Katarzyna Petru
When the world came to a halt in 2020, streaming flourished. Premieres that would normally hit theaters went straight to platforms. Tenet, Soul, Wonder Woman 1984 – every service wanted to be the one that “delivered,” and viewers felt like the new releases never ended. But it was a fleeting paradise. After the pandemic came a slowdown, and then – surprisingly long hangover.
When COVID halted filming worldwide, shows like The Mandalorian, Stranger Things, Severance, or The White Lotus disappeared from radar for long months. And just when the situation seemed to stabilize, Hollywood was hit by strikes by writers and actors – the largest in decades. For nearly half a year in 2023, nothing was produced. Actors couldn't perform, writers couldn't write, and shooting schedules literally gathered dust. Such paralysis struck all sectors – from the biggest productions to smaller series with potential.
Revival has started – and at full speed
It wasn't until 2025 that something really took off. Disney+ launched a strong lineup of hits – a new season of The Bear, the long-awaited Ironheart, and Alien: Earth. Max (formerly HBO Max) is back with continuations of its biggest brands and is officially starting work on the Harry Potter series. Netflix doesn't have to prove anything – Stranger Things 5, Wednesday, and Squid Game 3 are returning with a bang. Interestingly, the new season of Squid Game is said to have a larger budget than both previous seasons combined – and that says a lot in a world where numbers mean everything.
Apple TV+ is also getting back into the groove. Eddy Cue, Apple's vice president, stated outright that their production schedule is not paralyzed by external factors for the first time in years. That means they can work, plan, and finally release things when they want.
Cinema Returns to the Spotlight
Not only streaming is making a comeback. Cinemas are rubbing their hands together too. In the coming months of 2025, titles such as Thunderbolts, F1: The Movie, Minecraft: The Movie, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, Jurassic World: Rebirth, and of course Avatar: Fire And Ash will hit the screens. These are not niche titles – these are productions aiming for a billion dollars in revenue. Even Tom Cruise has postponed filming for the last Mission: Impossible to avoid risking a release during strikes.
You can see not only a return of production capacity but also financial bravery. After years of constraints, budgets are finally being loosened, promotional campaigns are launching, and the market once again looks like a living organism instead of a blocked emergency system.
What’s next?
The second half of 2025 is a turning point. Programming schedules are filling up, platforms are once again competing for subscribers not only with archives but also with fresh productions. If all goes according to plan, 2026 could be the first full season in five years where everything arrives on time. And it seems that streaming has returned not just to survive—but to dominate again.
