Amazon MGM Studios explained

Former Name:Amazon Studios (2010–2023)
Type:Subsidiary
Key People:Jennifer Salke (CEO)
Hq Location City:Culver City, California
Hq Location Country:United States
Area Served:Worldwide
Industry:Entertainment
Founded: (as Amazon Studios)
Parent:Amazon
Footnotes:[1] [2]

Amazon MGM Studios, formerly Amazon Studios, is an American film and television production and distribution studio owned by Amazon launched in 2010. It took its current name in 2023 following its merger with MGM Holdings, which Amazon had acquired the year prior.[3]

Productions from this studio, as of September 2023, are primarily distributed through movie theaters under the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer label and Amazon's own streaming media service, Amazon Prime Video.[4]

Overview

Formation and early success (2010–2021)

Scripts for television and films used to be submitted online to Amazon[5] and read by staff; however, the website states they no longer accept submissions. Amazon aimed to review submitted scripts within 90 days (although the process may be longer). If a project was chosen for development, the writer was paid $10,000. If a developed script was selected for distribution as a full-budget movie, the creator was paid $200,000; if it was selected for distribution as a full-budget series, the creator was paid $55,000 as well as "up to 5 percent of Amazon's net receipts from toy and t-shirt licensing, and other royalties and bonuses."[6]

In 2008, Amazon expanded into film production, producing the film The Stolen Child with 20th Century Studios.[7] In July 2015, Amazon announced it had acquired Spike Lee's new film, Chi-Raq, as its first Amazon Original Movie.[8] [9] [10]

In 2010 Amazon Studios started allowing people to submit screenplays, which Amazon Studios and its customers would vote on. The top scriptwriters were told that they would earn cash prizes. This was named as "the scientific studio" by Jeff Bezos. This program stopped eight years later as submitted scripts were of low quality.[11]

Amazon Studios also released its only comic-book series, Blackburn Burrow, in 2012 as a free download.[12] It contained a survey allowing Amazon to collect feedback to determine whether or not it was worthwhile to make the comic into a film.[12]

Amazon Studios had received more than 10,000 feature screenplay submissions as of September 2012[12] and 2,700 television pilots as of March 2013;[13] 23 films and 26 television series were in active development as of March 2013.[12] [14] In late 2016, it reorganized its film division into Prime Movies.[15]

On July 27, 2017, it was announced that, starting with the December 2017 release Wonder Wheel, Amazon Studios would be its own self-distributing company. Previously, Amazon Studios had relied on multiple external studios to distribute their projects.[16] The company also acquired global TV rights to The Lord of the Rings for $250 million.[17] However, Amazon still has external distribution clients outside of the United States, such as Elevation Pictures in Canada, as well as Warner Bros. and StudioCanal in the United Kingdom and France.

In April 2018, Amazon Studios announced that they would no longer accept open submissions of screenplays to limit the filmmakers they work with to those whom the studio has established working relationships with and turn away up-and-comers from pitching their projects, deeming them as "unsolicited material" and "not notable and talented enough to work with them."[18]

Acquisition of MGM and rebranding (2021–present)

In May 2021, Amazon (parent company of Amazon Studios) entered negotiations to acquire Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). On May 26, 2021, it was announced that the studio would be acquired by Amazon for $8.45 billion, subject to regulatory approval, continuing to operate as a label alongside Amazon Studios and Amazon Prime Video.[3] Amazon will continue to partner with United Artists Releasing (MGM and Annapurna Pictures' joint distribution venture), which will continue to operate and release MGM titles theatrically "on a case-by-case basis."

In August 2021, it was reported that Steven Prinz signed an overall TV deal and a first-look deal with the studio.[19] In September 2021, it was reported that Brian Otaño had signed a deal with Amazon Studios.[20] Also in September, Eddie Murphy had signed a first-look film deal with Amazon Studios.[21]

In January 2022, Westbrook signed a multi-year first-look deal with Amazon Studios. That same month, Amazon Studios signed a ten-figure deal with 87North Productions.

