do with some other quite-stunning reveals that have come out about the show behind the scenes.
To be specific, we are talking here primarily about a price tag. According to a report from Bloomberg, the second season of the Adam Scott led drama series is going to clock in at around $20 million an episode. This has not been concerned, but it does lead to a particularly enormous question: Why?
Just think about it for a moment. Severance is not some series that is altogether stuffed full of CGI or special effects. While it has a few big names within the cast, it does not have so many that makes you think that it should be busting at the budgetary seems. This is not House of the Dragon, The Boys, Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, or any other series that you would file under “spectacle.” A significant chunk of the first season was set in an office.
So what is really going on here? It may be symptomatic in one way of the sheer amount of effort that is going into every episode but beyond just that, the ambition that Apple has had since first entering the streaming game. Many other series that they have, including The Morning Show and Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, are also pretty darn expensive. It is fair to say that Presumed Innocent, which is currently on the air, carried with it a massive price tag as well.
Does this price tag mean there is concern over a season 3?
It is best not to jump to any rash conclusions at present. However, it is enough to make you wonder if Apple will try to make at least some sort of move to lower the price tag in the event the show returns. Severance has to be thought of now as, apparently, one of the most shockingly expensive shows to shoot, and it may also be indicative of the spot that Apple is now in as a content company.
One more thought: Imagine how much more successful some of their shows could be (think Sunny or Sugar) if just 10% of these budgets were diverted over to marketing instead. That is the company’s Achilles’ heel more so than anything as they try to compete against the behemoths of the world like Netflix and Prime Video.
What do you think we are going to see moving into Severance season 2 when it does eventually premiere?
Are you shocked by the reported budget figures? Let us know within the comments.