EXCLUSIVE: Severance, Apple TV+’s most-watched series launch of all time, could become “the foundation” of Fifth Season’s library in the future, according to the studio’s new global TV sales boss.
Despite the show currently being available on Apple globally and with at least one more season to come, Jennifer Ebell said there is plenty opportunity to monetize Severance both now and further down the line, while the smash sci-fi thriller is a perpetual reputation builder for Fifth Season.
“Being the number one show on Apple is such a loud calling card,” Ebell told Deadline in her first interview since replacing Prentiss Fraser and as she prepped for today’s L.A. Screenings. “Having great shows like Severance is the foundation of the library in the future. It speaks to the testament of what we are trying to do and what we continue to do.”
Severance Season 2 took the TV world by storm. The Dan Erickson and Ben Stiller thriller starring Adam Scott and Britt Lower broke Apple TV+ records earlier this year, launching as the platform’s number one series in history based on number of unique viewers from Jan. 17 through Feb. 17.
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While being number one on Apple is huge, Ebell said there are also surprising ways in which the studio is monetizing Severance such as via DVD sales.
“I know everyone says DVD is dead but it’s in all the Walmart’s out there,” she added. “Not everyone thinks about it but there is a market out there and that says something about the show. [DVD] has that nostalgia. It’s physical, it’s here, you can play it.”
Apple shows have comprised a cornerstone of Fifth Season’s distribution strategy of late. We revealed last year that the distribution arm was selling $1B worth of Apple TV+ shows for their second window including Jason Momoa-starrer See, Nicole Kidman’s Roar and M. Night Shyamalan’s Servant.
Updating on these show sales, Ebell said buyers in the Baltics and Benelux have snapped them up, while ITV recently swooped for Uma Thurman-starrer Suspicion. “As they go on air, we look at ratings success and utilize that to pitch to larger markets,” added Ebell. “For some Apple shows we don’t have linear rights yet so we know as a business there is a long tail approach. Apple is one of those hidden gems where not so many people have subscriptions so we know there is an entire world out there of people who haven’t seen these shows.”
Five-year plan
Ebell took over from Fraser several weeks back and is headed this week to her first big market in Hollywood. She has been with Fifth Season (formerly Endeavor) for five years and spent the prior 13 at ITV.
In her first few months, Ebell said she will not change course from the “strong foundation” left by Fraser, who moved to Fox, but in the longer term Ebell revealed she plans to put together a five-year strategy that will likely be unveiled in around 12 months.
“It’s going to take time,” she added. “Prentiss’s leaving coincided with the end of a five-year plan so building [the next one] will involve looking at internal systems, tweaking processes, the evolution of natural business practice and bringing in shows. Ask me in 12 months and I’ll tell you where we’re going.”
In the meantime, Ebell said the team will continue to stress Fifth Season’s position as a distributor of content globally as well as producer of premium American series.
“80% of our catalog is third party and 20% is studio,” added Ebell. “We are working with so many different countries. Our catalog isn’t huge by any means but that is because the team goes out there and sells one show at a time and takes time to understand the end-to-end product of the show.”
Geographically, Ebell said Fifth Season is doing plenty of business at the moment with the UK, Australia, Canada and the Nordics.
In L.A. this week, the distributor is selling the likes of Canada’s The Borderline (formerly Underbelly) starring Minnie Driver, MGM+’s Kevin Kline comedy American Classic and buzzy Australian show He Had it Coming.