Ben Stiller, the executive producer and director of the critically acclaimed Apple TV+ series Severance, has recently shared an optimistic update about the potential third season of the show.
According to The Hollywood Reporter (THR), a writers' room is currently active in Los Angeles, signaling positive momentum for the series' continuation.
Although Apple has not officially renewed the show, Stiller expressed hope that the next season won't require the same lengthy three-year wait experienced between seasons one and two.
The series, created by Dan Erickson, has gained much attention for its unique premise exploring workplace memory separation and has received widespread critical acclaim.
With season 2 currently streaming and generating significant online chatter, fans are eagerly awaiting news of a potential third installment. The show's impressive 98% score on Rotten Tomatoes and its ability to generate significant viewer engagement make it a potentially valuable property for Apple TV+, despite the high production costs associated with its intricate storytelling and production design.
Production status and challenges
Ben Stiller talked about how much the entertainment industry has dramatically shifted since the recent strikes between the writers and actors.
He told THR,
“Everything changed a lot after the strike, for everyone, in terms of the way people are looking at budgets and spending. To Apple’s credit, they stayed on track with what the show was, and they’ve supported it.”
In an interview published in THR, it was indicated that Apple has stuck with the production quality of the show. Season 2's per-episode budget was $20 million, which makes it the most expensive streaming show currently in production.
Still, a Parrot Analytics report stated the series had grossed around $200 million in just the first season for Apple and thus shows immense financial viability to the production show.
Although Apple has yet to renew it formally, there seems to be massive activity going on inside the writers' room to make storylines possible for season 3.
Review and rating response
Severance has emerged as one of the most popular original series on Apple TV+, steadily drawing in many viewers and gathering critical acclaim.
The show maintains a phenomenal 98% on Rotten Tomatoes, and Season 2, which was released on January 17, has been streaming at the top of many other streaming charts-though Apple never releases viewership figures.
The series has managed to build significant online buzz and social media chatter, which may be an important aspect of its renewal prospects. The unique storyline of separation of workplace memory, as headed by Adam Scott's character Mark Scout, seems to have resonated with both the audience and critics.
Prospects for a Severance season 3 and industry landscape
The prospects are bright for the third season despite the challenging landscape of streaming services. Indeed, Apple TV+ is pretty aware that a show like Severance has immense value when released on the platform.
It signifies the fact that the show has managed to make an audience and receive good reviews from critics, and therefore, a house like this would be very interested in more investments.
The optimism shown by Stiller reflects upon the intent to preserve the high standard of production with innovative storytelling. The latest writers' room activity indicates that the team is gearing up for a third season, but the time frame is unknown.
Severance is available to stream on Apple TV+.
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