The 2026 edition of Series Mania, held from March 20-27 in Lille, France, attracted 5,200 delegates and 110,000 spectators, solidifying its status as Europe's largest and most important TV festival.

The event provided insights into the ambitions of Disney+ and HBO Max in Europe, alongside the diverse responses of the European industry in the post-Peak TV era. The festival included the world premiere of 'The Handmaid's Tale' sequel, 'The Testaments,' starring Chase Infiniti, and featured panel discussions and presentations from industry leaders.

At the Series Mania Forum, Angela Jain, head of content for Disney+ Europe, Middle East, and Africa, announced that Disney+ would be increasing its investments in Europe, showcasing documentaries like the one on Welsh singer Duffy and series such as 'Abandoned' and 'Murder on Lake Garda'.

HBO Max also had a prominent presence, with Sarah Aubrey revealing details about the 'Harry Potter' series, describing the production as a significant financial investment and announcing a deal with Domingo Corral from Movistar Plus+.

Laurence Herszberg and Frédéric Lavigne, directors of Series Mania, highlighted that series creation is focusing more on accuracy than scale, addressing relevant themes of the contemporary world.

A representation of authoritarian and fascist systems was observed in various productions. Among the highlighted titles are 'Proud' from Poland, which won the Grand Prix, and 'Waiting for the Out' and 'Small Prophets' from the BBC.

Ampere Analysis revealed that SVOD services in Western Europe, led by Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, and HBO Max, grew by €7 billion between 2023 and 2025, while TV advertising contracted by €600 million.

European public broadcasters face competition from streamers and budget cuts, seeking new forms of collaboration and the production of local content. YouTube, with 2.7 billion monthly users, is positioning itself as a key distribution partner for broadcasters and pay-TV platforms.

Several deals were announced, including the adaptation of 'Dead Weight' by Act4 from Iceland, global pre-sales of 'Secret Service' by All3Media International, and the production of 'The Koreans' by Disney+ K-Drama with Lee Byung-hun and Han Jimin.

Other projects include adaptations of Deon Meyer's novels, the series 'In Vitro', and the production of 'Heaven's Gate'. In addition, series such as 'Major Players', 'The Anatomy of a Moment', 'Etty' and 'Babies' were highlighted, demonstrating the search for originality and the diversity of themes in European programming.