The European Audiovisual Observatory’s Key Trends 2026 report highlights record film production and the growing role of global streamers in financing European originals

The European audiovisual sector generated an estimated €142 billion in revenues in 2024, according to the European Audiovisual Observatory’s (EAO’s) Key Trends 2026 report, unveiled during Series Mania in Lille today, 25 March. The data-driven report paints a complex picture of a sector that is expanding and diversifying, even as global competition intensifies and viewing habits continue to shift towards episodic content.

According to the EAO, consumer spending remains the primary driver of growth, accounting for over half of the market’s value – around €72 billion. This includes subscription video-on-demand services, pay-TV subscriptions, cinema admissions and home-video revenues.

The figures underscore the continued resilience of the European audiovisual ecosystem, even as digital distribution and global platforms reshape the balance of power across the industry. One of the most striking findings concerns film production. European feature-film output reached a record level in 2024, with 2,523 movies produced across 36 markets, marking the highest annual total ever recorded in the region.

The Observatory notes that this growth has been driven by both fiction and documentary filmmaking, reflecting the ongoing expansion of production ecosystems across Europe. Budgets have also continued to increase across many territories, signalling renewed confidence in the post-pandemic production landscape.

The data chart included in the report shows a steady upward trajectory in output since the mid-2010s, with the industry rebounding strongly after the pandemic dip of 2020 and surpassing pre-COVID levels in subsequent years.

The report also highlights how streaming consumption patterns continue to favour episodic storytelling. According to the EAO’s analysis, 78% of viewing time on subscription video-on-demand platforms is devoted to television series, while films account for just 22%. This imbalance illustrates how the economics of streaming increasingly revolve around serial narratives, which tend to drive subscriber retention and long-term engagement. For producers and commissioners, the shift reinforces the strategic importance of high-quality scripted series within the European content ecosystem.

The trend also helps explain the growing prominence of international co-productions and large-scale series projects across Europe, as broadcasters and platforms compete for audiences in an increasingly crowded streaming marketplace.

Another key trend identified in the report is the rapidly expanding role of global streaming platforms in financing European content. The share of spending on European original productions coming from global streamers increased from 8% in 2020 to 24% in 2024, reflecting both regulatory obligations and a strategic push by platforms to produce locally relevant stories with international appeal.

The EAO’s spending chart indicates a sharp rise in investment by global players over the past decade, while spending by traditional broadcasters has remained comparatively stable. This transformation highlights the growing integration of Europe’s production sector into global streaming strategies, with international platforms increasingly acting as key financiers of European drama and documentary projects.

Despite the vitality of the European production landscape, the study signals a persistent structural imbalance in the global audiovisual economy. In detail, Europe accounts for just 12% of revenues among the world’s largest entertainment companies, according to the Observatory’s analysis. By comparison, the USA dominates the global entertainment market, representing around 71% of revenues among major companies, while Asian markets – including Japan and China – account for a growing share. The data also point to the increasing influence of digital platforms, such as Netflix, YouTube and Meta, positioning them among the leading audiovisual players operating in Europe.

The findings suggest that while Europe remains a highly productive creative hub, the continent’s audiovisual industry still faces challenges in scaling companies capable of competing with global entertainment conglomerates. Altogether, the research’s findings depict a European audiovisual sector that is dynamic yet structurally challenged. On the one hand, record production levels and growing investment from global platforms point to a thriving creative ecosystem; on the other, shifting audience behaviour, platform dominance and global market concentration continue to reshape the competitive landscape.

Click here to read the full report.