By Kayla DeKraker
Sony, Paramount, Disney, Universal and Warner Bros. dominate the film industry, but rising stars, like Amazon MGM, want a place among Hollywood’s biggest studios.
So what actually makes a major studio? The Hollywood Reporter says that it’s the ability to release its movies not just in North America but internationally without relying on third-party distributors.
“…change is afoot as Amazon MGM Studios embarks on building out a foreign distribution apparatus in the next 18 months to two years,” THR said, “after announcing it intends to release as many as 15 titles annually in cinemas before they hit Prime Video, including 14 in 2026 alone.”
If Amazon’s successful, it will be the first tech company to launch a “full-fledged major Hollywood studio.” Other tech companies, like Apple, also want in on theatrical releases, most recently highlighted with its F1: THE MOVIE.
“These companies we’re talking about have huge war chests and are in it for the long run,” said an unnamed studio exec. “When you have a big war chest, you have a better chance at succeeding because you can take big shots. The legacy studios have all been clobbered. Whenever you talk to them, all they talk about is losing money or not having enough.”
Amazon MGM Studios’ recent hiring of Charlie Coleman as new Head of International Theatrical Marketing shows the company’s commitment to becoming a major studio.
In an email to staff, Amazon’s Head of Global Marketing, Film and Series, Sue Kroll, shared the new changes.
Related: How Amazon Plans to ‘Reimagine’ MGM Studios After Massive Deal
The email reads, “As we continue building out our international distribution infrastructure to support our rapidly growing slate of films, I’m thrilled to share that Charlie Coleman will be joining us as Head of International Theatrical Marketing. He will officially start on August 18 following his departure from Warner Bros., and will report directly to me, working closely with Stephen Bruno and the distribution and PR teams. He will be based in London.”
She also noted that “This hire marks an important next step as we continue to scale our global marketing capabilities. I also want to take a moment to recognize the incredible work this team has done over the past year. Your dedication and talent do not go unnoticed.”
Kroll concluded, “Charlie’s leadership, combined with the outstanding work already happening across this team, positions us to continue raising the bar as we bring our films to audiences worldwide.”
It will be interesting to see how these new moves affect Amazon as a distributor.
Nielsen’s most recent data from May reveals that YouTube still reigns supreme in viewership, with 12.5% of use on the streaming platform, and Netflix sits at 7.5%. In comparison, Amazon’s Prime Video currently holds 3.5% of total viewership.
Will the company’s big studio ambitions boost its overall popularity? Only time will tell.
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