Amazon has struck a deal to offer Lionsgate and Starz content through its premium movie service MGM Plus in the United Kingdom.
The move announced on Tuesday comes amid a restructuring of Starz and Lionsgate’s businesses ahead of a planned spin-off of the Starz brand this year. As part of the spin-off, Lionsgate is reducing their exposure of the Starz brand in certain international markets.
Amazon already distributes Lionsgate and Starz content through regional variants of MGM Plus in parts of Europe and Latin America. The deal to offer content from both brands through MGM Plus in the United Kingdom is the third such deal struck between the programmers and Amazon outside the United States.
“The expansion of MGM+ in the United Kingdom further cements Amazon’s commitment to invest in and grow the MGM Plus channel internationally, while enhancing the content offering available to subscribers,” Josh McIvor, the Global General Manager at MGM Plus, said in a statement.
“The addition of premium first-run TV franchises such as ‘Outlander’ and ‘Power,’ along with many blockbuster hit movies, will allow MGM Plus to continue its evolution as a premium international streaming service,” said Michael Katzer, the chief of MGM Plus International.
“We are pleased to extend our partnership with MGM+ to bring beloved films and television series to the service in the United Kingdom,” said Agapy Kapouranis, Lionsgate President of International Television and Digital Distribution at Lionsgate. “With the addition of the United Kingdom, Lionsgate and Starz content will now be available to MGM Plus viewers in more than 20 countries around the world.”
MGM Plus is now available in nearly three dozen countries.
In the United States, Amazon continues to offer Starz as a standalone streaming service via its Prime Video Channels, and a bundle offered through that platform marries MGM Plus with Starz for a low monthly fee.
