Amazon to Start Producing Original Films for Release in Theaters

Posted on January 20, 2015

Amazon announced that it is going to start producing original films for release in theaters. The films will also be released on Prime Instant Video. Amazon says it will also acquire original films for release. Amazon says its films will premiere on Prime Instant Video just four to eight weeks after airing in theaters.

Roy Price, Vice President, Amazon Studios, says in a statement, "We look forward to expanding our production efforts into feature films. Our goal is to create close to twelve movies a year with production starting later this year. Not only will we bring Prime Instant Video customers exciting, unique, and exclusive films soon after a movie's theatrical run, but we hope this program will also benefit filmmakers, who too often struggle to mount fresh and daring stories that deserve an audience."

Amazon's series Transparent was a winner at the 2015 Golden Globes this year. Transparent won the Golden Globe for best TV series, musical or comedy. This was a first for the company. Jeffrey Tambor - the star of the series - won a Golden Globe for Best Actor. Jill Soloway and the Transparent cast are pictured above accepting the Golden Globe. Jeff Bezos did not attend the awards ceremony but was no doubt very excited by the win.

Amazon Original Movies will be led by Ted Hope, the co-founder of the Good Machine production company. Good Machine produced films including Eat Drink Man Woman and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Reuters reports that films will have Indie level budgets between $5 and $25 million.

Amazon Studios has produced many episodic series since it was created in 2010. They will debut four more in 2015 including Bosch, Hand of God, Red Oaks and Wishenpoof.

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