Industry

Amazon launched on Monday, May 8 a new unit, Amazon MGM Studios Distribution, which will license Amazon Originals and other titles to third-party media companies for the first time. The licensing extends to streaming services and cable TV.

The new unit will license many popular Prime Video titles, including The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, Goliath and The Tomorrow War to other media companies, where programs will air in second window after their run on Amazon’s streaming platform. The introduction of Amazon MGM Studios Distribution will also allow the company to license MGM-owned franchises like James Bond, Rocky and Creed, as well as The Handmaid’s Tale, Fargo and Vikings.

Although Amazon has already distributed shows before, the new unit will operate on a larger scale. Moreover, as Amazon Originals have rarely, if ever, left Prime Video, this deal is an even better opportunity for other companies to buy valuable titles for their platforms.

Jen Salke, head of Amazon Studios, said: “The launch of Amazon MGM Studios Distribution reinforces our commitment to bringing the very best content to audiences everywhere worldwide. With 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.”

According to Chris Ottinger, who will lead the new Amazon – MGM unit, the venture will offer flexible bundles, so that sellers can create custom content packages they can feel satisfied with.