15 Most Expensive Streaming Series Ever Made

Netflix, originally known for DVD rentals, has been a major player in the streaming industry since launching its video streaming service in 2007. However, with heavy competition from media giants like Disney, Apple, and Amazon Prime, the battle for subscribers is fiercer than ever.

One prime example of this competition is Netflix’s “3 Body Problem,” which cost an estimated $20 million per episode for its first season in 2024. Created by the minds behind Game of Thrones, this sci-fi thriller is based on a popular Chinese novel series.

On the other side, Apple’s “Severance” reportedly cost a whopping $200 million for its second season, averaging about $20 million per episode. And Disney’s Star Wars spinoff, “The Acolyte,” had a budget of $180 million for its first season, averaging $22.5 million per episode before it was cancelled.

Marvel fans will be pleased to know that “Loki” racked up a bill of $141 million for its second season, coming in at around $23 million per episode, and “Moon Knight” wasn’t far behind, costing $147 million, or $24 million per episode.

Moving on to the Star Wars universe, “Andor,” the prequel to Rogue One, had a budget of $250 million for its first season and an even higher $290 million for the second season, averaging about $24 million per episode.

Disney+’s MCU spinoffs have also made a mark, with series like “WandaVision” costing up to $25 million per episode. Other MCU spinoffs like “Ms. Marvel,” “Hawkeye,” and “The Falcon and Winter Soldier” are in a similar price range.

Netflix’s popular series “Stranger Things” is also getting a hefty budget with $30 million allocated per episode for its upcoming fourth and final season. Set in the 1980s in Hawkins, Indiana, the show follows a group of friends as they encounter supernatural events.

On the Disney side, the MCU miniseries “Secret Invasion” cost $212 million for its six-episode run, averaging about $35.3 million per episode.

Amazon also made headlines with its spy action show “Citadel,” which had a budget of $300 million for its first season of six episodes, costing around $50 million per episode. But the crown for the most expensive streaming series goes to Amazon’s “Lord of the Rings” spinoff, with a staggering budget of $465 million for its first season of eight episodes, averaging $58 million per episode.