“While some of our competitors have dipped their toes in and out of the theatrical waters, for us, this isn’t a test or an experiment. Our commitment to release at least 15 films every year into your theaters is on schedule,” Mike Hopkins, head of Prime Video & Amazon MGM Studios, promised theater owners from the stage at CinemaCon on Wednesday night.
The studio currently has a massive hit on its hands in Project Hail Mary. Still, “As I say to our team constantly, our ambition for theatrical film is in the top half of the first inning. Project Hail Mary is just the beginning” he said.
To support that, the studio is building an international distribution organization that it hopes to have up and running later this year. Its been expanding its international footprint, bringing in executives across key territories including the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Mexico, Brazil and Australia.
Amazon MGM Studios’ Mike Hopkins on Wednesday in Las Vegas
Gilbert Flores
Elaborating, Sue Kroll, head of global marketing, said the studio has assembled a team with deep, legacy studio experience leaders who have spent their careers launching films theatrically at the highest level. “That expertise is now applied with a singular focus: not just releasing films, but championing each one with the care, rigor, and creativity it deserves,” she said. “And now, we have the ability to pair that foundation with something entirely unique — the full power and reach of Amazon.”
“Last year,” added Kevin Wilson, head of domestic theatrical distribution, “we introduced a slate built to make audiences lean in. A mix of bold originals and iconic IP. That is who we are. And since then, we’ve delivered results. Four months. Four films. Over $670 million at the box office. And we have nine more on the way. We said 15 films by 2027—and we meant it. But this is not about volume. It is about impact. We are building films that give audiences a reason to leave the house. Films with scale. Ambition. Something to say.”
The ramp-up has been welcome among exhibitors looking for more breadth and depth of content to buoy the box office.
More to come
