Amazon to Acquire MGM for $8.45 Billion Amid Competition With the Likes of Netflix and Apple TV+

[ghanwani]

$8.45B used to be a lot of money.

 

[jimbobb24]

Is Amazon in...are they out...but now it’s clear they are into video for the long hall. First digital company to buy the legacy stuff. Expect more of this to happen but likely be disappointed just like ATT ditching WB and HBOMax. Just not enough money to be worth it.

 

[chucker23n1]

While James Bond is still a big name, I‘m not sure it will be the same going forward. I’m a Bond fan and I think the latest incarnation of Bond on screen has been pretty mediocre. CASINO ROYALE was an instant classic, but all the other Daniel Craig outings are pretty forgettable, IMO. (I know some people like SKYFALL, but I think it was merely an OK entry for Bond) I really think Bond needs a major overhaul to stay relevant and connect with younger viewers moving forward.

I'm not sure if it can. The tropes it displays, the sexism, the simplistic action hero motif… seems a bit of a bygone era.

 

[Orange Bat]

"James Bond..."

So does this mean the next bond film will be out on Prime?

I suspect that Jeff Bezos LOVES James Bond and spy stories in general. Look at the dive they’ve taken into the Jack Ryan universe. Amazon also bought the publishing rights to Bond books a few years ago. I imagine that the entire Bond library will be on Prime as soon as licensing permits, and, while I expect the NO TIME TO DIE to be in theaters at first, I imagine a quick turnaround (45 days, maybe?) to get it onto Prime Video. It will be the first major release under the Amazon banner, so they’ll make a big deal of it.

 

[Ion-X]

Break up Amazon.

 

[jimbobb24]

Spending 9b to make or acquire new content is money better spent. Apple can make close to 200 new movies/docs etc at 50m a pop for each as opposed to basically MGM “old stuff” that unfortunately younger and younger generations could care less and less about

Well if the world was just younger and younger generations that would make sense. But it turns out each generation lives a long time and the older they get the more money they have. So running around worrying about what the youngest generation thinks is often a waste of time.

 

[ersan191]

Stargate reboot when??

 

[omenatarhuri]

Good move by Amazon. I've hardly used Prime Video and always forget it even exists, this can make them more of a player in the longer run, with more IP to build new exclusives on.

 

[jimbobb24]

Mergers and acquisitions create economies of scale and economies of scope. If markets are competitive, those cost savings will be partly shared with consumers in the form of lower prices or an improvement in the quality of products and services without a corresponding increase in price.

But when markets are dominated by a few very large firms, the gains not only go mainly to the firm's shareholders, and market efficiency takes a hit. Plus, when very large firms get even larger, they have more impact on policymaking which they use to entrench and expand their market dominance.

That's why antitrust laws were created, and this MGM acquisition has antitrust issues that will need to be worked through before the deal is approved.

Nothing about the market says that the efficiencies need to be split between the firm and the consumer. They could go all to the consumer or all to the firm.

 

[jdclifford]

I suspect that Jeff Bezos LOVES James Bond and spy stories in general. Look at the dive they’ve taken into the Jack Ryan universe. Amazon also bought the publishing rights to Bond books a few years ago. I imagine that the entire Bond library will be on Prime as soon as licensing permits, and, while I expect the NO TIME TO DIE to be in theaters at first, I imagine a quick turnaround (45 days, maybe?) to get it onto Prime Video. It will be the first major release under the Amazon banner, so they’ll make a big deal of it.

I kind of liked that series along with "Bosch" and "Goliath"

 

[jimbobb24]

I suspect that Jeff Bezos LOVES James Bond and spy stories in general. Look at the dive they’ve taken into the Jack Ryan universe. Amazon also bought the publishing rights to Bond books a few years ago. I imagine that the entire Bond library will be on Prime as soon as licensing permits, and, while I expect the NO TIME TO DIE to be in theaters at first, I imagine a quick turnaround (45 days, maybe?) to get it onto Prime Video. It will be the first major release under the Amazon banner, so they’ll make a big deal of it.

It’s all on prime about every other year.

 

[Expos of 1969]

I'm not sure if it can. The tropes it displays, the sexism, the simplistic action hero motif… seems a bit of a bygone era.

All true but I will watch a Bond movie over a superhero or comic book character in tights every time.

 

[Ion-X]

Sure Apple could. But based on their current track, the vast majority of the close to 200 movies and or docs would not be very popular.

Are they disliked by critics and users (not really, look at how The Morning Show did), or are they just being distributed to a small audience?

