Amazon MGM's Mike Hopkins Cozies Up To Theater Owners, Promises 'When Amazon Commits To Something, We Tend To Do It Big' — CinemaCon
Mike Hopkins, Head of Prime Video & Amazon MGM, made his debut at the studio's first CinemaCon tonight, breaking the ice with de rigueur anecdote of how he fell in love with cinema – going to see Stars Wars as a kid with his brother, both in jammies, 'even though I was a bit too old to wear pajamas in public.'
Applause for that in the auditorium of Caesars Palace Las Vegas, and even more for his promise to deliver 15 feature films a year to theaters by 2027, and for years to come. The studio will begin with 12-14 films starting next year, Courtenay Valenti, head of Film, Streaming and Theatrical, said recently.
More from Deadline
How Awesome Is 'Project Hail Mary'? Ryan Gosling Says "We Tried To Put It On A TV Once - It Wouldn't Fit" - Amazon MGM Studios CinemaCon
'Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale' Trailer Ushers In 1930 & Tells Us It's Time To Say Goodbye - CinemaCon
'Wicked: For Good' First Look: Galinda Exclaims "Elphaba, They're Coming For You!" - CinemaCon
'We are committed to doing this for the long terms and when Amazon commits to something, we tend to do it big.' The company is putting together a distribution team to roll out films globally.
'Tonight, our job is to convince you that commitment [to theatrical] is real… and to prove to all of you how bullish we are on theatrical – both here in the U.S. and overseas,' he said.
Amazon acquired MGM in 2022 and Hopkins said, 'I've had my eye on this ever since.' The deal, while rooted in expanding Amazon's massive Prime loyalty program, also 'really speaks to our excitement about the feature film business.'
It's become even more exciting now that the company is in the clear to ramp up its James Bond franchise after making a deal to gain creative control from rights-holder and producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli. Amy Pascal and David Heyman have signed on to produce the next James Bond film. Valenti and Sue Kroll, the studio's head of global marketing, said the producers are currently 'both in London getting started. So thank you Amy and David.'
'It's still early days for us, and we have a ton of work to do,' he said. But the studio is committed to 'epic, culturally, relative storytelling that needs to be seen on giant screens like the one behind me.'
Hopkins took the stage just days after Jennifer Salke's surprise exit as head of Amazon MGM Studios after seven years. She will not be replaced, with Valenti, and Head of TV Vernon Sanders, now reporting to Hopkins.
Said Valenti: 'We're building a bold and diverse slate with theatrical in mind … Whether we're tapping into beloved IP or launching original concepts, our goal is the same: to deliver unforgettable, four-quadrant experiences that deserve the theatrical moment.'
Best of Deadline
The Best 7 New Movies To Watch On Netflix In April 2025
Everything We Know About 'Hacks' Season 4 So Far
'1923' Season 2 Release Schedule: When Do New Episodes Come Out?
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Screen Geek
an hour ago
- Screen Geek
Amazon Prime Video Cancels Fan-Favorite Series After 3 Seasons
It looks like another fan-favorite Amazon Prime Video series has come to an end. This time the streaming platform decided this show was concluded after airing 3 seasons on their streaming platform. It looks like it took Amazon Prime 'lengthy deliberations' to come to this decision. The economic environment just wasn't feasible enough to keep this series going, apparently, as 'the streamer's executives' are said to have liked the series 'creatively.' While the series initially performed well, it seems as though ratings began to slip during its third season, leading to this tough decision. Though because they knew the end was coming, it's been said that 'the Season 3 finale was designed to offer some closure.' While fans would have no doubt liked to have had more seasons to continue the story – it's nice that the series will offer some kind of conclusion. As shared via Deadline: 'Prime Video will not be renewing The Wheel of Time for a fourth season. The decision, which comes more than a month after the Season 3 finale was released April 17, followed lengthy deliberations.' It's certainly an unfortunate announcement as The Wheel of Time had plenty of potential to continue running on the platform. The series, based on the book series by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson, is a fantasy drama that became Prime Video's most watched series premiere in 2021. It was also one of the Top 5 series launches of all time for Amazon Prime. As such, fans can continue to watch the existing three seasons of The Wheel of Time on Amazon Prime. Stay tuned to ScreenGeek for any additional streaming and television updates as we have them. It's certainly become a tough industry for high-concept shows like this to thrive, but at least fans got a worthwhile three seasons out of this particular property.
