What you need to know
- Apple reportedly spent nearly $15 million per episode on its new Apple TV+ series See.
- That puts it in Game of Thrones territory, which also cost $15 million per episode during the final season.
- That seems to be the going rate for marquee blockbuster content as Disney's The Mandalorian is in a similar price range.
When Apple unveiled Apple TV+ earlier this year, it made it clear it is aiming to compete with the big dogs of streaming. To do so, Apple needs strong original contents, and a new report on the Wall Street Journal confirms Apple is paying top dollar for this content.
According to the report, Apple is shelling out nearly $15 million per episode on the Jason Momoa series See. That is one of the biggest budgets ever for a live action series. Game of Thrones had a similar budget for its final season, but that was after eight seasons and the series had developed a huge following.
But that's the price for marquee content nowadays. The report mentions that Disney's upcoming Star Wars series The Mandalorian has seen its budget reach that level after initial reports pegged its budget at $10 million per episode.
Apple is trying to make a splash upon arrival and it needs content that stands out. That'll be expensive, yet Apple is showing a willingness to shell out for this type of content.
Apple TV+ is launching in the fall, but it's still not clear if See will be available to stream immediately or some time after.
