Wrapping of “stranger things” with “Eight blockbuster films” Will not come cheap.
Netflix “spends much more” on direct-to-consumer content than anyone else, as Moffettathanson pointed out in a new remark to customers and obtained by IndieWire-but not on content overall. So who does? Well, the media analysts are also on it. The answer to our question is really not Apple, although it as the world’s largest company after market cases can certainly practice everyone else.
Below is a comprehensive list of the large media companies we cover and you consume, minus maybe one or two. For example, Sony pictures are more difficult to get stuck as a branch in a large Japanese country; Lionsgate goes through a strange thing with Starz at the moment, and it is less transparent (and less studied) than the larger companies on this list.
Without further Adieu, with 2025 content budgets in rising order …
Apple
Apple will spend $ 7.5 billion on content 2025, per moffettnathanson, up a bit from the $ 7.3 billion it spent 2024. The new budget is a modest increase of 3 percent spread over the combination of Apple Films, Apple TV+ Series and other content.
If you think Apple’s content budget is peanuts (not The peanuts as it also flows), that is. But it makes sense when you consider streaming service Apple TV+ (Now on Android!) For Apple is essentially “a rounding error”, which Moffettathanson wrote.
Amazon
Apple and Amazon: Together forever. The two largest companies on the list (and two of the five largest in the world) spend the least on content. It is not so much that they are cheap, it is more as if they are not particularly in the content game. Like Apple TV+, Prime Video is good as a loss leader for Amazon. For Apple, the iPhone sales allow Apple TV+ to exist; For Amazon, Prime Video is a reflection on what’s in your carriage right now.
Per Moffettathanson, Amazon will spend $ 9.1 billion on content in 2025, which would be down a bit (2 percent) from their cash of $ 9.3 billioncontent expenses last year. But a source with knowledge of the budget tells Indieview that the company’s content budget is actually up a hair (although it almost flat, the person recognized) from last year, which puts our rankings in a little pickle.
Amazon containing Amazon Studios, Prime Video and The studio mgmwill this year spend less on entertainment and more on sports because of its New NBA store. Type of Bizarro WBD; More about that on a little.
Fox
Fox had to go and raise his budget and throw the said pick in our rankings.
Per Moffettathanson estimated Fox’s $ 9.2 billion in content expenses by two digits (14 percent, to be exact) from the $ 8.1 billion that it spent in 2024. Here is also the difference Sport, namely the last Sunday’s Super Bowl. Fox certainly saw a return on that investment. The company said it made a record $ 800 million in advertising sales over Fox and Tubi.
Speaking of ROI, they received the advertisers, some of whom paid as much as $ 9 million for a 30-second place, their money worth. Philadelphia Eagles beaten by Kansas City Chiefs set a new Super Bowl record With 127.7 million viewers.
Paramount Global
Here comes the big boys in space. Paramount Global will spend an estimated $ 15.2 billion on content in 2025, a decrease of 7 percent from $ 16.4 billion in 2024. Also with The self -examinationParamount’s overall content budget is a large leap from Fox, Amazon and Apple. It is proof of the size and extent of a studio when it can allocate $ 15 billion for movies and TV programs while In cost-saving situation before the company’s merger with Skydance-You know, provided the Trump administration lets it happen.
Paramount’s CBS, like Fox’s, ER, Fox, spends a healthy part of its budget on NFL games. The broadcast network also has the entire primetimes to fill with script and unwritten content. Unlike Fox, Paramount also has big movie studio Paramount pictures and a serious (sad tubi, you are cool for what you are) streaming platform, paramount+, to load with original.
Netflix
You may be surprised to see Netflix’s land on this center on our list, but when all you do is for your streaming platform, cash expenses of “about $ 18 billion” goes on content per new Netflix guidance, long. (Moffettnathanson estimates $ 18.6 billion for the Netflix budget in 2025, an increase of 15 percent from the same analyst of $ 16.2 billion in 2024, when Netflix said it spent $ 17 billion 2024 – so there is some margin for errors here .)
It is worth pointing out here as in view of its huge subscriber base (302 million global paid subscribers At the end of 2024), Netflix relatively reasonable content expenses subscribeR is on par with Warner Bros. Discovery and Disney, who spend much more (as you should see).
“Because it has more content, it drives better commitment, which leads to more subscribers and possibly better pricing power in a virtuous bicycle that has played quite well for the company so far,” wrote Robert Fishman from Moffettathanson. “This is the lasting force in Netflix’s first advantage.”
This year, WWE’s “Monday Night Raw” met Netflix books, so that’s an extra cost. Imagine plus “Squid Game” transbudget alone. The last season of it and its second largest series “Stranger Things” both arrive this year.
Warner Bros. Discovery
There is a bright side to Warner Bros. Discovery that loses the NBA to the annoying Amazon -Occupies, kinds. WBD now has a lot of money to spend on non-sports, if it chooses to do so. Moffettathanson appreciated WBD plans to spend the same $ 19.5 billion On content 2025 as it did in 2024, only in a different way.
Noting, it’s not just the annual NBA budget that can (and sounds like it will) be awarded this year. WBD is largely carried internationally, and in 2025 is an off-year for the games.
Disney
Disney has a whole lot of platforms to fill with shows, movies and sports, including Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+, as well as ABC, its cable ducts and its theatrical arm. Like WBD, Disney drives back its 2024 cash content budget of $ 23 billion per recent applications. (Moffettathanson has Disney’s budget plate of $ 23.4 billion to be more specific.)
It is about a billion dollars less than Disney managers who are expected to spend 2025 just a few months ago. Venu’s unpleasant removalA sports -centric streaming service that Disney had collaborated with Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery, probably released a few dollars for every company in the interrupted joint venture.
NBCU (including Sky)
We have arrived at the media company with the deepest pockets – or rather the media company willing to dig the deepest to Its pockets for the sake of video entertainment.
At the same time as it Boots a bunch of cable channels and digital assets To Spinco., NBCuniversal is expected to spend $ 27.1 billion on content 2025 per moffettnathanson, from $ 27.5 billion in 2024.
Even (soon to be) without MSNBC, CNBC, USA Network, Oxygen, E!, Syfy and Golf Channel – and holding such as Fandango, Rotten Tomatoes, Golfnow and Sports Engine – NBCU is a huge media company. There are NBC Broadcast Network, Universal Pictures, Dreamworks, Illumination, Focus Features, PeaCock – it’s not just 2025 movies “Jurassic World Rebirth” and “Wicked: for good” that drives up receipts.
