Amazon hosted its first-ever upfront presentation in New York on 14 May, showcasing the breadth and depth of Prime Video, the world’s largest ad-supported premium streaming service, with help from the most acclaimed talent in film, television, and sports.
“No other streaming service can reach the number of customers with premium entertainment that we can,” said Mike Hopkins, senior vice president and head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios. “And our audience is not just a number on a page. They're highly engaged viewers who are passionate about the deep and broad selection of programming we deliver including live sports, series, and films.”
“Welcome to the next hundred years of Amazon MGM Studios,” said Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon MGM Studios. “Only Amazon has the ability to dive into IP and spark new obsessions across books, podcasts, music, fashion, and games. No other studio offers creators so many ways to engage with an audience. And this has made Amazon MGM Studios the home for talent."
Here is a look at the upfront’s biggest moments and announcements across TV, films, and sports.
Road House sequel
Star Jake Gyllenhaal joined Salke onstage to celebrate the success of Amazon MGM Studios’ original film Road House, which has been watched by nearly 80 million viewers since its premiere 21 March on Prime Video. Salke revealed that Gyllenhaal will return for a second round as ex-UFC fighter Dalton in a sequel that the studio is developing.
The Boys
The Boys has been picked up for a fifth season, ahead of its Season Four premiere 13 June on Prime Video.
Cross
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The pulse-pounding thriller Cross, starring Aldis Hodge and based on the characters from James Patterson’s best-selling Alex Cross book series, was renewed for a second season ahead of its debut later this year.
Mr. & Mrs. Smith
The acclaimed series Mr. & Mrs. Smith, from co-creators and executive producers Donald Glover and Francesca Sloane, has been picked for a second season. The eight-episode series debuted on 2 February and quickly became a top series on Prime Video in more than 130 countries.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
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Attendees were transported back to Middle-earth with a first look at the upcoming second season of the hit series. The series’ first season was an unprecedented global success and one of the top original series for Prime Video, viewed by more than 100 million people worldwide, and driving more Prime sign-ups worldwide during its launch window than any other previous content to date.
Meet the cast and characters from the show
Elle
The Legally Blonde prequel series Elle follows the origin story of Elle Woods and comes from Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine, a part of Candle Media. Creator Laura Kitrell (High School, Insecure) is set as showrunner and executive producer, with Reese Witherspoon, Lauren Neustadter, Lauren Kisilevsky, and Marc Platt also serving as executive producers.
Noir
Academy Award winner Nicolas Cage will star in Noir, a new live-action original series from the producers of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Based on the Marvel comic Spider-Man Noir, the series will debut on the MGM+ linear channel, then globally on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories.
Tomb Raider
Phoebe Waller-Bridge will write and executive produce a new series, based on the iconic video game franchise. Tomb Raider follows the adventures of world-famous archaeologist and adventurer Lara Croft. Amazon MGM Studios will soon begin a worldwide search to cast this iconic role. The project comes as part of a deal between Crystal Dynamics and Amazon MGM Studios, originating through dj2’s first-look deal with the studio, to develop additional Tomb Raider series and films.
Crystal Dynamics and Amazon Games have previously announced a collaboration to develop and publish a new multiplatform Tomb Raider game.
You’re Cordially Invited
Reese Witherspoon and Will Ferrell revealed a first look at their new comedy film, You’re Cordially Invited.
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Witherspoon plays a woman planning her sister’s perfect wedding, and Ferrell the father of a young bride-to-be, who find out that they are double booked for destination weddings at a remote resort on an island off the Georgia coast.
Federer: Twelve Final Days
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Prime Video also announced a 20 June premiere date and released a teaser trailer for Federer: Twelve Final Days, a feature-length documentary chronicling the final 12 days of Roger Federer’s professional tennis career.
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