Amazon announced Monday the launch of its new unit Amazon MGM Studios Distribution, which will allow the company to license Amazon Originals and other titles to third-party media companies, which could include streaming services (free, ad-supported or subscription) and cable TV.
\nFor the first time, titles such as \u201cThe Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,\u201d \u201cBorat Subsequent Moviefilm,\u201d \u201cComing 2 America,\u201d \u201cGoliath,\u201d \u201cHunters,\u201d \u201cThe Tender Bar,\u201d \u201cThe Tomorrow War,\u201d \u201cThe Voyeurs\u201d and \u201cWithout Remorse,\u201d among others, will be sold to other media outlets following their initial run on Prime Video.
\nWhile the company has distributed shows before, this new venture will be on a much larger scale. Plus, Amazon Originals are mainly exclusive to Prime Video, making it an enticing sale for companies looking to have popular titles on their platforms.
\nWarner Bros. Discovery made a similar move in January when it struck deals with Roku and Tubi to license 2,000 hours of content, bringing titles like \u201cWestworld,\u201d \u201cThe Bachelor\u201d and \u201cCake Boss\u201d to free ad-supported (FAST) streaming services.
\nThe launch of Amazon MGM Studios Distribution will also allow the company to handle sales of MGM-owned franchises James Bond, Rocky and Creed, as well as \u201cThe Handmaid’s Tale,\u201d \u201cFargo\u201d and \u201cVikings.\u201d Last year, Amazon acquired MGM for $8.5 billion, giving the company access to more than 4,000 films and 17,000 TV series.
\n\u201cThe launch of Amazon MGM Studios Distribution reinforces our commitment to bringing the very best content to audiences everywhere worldwide,\u201d Jen Salke, Amazon Studios head, said in a statement. \u201cWith the integration of MGM, we wanted to take advantage of the existing team to expand our business in ways that will greatly benefit our customers around the world.\u201d
\nLater this month, buyers will be introduced to Amazon MGM Studios Distribution at the L.A. Screenings, an international TV marketplace.
\nAccording to Chris Ottinger, who will lead Amazon MGM Studios Distribution, the unit will offer flexible bundles, reported Deadline, so sellers can create bundled content packages that work for them. This strategy will likely allow the company to stand out from competitors.
\nThe news comes a week after Amazon announced plans to bring hundreds of Amazon Original titles \u2014 including \u201cReacher,\u201d \u201cThe Terminal List\u201d and \u201cGoliath\u201d \u2014 to its ad-supported free streaming service Amazon Freevee.
\nAmazon also introduced new Fire TV Channels, which will allow users to access more FAST channels, like NHL, Tastemade Travel, TMZ and more.<\/p>\n
Amazon will juice its Freevee free streaming service with 100+ Amazon Originals in 2023<\/p>\n
Amazon debuts free, ad-supported streaming channels just for Fire TV<\/p>\n