As an analogy, there's a lot of great anime (Your Name, Spirited Away, etc.) that I consider better than modern Disney, that don't see Frozen-level mass success because anime is still a relative niche in the West.

While James Bond is still a big name, I‘m not sure it will be the same going forward. I’m a Bond fan and I think the latest incarnation of Bond on screen has been pretty mediocre. CASINO ROYALE was an instant classic, but all the other Daniel Craig outings are pretty forgettable, IMO. (I know some people like SKYFALL, but I think it was merely an OK entry for Bond) I really think Bond needs a major overhaul to stay relevant and connect with younger viewers moving forward.

I have to agree with you. The series has never interested me or felt relatable in any way. It feels dated and sexist and the franchise needs a reboot.

 

[anthogag]

I dumped my Amazon Prime video subscription because it was too boring. I was watching maybe 1 show from Amazon. Perhaps now they spent $9 billion to get one more show, the Bond franchise.

I dumped Disney+ because I watched only 1 show, The Mandalorian.

I dumped Netflix because I couldn't find new interesting things to watch.

Today I subscribe to 🍏TV+, Paramount+, BBC Select, Topic, CBC Gem, Pik TV

 

[cardfan]

Streamers know the money is in franchises. Netflix keeps trying to create the next one. Disney has a ton. Amazon just bought some.

And apple? I think they seem content to sell the competitors while doing enough originals to at least have an app and maybe add some perceived value to their one bundle.

Atv not enough? Add a channel or two to it. Apple loves you. Don’t forget to download Disney app and subscribe through iTunes. Apple loves Disney too.

Cook’s goal is apple wants a piece of the pie. Seems like they get it. Just like arcade. Make all the fun you want of it but apple is top gaming company in world. Games make up 70+’of App Store revenues. Pretty good for a company not known for gaming.

 

[gregrichards]

I wonder if this means No Time To Die and the other bond films will be exclusive to Amazon Prime for streaming for a period. Apple should have tried to get this deal done they badly need great content for Apple TV+. The current selection is not great or appealing apart from a few shows. It would be great if Apple could put all the movies and tv shows on the iTunes Store on Apple TV+. I know that would cost a fortune for them to do and probably isn’t viable. I can’t see millions of people being willing to pay for Apple TV+ once their free subscription period runs out. I’m don’t think I am going to pay for it every month from July just to watch The Morning Show. Apple seriously needs to add a substantial amount of content of tv shows and movies that they are not producing themselves if they want to Apple TV+ to be a success.

 

[Ion-X]

I dumped my Amazon Prime video subscription because it was too boring. I was watching maybe 1 show from Amazon. Perhaps now they spent $9 billion to get one more show, the Bond franchise.

I'm Switzerland when it comes to streaming (I have Disney+, Netflix, HBO Max, Peacock, and Prime). But wow, Prime just has the worst selection. I never see anything interesting on there and Bond isn't going to change that.

 

[DigitriX]

In the end, Disney will buy them all.

 

[Capeto]

Yes! The day where all our media is owned by one of three entities is even closer! I love it!

 

[cardfan]

Are they disliked by critics and users (not really, look at how The Morning Show did), or are they just being distributed to a small audience?

As an analogy, there's a lot of great anime (Your Name, Spirited Away, etc.) that I consider better than modern Disney, that don't see Frozen-level mass success because anime is still a relative niche in the West.

I have to agree with you. The series has never interested me or felt relatable in any way. It feels dated and sexist and the franchise needs a reboot.

I thought the latest bond movie was held back because of covid. And kinda never really heard what happened with it. Lost interest. Wasn’t there rumors of a female Bond? Be careful what you wish for with reboots.

 

[tennisproha]

I guess this means MGM won’t be coming to Movies Anywhere

 

[SactoGuy18]

And now all the DC Comics properties are up for sale by Warner. Does Amazon have the money to pick them up for essentially a song? There has been rumors about Disney picking them up but there is a lot of opposition to that idea.

 

[samlikesmac]

Unless I’m missing something, this kinda feels like a steal? The Bond franchise alone has brought in over $10B or so I think. Imagine branching out and further developing some of the better known franchises in this catalog (like Star Wars has done) AND having a full catalog to supplement Prime Video immediately.

I believe people involved with the James Bond franchise have made it clear that MGM is not interested in any spinoff content for Bond.

 

[Marco Klobas]

 

[kycophpd]

Does this mean I can use Alexa to open my door at the MGM Grand next month?