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Apple Acquires 'Severance' Rights, Plans for Spin-offs

2/12/2026

45 3 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Apple Inc. has finalized a deal to acquire the Severance rights from Fifth Season, producer of Severance, for about $70 million, with Fifth Season remaining as executive producer to address its financial strains.
Severance has been renewed for a third season, with a fourth season confirmed.
Showrunner Dan Erickson and executive producer Ben Stiller are open to prequels or spin-offs, but plans for a fifth season are not in place.

History

Historical Context

In 2023, Apple Inc. acquired the rights to the series "Severance" from Fifth Season for approximately $70 million, continuing a trend of media consolidation. This follows Disney's 2018 acquisition of 21st Century Fox for $71.3 billion, reshaping the entertainment industry. As streaming services expand, competition intensifies among tech giants like Apple, Amazon, and Netflix for original content to attract subscribers.

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Story summary

Apple Inc. has finalized a deal to acquire the Severance rights from Fifth Season, producer of Severance, for about $70 million, with Fifth Season remaining as executive producer to address its financial strains.
Severance has been renewed for a third season, with a fourth season confirmed.
Showrunner Dan Erickson and executive producer Ben Stiller are open to prequels or spin-offs, but plans for a fifth season are not in place.

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