How a failed studio alliance birthed a modern streaming powerhouse
In short: Originally launched as Epix in 2009, this premium network was the result of a joint venture between MGM, Lionsgate, and Paramount. After years of shifting corporate ownership and strategic pivots, it rebranded as MGM+ in 2023, now serving as a dedicated streaming sister to Amazon's Prime Video and Freevee platforms.
The origins of MGM+ trace back to the competitive landscape of the late 2000s, when major studios sought to bypass the dominance of established players like HBO and Showtime. In 2008, Paramount, MGM, and Lionsgate formed Studio 3 Partners, a joint venture designed to control the distribution of their own film libraries. The network, branded as Epix, officially debuted on October 30, 2009, on Verizon FiOS. It was the first new premium cable channel to launch in the United States since Starz in 1994, positioning itself as a lower-cost alternative to existing services.
The network's early years were defined by aggressive digital experimentation. It was a pioneer in TV Everywhere capabilities, launching its own streaming portal at launch and quickly expanding to gaming consoles like the Xbox and PlayStation. By 2010, the service had secured a high-profile, albeit temporary, licensing deal with Netflix, which allowed for a 90-day window between a film's television premiere and its appearance on the streaming giant. This strategy of balancing linear cable carriage with digital accessibility became a hallmark of the network's growth.
Corporate consolidation eventually reshaped the service. Following the acquisition of Starz by Lionsgate in 2016, the partnership began to fracture. In 2017, MGM bought out the stakes held by Lionsgate and Viacom for over $1 billion, gaining full control of the network. The final transformation occurred after Amazon acquired MGM in 2022. On January 15, 2023, the network was rebranded as MGM+, aligning its identity with the broader Amazon ecosystem. Today, it functions as a proprietary subscription service, offering a mix of original series like Godfather of Harlem alongside a deep library of theatrically released motion pictures.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: MGM+
- Also: Wikidata — MGM+ · CC0
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