Speaking at the prestigious Series Mania Festival, HBO’s Head of Original Programming Sarah Aubrey laid out a clear vision for local content: quality over speed.
Highlighting that HBO is looking for long-term creative partnerships rather than quick fixes for scheduling gaps, the executive used examples from Türkiye and Germany to illustrate this approach.
“Crafting Stories, Not Just Filling Slots”
Aubrey emphasized that the industry’s rush to produce can often be counterproductive.
“Our core advice to local producers is simple: never rush just to fill a gap. The industry mindset of ‘if you buy it, you must produce it’ often leads to results that aren’t what you envisioned. Instead, we want to give creators the actual opportunity and time they need, rather than forcing shows together prematurely.”
People-Centric Production and Alberto Rodriguez Announcement
Stating that creative relationships are the backbone of the platform, the executive shared a new collaboration:
“We don’t just need great shows; we need the right people and the creative relationships within those communities. Having been a producer myself, I value their role immensely. This is why it makes perfect sense for someone like Alberto Rodriguez to partner with us on a true-crime detective story set in the 80s.”
The Global Triumph of Türkiye’s The Prince
One of the most noteworthy moments of the speech was the praise for the Turkish series The Prince (Prens):
“The Prince from Türkiye is a vital title for us. A satirical take on Game of Thrones, approved by Deniz Şaşmaz from our Turkish team, it’s a brilliantly wild series. It has achieved massive success not just in Latin America, but globally, proving its power to tell a universal story.”
2027 Highlight: Struwwelpeter by the Creators of Dark
Looking ahead, the director teased a highly anticipated German production scheduled for 2027.
“Struwwelpeter, which will premiere in 2027, is based on a children’s book but features a compelling serial-killer premise. What we love about this project, developed by the creators of Dark, is the emotional core: the lead character and their family living in an economically struggling town. That connection is what makes it special.”
