The streaming landscape continues to reward bold creative choices and smart distribution. Two recent trajectories illustrate this: a Canadian streamer that transformed a seemingly niche hockey romance into a global phenomenon, and a young Spanish actor whose franchise success led to an exclusive development deal with a major studio. Both examples reveal how authenticity, targeted risk-taking, and international partnerships can convert local projects into worldwide hits.
In each case, the combination of distinctive storytelling and strategic licensing played a central role. The first story centers on a uniquely Canadian production that found a much larger audience after an overseas licensing arrangement; the second follows an actor who parlayed breakout franchise films into a relationship with a global streamer that now supports a variety of international projects.
Crave’s gamble: turning a niche hockey romance into a global hit
Crave, the Canadian streaming service owned by Bell Media, greenlit a six-episode drama from producer Jacob Tierney that pairs professional sports with a queer romance. Internally, executives worried that pairing hockey with a same-sex love story might feel too regional or too niche for international viewers. They chose instead to double down on authenticity: make the world of the show feel lived-in and specific so it would resonate broadly. That emphasis on truth to character and setting paid off.
The series, which premiered simultaneously on Crave in Canada and on HBO Max in the United States, has become Crave’s most prominent original. U.S. viewership climbed to roughly 11.5 million, with the finale drawing an audience about four times larger than the premiere. That organic growth made the show on track to become the highest-performing acquired series in HBO Max history, and it fueled social buzz and viewing parties week after week.
Strategic licensing and platform lift
HBO Max’s decision to license the show rather than produce it in-house was notable: the streamer rarely acquires full series like this. Executives said the drama fit the HBO brand because it combines on-screen representation of complex human experiences with premium production values. By distributing the series across multiple territories, including the U.S, Australia, and parts of EMEA and LATAM, the show gained international exposure that Crave alone could not deliver from within Canada.
Business outcomes and next steps
Domestically, the series helped Crave reverse a long-term challenge: growing a competitive original slate and keeping Canadian talent at home. Following the show’s breakout performance the streamer posted a 26 percent increase in subscribers, adding over a million to reach about 4.6 million users in Canada. Buoyed by that success, Crave is pursuing bigger-scale originals and taking on more financing risk to accelerate production and retain talent. New deals with international producers — including a project with Seth Rogen’s Point Grey — signal a bolder, export-minded strategy.
Nicole Wallace: from YA breakout to Prime Video partner
Nicole Wallace’s career arc highlights a different route to global recognition: strong performances in language-specific hits that attract a multinational audience. Wallace rose to prominence in Spain with the young-adult drama Skam España, then starred in a trilogy of films adapted from Mercedes Ron’s novels. The first of those films released in , the second in , and the final installment followed, each generating massive viewership for Prime Video and helping turn Wallace into an international name.
Prime Video responded by signing Wallace to an exclusive talent deal, a move that formalized a creative partnership and gave the platform a stake in her future projects. Under the agreement she is attached to both Spanish-language and English-language productions, broadening her reach and allowing the streamer to develop content tailored to multiple markets.
New projects and cross-cultural roles
Among Wallace’s next projects is an English-language comedy-drama filmed in Palermo, where she plays a wealthy New Yorker forced to adapt to life in Sicily; the film is directed by Jessica Yu. She also took a lead role in an adaptation of Isabel Allende’s acclaimed novel The House of the Spirits, a multi-generational saga produced by FilmNation Entertainment with Eva Longoria among executive producers. These roles demonstrate Wallace’s intent to diversify her portfolio and work across languages and genres.
Platform partnerships as career accelerants
Wallace describes her exclusive relationship with Prime Video as both an opportunity and a vote of confidence. For the streamer, investing in emerging international talent creates a pipeline of adaptable IP and star power. For the actor, it provides the resources and creative space to choose varied roles that can travel across borders—and, importantly, across platforms.
What these stories mean for global streaming
Taken together, the Crave and Wallace examples underscore a few clear trends in the modern industry: first, specificity in storytelling can become universal when paired with the right distribution; second, platform partnerships and licensing deals are vital tools to move local content into new markets; and third, investing in talent and shouldering production risk can yield outsized returns for smaller streamers seeking global profile. As streaming companies refine their strategies, expect more regional stories and international talent deals to shape the next wave of hits.