Apple’s Monsterverse series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters from Legendary Entertainment, premiered as the No. 1 first season drama on Apple TV, in November, and Lessons in Chemistry became the #1 limited series on Apple TV+ to date, following its October 13 debut. The Lionel Messi docu Messi in America is on course to net the distinction of becoming the biggest unscripted sport series for the service after premiering October 11. Not surprisingly, much of that draw is powered by audiences in Australia, Germany, Mexico, Spain and Argentina. The Emmy-winning space drama For All Mankind has beat its previous season numbers in its fourth season. And the Gary Oldman-starrer Slow Horses which just premiered its third season, is pacing to become the largest returning drama in the UK, up 65% there over its second season.
Apple has also taken the lead in partnering with theatrical studios in preceding its big ticket films with movie house releases that go way beyond token or qualifying runs. That includes Napoleon with Sony, and Killers of the Flower Moon with Paramount; on Family Plan, it teamed with David Ellison’s Skydance.
Sony meanwhile just prevailed in a hotly contested auction for theatrical distribution deals for two substantial Apple Original Film efforts. Sony will do full theatrical releases on the Jon Watts-directed George Clooney and Brad Pitt feature Wolfs (they are already talking sequel on that one), and the Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum pic Project Artemis. It is becoming clear that on big-ticket pictures, product-starved theaters are good places to start, and with studios helping out on the P&A spend, these properties are more valuable when they do make it to the streaming service. Ridley Scott’s Napoleon surging toward $200 million is an eye-opener. The film cost about that much to make and the theatrical splits and distribution fees to Sony don’t cover the budget. But it defrays those costs and doesn’t harm the product when it becomes a big offering on Apple TV+.