Gizmodo
5 hours ago
- Gizmodo
‘Gen V' Enrolls for Season 2 in September
There's a 104 days of summer vacation, but for some folks, school never really ends. At CCXP Mexico on Saturday, Prime Video unveiled its first look for season two of Gen V, the college-focused spinoff for The Boys, and the kids at Godolkin University have their work cut out for them. Set after The Boys' fourth season amid Homelander effectively ruling the United States, complete with Godolkin students leaving campus through specific checkpoints and forced to wear ID badges, Marie (Jaz Sinclair) and her friends are released from a rehabilitation center and allowed back at school. There, the new dean Cipher (Hamish Linklater) is looking to get students battle ready for a potential Supes/Human war. While the regular Supe kids are content to prepare and party, there's division among Marie and her friends: some want to run and never look back, others want to stay and tear things apart from the inside. Too bad for them, those plans are interrupted by the discovery of a secret program from the school's early days which may somehow link to Marie. Shortly before production on the new season began in spring 2024, Chance Perdromo (who played Andre, one of the kids imprisoned with Marie) died in a motorcycle crash. The Gen V team later stated they wouldn't recast Andre and instead tweaked the season around his passing, and his father Polarity (Sean Patrick Thomas) will be mourning (and later investigating) Andre's passing. Also starring Derek Luh, Lizzie Broadway, London Thor, and Asa Germann, season two of Gen V kicks off September 17 with a three-episode premiere, followed by a single episode every week through October 22.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Lisa Hogan reveals why Jeremy Clarkson hasn't proposed to her yet
Lisa Hogan has revealed why Jeremy Clarkson hasn't proposed to her yet. The pair star on Prime Video hit show Clarkson's Farm which showcases life on Diddly Squat farm in Chadlington Oxfordshire. Former Top Gear and The Grand Tour host Jeremy Clarkson has owned the spot since 2008 with four series of the programme to date. The fourth of these is currently mid-release with six episodes available to stream on Prime Video and two further to be released on Friday (June 6). READ MORE: Jeremy Clarkson pays Richard Hammond £20,000 in TV reunion Ms Hogan began dating Mr Clarkson in 2017 after the pair met at a party and she features in the show. "It was quite a long courtship, as I didn't know where he was in his life," she previously told The Times. "And I wasn't ready to start dating again; didn't want to go out with anyone. "He had to court me for three months." Despite being in a relationship for nine years, the couple are yet to get married with no proposal from the TV host as of yet. READ MORE: Emma Watson joins Oxford University rowing team and loses three races Jeremy Clarkson and Lisa Hogan have been together since 2017. (Image: Andrew Matthews / PA) Both have been married in the past with Mr Clarkson with Alexandra James from 1989 to 1990 and then Frances Cain from 1993 to 2014. Ms Hogan was with Steven Bentinck from the 1990s to 2005. They have three children each from these past relationships too with Mr Clarkon dad to daughters Emily and Katya, and son Finlo, Ms Hogan also has two daughters and a son, called Elizabeth, Alice and Wolfe. In a new interview with the Daily Mail, the 51-year-old hints that she's not truly "bothered" that her boyfriend has not yet proposed. READ MORE: Taylor Swift 'books £3.3m Oxfordshire cottage' in the Cotswolds The couple star on Prime Video show, Clarkson's Farm. (Image: Prime Video) Instead, she says that they both seem content with "being together 24/7" and adds that their children get on well. In the past when talking about marriage to Mr Clarkson, the topic has been dismissed such as in a previous report by Belfast Live. Lisa previously addressed the issue of marriage when questioned by Fabulous Magazine earlier this year. "Mrs Clarkson? No, thank you, I like Lisa Hogan," she said. READ MORE: Billie Piper becomes new Doctor Who after Ncuti Gatwa regeneration Flash Sale Alert! 🌟 Dive deeper into the stories that shape Oxfordshire with Oxford Mail. Unlimited local news, an ad-free app, and a digital replica of our print edition—all with 80 per cent fewer ads on our site. 🗞️ 👇#StayInformed — Oxford Mail (@TheOxfordMail) May 26, 2025 "We decided not to have children together. We're at a stage where we are not going to have kids. "I'm just happy pootling along. I think because of our age, it's much easier. You go: 'God, is it you I end up with? OK, that's it.' "But it's relaxing knowing you are not going to be with anybody else. It gives you a certain amount of liberation." Mr Clarkson revealed last year that a fifth series of Clarkson's Farm has been confirmed for which filming has already started.
