Nearly a year ago, it was reported that another seismic Hollywood takeover was on the cards. Now, hands have been shaken, ‘i’s have been dotted, ‘t’s have been crossed – and Jeff Bezos has ever-so-slightly lightened his condo-sized wallet to move 007 and Rocky Balboa into his great, whopping huge gaff. Yes, the $8.5 billion deal for Amazon to welcome MGM Studios (and, more importantly, Leo The Lion) to its fold has been completed. And just to put that mind-boggling price tag into context, that’s as much as Disney paid for Marvel and Star Wars combined (yet, still a fair bit off the $71.3 billion the Mouse House paid for 20th Century Fox in 2019).
The deal looks set to bring over 4,000 films and north of 17,000 episodes of TV Amazon’s way, with notable MGM properties including the James Bond and Rocky franchises – though specific details on what will live on Prime Video are currently TBC. Beyond the existing catalogue, the deal will put those franchises at the forefront of Amazon’s IP-focused endeavours going forwards (Eon’s blessing permitting, an Ana de Armas-starring Bond spin-off series is surely on Bezos and co’s minds and not just ours, right?) while the acquisition will also give Prime a huge boost in content as they seek to keep the pace with streaming juggernauts like Netflix and Disney+, the latter of which has just gained Marvel’s ‘Defenders Saga’ from the former. Classic movies such as 12 Angry Men, Silence Of The Lambs, and Robocop are all MGM properties that could bolster Prime Video’s ranks, as well as TV shows such as Fargo and The Handmaid’s Tale.
In a statement on the acquisition shared by Variety, MGM chief operating officer Chris Brearton sounded enthusiastic about the future for one of cinema’s oldest studios. “We are excited for MGM and its bounty of iconic brands, legendary films and television series, and our incredible team and creative partners to join the Prime Video family,” said Brearton. “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. 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.”
So, about that Paloma spin-off series then…