The State of Streaming Originals in 2025 Revealed
A year-end report from Luminate has shed light on the US market for streaming original TV shows and movies, revealing surprising trends that have emerged. According to Tyler Aquilina, lead author of the report, 2025 saw a significant spike in the total volume of original content consumption across leading streaming platforms.
The numbers are impressive, with a 18% year-over-year jump in consumption - reaching 21% for series alone. This was largely driven by massive streaming hits on multiple platforms, including HBO Max's "The Pitt" and Paramount Plus' "Landman." These shows helped set the bar high, but it's worth noting that one of the most-watched series of the year didn't even come from Netflix or a scripted show.
Love Island USA took the top spot with approximately 18 billion minutes watched, defying expectations given Peacock's smaller distribution footprint. This success story highlights the changing landscape of streaming and the growing importance of niche content.
However, not all was rosy in 2025. Production volume for unscripted content plummeted across nearly all subgenres, with a massive 31% decline in the number of unscripted programs ordered. The only subgenre to buck this trend was sports-themed docuseries, which saw an increase in volume.
Netflix's dominance did take a hit in 2025, as its market share dropped from 63% in 2023 and 2024 to 59%. Meanwhile, rivals like Prime Video, Apple TV, and HBO Max made significant strides to close the gap. This shift in power dynamics is notable, particularly when it comes to original content viewing. The spike wasn't driven by Netflix's usual formula, but rather a combination of factors that have forced its competitors to adapt.
Lastly, original streaming movies saw an improvement compared to theatrically released movies in the SVOD window. While nine of the top 10 most-watched movies of the year were theatrical releases in previous years, four different Netflix original films managed to hold their own among the top-ranked titles.
These findings paint a picture of a rapidly evolving streaming landscape, where competitors are vying for attention and subscribers are increasingly turning to niche content. As the industry continues to shift, it's clear that 2025 will be remembered as a year when streaming originals became truly mainstream.
A year-end report from Luminate has shed light on the US market for streaming original TV shows and movies, revealing surprising trends that have emerged. According to Tyler Aquilina, lead author of the report, 2025 saw a significant spike in the total volume of original content consumption across leading streaming platforms.
The numbers are impressive, with a 18% year-over-year jump in consumption - reaching 21% for series alone. This was largely driven by massive streaming hits on multiple platforms, including HBO Max's "The Pitt" and Paramount Plus' "Landman." These shows helped set the bar high, but it's worth noting that one of the most-watched series of the year didn't even come from Netflix or a scripted show.
Love Island USA took the top spot with approximately 18 billion minutes watched, defying expectations given Peacock's smaller distribution footprint. This success story highlights the changing landscape of streaming and the growing importance of niche content.
However, not all was rosy in 2025. Production volume for unscripted content plummeted across nearly all subgenres, with a massive 31% decline in the number of unscripted programs ordered. The only subgenre to buck this trend was sports-themed docuseries, which saw an increase in volume.
Netflix's dominance did take a hit in 2025, as its market share dropped from 63% in 2023 and 2024 to 59%. Meanwhile, rivals like Prime Video, Apple TV, and HBO Max made significant strides to close the gap. This shift in power dynamics is notable, particularly when it comes to original content viewing. The spike wasn't driven by Netflix's usual formula, but rather a combination of factors that have forced its competitors to adapt.
Lastly, original streaming movies saw an improvement compared to theatrically released movies in the SVOD window. While nine of the top 10 most-watched movies of the year were theatrical releases in previous years, four different Netflix original films managed to hold their own among the top-ranked titles.
These findings paint a picture of a rapidly evolving streaming landscape, where competitors are vying for attention and subscribers are increasingly turning to niche content. As the industry continues to shift, it's clear that 2025 will be remembered as a year when streaming originals became truly mainstream.
! who knew peacock was hiding such power? and yikes, what's going on with unscripted content tho? massive decline is no good 
. but hey, sports docuseries are on the rise 
, so that's a silver lining! and it's cool to see netflix not being the only game in town anymore 
. original streaming movies doing better than theatre releases? that's a game changer 
. can't wait to see what 2026 brings 
I mean, isn't that a pretty niche show? I guess you could say it's the new "It" show for some people 
. And yeah, Netflix is no longer the dominant player in original content - that's not entirely surprising though. The market has always been about competition and keeping up with trends 
. But what's interesting to me is how sports-themed docuseries became an exception to the production decline 
. Maybe it's because those types of shows are more accessible to a wider audience? Anyway, it'll be fascinating to see how this landscape continues to shift in 2026 
.
anyway, love island usa taking the top spot is wild considering all the hype around netflix and its usual formula 
31% decline in unscripted programs? Yeah, that's a big drop... guess you could say they were feeling a bit scripted 
.
. And those docuseries on Prime Video are just like old-school sports broadcasts, you know? It's crazy how streaming is changing the game, but at the same time, I kinda miss the good ol' days when we had to dig through our DVD collections or wait for movie rentals to come in the mail 
.
. that 31% decline in unscripted content is wild tho - what even happened there? 
the numbers are crazy, but what i find most interesting is how love island usa became this huge hit without even being from netflix or a scripted show. it just goes to show that people want more than just your usual scripted content... 
.
I mean, Love Island USA is one thing, but why do I have to sift through a million other shows that are all vapid and cringeworthy just to find something good? 
And don't even get me started on the ads - can't they just cut them out completely? 
. and btw, have u noticed how netflix isn't as dominant as it used to be? 59% market share is still crazy tho 
the only thing i'm kinda sad about is the decline in unscripted content, but i guess sports docuseries are still holding it down 
. i guess we can see why niche content is on the rise now 
. but hey, sports-themed docuseries did do well 
. and i love that original streaming movies are doing better than theatrically released ones in the SVOD window 
.