Over the past six months, the platform has held several closed production meetings with studios in Wicklow, Louth and Galway. The information isn’t public, but industry participants confirm that stages are being reserved for late 2025 and location-scouting teams have been working since September. Several production companies have received requests for mid-length thriller scripts — four-to-six-episode structures similar to the format that recently succeeded with Fool Me Once and Eric. Short seasonal formats with a tight arc have become the most commercially reliable structure.
The thriller genre is the frontrunner. Not formulaic crime, but atmospheric storytelling focused on place, tension, moral ambiguity and the kind of human conflict that doesn’t rely on spectacle. After Bodkin, it became evident that tone does more work than budget. As a result, the platform is looking at projects built around strong casts, recognisable environments and emotional depth. Partial pre-shoot tests have already been done in Connemara, near Roundstone, where drone operatives shot trial footage in shifting coastal weather — a common stage before a full winter shooting schedule.
Documentary development is also moving. After the global success of How to Become a Tyrant and The Tinder Swindler, the platform has been strengthening its “human stories” strategy — documentaries grounded in social realities, local history and cultural transitions. Research teams have been active in Galway and Donegal, exploring themes such as sustainable fishing, disappearing crafts and regional musical traditions. These subjects carry strong international potential; the success of My Octopus Teacher proved that intimate local stories can become global hits. If one of the current concepts is greenlit, filming would likely begin in January to capture the winter season, which visually supports the narrative.
Drama is the third direction under review. Following the international recognition of The Quiet Girl, there is rising interest in modest-budget, emotionally precise storytelling. Several scripts supported by Screen Ireland are being considered, including an adaptation of a contemporary novel centred on family estrangement and return. Insiders describe the manuscript as “one of the most emotionally accurate texts in recent years,” which suggests strong festival prospects and, subsequently, high streaming performance.
Expectations for 2026 releases are also shaped by wider industry shifts. In early 2025, the platform recorded a decline in blockbuster-level performance and a simultaneous rise in niche projects driven by national narratives. This explains the current investment wave in regional productions across Poland, Denmark, Italy and the islands. Bodkin proved that location-rooted storytelling attracts audiences worldwide, not just locally. It held top-ten positions in more than twenty countries for six consecutive weeks — an exceptional result for a mid-budget series without a globally recognisable cast.
If the next project receives approval in early 2025, the production window would likely open in spring. These projects typically require four to five months of shooting and seven to nine months of post-production, which places a tentative premiere between April and June 2026. Although the platform has not commented publicly, the industry is already preparing for this launch window. The company’s policy is to announce productions only once 70–80% of the content is complete. Silence during earlier stages is part of their working model.
Several structural factors add momentum. Screen Ireland’s funding expansion, the opening of the Ashford 2 studio complex in Wicklow, and upgrades to sound facilities in Balbriggan create a favourable production environment. The growing international recognition of actors such as Paul Mescal, Niamh Algar and Alison Oliver strengthens this ecosystem further. These performers have moved from rising talents to global faces of the new wave in film and television — a major advantage for any upcoming project featuring them, even in smaller roles.
If the next release arrives in spring 2026, it will land at a pivotal moment. Oversaturation with large franchise content is fading, while demand for grounded, emotionally resonant stories is rising. The global competition between platforms no longer revolves around scale; it revolves around authenticity. This shift aligns perfectly with what Bodkin achieved so naturally.
The coming project has the potential to do more than succeed on its own terms. It could formalise a long-awaited turning point: a move from occasional on-location productions to an ongoing creative partnership with the storytelling culture embedded here. If that happens, the next premiere won’t just be another series — it will be the moment the platform officially becomes a meaningful part of the region’s emerging media landscape.