Following the relaunch of Epix as MGM+ in the U.S. in January, Amazon unveiled Wednesday that MGM’s streaming services will be rebranded as MGM+ International in key European countries.
The company also announced that it had struck a “strategic content deal” with Lionsgate for “a significant package of premium films and television series” in support of the change. “Under that arrangement, MGM+ International will stream leading premier series from Lionsgate and Starz in Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain and The Netherlands, giving subscribers access to even more hit TV series and movies at no extra cost to their current subscription,” starting this weekend, it said. Monthly subscriptions cost 3.99 euro, or $4.37, and are offered via Prime Video Channels.
Lionsgate+ subscribers who joined the streamer via Prime Video Channels will now get access to the MGM+ International streamer instead. That move is in line with Lionsgate’s previous announcement that it was ending its Lionsgate+ streaming service in several European markets and in Japan.
“Following the relaunch of MGM+ in the U.S. at the start of the year, we have seen significant growth in subscribers,” explained Amazon executive Chris Brearton, vp Prime Video Studios Corporate Strategy. “Now MGM’s international streaming services will follow suit and relaunch as MGM+ International in key countries where we are making further content investments to capitalize on the strength of the iconic brand and accelerate our growth as a premium international SVOD service.”
With the Lionsgate content deal, MGM+ International will become the home of such popular Lionsgate and Starz series as the Power franchise, Black Sails, Black Mafia Family, Mad Men and Nashville. News on further and exclusive Lionsgate titles launching on MGM+ in Europe are expected in the future. “Our strategic deal with Lionsgate marks a further commitment to the MGM+ brand by Amazon,” said Brearton.
Lionsgate’s president of worldwide television distribution Jim Packer said that the programming agreement “reaffirms the enormous value of our content.”
Amazon closed the $8.5 billion acquisition of MGM last year.
