The wait between two seasons of popular series has become noticeably longer on major streaming platforms, turning multi-year gaps from an exception into something close to the norm. According to a new study by Ampere Analysis, the average waiting time between seasons has almost doubled within a decade: from around 10 months in 2016, it rose to 16 months in 2021 and reached 21 months in 2024–2025.
Even so, series such as Stranger Things — with wait time of more than three years until their most recent season — maintained audience interest.
The change is linked to platforms’ shift toward expensive, “cinematic” event productions, designed to stand out in a market with hundreds of series released every year. Sci-fi and fantasy projects in particular, which require complex VFX, large-scale shoots and extensive post-production, often have the longest production timelines. Notably, the third season of House of the Dragon is arriving after around two years, while Severance and Stranger Things took around three years until their most recent seasons.
The model, however, is a “double-edged sword.” On the one hand, long waits do not necessarily reduce interest: according to the study, series that returned after more than 30 months, such as Wednesday, recorded high engagement. On the other hand, 54% of respondents said they could cancel a subscription because of a long wait for content they care about.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
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