What’s trending in Spanish drama series and how the sector fares abroad and at home were some of the points briefly outlined by Gloria Saló from Spanish consultancy firm GECA on Tuesday during a Mipcom presentation sponsored by Audiovisual from Spain.
The report “Spanish Fiction 2026, Between New Stories and New Seasons,” which covers data from Jan. 1 through June 2026, confirms the strong position of Spanish fiction worldwide — seventh among top 10 global fiction premieres — plus the Spanish appetite for dramas, comedies, trending genre crossovers and the consolidation of platforms that are sustaining the fiction series boom.
“At a time when Spanish fiction is thriving both creatively and structurally, and reaching out to the rest of the world, it’s hugely important for us to investigate new trends,” Saló told Variety at the Mip Creative Hub.
The data analyst pointed out three factors behind the success of Spanish drama which saw Spanish fiction premieres jump 83% between 2021-2025: risk-taking creators, a willing to challenge genre boundaries and themes, the creative use of strong IPs “reinvented to the upmost efficiency and performing extremely well at home” and scripted shows with returning potential. “All this contributes to a highly dynamic drama sector, crucial for the entire audiovisual ecosystem,” she said.
Four takeaways from the GECA research:
Spain No. 7 in a Top 10 of Global Premieres
In a highly concentrated market where three countries — the U.S., Japan and South Korea accounted for 55% of the 857 fiction premieres during the first semester 2026; Spain ranked seventh with a 5.2% share from 30 new titles released domestically. The U.S. took the top spot with a 31.8% share from 177 titles.
Sustained Spanish Boom
Spanish premieres at home jumped a record 83% between 2021-2025, from 40 to 73 local fiction premieres. The output for H1 2026 remained relatively stable with 30 new titles versus 33 the same period 2025. Another 24 new releases are lined up for the rest of the year; most of them originals (20) followed by new seasons (3) and a saga.
Hottest genres in Spain
As in the rest of the world, dramas – across a wide spectrum of crime, suspense and fantasy to family drama – proved the hottest genre, weighing in as half the premieres during that period (15 titles). Titles ranged from Atresplayer’s “33 Days” created by renowned true-crime investigative journalist Carles Porta and Netflix’ mystery thriller “Oasis” to SkyShowtime’s thriller “The Tribute” (“El homenaje”) and Prime Video thriller “Day One,” about new technology threats.
Next up were comedies and dramedies with eight and four new releases (26.7% and 13.3% of premieres respectively), followed by mini-series (two or 6.7%) and animation with one title. Reflecting the breath and variety of narratives, attractive premieres took in Prime Video’s “Naughty Business” (“Cochinas”), a comedy in which a woman starts a porn business after her husband’s death. Disney + offered comedy through the thriller lens with “If It’s Tuesday, It’s Murder” (“Si es martes, es asesinato”), Prime Video the sketch comedy “Vida Perra” created by Rafel Barceló and Enric Pardo, and Movistar Plus+ the comedy drama “I Always Sometimes” (“Yo sempre a veces”) which bagged best screenplay at Canneseries.
Worth highlighting says the report is the value of returnable potential to maintain the production output. As many as nine renewals were released in Spain in the first half of 2026, such as Seasons 4-5 of Netflix’s “Alfa Males” (“Machos Alfa”). Several new seasons posted new storylines for familiar characters, such as the latest instalment of “Berlin and the Lady with an Ermine” (“Berlin y la dama de armiño”) from Netflix, Movistar Plus+’s mob thriller “El Inmortal,” and “Marbella: Expediente judicial.”
Drama for Streaming
Proof of streamers’ leading position for drama content in Spain, 27 out of 30 premieres launched digitally (90%) and only three on linear TV. SVOD players accounted for two-third of the titles and a mix of U.S. and leading Spanish streamers released most shows, with four each: Atresmedia’s Atresplayer, Movistar Plus+, Netflix and Prime Video.
The free VOD service Primeran from Basque pubcaster EITB launched three shows, Telecinco 2, and 10 local and global players, including Disney +HBO Max premiered only one new title. “The absence of a clear market leader and the limited weight of linear television reflect a market geared towards on-demand consumption,” said the GECA study.
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