In November 2022, it was announced that Jennifer Salke, in addition to Amazon Studios, will be given full control of MGM's film and television divisions, with Brearton stepping down as COO to become the Vice President of PVS Corporate Strategy for MGM+ and MGM Alternative Television.[22]

In December 2022, Intrepid Pictures signed a multi-year overall television deal with Amazon Studios.[23] The studio is one of the largest employers in Culver City with roughly 2,700 staffing their headquarters and production facilities.[24] In January 2023, Critical Role Productions signed a multi-year overall television and first-look film deal with Amazon Studios.[25]

In March 2023, it was announced in response to the decision to release Air into theaters worldwide instead of Prime Video, that Amazon had shut down United Artists Releasing and folded the distributor's operations into MGM, making Creed III the first film to be distributed by the latter studio itself under Amazon's ownership.[26] Also in March, Joe Quesada signed an exclusive first-look deal with Amazon Studios, and the studio also signed a multi-year first-look film deal with Imagine Entertainment.[27] [28]

In May 2023, Amazon Studios created Amazon MGM Studios Distribution, an international film and television distribution unit for Amazon and MGM projects.[29] The distributor's first films were Saltburn, which premiered at the Telluride Film Festival on August 30, 2023, Sitting in Bars with Cake, which was released on Prime Video on September 8, 2023, and A Million Miles Away which was released on Prime Video on September 15, 2023, all 3 films were released through the MGM banner.[30] [31] On October 4, 2023, Pablo Iacoviello, the studio's director of monetization for local originals, announced at the TV forum Iberseries & Platino Industria in Madrid that Amazon Studios would merge with MGM Holdings and would be renamed to Amazon MGM Studios itself to reflect this. This would also result in the on-screen 2016 animated Amazon Studios logo designed by Monster Creative being retired with all film productions going forward, as of September 2023, opening with the 2021 MGM Leo the Lion logo designed by Baked Studios.[32]

In December 2023, Amazon MGM Studios secured a deal with Games Workshop, the creator of Warhammer 40,000, to adapt its characters and stories for film and television. The agreement, involving British actor Henry Cavill as an executive producer and actor, enables Amazon MGM to produce Warhammer 40,000 themed movies and TV shows.[33] In January 2024, Amazon announced hundreds of layoffs across Amazon MGM Studios, Prime Video and Twitch in order to "prioritize our investments for the long-term success of our business, while relentlessly focusing on what we know matters most to our customers," according to Mike Hopkins.[34] In March 2024, beginning with the Prime Video release of the remake of Road House, Amazon MGM Studios kicked off the centennial anniversary celebration of the founding of MGM with a "100 Years" logo variant that will appear on all films produced and released by the studio throughout the year.

In April 2024, Amazon MGM, in collaboration with Fandango at Home, Rotten Tomatoes and iTunes, offered customers a "100 Essential Movies" bundle of 100 films from the MGM library as part of the studio's centennial for a limited time.[35] That same month, they signed a three-year first-look deal with Jake Gyllenhaal's Nine Stories Productions banner, for which they will have a first look on films the latter company intends to produce for theatrical and streaming releases, including a film adaptation of the musical Fun Home.[36]

In July 2024, the company announced the revival of United Artists after more than a decade of dormancy as a label, entering a multi-year partnership with Scott Stuber, former Chief of Film at Netflix and Vice Chairman at Universal Pictures. Under the deal, Stuber will produce films under his newly formed production company for United Artists, with Stuber involved with all projects released by the freshly revived banner.[37]

Accolades

In 2015, Transparent was the first show produced by Amazon Studios to win a major award and the first show produced by a streaming media service to win the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy (a.k.a. "Golden Globe for Best Series").[38]

In 2017, for Manchester by the Sea, Amazon Studios became the first streaming media service to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture;[39] the film was nominated for a total of six Academy Awards, winning two: Best Actor for Casey Affleck and Best Original Screenplay for Kenneth Lonergan.

The film The Salesman (2016) won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film; it was directed by Asghar Farhadi and distributed in the US by Amazon Studios.[40]

In 2018, the period comedy-drama television series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, starring Rachel Brosnahan, won two Golden Globe Awards (Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy and Best Actress – Musical or Comedy for Brosnahan) and five Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for Brosnahan.

