MGM+ Expands Into Latin America With Lionsgate Deal (EXCLUSIVE)

Elsa Keslassy
·3 min read

MGM+ is reteaming with Lionsgate for a content licensing deal to expand into Latin America as part of its international roll out.

Under the pact, the MGM+ offer will boast leading series and movies from Lionsgate and Starz, alongside iconic films from MGM Studios across Latin America with a monthly rate of R$14.9 ($3) in Brazil and MX$59 ($3.42) in Mexico.

More from Variety

The Amazon-owned service will also be accessible to current Lionsgate+ customers who joined via Prime Video Channels in Brazil and Mexico starting in January. It will be rebranded to MGM+ across Latin America to align with the recent rebrands in Europe and the U.S. (where it was previously known as Epix).

MGM previously joined forces with Lionsgate to enter a raft of international markets and will now have a footprint in 24 countries, including Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela, Nicaragua and Uruguay.

In Europe, an increasingly competitive market for streamers, MGM+ has become the second highest ranking Prime Video Channel since launching less than a year ago, thanks to its offer of flagship series and movies, along with its fairly priced subscription.

With this latest deal, the service is on track to become one of the top five Prime Video Channels in Latin America. The premium exclusive roster will span series such as “Power,” “Power Book I-IV” (pictured), “Black Mafia Family,” “The Serpent Queen” and “Spartacus”; as well as blockbuster movie franchises “The Hunger Games,” “Kill Bill,” “Saw,” “Twilight” and Tyler Perry’s movies, and the legacy hit series “Mad Men,” “Nashville” and “Weeds,” among others.

“The expansion of MGM+ in the Latin American market further cements Amazon’s commitment to invest in and grow the MGM+ brand, and to enhance the subscriber experience,” said Chris Brearton, VP of Prime Video Studios corporate strategy.

Brearton said the company looks forward to “expanding our reach by introducing an extensive library of hit TV series from the popular ‘Power’ and ‘Black Mafia Family’ franchies to a rich catalog of films, including ‘The Hunger Games’ and ‘John Wick’ to additional audiences worldwide.” During a recent keynote at Content London, Brearton said MGM+ is setting different goals for each market and has opted for a gradual roll out rather than a “one-size fits all” strategy.

Brearton also suggested that MGM+ has learned from others’ missteps to forge its own path to success. “One thing we’ve seen others do is buy content for the world or commission series and put them out globally, but that assumes global market tastes are consistent (…) That is not something we believe in. We believe in tailoring on a bespoke basis to the needs and wants of that market,” said Brearton, who was on stage with MGM+ head Michael Wright. The executive also said the streamer will not be banking on volume, but mostly on quality and will seek to commission and acquire different content depending on markets’ specificities.

Agapy Kapouranis, Lionsgate president of international television and digital distribution, said Lionsgate and Starz content will now be available to MGM+ viewers in 24 countries around the world.

Best of Variety

Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.