# Amazon to acquire MGM



## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

Apparently we are going to learn tomorrow that Amazon in fact will be acquiring MGM for a mere $8+ billion.









For more check out Amazon nears deal to buy MGM Studios for nearly $9 billion.


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## NashGuy (Jan 30, 2014)

Wonder how much longer Epix (owned by MGM) has to live? I guess it's possible that Amazon continues to sell it as-is but seems more likely that it simply gets absorbed into Prime Video, further increasing the value of that service (which in turn further increases the value of a Prime membership, which is what it's really all about for Amazon). Perhaps an interim step will be that Epix, already available via Prime Video Channels, is included as a free add-on to Prime Video, while also still being available as its own separate service.


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## wmb (Dec 18, 2008)

It’s a great acquisition for them. They spend that much every year for content anyway. This gives them a bunch of new content, the ability to bring production in-house, and I would guess the rights to a number of potential remake/sequel opportunities… Pink Panther remake anyone? Who would you cast?


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## B. Shoe (Apr 3, 2008)

> MGM owns a number of famed movie and TV franchises, including Rocky, Legally Blonde, The Pink Panther and Stargate. It also owns a studio, which has made more current hit TV shows, including "The Handmaid's Tale" and "Fargo." MGM owns a number of popular reality TV shows, including "Shark Tank," "Survivor," "The Real Housewives" series and "The Voice."


An excerpt from the linked article. These are some of the most popular shows in their respective streaming services/channels. Popular shows come and go, but it's intriguing to see some of the popular program this would give Amazon a direct "finger in the pot" with.

And also, EPIX is valued at $1.3 billion? Wow.


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## NashGuy (Jan 30, 2014)

B. Shoe said:


> An excerpt from the linked article. These are some of the most popular shows in their respective streaming services/channels. Popular shows come and go, but it's intriguing to see some of the popular program this would give Amazon a direct "finger in the pot" with.
> 
> And also, EPIX is valued at $1.3 billion? Wow.


But the thing about the TV shows that MGM has produced for other companies is that their streaming rights are likely locked up long-term. For instance, The Handmaid's Tale and Fargo will likely remain exclusive to Hulu for years, and therefore unavailable to Prime Video. Although such shows do indicate the quality level that MGM is capable of producing.

I wonder if MGM under Amazon would continue to produce content for outside buyers or if it would effectively just be merged into Amazon Studios?


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

phrelin said:


> Apparently we are going to learn tomorrow that Amazon in fact will be acquiring MGM for a mere $8+ billion.


Amazon to buy MGM Studios for $8.45 billion

Amazon said Wednesday it will acquire MGM Studios for $8.45 billion, marking its boldest move yet into the entertainment industry and turbocharging its streaming ambitions.

Amazon said it hopes to leverage MGM's storied filmmaking history and wide-ranging catalog of 4,000 films and 17,000 TV shows to help bolster Amazon Studios, its film and TV division.


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## NashGuy (Jan 30, 2014)

Based on the stories I've read today about the deal, it seems the most likely scenario is that the MGM Studios name lives on as Amazon's in-house producer of new movies, which will mostly be shown in theaters and then stream on Prime Video soon thereafter. Meanwhile, I'd say the existing Amazon Studios will absorb most of MGM's TV talent and operations and continue to focus on producing TV shows exclusively for Prime Video. Current deals in place for MGM Studios to produce TV shows for other companies (e.g. The Handmaid's Tale for Hulu, Fargo for FX, Shark Tank for ABC) will carry on under the MGM Studios name but once Amazon takes control, I'd be surprised to see MGM strike any new outside TV production deals. I don't see Amazon being interested in developing content to license to competitors. Mark Burnett (who had a reputation as a troublemaker) is almost certainly out as head of MGM's television division. Some others will probably be sacked too, with Amazon Studios and MGM Studios essentially merged.

I don't see how little Epix serves any purpose for Amazon. Whatever profit it generates is a rounding error for Amazon. Epix has a meager library of original series and docs, only part of which are owned by MGM. If Epix is shut down (and I can't see why it wouldn't be in 2022), then those MGM-owned Epix Originals like Get Shorty, Perpetual Grace LTD, and the forthcoming Chapelwaite will likely be added to the Prime Video library, while their other series turn up on competing services or just disappear. (It's already been reported that Warner is considering moving their Pennyworth series from Epix to HBO Max.)

Complicating things, though, are deals that Epix has in place to share its movie library with Paramount+ (a new deal going into effect this year) and Hulu (a long-running deal that continues).

Paramount Pictures Sets New Output and Licensing Pacts With Epix - Variety

I guess the simplest scenario, should Epix fold, is that those movie deals are fully carried out, with Prime Video simply replacing Epix (and the entire Epix movie library folded into Prime Video). Although it's possible that Amazon buys out the remainder of those contracts so that the MGM film library and forthcoming MGM theatrical releases will be exclusive to Prime Video (not shared with Paramount+ or Hulu) while Paramount films would leave both Prime Video and Hulu and be exclusive to Paramount+.


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## NYDutch (Dec 28, 2013)

With the outtake tapes from all the MGM owned TV shows, they could probably make an entire season's series from them...


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

NashGuy said:


> Meanwhile, I'd say the existing Amazon Studios will absorb most of MGM's TV talent and operations and continue to focus on producing TV shows exclusively for Prime Video.


I expect that this would more likely lead to a new Prime Video subscription over and above the basic Amazon Prime freebies options.


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## NashGuy (Jan 30, 2014)

harsh said:


> I expect that this would more likely lead to a new Prime Video subscription over and above the basic Amazon Prime freebies options.


Nah. They'll fold a lot of the MGM movie library they get into Prime Video. Plus some old MGM TV content. But won't necessarily spend any more per year going forward to produce new Prime Video series. But they will likely base some of the new series on the IP they bought from MGM. So maybe a new Stargate series, or Tomb Raider series, or Pink Panther series, or Rocky series, etc.


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## mwdxer (Oct 30, 2013)

wmb said:


> It's a great acquisition for them. They spend that much every year for content anyway. This gives them a bunch of new content, the ability to bring production in-house, and I would guess the rights to a number of potential remake/sequel opportunities&#8230; Pink Panther remake anyone? Who would you cast?
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I am hoping Amazon offers a lot of old MGM TV Shows that have not been available in years. AT&T HBO got WB and I have yet to see any old TV Product. At least the old WB Streaming app from a few years back had a lot of great product like 77 Sunset Strip, Hawaiian Eye, Surfside 6, etc. Disney+ hasn't added that much old vault material either. I have Amazon Prime for the shipping and their streaming is a plus.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

It wouldn’t shock me to see some prime programs, specifically their in house movies start showing up on epix. It also wouldn’t shock me if it became know as prime theater or something instead of epix.


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