Amazon, MGM Studios Complete $8.5 Billion Merger

[Lee A Stewart]

Amazon and MGM Studios March 17 announced the closing of their $8.5 billion merger first announced in May 2021. The companies made the announcement after the deadline for the Federal Trade Commission to block the deal passed. Amazon now gets access to MGM’s library of more than 4,000 movies, including the lucrative James Bond franchise, and 17,000 TV shows. The European Union March 15 gave its regulatory approval of the transaction.

“MGM has a nearly century-long legacy of producing exceptional entertainment, and we share their commitment to delivering a broad slate of original films and television shows to a global audience,” Mike Hopkins, SVP of Prime Video and Amazon Studios, said in a statement. “We welcome MGM employees, creators, and talent to Prime Video and Amazon Studios, and we look forward to working together to create even more opportunities to deliver quality storytelling to our customers.”

Chris Brearton, chief operating officer of MGM, welcomed joining the Amazon Prime Video platform.

“MGM has been responsible for the creation of some of the most well-known and critically acclaimed films and television series of the past century,” he said. “We look forward to continuing that tradition as we head into this next chapter, coming together with the great team at Prime Video and Amazon Studios to provide audiences with the very best in entertainment for years to come.”

https://www.mediaplaynews.com/amazon...illion-merger/

[erlinmeyer]

Will look for all the new titles on Prime tonight.

Wait, what, they're not part of Prime? $3.99 to rent or $14.99 to buy?

[An4h0ny]

I don't think the content will port for a minute.

Looking forward to this catalog on Prime!

[batman2000]

I hope this means we will get 4k versions of all the rocky films and the bond films up to Pearce Bronson but considering the situation in the world goldeneye is in the same boat as the n64 game right now.

[BluBonnet]

Kevin Wilson Named Head Of Amazon Studios & MGM Theatrical Distribution – CinemaCon

Kevin Wilson has officially been named the Head of Theatrical Distribution for Amazon Studios and MGM as the parent company combines both labels into one theatrical distribution group.

The news comes in the wake of the passing of Amazon-MGM previous theatrical distribution boss, Erik Lomis, who was given a heartfelt remembrance today at CinemaCon by several including Chris Aronson, former MGM Motion Picture Bosses-now Warner Bros, Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy, as well as Warner Bros Domestic Distribution Chief Jeff Goldstein.

Recently, Amazon’s pivot back to theatrical saw the $272M global success of Creed III and the current $69M global gross for Ben Affleck’s dramedy, Air, about how Nike nabbed Michael Jordan to make the Air Jordan sneaker. Wilson is a longtime lieutenant of Lomis, and is a distribution vet who's handled 100 films which grossed over $7 billion stateside.