Amazon’s Prime Video has signed a key content licensing agreement with Universal giving it access to the studio’s massive catalog of new movie content.
In what is rumored to be a 10-figure deal, Prime Video will now have an exclusive window to air Universal Filmed Entertainment Group’s live action films in the United States, beginning with the studio’s slate of 2022 releases.
Prime Video recently signed non-exclusive deals with Paramount, MGM and Lionsgate, and has also signed some exclusive deals with smaller studios and some larger studios outside the US. However, this is the first deal Prime Video has signed giving it exclusive access to content from a major studio of Universal’s size and heft.
That said, NBCUniversal’s Peacock streaming service will have first crack at those films. Peacock gets exclusive access to UFEG films for four months after their theatrical release. After that time, Prime Video will then get the exclusive right to air the content from the fifth month after theatrical release, extending out to 14 months.
The deal also gives Prime the rights to a significant package of Universal’s existing movie library.
In practical terms, that means Prime will be able to stream upcoming blockbusters like Jurassic World: Dominion, The 355 and Ambulance.
In addition to the agreement with Prime, IMDb TV, Amazon’s free streaming service, has secured an exclusive network window for films from Universal’s 2020-2021 theatrical slate and rights to a package of animated titles. That would include films like F9, The Invisible Man, and some titles from the animation library as well, like Despicable Me 2, How to Train Your Dragon 2, and Shrek 2.
“We know Prime members love movies and this new deal with UFEG will deliver some of the best films available for our customers,” said Brad Beale, Prime Video’s VP of worldwide content licensing. “This new slate of UFEG films, including exciting upcoming releases such as Jurassic World: Dominion, The 355, and Ambulance will continue to build upon Prime Video’s catalog and delight Prime members, all at no additional cost to their membership.”