Arabic films and series on the rise: will it last in the long run?

With the intensification of streaming consumption and direct involvement of US giants, a fierce battle has grown across the Middle East and North Africa to capture local viewership. In this fight, studios and platforms must extend their efforts to craft the most competitive and compelling offer. To what extent are they betting on local stories, talents and productions? Investing locally can be risky as it involves substantial expenses and efforts to nurture an emerging industry. Which streaming service really champions local creation? Are the rewards really worth the costs?  Besides convincing local viewers, the other crucial aspect to consider for international platforms is the capacity of content to resonate with global audiences and generate returns across diverse communities, particularly during periods of streamlining. Arabic films and series have only started to show global appeal, and there is potential for future success. A extensive range of content strategies In the MENA region, streamers have deployed very distinct strategies when it comes to content offers. The service with the highest catalogue of subscription and ad-supported titles is Netflix (8K titles), followed by Disney (4,5K titles). Then come two platforms with hybrid models Shahid and ZEE5, particularly driven by the strong presence of AVOD titles in their offerings, which reach between 60% and 80% on each service. However, the depth of catalogues doesn’t have a direct correlation with the results of platforms, as at Q4 2023, the market leaders of the zone is Shahid in first position (although it ranks 6th in catalogue size), followed by Netflix (ranking 1st in catalogue size) and Starzplay (ranking 4th in catalogue size). Despite their larger catalogues, the services Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video lag behind in terms of results, ranking respectively 13th and 8th in the region when comparing revenues.  Exploring the content choices made by streaming platforms provides a deeper understanding of the appeal and key strengths of their catalogues for viewers from the Arab world. Recently, streaming platforms have been increasingly prioritising original content from the region as a strategic choice. Streamers’ investments in Arabic content MBC-owned Shahid has been betting on Arabic-language movies, TV series, and shows for years, to resonate with the preferences of MENA audiences. In December 2023, more than two third of the titles offered by the streamer had been produced in an Arab country (65%). It is the highest rate among major AVOD and SVOD streaming services operating in the region. The streamer can notably rest on the expertise developed by parent group MBC over television for decades.  Over recent years, Shahid has been accelerating its original productions, with shows such as Rashash, a Saudi Arabian gangster series based on the true-life story of a Saudi drug trafficker and...