United Artists Releasing's Women Talking earned a nomination for Best Picture at the 95th Academy Awards and won the award for Best Adapted Screenplay.

In 2023, Orion Pictures' American Fiction earned Amazon MGM Studios its first win for the People's Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival following the studio's rebrand.[41] The film went on to receive five nominations at the 96th Academy Awards; including Best Picture, and won the award for Best Adapted Screenplay.[42]

Assets

Film production and distribution

Television

Channels

Others

Productions library

Television series

See main article: List of Amazon Prime Video original programming, List of ended Amazon Prime Video original programming and List of MGM Television programs.

Films

See main article: List of Amazon MGM Studios films and List of Amazon Prime Video original films.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Engadget. NBC's Jennifer Salke is the new Amazon Studios chief. Lumb, David. February 10, 2018. February 15, 2018. April 4, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190404212552/https://www.engadget.com/2018/02/09/nbcs-jennifer-salke-is-the-new-amazon-studios-chief/. live. Her predecessor, Roy Price, resigned in October 2017
  2. Web site: Amazon Studios Comedy Chief Joe Lewis Adds Drama Oversight, Morgan Wandell To Head International Productions. Nellie. Andreeva. 17 October 2016. Deadline. 19 February 2020. 8 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211108092821/https://deadline.com/2016/10/amazon-studios-joe-lewis-adds-drama-morgan-wandell-international-productions-1201837722/#comments. live.
  3. Web site: Spangler. Todd . Lang . Brent . Amazon Buys MGM, Studio Behind James Bond, for $8.45 Billion . May 26, 2021. Variety. May 26, 2021 . en . January 25, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220125014617/https://variety.com/2021/biz/news/amazon-buys-mgm-studio-behind-james-bond-for-8-45-billion-1234980526/ . live .
  4. Web site: Amazon Studios Now Funding Original Content Series For Amazon Video Service . Perez, Sarah . May 2, 2012 . . May 2, 2012 . April 19, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190419102606/https://techcrunch.com/2012/05/02/amazon-studios-now-funding-original-content-series-for-amazon-instant-video-service/ . live .
  5. Web site: Studios.Amazon.com. FAQ. 2018-02-05. 2018-01-19. https://web.archive.org/web/20180119231535/https://studios.amazon.com/help/faq. live.
  6. Web site: Amazon Studios Invites TV Writers To Submit Comedy And Children's Series Ideas . West, Kelly . May 2, 2012 . Cinema Blend . May 2, 2012 . May 4, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120504030919/http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Amazon-Studios-Invites-TV-Writers-Submit-Comedy-Children-Series-Ideas-42088.html . live .
  7. News: Amazon, Fox nursing 'Stolen ' . Graser, Marc . February 21, 2008 . . February 21, 2008 . February 26, 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080226040827/http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117981288.html?categoryid=13&cs=1 . live .
  8. News: Amazon Studios acquiring Spike Lee film as its 1st release . . July 15, 2015 . The Denver Post . July 15, 2015 . July 16, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150716043111/http://www.denverpost.com/ci_28487111/amazon-studios-acquiring-spike-lee-film-its-1st . dead .
  9. Web site: Spike Lee's Chiraq gets Amazon release – and Oscars push. Barnes. Henry. 2015-07-16. The Guardian. en. 2018-02-27. 2018-02-28. https://web.archive.org/web/20180228100708/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/jul/16/spike-lee-chiraq-amazon-first-original-movie. live.
  10. News: Spike Lee directs Amazon's first ever movie. Kharpal. Arjun. 2015-07-16. CNBC. 2018-02-27. 2018-02-28. https://web.archive.org/web/20180228041402/https://www.cnbc.com/2015/07/16/amazon-movie-chiraq-spike-lee-directs.html. live.
  11. Book: Stone, Brad . Amazon unbound: Jeff Bezos and the invention of a global empire . 2021 . Simon & Schuster . 978-1-9821-3261-3 . New York . 143.
