Overview
- Ampere Analysis reported Monday that 83% of first-run romance commissions in the first half of 2026 were scripted rather than reality formats.
- About 40% of those scripted romance commissions were adapted from novels, and the volume of book-to-screen adaptations has risen 73% since 2023.
- Netflix and Prime Video account for a large share of the new scripted romance greenlights, with a majority of projects being U.S.-produced.
- Nearly one-third of 18-to-24-year-olds say social media influences their viewing choices, and Ampere found 49% of that group still favor romance in early 2026 at the same level as 2020.
- Analysts say the trend reduces commissioning of reality dating shows, raises budgets for scripted romance, and expands market opportunities for authors while signaling producers and reality formats may face fewer new orders.