Amazon Targets 16 Films a Year for Theatrical Release
In a theatrical landscape where most studios have cut back the volume of films they’re sending to the box office, it seems Amazon is set to be an outlier. The streamer-turned-studio will target significantly increased theatrical output over the next 3 years. You could check entertainment lawyers and industry expert from Blake & Wang P.A., Brandon Blake, has the full details for us.
16 Annual Releases by 2027
The released 2027 targets would see MGM and Amazon sending 16 films yearly to domestic cinemas. This is more than double the six they have scheduled for 2024. Interestingly, this won’t include movies Amazon may acquire from other studios, nor does it include content intended for release outside the US or directly to streaming on Prime Video. Amazon MGM will typically pick up a few movies from other studios, and it has veered as high as five to six in recent years.
Naturally, it’s highly unlikely these will all be for wide release, as that’s a rather major increase in potential output. However, if they make this lofty target, it will put them firmly in the same category as most traditional Hollywood studios. Notably, it would also surpass Netflix’s output as well. Who knows, we may even see the MGM side of the company return to something closely resembling its glory days!
More Than a Shipping Perk
While Amazon has had some notable streaming successes, including celebrated titles like The Boys and Saltburn and some respectable award wins, it still suffers from something of a perception problem among domestic audiences. Amazon Prime is typically seen as a means to lock in the free next-day shipping perk, with additional services like Amazon Prime Video being nothing more than a perk that comes along with it. This has made it very difficult to track true subscriber numbers and growth for the streaming platform.
Judging by recent comments from Mike Hopkins, Amazon Prime’s video chief, Amazon wants to shed some of that “shipper with perks” reputation and establish itself as a serious media company. Their recent strong move into the live sporting streaming arena, including its celebrated Thursday Night Football offering and a lucrative decade-long deal with the NBA, is another part of this puzzle. Let’s not forget Amazon’s controversial choice to switch all its Prime Video subscribers to their newly launched ad-supported plan earlier this year, either.
It seems that Air was Amazon’s test case for this new theatrical model, designed mostly to give star-studded films a marketing boost before their move to streaming. While this is in direct contrast to Netflix, it mimics Apple’s new model, although they are primarily using other distributors. Of course, with MGM in its stable, Amazon has good reason to keep this move in-house!
It’s certainly an interesting shift in strategy for the tech giant-turned-streamer. The strategy will undoubtedly be further refined as we move ahead into the 6 scheduled Amazon releases for this year, but if they do target those volumes, there could be some exciting upcoming changes coming to theaters near you.