  12. News: Amazon Studios going into comics . Fritz, Ben . September 12, 2012 . . September 12, 2012 . September 22, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120922111413/http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-amazon-studios-comic-20120912,0,5127701.story . live.
  13. Web site: The Nielsen Family Is Dead . Vanderbilt, Tom . March 28, 2013 . . March 28, 2013 . March 28, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130328122850/http://www.wired.com/underwire/2013/03/nielsen-family-is-dead/ . live .
  14. Web site: Amazon's 'Studios' effort picks first TV shows to develop . Moyer, Edward . June 23, 2012 . . June 23, 2012 . June 24, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120624125955/http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57459387-93/amazons-studios-effort-picks-first-tv-shows-to-develop/ . live .
  15. Web site: Amazon Studios Comedy Chief Joe Lewis Adds Drama Oversight, Morgan Wandell To Head International Productions. Nellie. Andreeva. 17 October 2016. Deadline. 19 February 2020. 16 June 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200616000729/https://deadline.com/2016/10/amazon-studios-joe-lewis-adds-drama-morgan-wandell-international-productions-1201837722/. live.
  16. News: Amazon Moves Into Self-Distribution With Woody Allen's 'Wonder Wheel' (EXCLUSIVE). 27 July 2017. Variety. 29 September 2017. 10 September 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170910055336/http://variety.com/2017/film/markets-festivals/amazon-self-distribution-woody-allen-wonder-wheel-1202508413/amp/. live.
  17. Web site: Amazon's $1bn bet on Lord of the Rings shows scale of its TV ambition. November 21, 2017. The Guardian. October 18, 2020. October 10, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201010000928/https://www.theguardian.com/media/2017/nov/21/amazon-lord-of-the-rings-tv-netflix-disney-apple. live.
  18. Web site: Amazon Studios Shuts Down Open Script-Submission Program. Variety. Todd. Spangler. April 14, 2018. November 8, 2018. November 8, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181108025951/https://variety.com/2018/digital/news/amazon-studios-shuts-down-open-script-submissions-1202753480/. live.
  19. Web site: Otterson. Joe. 2021-08-17. Amazon Inks Overall TV Deal, First-Look Film Deal With Development Executive Steven Prinz. 2021-08-18. Variety. en-US. 2021-08-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20210818001054/https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/amazon-overall-tv-deal-steven-prinz-1235042902/. live.
  20. Web site: Cordero. Rosy. 2021-09-01. Amazon Studios Inks Overall Deal with TV Scribe & Playwright Brian Otaño. 2021-09-02. Deadline. en-US. 2021-09-02. https://web.archive.org/web/20210902000449/https://deadline.com/2021/09/amazon-studios-inks-overall-deal-brian-otano-1234825587/. live.
  21. Web site: Eddie Murphy Signs Three-Picture & First-Look Film Deal With Amazon Studios.. Deadline Hollywood. Anthony. D'Alessandro. September 22, 2021. September 22, 2021. September 22, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210922183258/https://deadline.com/2021/09/eddie-murphy-signs-three-picture-and-first-look-film-deal-with-amazon-studios-1234842091/. live.
  22. Web site: Amazon's Jennifer Salke Gains Control of MGM Film, TV Operations . . 30 November 2022 . 30 November 2022 . 30 November 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221130144110/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/amazons-jennifer-salke-gains-control-of-mgm-film-tv-operations-1235272055/ . live .
  23. Web site: Andreeva . Nellie . 'The Haunting' & 'Midnight Mass' Duo Mike Flanagan & Trevor Macy Ink Overall TV Deal With Amazon Studios . Deadline Hollywood . December 1, 2022 . December 5, 2022 . December 5, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221205133757/https://deadline.com/2022/12/mike-flanagan-amp-trevor-macy-overall-deal-with-amazon-studios-1235186302/ . live .
  24. Web site: Sakoui . Anousha . December 7, 2022 . Amazon Studios unveils massive virtual production stage, deepening ties to Culver City . 2022-12-12 . Los Angeles Times . en-US . 2022-12-12 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221212010555/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2022-12-06/amazon-culver-city-virtual-production-stage-candy-cane-lane-eddie-murphy . live .
