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.
“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, Amazon’s head of film for both theatrical and streaming, 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 leaves behind an Amazon that has grown immensely since her arrival in 2018. At the time, Amazon Studios was primarily focused on
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.
More to come…
The post Jennifer Salke Out as Head of Amazon MGM Studios appeared first on TheWrap.