• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Despite a $500 million net worth, Shaq just finished his fourth degree. He warns graduates: 'Your character will take you further than your resume'

2

Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 

3

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

1

Despite a $500 million net worth, Shaq just finished his fourth degree. He warns graduates: 'Your character will take you further than your resume'

2

Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 

3

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
Arts & EntertainmentAmazon

Amazon Shifts Its Video Streaming Focus to Go After More Blockbusters

By
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Down Arrow Button Icon
January 18, 2018, 4:05 PM ET

Are more superheroes coming to Amazon?

Amazon Studios, the e-commerce giant’s streaming film and television arm, has generally focused on more indie fare in recent years, lower-budget movies and series that look to build critical buzz as a means of attracting viewers. But, amid a period of transition at the studio that has seen major turnover in the leadership ranks, Amazon is now reportedly looking to shift its focus to more high-profile entertainment projects with larger budgets and the potential for broader reach. That’s according to a new report from Reuters, which cites anonymous sources. Meanwhile, Amazon said it does not plan to completely move away from indie films.

According to Reuters, the tech giant’s new streaming strategy could see Amazon Studios pursue more films that cost around $50 million each, rather than focusing mostly on indie films with budgets closer to $5 million. At least one source told Reuters that Amazon is still deciding how much of its film budget will go toward those more expensive films versus spreading money around on a greater number of relatively inexpensive indie movies.

Amazon has found success with some of its indie movies in recent years, including last year’s The Big Sick and 2016’s Manchester by the Sea, which both earned rave reviews and even pulled in $55 million and $77 million at the box office, respectively. Manchester by the Sea even gave Amazon the streaming service’s first-ever Academy Awards a year ago.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

Amazon acquired both of those films at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival, where the tech company has been engaging in bidding wars over sought-after indie film projects with the likes of streaming rival Netflix as well as traditional film studios. Amazon paid a reported $10 million for Manchester by the Sea and $12 million for The Big Sick. This year’s Sundance Film Festival kicks off this week, so the rest of Hollywood will likely be watching to see if Amazon changes its acquisition strategy after previously helping to drive up the prices of buzzy films by competing with Netflix and other studios. (For what it’s worth, the Los Angeles Times notes that this year’s festival features a “stronger than usual” lineup of new movies that will be up for grabs for Hollywood’s biggest studios.)

“We are not abandoning the indie space, we are increasing the potential size of the audience for our films; that in some cases involves higher budgets, but in others not. It’s about the potential for the film not the cost,” Jason Ropell, Amazon Studio’s worldwide film head, said in a statement. “Our roots are in independent/prestige film and we intend to continue in that space using it as a springboard to expansion and scale.”

Rival Netflix seems to have found a balance of buying indie movies as well as blockbusters, by buying top independent titles at Sundance and other festivals while also landing bigger-budget films like Bright, the $90 million fantasy action film starring Will Smith. While critics hated Bright, enough Netflix users reportedly watched the movie to convince Netflix to sign up for a sequel. Netflix is spending up to $8 billion on original programming this year, while Amazon reportedly will spend closer to $4.5 billion this year.

On the television front, Amazon has already clearly signaled its goal of landing a broadly popular series on par with HBO’s Game of Thrones. In November, the company paid a reported $250 million just for the TV rights to the popular The Lord of the Rings fantasy novel series. That deal represents a massive investment for Amazon, which could spend millions more per episode of any resulting Lord of the Rings TV series based on production costs for a show like Game of Thrones.

Amazon is in the midst of a transition at the moment, following the departures of executives such as former studio chief Roy Price (amid sexual harassment claims) among others. Amazon Studios’ chief operating officer Albert Cheng is currently serving as interim head of the studio while Amazon reportedly searches for a permanent replacement for Price.

About the Author
By Tom Huddleston Jr.
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Arts & Entertainment

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Arts & Entertainment

Stephen Colbert signs off after 11 years tonight. CBS cites finances, but the Late Show host blames Trump
Arts & EntertainmentStephen Colbert
Stephen Colbert signs off after 11 years tonight. CBS cites finances, but the Late Show host blames Trump
By Dave Lozo and Morning BrewMay 21, 2026
8 hours ago
murdoch
Big TechMedia
James Murdoch vows ‘ambitious journalism and agenda-setting conversations’ as he takes over New York, Vox brands
By Jocelyn Noveck and The Associated PressMay 21, 2026
13 hours ago
target
Retailearnings
Target posts biggest jump in comparable sales in 4 years as turnaround takes shape
By Anne D'Innocenzio and The Associated PressMay 20, 2026
1 day ago
Photo of Brian Stelter
Arts & EntertainmentWorkplace Innovation Summit
CNN analyst and ‘The Morning Show’ producer says Stephen Colbert is a role model for his ‘positive’ outlook on his show ending
By Emma BurleighMay 19, 2026
2 days ago
‘Change the World’ idealism is dying in Silicon Valley. We’ll miss it when it’s gone
CommentarySilicon Valley
‘Change the World’ idealism is dying in Silicon Valley. We’ll miss it when it’s gone
By Jonathan WeberMay 19, 2026
3 days ago
Attendees sit to watch a speech during the 2023 Consensus conference in Austin, Texas
CryptoCryptocurrency
A strip club scandal at a major crypto industry event triggers sponsor backlash
By Jack KubinecMay 18, 2026
3 days ago

Most Popular

Despite a $500 million net worth, Shaq just finished his fourth degree. He warns graduates: 'Your character will take you further than your resume'
Success
Despite a $500 million net worth, Shaq just finished his fourth degree. He warns graduates: 'Your character will take you further than your resume'
By Preston ForeMay 20, 2026
1 day ago
Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 
Workplace Culture
Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 
By Preston ForeMay 19, 2026
2 days ago
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
Success
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
By Preston ForeMay 21, 2026
10 hours ago
Pay transparency is exposing a bigger problem: Most companies can't explain why they pay what they pay
Workplace Culture
Pay transparency is exposing a bigger problem: Most companies can't explain why they pay what they pay
By Sydney LakeMay 20, 2026
1 day ago
Meet a 21-year-old community college student who's going to China as the first American woman welder in the trades Olympics
Future of Work
Meet a 21-year-old community college student who's going to China as the first American woman welder in the trades Olympics
By Mike Householder and The Associated PressMay 17, 2026
4 days ago
A 'proudly autistic' workplace expert says putting neurodivergent employees in a typical office is like dropping a polar bear in Austin, Texas
Conferences
A 'proudly autistic' workplace expert says putting neurodivergent employees in a typical office is like dropping a polar bear in Austin, Texas
By Tristan BoveMay 20, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.