Few trends in global entertainment are moving faster than young adult storytelling, but the rise of Culpables proves breakout success rarely happens overnight. What now looks like an inevitable franchise triumph was, according to its producers, a long and difficult pitch in a market that once had little appetite for YA adaptations.
At the IberSeries conference in Madrid, executives behind the hit Spanish-language film trilogy offered a revealing look at how the franchise was built, why buyers initially hesitated, and what its momentum says about the future of scripted television. Their comments also arrived alongside fresh insight into Banijay’s next chapter following its merger with All3Media.
Why Culpables Took Years to Sell
The producer behind Culpables, Pokeepsie Films, entered the YA space well before it became one of streaming’s hottest categories. Carolina Bang, CEO of Pokeepsie, said the company backed young adult stories at a time when many buyers were unconvinced by the genre’s commercial potential.
That hesitation mattered. Even with a strong literary property in Mercedes Ron’s books, the project reportedly spent years searching for a home. In today’s market, where romance-driven YA dramas routinely attract global audiences, that may sound surprising. But Bang’s comments underscore a familiar industry truth: trends often look obvious only after a hit has already changed the market.
What ultimately helped Culpables break through was a platform willing to take the risk. Prime Video backed the films, and the gamble paid off in a major way. Earlier this year, the streamer said the adaptations had been watched by more than 100 million viewers, turning the trilogy into one of the clearest examples of how international YA IP can travel at scale.
The trilogy’s breakout appeal
Several factors explain why Culpables resonated so strongly:
- Built-in readership: Mercedes Ron’s novels already had a passionate fan base.
- High-emotion storytelling: Romance, conflict, and family tension remain powerful streaming drivers.
- Global accessibility: International audiences are increasingly open to non-English-language hits.
- Franchise momentum: A trilogy structure helped sustain interest over multiple releases.
The success of stars Nicole Wallace and Gabriel Guevara also helped amplify the franchise’s social and digital reach, especially among younger viewers who discover titles through fan communities as much as through traditional marketing.
Spain’s YA Boom and the Streaming Effect
The rise of Culpables has not happened in isolation. Spain has become an increasingly important hub for youth-focused scripted content, with streamers investing in local-language stories that can connect far beyond their domestic market.
Bang noted that the market has shifted dramatically since Pokeepsie first started pitching YA projects. That change is visible not only in the number of new titles being made, but also in how quickly they can capture attention when released on a major platform. Pokeepsie’s latest Prime Video title, Drawn Together (Enfrentados), reportedly climbed straight to the top of the streamer’s chart after launch.
This matters because it suggests YA is no longer a niche lane. It is now a strategic content category for platforms seeking:
- High engagement from younger demographics
- Strong repeat viewing potential
- Adaptable book-to-screen franchises
- Cross-border audience growth
There is also renewed interest in romance-led storytelling, an area once seen as less prestigious than darker prestige drama. Streaming has changed that equation. Emotional accessibility and fandom can be just as valuable as awards potential.
Will there be another Culpables movie?
One question continues to follow the franchise: whether a new adaptation could emerge after Mercedes Ron published a fourth installment earlier this year. For now, no update has been given on another Culpables movie. Still, the existence of new source material will keep speculation alive, especially given the trilogy’s proven audience pull.
What Banijay Says About Creativity After the All3Media Merger
Beyond the YA conversation, IberSeries also offered a snapshot of how Banijay views its scripted future after the All3Media merger. Steve Matthews, Head of Scripted, Creative at Banijay Entertainment, dismissed concerns that consolidation would dilute creativity.
His position was clear: scale does not automatically damage the creative process. In his view, the merger does not fundamentally alter Banijay’s creative direction, even as the combined business navigates personnel changes and structural evolution.
That reassurance is important at a time when large media mergers are often judged by two competing ideas:
- Efficiency and reach can help projects get financed and distributed.
- Centralization and cost pressure can raise fears about safer commissioning.
Matthews’ comments suggest Banijay sees the merger as an operational opportunity rather than a creative constraint, particularly in the UK, where he signaled a significant amount of work still lies ahead.
A tougher scripted market is raising the bar
Matthews also acknowledged a broader industry reality: scripted TV remains under pressure. Commissioning contraction has reduced the amount of work available, and that means buyers are becoming more selective.
His takeaway was blunt but useful for producers and creators: quality matters more than ever. In a tighter market, projects designed purely to feel commercial may struggle, while shows with stronger creative conviction stand a better chance of breaking through.
That thinking aligns with the story of Culpables itself. A project once considered difficult to sell eventually became a defining success because a team believed in the material early, stayed with it, and found the right partner.
What the Culpables Story Means for TV and Video Right Now
For the TV and video business, the lesson from Culpables is bigger than one franchise. It highlights how quickly audience demand can evolve, how valuable underappreciated IP can become, and why international YA stories are now central to platform strategy.
It also offers a timely reminder that market skepticism is not always a verdict on audience potential. Sometimes it simply means a category has not yet had its breakthrough moment.
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Conclusion
The journey of Culpables from hard-to-sell YA adaptation to major streaming hit captures the current shape of global entertainment: risk, patience, IP value, and the power of audience connection. As Banijay moves forward after the All3Media merger and the scripted market grows more competitive, the franchise stands as proof that conviction and quality can still win. In an era of cautious commissioning, Culpables may be one of the clearest signs that the next big hit often starts as the project nobody wanted first.
