Severance tipped to run for 4 seasons with potential for franchise expansion after major production change

Apple TV smash-hit Severance is likely to run for at least four seasons as the streaming service announces it has acquired full ownership of the (potential) franchise.

The darkly comic drama imagines an unsettling world where a surgical procedure can 'sever' the connection between your work life and your home life, essentially producing two distinct and independent personas.

Although Severance has always aired exclusively on Apple TV, the intellectual property (IP) was actually owned by an external production company, confusingly named Fifth Season. That is, until very recently.

Apple has now forked out around $70 million (according to Deadline) to acquire the full rights to Severance, bringing development of future seasons (and potential spin-offs) in-house.

Unsurprisingly, the series is of great importance to Apple TV as one of its biggest global hits to date, which is one obvious reason why it would want to take direct control over its future.

Another factor is that production company Fifth Season had strained to cover the budget for the second season, which ballooned to an estimated $200 million due partly to delays caused by Hollywood strikes and behind-the-scenes friction.

Previously, Fifth Season producers had considered moving the series from New York to Canada, in the hope of lowering costs and receiving stronger tax incentives, but Apple executives worried about uprooting it from its established base.

These ongoing concerns about financing, combined with ambitious hopes for Severance's future, led Apple to approach Fifth Season about purchasing the IP outright, with a deal being struck ahead of filming on season 3.

The next instalment intends to start shooting this summer, with a fourth (and likely final) season considered a "lock" by Apple TV. In contrast to recent highly-anticipated projects like Stranger Things 5 and Avengers: Doomsday, cameras won't start rolling until all scripts are complete.

Showrunner Dan Erickson and director Ben Stiller are said to be mulling over possible spin-offs, prequels or international versions to turn their attention to when this initial story wraps up.

Apple TV's purchase of Severance is not unprecedented, as the tech giant previously struck a similar deal with production company AMC Studios over its own costly sci-fi drama Silo, starring Rebecca Ferguson.

Severance is available to stream on Apple TV. Start your seven day free Apple TV trial at Apple.

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