If you‘re someone who loves watching movies and TV shows, especially original programming you can‘t find anywhere else, you may be wondering: does Amazon make movies and shows in 2024?
The answer is a resounding yes! Amazon Studios produces tons of original movies and shows exclusively available on Amazon Prime Video.
And as a viewer and entertainment fan, you‘ll be happy to know that Amazon is ramping up production and releasing more original content than ever in 2024.
In this comprehensive guide as a consumer and entertainment lover, we‘ll dive into everything you need to know about the movies and shows made by Amazon Studios.
What Exactly Is Amazon Studios?
Amazon Studios is the production arm within Amazon that develops original movies, TV shows, and other programming for Prime Video.
Unlike Netflix and Disney+, Amazon not only acquires content from other studios – they also create a lot in-house.
Amazon Studios is based in Culver City, California near the heart of Hollywood. This gives them proximity to all the talent required for high-end film and TV production.
The goal from day one has been for Amazon Studios to produce original content that you can ONLY watch on Prime Video. This provides a big incentive for consumers to subscribe because these shows and movies aren‘t available anywhere else.
When Did Amazon Get Into Original Entertainment?
While it may feel like Amazon has been churning out binge-worthy originals forever, the company only jumped into the entertainment business fairly recently.
Amazon Studios was founded in 2010 by Roy Price to develop exclusive movies and shows for Amazon Prime Video.
At first, Amazon was slow out of the gates in producing hits compared to Netflix. But the last 5 years have seen Amazon Studios really come into its own with acclaimed and award-winning programming.
Here‘s a quick timeline of Amazon Studios‘ rise:
- 2010: Amazon Studios founded
- 2013: Debuts first original series Alpha House
- 2014: Transparent becomes Amazon‘s first big hit and goes on to win 2 Golden Globes and 8 Emmys
- 2016: Manchester by the Sea earns 6 Oscar nominations and wins 2
- 2017: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel premieres and sweeps the comedy categories at the Emmys and Golden Globes
- 2018: Amazon spends $250 million just for the rights to produce a Lord of the Rings TV series
So in the 8 years since 2012, Amazon Studios has gone from fledgling startup to major player thanks to smart investments and buzzy shows.
How Much Does Amazon Spend on Original Content?
As a consumer, you‘ll be happy to know Amazon is totally committed to producing top-tier original entertainment – and they back it up with BIG spending.
According to multiple reports, Amazon spends over $7 BILLION per year on content production and licensing. For comparison:
- Netflix spends $17 billion annually on content
- Disney+ spends $2.5 billion annually
- HBO Max spends around $2 billion annually
So Amazon is competitive with the other major streamers in terms of its massive content budget. Much of this goes directly into funding lavish original series and movies.
According to inside sources, Amazon spent over $465 million alone to produce the first season of its Lord of the Rings series, which will premiere in 2024.
That‘s more than some blockbuster movies cost! This eye-popping budget demonstrates Amazon‘s commitment to providing top-notch original entertainment.
How Does Amazon Decide What Shows and Movies to Make?
As a viewer, you may wonder how Amazon decides which shows and movies get made out of the thousands of possibilities.
The answer is that Amazon Studios takes a very data-driven approach based on insights about what Prime Video subscribers want to watch.
There are a few keys to how Amazon chooses its original programming:
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Leveraging Viewer Data: Amazon looks at Prime Video usage statistics, audience demographics, and other intel to identify areas of opportunity and demand.
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Filling Gaps: If data shows certain genres like sci-fi or fantasy are underserved, Amazon can greenlight projects in those areas.
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Audience Testing: Amazon often runs pilot episodes of potential shows, analyzes feedback, and only proceeds if the response is strong.
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noticing Trends: Observing buzzy trends like superhero shows helps Amazon decide what kinds of programming to fast track.
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Talent Relationships: Amazon stays closely connected to top producers, showrunners, actors and uses their insights.
So while Netflix notoriously lets algorithms guide decisions, Amazon takes a hybrid approach factoring in data alongside human expertise. This results in original programming carefully calibrated to draw in viewers.
