Fallout Just Became One Of Prime Video's Biggest Hits Ever
"Fallout" is the smash success Amazon Studios has been waiting for. The show, based on the popular video game series of the same name, has become one of the biggest hits to date on Prime Video. Amazon has revealed that the series is now the second-most-watched show in the history of the streaming service, trailing only the mega-budgeted "Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power."
According to Variety, "Fallout" was streamed by 65 million viewers during its first 16 days of release. Amazon made the choice to release the entire first season all at once on April 10. That's closer to the traditional Netflix binge model, rather than the week-to-week episode model that Prime Video has employed in recent years. That may have attracted more viewership in the early going, and that makes the show one of Prime Video's biggest hits ever out of the gate. As such, it's not surprising that the series has already been renewed for a second season.
Streaming metrics are not all that straightforward in terms of determining a success versus a disappointment. Every streamer has its own way of reporting numbers and each streamer is selective in terms of what numbers they report. Third-party services such as Nielsen can offer further insight, but that only goes so far. That being said, 65 million viewers is nothing to sneeze at. This may well be the big mainstream hit that Amazon has been chasing for some time.
Fallout could be the big franchise Amazon has been waiting for
The series takes place in the same universe as the "Fallout" video games and is set two hundred years after a devastating nuclear apocalypse. The peaceful citizens of luxury fallout shelters are forced to return to the post-apocalyptic hellscape their ancestors left behind, and they are shocked to discover what is waiting for them on the other side of those vault doors. The cast includes Ella Purnell, Aaron Moten, Kyle MacLachlan, Walton Goggins, and Leslie Uggams. The series hails from Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, of "Westworld" fame.
For years, Amazon has spent big on several franchise plays to get a "Stranger Things"-level hit for Prime Video. That has been a costly game with mixed results. "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" cost a whopping $465 million for its first season, with a second season on the way. The show may have been a hit according to viewership numbers, but it would be difficult to argue that it had the cultural staying power as "Game of Thrones," for example.
Amazon also bet big on "Avengers: Endgame" directors Joe and Anthony Russo, who were behind the spy series "Citadel." This was eyed as a sprawling, interconnected universe of shows taking place all around the world. The budget for "Citadel" season 1 ballooned to $300 million following a chaotic production. Again, it would be difficult to argue the show had the lasting cultural impact that a company wants from that level of investment.
On the flip side, "Fallout" already has a built-in audience because of the video games. That audience and more turned up to watch the show's first season, which cost a reported $153 million. Yes, that's still incredibly expensive, but not nearly as much as some of the other franchises that Amazon has gone in on. This one, at least in the short term, is paying off.
"Fallout" season 1 is streaming now on Prime Video.