Summary
Severanceseason 2 reportedly has a massive budget of $200 million, causing many who have heard the news to wonder why the series is costing so much when it is just set in an office.Severanceseason 1 was a massive critical hit upon its release, with it quickly becoming one of the most well-known original shows on Apple TV+. Many viewers have been eagerly awaiting a bigger and betterSeveranceseason 2, and with the news being released that the season has cost around $200 million, it definitely has the bigger part covered.
Severanceseason 1 was a big success for Apple, with the sci-fi series following a group of office workers who have their personalities split, with their lives inside the office and outside of the office being completely separate. WhileSeveranceseason 1 does craft an incredibly interesting and complex world,the vast majority of the show takes place within the confines of an office building, something that doesn’t seem like it would cost too much. However,Severanceseason 2 is set to be one of the most expensive TV seasons ever, and here’s why.
Severance Season 2 Reportedly Cost $20M Per Episode
That’s $200 Million Total
To the surprise of many,Severanceseason 2 has a budget of around $20 million per episode, with these incredibly high costs making the show one of the most expensive streaming series of all time. This means that, sinceseason 2 will consist of 10 episodes, the entire cost ofSeveranceseason 2 likely totals to around $200 million, which is a hefty price tag for the show. It is not only surprising due to the scope of the series, but also because it isn’t as recognizable as some other shows that have featured similar price tags.
The massive cost ofSeveranceseason 2 really comes into focus when comparing it to other streaming shows.Severanceseason 2 ismore expensive than most Netflix shows, with it being higher thanOne Piece’s $18 million per episode pricetag and only falling short ofStranger Thingsseason 4’s $30 million per episode.
Severanceseason 2 releases on June 22, 2025.
The difference in cost can also be seen when comparingSeveranceto another streaming show that primarily takes place in office buildings:Succession. According toThe Guardian,Successionseason 2 had an estimated production budget of around $90 million, which is less than half of whatSeveranceseason 2 is costing. This is especially telling due toSuccessionfilming in incredibly expensive New York financial buildings as well as featuring some major guest stars, meaning thatSeverancecan’t use these excuses.
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Why Severance Season 2 Was So Expensive
Stars, Sets, & Strikes
Severanceseason 2 isn’t out yet, meaning that the show could feature some major effects that aren’t to be expected based on the scale of season 1. However, one of the likely reasons that the budget has ballooned is the industry strikes that took place during the season’s development, such asthe 2023 WGA strikes.Severanceseason 2 was already taking a while to get developed, and the strikes only caused production to be stretched out even further, with Apple having to pay to keep production going throughout it all.
Severancealso has some hidden costs that many don’t think about.Severancehas a massive castthat features major stars like Adam Scott, John Turturro, and Christopher Walken, and getting film actors like this to have recurring roles in a TV show isn’t cheap. On top of that, the set most likely costs a lot as well. Despite it being merely an office building, the scale of the sets are absolutely massive, withSeveranceshowing off many locations that are only seen once and then never shown again.
Severance Season 2’s Trailer Just Confirmed My Worst Fears About That Big Cliffhanger
Severance season 2’s first teaser trailer is finally here, and it got me worried about the fates of Mark and his MDR friends after that cliffhanger.
Severance Season 3 Will Likely Have A Much Smaller Budget
Apple TV+ Is Scaling Down Spending
AlthoughSeveranceseason 2’s budget is massive,Severanceseason 3 will likely have a much smaller one. The first reason for this is thatseason 3 ideally won’t have to worry about delays from strikes, meaning that the cost of keeping everyone together won’t have to be divided out for nearly as long.
On top of that,Bloomberghas reported that Apple TV+ will begin spending less on its original series after shows with large budgets have been losing money for years. Shows likeTed Lasso,Severance, andMonarch: Legacy of Monstershave undoubtedly costed Apple a pretty penny, and by the time thatSeveranceseason 3 releases, the company will most likely have implemented many of their cost saving measures.
Cast
Severance is a psychological thriller series featuring Adam Scott as Mark Scout, an employee at Lumon Industries who undergoes a “severance” procedure to separate his work and personal memories. However, as work and life personas mysteriously begin to collide, it quickly becomes clear that not all is as it seems. Created by Dan Erickson and directed by Ben Stiller and Aoife McArdle.
