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After initially declining to comment on the deal’s closure, the FTC did send a statement to The Verge. The FTC’s office of public affairs director, Lindsay Kryzak, says “The FTC does not comment on any particular matters. However, we reiterate that the Commission does not approve transactions and may challenge a deal at any time if it determines that it violates the law. Additionally, this summer the FTC announced that it will send pre-consummation warning letters in connection with deals it cannot fully investigate within the timelines established by the HSR Act. These letters alert merging parties that their transactions remain under investigation, and warn that consummation occurs at their own risk.”
The FTC did not comment on whether or not Amazon has received such a letter.
Amazon’s landmark acquisition of the entertainment giant behind James Bond, Rocky, The Addams Family, The Handmaid’s Tale, and a host of other iconic shows and movies should help bolster Amazon’s existing Prime Video library. Amazon senior vice president Mike Hopkins said in a statement that “We welcome MGM employees, creators, and talent to Prime Video and Amazon Studios, and we look forward to working together to create even more opportunities to deliver quality storytelling to our customers.”
The addition of MGM’s massive collection — not to mention the possibility for more originals — may help Amazon’s streaming service get an edge on Netflix, HBO Max, and Disney’s family of services. As it stands, Prime subscribers pay a (newly increased) fee of $139 / year fee to gain access to the over 26,000 movies and 2,700 series available on Prime Video, along with other perks like free two-day shipping on any purchases from the site.
Update March 17th, 1:57PM ET: Added statement from the FTC.
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