Amazon MGM Studios Exploring International Theatrical Distribution Arm – The Dish

EXCLUSIVE: We are hearing from myriad sources that Amazon MGM Studios will be launching an international theatrical distribution arm for its feature slate moving forward.

The studio’s current foreign theatrical output deal is with Warner Bros. which ends at the end of this year.

This is a big step for Amazon which has re-embraced the theatrical window since acquiring MGM; their first big release and even recordbreaker at the box office being 2023’s Creed III with a $58.3M opening, and $156.2M domestic take, $276.1M worldwide.

By scaling the studio’s theatrical distribution efforts globally, Amazon MGM Studios would be able to maximize the upside when it comes to each movie’s revenues and profits. During Amazon’s previous go-round with theatrical distribution in its early days under Jason Ropell-Ted Hope-Bob Berney administration, many of its pics’ foreign rights were sold off. In addition, Amazon would hire domestic distribution partners, i.e. Lionsgate handled the theatrical releases of Oscar nominee The Big Sick while Roadside Attractions distributed Manchester by the Sea.

Amazon MGM Studios’ anticipated buildout of its infrastructure is a clear response to the studio’s growing theatrical slate which includes such 2026 movies as the Timur Bekmambetov directed, Chris Pratt-Rebecca Ferguson starring Mercy (Jan. 23), the action comedy Three Bags Full: A Sheep Detective Movie with Hugh Jackman, Emma Thompson and Nicholas Braun (Feb. 20, 2026), the Ryan Gosling sci-fi movie Project Hail Mary (March 20, 2026), and the Travis Knight directed mega Mattel movie Masters of the Universe (June 5, 2026) as well as future pics like the Luca Guadagnino directed, Julia Roberts starring After the Hunt in addition to more.

The studio, I understand, still has plans to produce franchises from the MGM library. Amazon MGM Studios will be at Cinemacon for the first time as a combined entity in April 2025. 

There is no set timeline, but the company is hoping to move quickly and is currently in the early stages of mapping out its plans. The hope is that this division is up at some point in 2026.

Via Warner Bros., such Amazon MGM Studios titles were released abroad, read Red One, Saltburn, and Guadagnino’s Zendaya movie Challengers among others.

Amazon MGM Studios didn’t respond to request for comment.