MGM Studios

The company has published a progress report on its film and TV productions since implementing in 2021 its Inclusion Policy and Playbook, a best-practices resource for writing, casting and hiring inclusively and creating an equitable and accessible working environment on set. To measure the impact of its guidelines (and create accountability), Amazon MGM Studios is sharing gender and race/ethnicity data for cast and creative leadership for all 195 of its scripted and unscripted U.S. Originals released between July 1, 2020 and June 30, 2023 (119 series and 76 movies).

In a first in the entertainment industry, the company launched its inclusion policy guide and playbook under Gillespie's leadership as head of global diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility. These resources – fully available to the public – aim to guide leaders both within Amazon MGM and the entire business landscape to ensure diverse, accurate storytelling.

There are some standouts in terms of LGBTQ representation in Amazon’s slate, led by the GLAAD Media Award-winning comedy My Old Ass, which featured a bisexual protagonist, something very rare despite bisexual+ people being the largest subsection of the LGBTQ community. Another highlight was Ricky Stanicky, which included a gay man in its lead trio, along with his partner, who is one of the few disabled queer characters featured in this study. Other films tracked, such as Challengers and Space Cadet, were minimally inclusive but had opportunities to expand upon their LGBTQ characters and storylines.

So, eight months ago Amazon MGM Studios opened an AI Studios division to start work on Project Nara, an AI production toolkit built on Amazon’s AWS cloud computing platform that could be used by teams of filmmakers. Project Nara is still in beta mode, and the company set up a GenAI Creators’ Fund to give filmmakers interested in using the toolkit financial support, while also giving the studio feedback.

Last summer, Amazon MGM Studios launched a dedicated AI Studio to develop proprietary AI tools to streamline TV and film production, with a focus on areas like improving character consistency across shots and supporting pre- and post-production.

The studio announced the GenAI Creators’ Fund, which is providing funding and access to AI production tools to filmmakers, digital creators and tech startups for developing premium TV shows and movies. Amazon MGM Studios is teaming with sister organization Amazon Web Services (AWS) to launch what they claim will be the industry’s first purpose-built AI production platform for visual storytelling.

Joe Eckardt, owner and president of Hollywood-based postproduction services firm Unbreakable Post, alleged that the studio’s head of postproduction, Frank Salinas, told him during a business lunch in 2023 that Salinas could “ensure” Unbreakable Post would be included as an approved vendor to bid on Amazon-affiliated projects.

Amazon MGM Studios bought "Melania" and the accompanying docuseries for $40 million, and spent $35 million more in marketing, according to the New York Times. The movie follows Trump through the weeks leading up to her husband's second inauguration. Despite harsh reviews and revealing little new about the first lady, it had a good opening weekend at the box office, bringing in $7 million.

Amazon MGM studios released two inclusive theatrical releases, and four of the direct to Prime Video titles were inclusive films. Both theatrically released films included lead LGBTQ characters. Hedda took a classic 19th century play about a straight white woman and turned it into the story of a bisexual Black woman. After the Hunt also featured a queer Black protagonist who had a nonbinary partner. The comedies Oh. What. Fun. and Maintenance Required featured queer supporting characters in their casts. The crime-comedy Another Simple Favor and thriller Play Dirty also included LGBTQ characters, but both fell into unfortunate tropes.

The partnership makes it possible for EICOP to continue its initiative in bringing diverse perspectives to the table by hosting student leaders and recent college grads for paid internships across all aspects of its business beginning in the summer of 2025.

” [W]e’ve identified opportunities to reduce or discontinue investments in certain areas while increasing our investment and focus on content and product initiatives that deliver the most impact,” wrote Mike Hopkins, senior vice president of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, in a note to staffers.

However, Natasha respects and trusts Rasputin so she informs the mystic that her husband is planning to kill him. To gain more information, Rasputin hypnotizes Natasha, making her believe that she is no longer worthy of being a wife, and rapes her. This is where MGM took the kind of creative liberty it shouldn’t have.

Mike Hopkins, head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, said the company would prefer to produce its films and shows in California. But he agreed that having the state guarantee incentives will help. He said there may be a misconception that such economic incentives go toward writing big stars’ paychecks, rather than to production personnel. “It’s not that we’re taking money and giving to Tom Cruise or somebody,” Hopkins said, noting that above-the-line talent “will get the fee wherever they go.”

The Seattle-based tech and retail giant — which distributes content via its theatrical arm, Amazon MGM, and its streaming service, Prime Video — will officially become the seventh member of the MPA on Oct. 1. Amazon backed the MPA’s anti-piracy efforts as a board member of the organization’s Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment.

A Starz employee learned in 2019 that MGM's film "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure" was available to stream on Amazon's platform during the exclusivity period. MGM later told Starz that it had also licensed many other shows and movies to other services.