What Kinds of Movies and Shows Does Amazon Make?
The range of movies and TV genres produced by Amazon Studios is wide and diverse, offering something for just about every viewer‘s taste.
Here‘s a breakdown of the major categories covered by Amazon originals so far:
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Prestige Dramas: Stylish, acclaimed series like The Underground Railroad and The Report
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Dark Comedies: Shows like Fleabag and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel with dry, witty humor
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Sci-Fi & Fantasy: Imaginative titles like Carnival Row, Tales from the Loop, and Wheel of Time
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Thrillers: Suspense-driven films and shows like You Were Never Really Here and Reacher
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Superheroes: Grittier comic book fare like The Boys and Invincible
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Kids & Family: Both animated (Pete the Cat) and live action (If You Give a Mouse a Cookie)
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Young Adult: Coming of age series like I Know What You Did Last Summer
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Romantic Comedies: Feel good romcoms such as The Big Sick and Modern Love
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Historical Fiction: Dramas set in the past like The Last Tycoon and The Underground Railroad
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Non-Fiction: Documentaries like Time and Lucy and Desi
This diverse slate of programming gives viewers lots of choices spanning all genres, tones, settings, and subjects.
What Are Some of Amazon‘s Most Popular Original Series?
Here‘s a handy at-a-glance guide to some of the biggest hits and most buzzed about original series produced by Amazon Studios so far:
| Show | Description |
|---|---|
| Transparent | Comedy-drama about a family adjusting after the father comes out as trans |
| The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel | A 1950s housewife discovers she has talent as a standup comic |
| The Boys | A subversive superhero drama that satirizes the genre |
| Tom Clancy‘s Jack Ryan | Action thriller series based on Tom Clancy‘s books |
| The Wheel of Time | Fantasy based on Robert Jordan‘s bestselling novels |
| The Underground Railroad | Historical fiction about the fight for freedom from slavery |
| Fleabag | Dark comedy about a single woman living in London |
This small sample demonstrates the variety of programming Amazon Studios has successfully produced.
Notable stats on some of their hit shows:
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The Boys was watched by over 26 million people within its first 10 days after Season 2 premiered
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Wheel of Time reached #1 on Nielsen‘s streaming rankings and was viewed for 1.16 billion minutes within 3 weeks of release
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Transparent and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel have won a combined 16 Emmy Awards
Thanks to compelling concepts and stellar execution, Amazon‘s originals have clearly resonated with millions of viewers.
What About Amazon‘s Original Movies?
In addition to TV, Amazon Studios has made major strides producing standout original movies over the past decade.
Some of their most prominent film projects include:
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Manchester by the Sea (2017) – Nominated for 6 Oscars, won 2 including Best Original Screenplay
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The Big Sick (2017) – Heartfelt romantic comedy produced by Judd Apatow
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You Were Never Really Here (2018) – Stylish thriller starring Joaquin Phoenix
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Brittany Runs a Marathon (2019) – Crowdpleasing Sundance darling
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The Report (2019) – Political drama starring Adam Driver
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I Want You Back (2022) – Star-studded romcom
In particular, Amazon has found success backing acclaimed independent films like The Big Sick and Brittany Runs a Marathon that earn buzz on the film festival circuit.
They‘ve also attracted A-list talent like Joaquin Phoenix for edgier genre projects like the vigilante thriller You Were Never Really Here.
And Amazon isn‘t afraid to tackle timely stories like government cover-ups in The Report.
So across indie movies, star vehicles, and topical films, Amazon Studios has notched several cinematic successes thanks to smart bets on talent and scripts.
Why Are Amazon Originals So Darn Good?
As a viewer, you may wonder – how has Amazon managed to churn out so many acclaimed hits and award-winners in such a short time?
