2026 TV & Film Industry Outlook Report

The global film and television industry entered 2025 hoping for a clean rebound after a year defined by labor disruption and uncertainty. Instead, the data shows an industry settling into a new operating reality. Based on ProdPro’s proprietary production tracking and surveys of over 850 crew members, suppliers, and studio executives, we're pleased to share ProdPro's 2026 TV & Film Industry Outlook report.

Here are five key takeaways shaping the outlook for 2026.

Five Key Takeaways

A new baseline took hold. 2025 production levels were broadly in line with 2024, with more projects starting but less money behind them as the industry adjusted to a “more with less” reality.

Independent features returned first. Feature production rose 19 percent year over year, with growth concentrated almost entirely in sub-$40M films as financing unlocked post-strike.

Scripted TV has reset below Peak TV. Series starts fell 7 percent and remain roughly 23 percent below 2022 peak spend levels, reflecting a structural shift in content strategy.

Geography continues to shift aggressively. Incentive-rich markets like the U.K., Ireland, and Eastern Europe gained share, while U.S. production hubs experienced sharp declines.

Recovery remains uneven across the workforce. Studio and supplier sentiment stabilized, but crew reported an average of six months since their last job, highlighting continued strain at the labor level.

Looking to stay ahead of TV/film production trends? Talk to our team about how ProdPro can help.