Amazon announced on Wednesday the acquisition of iconic MGM studios, including owners of the James Bond franchise, for $ 8.45 billion.
This is the second-largest acquisition in the history of the e-commerce giant, following the 2017 purchase of supermarket chain Whole Foods for $ 13.7 billion.
Amazon is counting on MGM’s long history in the world of cinema and its vast catalog of 4,000 films and 17,000 television shows, to strengthen Amazon Studios, its film and television division.
“The opportunity to align MGM’s legendary history with Amazon is an inspiring combination,” MGM President Kevin Ulrich said in a statement.
Amazon wants to acquire more TV and movie content for its Prime Video service, which competes with Netflix, Disney + and other streaming video services. MGM presents itself as a natural partner for any streaming service due to the diversity of its licenses, including “The Pink Panther” and “Rocky”.
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