What becomes of MGM's streaming exports now that Amazon has tied up its purchase of the studio? In a move that sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry, Amazon has sealed the deal on MGM, purchasing the storied movie studio for $8.45 billion. Jeff Bezos' primary motivation for snapping up the owner of franchises such as James Bond, Legally Blonde, and Robocop is to bolster the amount of streaming content available on the Amazon Prime Video streaming service. Not only will MGM's extensive back catalog soon be available to Amazon subscribers, but the new owners can produce spinoffs, sequels and reboots of MGM's movie and TV properties.
As MGM fare begins migrating over to Amazon, question marks hang over the TV shows that currently stream on rival platforms. Without a service of its own, MGM has previously distributed certain TV products across a variety of other platforms. For instance, The Handmaid's Tale is released on Hulu, Vikings: Valhalla is currently planned for Netflix, and the Willow TV series will premiere on Disney+ in 2022. In buying MGM, Amazon now holds a stake in these rival properties - what happens next?
The fate of new Amazon acquisitions that presently stream on Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, etc. is not only complicated, but changes on a case-by-case basis. The Handmaid's Tale is a Hulu original and has an existing arrangement to exclusively stream the Margaret Attwood dystopian adaptation, which Amazon's purchase of MGM doesn't immediately change. Certainly in the short-term, Offred and the gang will remain on Hulu. If and when those rights expire, however, that'll be when the change of platform occurs, and any future projects within The Handmaid's Tale universe, such as the upcoming Testaments TV series, will almost certainly debut on Amazon Prime Video. Fargo's future is somewhat less clear. Previously releasing on FX, a new season hasn't been officially announced is given a date, which potentially suggests Amazon could push ahead with Fargo season 5 or a reboot if they wish, and debut the series on Prime Video, FX legalities allowing.
It's a similar story for upcoming Netflix efforts Vikings: Valhalla and Tim Burton's The Addams Family spinoff, Wednesday. Both franchises are now owned by Amazon, but those specific shows are already confirmed for Netflix. Again, these productions will likely remain on their current course, but could jump to Amazon further down the line, depending on the specifics of each arrangement. Expect future projects in either world to release on Amazon. Nevertheless, Vikings fans face an odd scenario where the original series is to be found on Amazon, but the spinoff calls Netflix home. While the Willow TV show, based on the film written by George Lucas, should also stay Disney+ bound, the Mouse House's acquisition of Lucasfilm adds a further complication to that specific property's future.
There's a palpable sense of unknown around the future of MGM properties now that now fall under Amazon's umbrella. The streaming distribution model is still in its relative infancy, and companies like Amazon snapping up major, long-standing Hollywood studios was unheard of not long ago. The MGM deal represents uncharted waters, and the full ramifications will only become clear over the coming years.
Nevertheless, there are comparative situations to be found. Lucifer, for example, is based on a DC comics property, and therefore distributed by Warner Bros. Despite HBO Max launching in 2020 and containing all manner of Warner and DC content, Lucifer's final season is still destined for Netflix, which rescued the property from cancellation back in 2018. Although the circumstances aren't quite identical, this example suggests existing deals MGM made with third party streaming platforms will be honored, as much as Amazon may be reluctant to see their newly acquired properties helping prop up rivals. When MGM's pre-existing arrangements cease to take effect, it'll be fascinating to see what Amazon does with properties that once belonged elsewhere.