There are a few key ingredients fueling Amazon Studios‘ secret sauce:
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Creative freedom: Showrunners have more license to execute their vision without excessive network meddling
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Focus on awards: Amazon strategically targets projects with potential for Emmys/Oscars buzz
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Big budgets: Lots of money to pay for top tier talent in front of and behind the camera
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Data insights: Amazon leverages Prime Video data to identify exactly what types of shows viewers want
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Talent relationships: Amazon has built connections with visionary creators like Phoebe Waller-Bridge
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Long-term view: Shows are given time to find an audience, even if ratings are initially soft
This has allowed Amazon to produce TV and movies that feel fresh, bold, and innovative – lightyears beyond old-fashioned network television.
As a viewer, you can expect Amazon originals to deliver star power, compelling stories, and production values on par with the best cinema has to offer.
How Many Awards Have Amazon Originals Won?
As a viewer and entertainment lover, you can take pride in the fact that shows and movies produced by Amazon Studios consistently earn acclaim from top institutions like the Oscars and Emmys.
Here is a tally of some of the major awards won by Amazon originals so far:
Academy Awards
- Manchester by the Sea (2017) – 2 wins from 6 nominations including Best Original Screenplay
Golden Globe Awards
- The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2018-2020) – 3 wins for Best Comedy Series and Lead Actress
- Transparent (2015-2017) – 2 wins for Best Comedy Series and Lead Actor
Primetime Emmy Awards
- The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2018-2021) – 8 wins including Outstanding Comedy Series
- Transparent (2015-2019) – 8 wins including Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
- Fleabag (2017, 2019) – 6 wins including Outstanding Comedy Series
- The Underground Railroad (2021) – 7 wins for Limited Series categories
SAG Awards
- The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2019-2020) – 4 wins including Comedy Series Ensemble
- Transparent (2016-2018) – 2 wins for Comedy Lead Actor
With 24 Golden Globes and 60+ Primetime Emmys bagged so far, Amazon originals are clearly beloved by critics and awards voters.
As a viewer, you can count on Amazon programming to deliver stories executed at the highest level that earn acclaim alongside the best HBO or Netflix have to offer.
What Original Movies and Shows Can I Look Forward to?
Lots more exciting original films and series are on the way from Amazon Studios over the next few years.
Here‘s a preview of some of the upcoming movies and shows in development that have been announced:
Movies
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New installments in the Lord of the Rings and Wheel of Time franchises expanding those universes
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Comedies featuring stars like Eddie Murphy, Rachel Brosnahan, and Sacha Baron Cohen
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Prestige dramas adapted from upcoming books including An Unquiet Mind and The Scraper
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A sequel to the Chris Hemsworth action hit Extraction
TV Series
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The extremely expensive Lord of the Rings series adapting the fantasy saga
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Invincible season 2 continuing the popular animated superhero show
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The Peripheral, a sci-fi thriller from the creators of Westworld
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The Dark Tower, based on the Stephen King book series
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New comedies from high-profile creators like Amy Poehler, Natasha Lyonne, and George Lopez
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YA dramas like The Summer I Turned Pretty and book adaptation Daisy Jones and The Six
Amazon clearly has an "if it ain‘t broke, don‘t fix it" philosophy – they‘re investing heavily in genres like fantasy, sci-fi, and superheroes that have already worked for them.
But they are also expanding into new territory with comedies, young adult fare, and diverse dramas.
The Bottom Line for Viewers
If you‘re someone who simply loves watching top-notch movies and TV shows, Amazon Studios has cemented itself as go-to source for acclaimed and award-worthy original entertainment.
Thanks to Amazon‘s data-driven approach, heavy production spending, and creative deals, they have become a real competitor to Netflix, HBO, and Disney when it comes to producing elite, buzzworthy programming.
Across sci-fi epics, dark superhero satires, moving historical dramas, and more – Amazon Studios has proven they have their finger on the pulse of what viewers want to watch.
So if you‘re considering subscribing to Amazon Prime, the promise of exclusive access to Amazon originals should be a major factor.
As a viewer, you can look forward to an ever-growing slate of movies and shows from Amazon Studios that are innovative, beautifully crafted, and highly entertaining.
