SERIES MANIA: The European content industry is hooked on IP adaptations, whether that’s literary works or scripted formats, and the streamers are leading the charge, delegates in Lille heard today.
Dr Agnes Schneeberger
The European audiovisual fiction industry has increasingly turned to adaptations as a core strategy for content production, Dr Agnes Schneeberger, TV and VoD analyst at the European Audiovisual Observatory (EAO), told Series Mania delegates today.
Drawing on data from the EAO’s Adaptations in Audiovisual Fiction Production in Europe report, Schneeberger said adaptations accounted for 12% of all audiovisual fiction works produced in Europe between 2015 and 2022, with a total of 1,189 film and TV series adaptations created during that period. The report highlights the stability of this trend, noting that “the share of adaptations out of the overall AV fiction production volume remained stable between 2015 and 2022.”
Streaming services have played a particularly significant role in driving this increase, Schneeberger said. According to EAO data, “the share of adaptations out of AV fiction works produced by streamers was higher (19%) than that for private (13%) and public broadcasters (11%).”
This suggests that streaming platforms, more than traditional broadcasters, rely on adaptations to attract viewers, leveraging recognisable intellectual property (IP) to build audiences. The ability of adaptations to draw in existing fanbases has made them particularly valuable in a competitive streaming landscape.
Each year, over 140 titles and more than 1,000 hours of audiovisual fiction adaptations are produced in Europe. While the volume of adapted titles has increased moderately, the number of hours produced has fluctuated over time. Most adaptations take the form of TV series with 13 episodes or fewer per season, which account for 58% of all AV fiction adaptations, followed by TV films and collections at 36%.
The EAO report also highlights that adaptations make up a substantial proportion of these formats, stating that “over one in five TV films/collections and series with 13 episodes or less per season are adaptations (15% and 14% respectively).” Longer formats, such as daily soaps and telenovelas, play a much smaller role in adaptation-driven content, representing just 6% of adapted works.
The UK leads Europe in the production of audiovisual fiction adaptations, with 26% of all UK audiovisual fiction titles between 2015 and 2022 based on pre-existing material. This aligns with the UK’s long tradition of literary adaptation and its position as a dominant force in European content production.
The report also notes: “In addition to the five biggest European audiovisual markets, adaptations in Sweden, Portugal, Czechia and Iceland account for more than 10% of national audiovisual fiction production.” This demonstrates that while the largest markets produce the majority of adaptations, smaller markets are also making significant contributions.
Books are the most common source material, making up 77% of all AV fiction adaptations in Europe, while TV series account for 17%. The remaining 5% come from theatre plays, films and comics. Book adaptations have seen a marked increase, growing by 27% between 2015 and 2022. The report says: “Books used for audiovisual fiction adaptations are mainly domestic (81%), while TV series are mostly international (93%).” This suggests that while European countries prefer to adapt their own literature, they are more open to remaking television series from other nations.
The report further breaks down the origins of adapted material, noting that “more than half of audiovisual fiction adaptation titles produced in Europe are based on originals from the UK, Germany, France and Spain (61%).” The dominance of British literature in European adaptations is particularly notable, with books from the country serving as the source material for 29% of all adaptations. The trend for adapting international TV series, however, shows more diversity, with Spain, Norway and Israel among the leading sources of remade content.
The timeline for adapting TV series into remakes is also a key aspect of the study. The report finds that it takes an average of 10 years for an original TV series to be remade.” However, this process can happen much faster in some cases, as “most remakes of a TV series (39%) take less than seven years before they are first broadcast, and 74% take 12 years or less.”
A prime example is the Norwegian teen drama Skam, which holds the record for the most remakes in Europe. The report states: “Adaptations of the Norwegian TV series Skam exist in six European countries: Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain.” The second most remade series, according to the EAO, is jointly held by BeTipul/In Therapy (Israel), which was adapted in France, Hungary, Italy, Portugal and the Czech Republic, and Liar (UK), which has been adapted in Germany, Spain, France, Greece and Italy. In third place, with four adaptations, is Professor T (Belgium), which was remade in Germany, France, the UK and Czech Republic.
The role of coproductions in adaptation trends is another key finding. The report says: “The share of adaptations among AV fiction coproductions is double the size (23%) of those that were not coproduced (11%).” This indicates that adaptations are often used as a strategic tool to facilitate international collaboration, allowing production companies to secure financing and expand their market reach while working with familiar IP.
The historical timeline of adapted material also provides interesting insights. The report finds that “most AV fiction adaptations based on books are works first published in the 21st century (66%).” Another 29% of adapted books were originally published in the 20th century, while just 5% predate 1900. This suggests that while classic literature remains a source of adaptation, the industry overwhelmingly favours contemporary works. The choice of more recent material aligns with the industry’s preference for modern narratives that reflect current social, cultural and political themes.
The findings of the report suggest that adaptations will remain a significant component of European audiovisual fiction production in the years ahead. As streaming platforms and broadcasters seek to reduce financial risk and capitalise on established audiences, adaptations will continue to serve as a key content strategy. The growing number of international coproductions featuring adaptations further underscores the importance of cross-border collaboration in bringing adapted works to a wider audience.
For industry stakeholders, these insights offer a roadmap for navigating the adaptation market. Producers and commissioners must be selective in choosing source material, balancing local appeal with international marketability. Distributors and financiers must recognise the increasing role of adaptations in securing funding and attracting audiences. Meanwhile, writers, literary agents and IP owners should take note of the continued demand for adaptation-ready properties, ensuring that their works are positioned for potential screen development.
As European audiovisual fiction continues to evolve, adaptations are proving to be a cornerstone of content strategy, offering a unique blend of audience familiarity, financial security and creative storytelling. The stability of adaptation trends over the past decade suggests this model will remain central to the industry’s approach to production and distribution, shaping the future of European audiovisual content.
