Amazon MGM Studios is active across film, television, anime, and video games, with recent moves including a major anime push, a GenAI fund, and a dropped biopic tied to a corporate partnership.
Amazon MGM Studios has been expanding its footprint in Japan and anime production. In May 2026, the studio hired Buddy Marini, a Warner Bros. Discovery veteran who founded the manga platform Mangamo and ran Hulu Japan, to lead its Japan operations. Marini oversees local originals across film, TV, and anime, reporting to Nicole Clemens. Prime Video's APAC chief Gaurav Gandhi said the company aims to be "the preferred destination for anime content globally." The studio's current anime slate includes "Fist of the North Star: Hokuto No Ken," "The Ghost in the Shell," and "From Old Country Bumpkin to Master Swordsman."
Also in May 2026, Amazon MGM Studios and AWS launched the GenAI Creators' Fund, a program providing AI tools and funding to creators. Three anime series were commissioned: "Cupcake & Friends" by BuzzFeed Studios, "Love, Diana Music Hunters" by Albie Hecht, and "Punky Duck" by Jorge R. Gutierrez. All will be produced using AWS's Project Nara AI platform with human oversight and will premiere on Prime Video. In July 2026, the studio acquired film rights to the YouTube analog horror series "The Mandela Catalogue," with Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment and United Artists co-producing. Original creator Alex Kister will direct and co-write the script with Tyler Clifton.
In June 2026, Amazon MGM Studios dropped distribution of the nearly complete Luca Guadagnino biopic "Artificial," centered on OpenAI founder Sam Altman's 2023 firing and rehiring. The move followed Amazon's $50 billion strategic partnership with OpenAI in February 2026. Amazon is working with the production team to find a new distributor. Separately, Amazon Games general manager Jeff Gattis confirmed that future James Bond video games will be published by Amazon, following the company's acquisition of creative control over the James Bond IP in 2025. The first game, IO Interactive's "007 First Light," sold 1.5 million copies in 24 hours but was self-published by IOI under a pre-existing contract.
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Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment, United Artists, and Amazon MGM Studios have acquired the film rights to The Mandela Catalogue, a YouTube analog horror series. Original creator Alex Kister will direct and co-write the script with Tyler Clifton. The series, launched in 2021, follows alien beings called Alternates that impersonate humans in a fictional Wisconsin county.
Amazon MGM Studios has withdrawn from distributing the nearly complete biographical film 'Artificial', directed by Luca Guadagnino and centered on OpenAI founder Sam Altman's 2023 firing and rehiring. The move follows Amazon's $50 billion strategic partnership with OpenAI in February 2026. Amazon is working with the production team to find a new distributor.
Amazon Games general manager Jeff Gattis told Polygon that future 007 video games will be published by Amazon, following the company's acquisition of creative control over the James Bond IP in 2025. The first game, IO Interactive's '007 First Light', sold 1.5 million copies in 24 hours but was grandfathered under a pre-existing contract, allowing IOI to self-publish it. How IO Interactive will be involved in future sequels has not been disclosed.
Amazon MGM Studios has appointed Buddy Marini as head of its Japan operations, effective March 6. Based in Tokyo, Marini will oversee the development and production of local originals across film, television series, and anime, and work with Amazon's global teams to distribute Japanese content on Prime Video. He reports to Nicole Clemens, who joined Amazon in June 2025 to lead international operations. Marini was most recently managing director of Warner Bros. Discovery Japan, where he led a team of 300 people across streaming, original production, pay-TV networks, and licensing. Earlier in his career, he founded the manga platform Mangamo, served as CEO of Hulu Japan, and managed Avex Asia in Hong Kong. Prime Video's current anime slate includes "Fist of the North Star: Hokuto No Ken," "The Ghost in the Shell," and "From Old Country Bumpkin to Master Swordsman." Amazon's APAC chief Gaurav Gandhi said last month the company aims to be "the preferred destination for anime content globally."
Amazon MGM Studios and AWS announced the GenAI Creators' Fund on May 27, a program providing AI tools and funding to creators. Three anime series have been commissioned from the fund: "Cupcake & Friends" by BuzzFeed Studios, "Love, Diana Music Hunters" by Albie Hecht, and "Punky Duck" by Jorge R. Gutierrez. All will be produced using AWS's Project Nara AI platform with human oversight and will premiere on Prime Video.