Jennifer Salke is out as head of Amazon MGM Studios after eight years running the tech giant’s new movie venture. She will transition into a producing deal, Amazon said Thursday.
Salke will not be replaced at the studio. Instead, Mike Hopkins, head of both Amazon MGM and Prime Video, will take full command, with theatrical/streaming film chief Courtenay Valenti and TV chief Vernon Sanders reporting directly to him.
“As I’ve been considering my next chapter, I’ve always been searching for that moment where I was positive that our work had set up Amazon MGM Studios for even more success in the long term,” Salke said in a statement. “When I look at the teams we’ve put in place, our amazing leaders, and the incredible slate of films and shows we’ve got in the pipeline, I realized now is that moment. I’m looking forward to continuing doing what I love, cultivating talent, supporting their vision, and bringing compelling stories to audiences around the world.”
Salke’s departure comes a week before Amazon MGM’s main stage debut at CinemaCon, where it is expected to reveal more details about its increased commitment to releasing films in theaters with an estimated 12-14 titles per year.
It also comes just weeks after Amazon secured one of the most coveted movie franchises in Hollywood history, securing full creative control over the James Bond franchise from longtime producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson.
It was a surprising deal considering that, according to a December report from The Wall Street Journal, Broccoli and Wilson had a chilled relationship with Amazon MGM over the future of the Bond franchise after the departure of longtime star Daniel Craig. According to WSJ, Salke had referred to the Bond films as “content,” which one source said was a “death knell” to Broccoli, whose father, Albert, founded the film series with “Dr. No” back in 1962.
Insiders with knowledge of the deal told TheWrap that Courtenay Valenti was a key figure in securing control over Bond from Broccoli. Valenti is set to host the CinemaCon presentation on Wednesday alongside theatrical distribution chief Kevin Wilson.
Bond aside, Salke was a major player in the growth of Amazon as a streaming player in Hollywood since her arrival from NBCUniversal in 2018. Then known as Amazon Studios, the company was known upon theatrically Salke’s arrival as a specialty distributor, releasing critical darlings like “Manchester By The Sea,” “The Big Sick,” “Paterson” and “Mudbound” in its early years alongside established distributors like Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions.
Under Salke, Amazon pivoted more towards mainstream fare, particularly on the TV front where Salke had experience as head of television at NBCU.
Among the hit titles released on Prime Video under her leadership were the Emmy-nominated “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” starring Donald Glover and Maya Erskine, “Reacher” starring Alan Ritchson, and the subversive superhero series “The Boys.” Last year, Amazon also found a hit in the growing wave of video game adaptations with “Fallout,” which is currently shooting its second season.
Less successful was “The Rings of Power,” an adaptation of “The Lord of the Rings” that was by far Amazon’s biggest gamble with a reported $700 million spent on production. After the film’s first season drew 150 million viewers, streaming data firm Luminate reported a 60% drop in viewers for season 2 amid poor reviews.
But as Amazon has grown its theatrical footprint with the acquisition of MGM in 2022, its recent theatrical footprint has been mixed at best. The studio had some modest successes theatrically with the Oscar-nominated “Saltburn” and the Jason Statham action film “The Beekeeper,” but its biggest theatrical gamble, the $250 million-budgeted Christmas film “Red One,” was a mixed bag.
Starring Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans, “Red One” grossed just $185.9 million worldwide but recorded a Prime Video record 50 million views in its first weekend on the streaming service. Insiders at Amazon MGM said that the studio saw theatrical as a way to elevate awareness of the film on Prime Video and were satisfied if a film made back its production spend from theaters.
It remains to be seen if that will remain the case as the studio uses the distribution infrastructure built by MGM to deepen its investment in theatrical films both with James Bond and non-franchise offerings, as well as plans to develop its own overseas distribution arm.
In a note to staff, Mike Hopkins wrote:
Dear Team,
Since joining Amazon in 2018, Jen Salke has been a driving force in Amazon MGM Studios’ evolution into what it is today: a world-class producer of award-winning films and series viewed by hundreds of millions of our customers around the world. Original films and series served as the foundation of Prime Video’s growth into one of the world’s leading entertainment destinations, and Jen’s leadership is an undisputed driver of the success we’ve had in this space over the years.
Having accomplished so much as an executive, Jen has decided that her next challenge and chapter will be on the production side, with the aim of getting even closer to the global creative community — which she’s been such a vital member of over the course of her career. As a result, Jen will step down from her role as Head of Amazon MGM Studios in order to start a new production entity, and we’re so pleased that she’ll continue to make her home right here on our lot via an overall first-look deal across both film and TV.
In her own memo, Salke wrote:
“Since I joined in 2018, we set out together to create a new type of global studio that fostered an environment for the world’s most creative talent to do their very best work. Along the way, we expanded internationally, built out a film business and hired and developed an incredible team. As I’ve been considering my next chapter, I’ve always been searching for that moment where I was positive that our work had set up Amazon MGM Studios for even more success in the long term. When I look at the teams we’ve put in place, our amazing leaders, and the incredible slate of films and shows we’ve got in the pipeline, I realized now is that moment. I’m looking forward to continuing doing what I love, cultivating talent, supporting their vision, and bringing compelling stories to audiences around the world.”
I can’t say enough to express my thanks to Jen for her partnership. Starting with my personal Day 1 in 2020, her vision, creativity and industry relationships were (and are) so apparent that I had no doubt our work together could be transformative not only to Amazon, but also to the industry as a whole. The Rings of Power, Fallout, Reacher, Red One, Maxton Hall, The Idea of You, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Saltburn, Road House, Beast Games, Culpa Mia/Tuya and others speak to the hits under her leadership that have stirred cultural conversation and delivered incredible storytelling to worldwide audiences…and that list covers only the past 18 months. In addition, her leadership is evidenced by the senior team she’s hired and developed…a team that I know will step up in a big way going forward.