  25. Web site: Petski . Denise . Amazon Studios Inks Overall TV & First-Look Film Deal With Critical Role, Sets 'Mighty Nein' Animated Series As First Project . Deadline Hollywood . January 25, 2023 . January 25, 2023 . January 25, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230125200330/https://deadline.com/2023/01/amazon-studios-inks-overall-tv-first-look-film-deal-with-critical-role-sets-mighty-nein-animated-series-as-first-project-1235240884/ . live .
  26. Web site: McClintock . Pamela . March 5, 2023 . Box Office: Michael B. Jordan's 'Creed III' Wins Title With Historic $58.6M Opening . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230304165729/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/creed-iii-box-office-opening-1235340591/ . March 4, 2023 . March 5, 2023 . Hollywood Reporter.
  27. Web site: Cordero . Rosy . Amazon Studios Signs Marvel's Former EIC Joe Quesada To Exclusive First-Look Deal . . March 30, 2023.
  28. Web site: Vlessing . Etan . Imagine Moves First-Look Deal From Apple to Amazon . . March 31, 2023.
  29. Web site: Whittock . Jesse . May 8, 2023 . Amazon MGM Studios Distribution To Launch At LA Screenings . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230508180524/https://deadline.com/2023/05/amazon-mgm-studios-distribution-la-screenings-1235356076/ . May 8, 2023 . May 10, 2023 . Deadline Hollywood.
  30. Web site: 'Sitting In Bars With Cake': Bette Midler, Ron Livingston, Aaron Dominguez & Rish Shah Among 12 Rounding Out Cast Of Amazon Rom-Com. Rosy. Cordero. September 22, 2022.
  31. Web site: Debruge . Peter . 2023-09-01 . Saltburn Review: A Vicious Talented Mr. Ripley' Knockoff From the Director of Promising Young Woman . 2023-09-01 . Variety.
  32. Web site: de la Fuente . Anne Marie . October 3, 2023 . Amazon Studios Now Called Amazon MGM Studios, Executive Pablo Iacoviello Reveals in Iberseries Keynote . October 3, 2023 . Variety.
  33. News: 2023-12-19 . Amazon to make Warhammer 40,000 shows and movies . en-GB . BBC News . 2023-12-19.
  34. Web site: Weprin . Alex . Amazon Cutting Hundreds of Jobs at Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios . The Hollywood Reporter . 11 January 2024 . 10 January 2024.
  35. Web site: Sharpe . Josh . Fandango at Home and Rotten Tomatoes Celebrate MGM with 100 Film Collection . 2024-05-17 . BroadwayWorld.com . en.
  36. Web site: Galuppo . Mia . 2024-04-02 . Jake Gyllenhaal's Nine Stories Signs First-Look Deal with Amazon MGM . 2024-05-17 . The Hollywood Reporter . en-US.
  37. Web site: Scott Stuber Closes Deal To Revive United Artists. Deadline Hollywood. Mike Jr. Fleming. 26 July 2024. 26 July 2024.
  38. Web site: Amazon.com Announces Fourth Quarter Sales Up 15% to $29.33 Billion. United States Securities and Exchange Commission. XBRL. January 29, 2015. August 27, 2017. March 12, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190312025529/https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1018724/000101872415000004/amzn-20141231xex991.htm. live.
  39. Web site: The Snubs and Surprises of the 2017 Oscar Nominations. 24 January 2017. Vulture. 19 February 2020. 1 October 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211001114714/https://www.vulture.com/2017/01/oscar-nominations-2017-the-snubs-and-surprises.html. live.
  40. Web site: Amazon Acquires Asghar Farhadi's 'The Salesman', Partnering With Cohen Media Group On Domestic – Cannes. Deadline Hollywood. Ali. Jaafar. Mike Jr.. Fleming. May 18, 2016. August 10, 2019. December 31, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201231003939/https://deadline.com/2016/05/amazon-acquires-asghar-farhadi-the-salesman-cohen-media-group-cannes-1201758704/. live.
  41. Web site: 2023-09-17 . 'American Fiction' wins People's Choice award at Toronto Film Festival . 2024-01-04 . AP News . en.
  42. Web site: Oscars 2024: The complete list of winners at the 96th Academy Awards . 2024-06-18 . Al Jazeera . en.

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