By Gary Symons
TLL Editor in Chief
MGM is a staple at Licensing Expo, thanks to its rich catalog of films and series, and a powerful licensing program.
But this year Expo attendees will see a major change to the booth. This is the first year that Amazon MGM Studios, created by the recent merger, will be exhibiting at Licensing Expo as a joint licensing division. With the two studios merged, both licensing teams have come together to build an integrated umbrella that leverages MGM’s iconic properties, and its 100-year legacy with Amazon’s expanded content slate and expertise in building streaming to shopping experiences.
The company says the new Amazon MGM Studios team will bring more licensing expertise and resources than ever before across the entire slate, and will unveil some exciting plans across properties, seasonal initiatives and more.
This year Amazon MGM Studios will have a focus on a number of brands, both old and new.
On the new side, perhaps the most exciting property will be the new Prime Video series Fallout, inspired by the incredibly popular video game of the same name, and the series Wednesday, now in production for its second season. Licensing partners for Fallout span a variety of categories including apparel, accessories, collectibles, beverage, and more, and include AriZona Beverages, McFarlane, and Dark Horse, among others.
Amazon MGM Studios Unveils Extensive Fallout Licensing Program
In 2022, the new Addams Family spin-off, Wednesday, directed by Tim Burton, and starring Jenna Ortega, debuted breaking multiple viewership records and became a social media phenomenon. Wednesday has been greenlit for a highly-anticipated second season and the buzz around the series has driven ample growth of the multi-category, global licensing program featuring best-in-class licensing partners including Mattel, Quiji, Hard Candy and Funko.
But the studio can also dive deep into its rich library of classics, which include films like the Pink Panther and Rocky series of films. “Amazon MGM Studios has a portfolio of entertainment IP that is unmatched,” the company says.
Amazon MGM also says it is going to be creating campaigns based on seasonal opportunities this year. For example, the licensing team says it will have offerings around Halloween, with a program led by the series Wednesday, the cult classic Killer Klowns from Outer Space, and their Midnite Movies catalog.
Amazon MGM Studios is also promoting a licensing campaign for its upcoming Christmas movie Red One, from Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, his company Seven Bucks Productions, and screenwriter Chris Morgan.
Red One is set to hit theaters worldwide in November with an ensemble cast led by Johnson and Chris Evans, and featuring J.K. Simmons, Lucy Liu, Kiernan Shipka, Bonnie Hunt, Kristofer Hivju, Nick Kroll, Mary Elizabeth Ellis and Wesley Kimmel. Amazon MGM Studios is currently building out a robust licensing program to accompany this tentpole film event.
Two new series will also be a major focus for the Amazon MGM licensing team.
The first is the hit show The Summer I Turned Pretty, which is based on the best-selling book trilogy from Jenny Han. The series debuted on Prime Video in 2022 as one of the 10 most watched seasons of any series ever on the streaming service. The second season premiered in July 2023 and more than doubled Season One’s viewership within three days of launch.
“The Summer I Turned Pretty is a property clearly resonating with young adults and the popularity continues to surge,” the studio notes.
The other series is Hazbin Hotel, a fantasy animated series that follows Charlie, the princess of Hell, as she pursues her seemingly impossible goal of rehabilitating demons to peacefully reduce overpopulation in her kingdom. Created by Vivienne Medrano, Hazbin Hotel is based on her popular animated pilot released on YouTube in 2019, which quickly gained 105 million views and a worldwide fan base.