Amazon Prime has invested more than £1bn on TV, movie and live sport content in the UK in recent years and this is only the beginning.
When it comes to on demand streaming video services, Netflix has arguably held the crown since their innovative launch. The service became so popular, that the name even became recognised as a verb,do you want to Netflix and Chill?...But as expected with any successful venture, copycats began to emerge. Brand new streaming services began appearing faster than many could keep track of.
People were introduced to Hulu, Apple TV, HBO Max, and then came YouTube premium, Disney + and of course, Amazon Prime.Some may have been sceptical when Amazon, an e-commerce company, announced that they would be establishing a streaming service back in 2014. However, Amazon Prime has managed to successfully build a catalogue of carefully chosen movies and TV shows that are unlike anything seen before. Guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking, Prime have stayed loyal to their goal of becoming the "Earth's Most Customer-Centric Company".
What has arguably set Prime Video apart is the large investment that has been made in the UK specifically. Amazon Prime has invested more than £1bn on TV, movie and live sport content in the UK in recent years and this is only the beginning."Our investments are ramping year over year," said Chris Bird, managing director of Prime Video UK, ahead of the unveiling of a major catalogue of new programming at an event in central London on the 19th May."Over the last five years we have crossed the £1bn mark, that feels like a milestone to recognise our growth here. We are fully committed to our future in the UK, as we are across Europe and the world."
If that's not enough, Amazon Prime has doubled down on its commitment to the UK by signing a record-breaking long lease deal for its first permanent studio space in the UK at Shepperton Studios. They too, have made the bold decision to move the shooting of the Lord of the Rings TV series from New Zealand to the UK.A selection of new UK Originals have also been placed into production.
This includes shows such as Fifteen-Love, a drama created by some of the UK's leading producers and writers who have been responsible for hits like The Innocents, Perfect 10, and The Suspect. We can also expect to see even more UK True Crime dramas, thrillers and comedies to come out in 2022.The award-winning anti-hero series The Boys, recognised for pushing all boundaries - from gore to politics - and satirically mocking the future of humanity (through one of the best script's I've ever seen) has remained confident that its upcoming series will be BIGGER and BETTER. Hearing from the cast themselves, we were told that the opening scene of the new season is something that has never been witnessed on television before.
PRIME UK has taken the time to recognise the leading faces in the UK's black entertainment industry. This year fans will be able to watch their favourite YouTuber KSI like they never have before. A "deep" documentary following the star through his daily life has been commissioned by Prime and executively produced by none other than renowned documentary legend Louis Theroux. Additionally, opportunities have been given to UK greats like Academy Award-and BAFTA Award-winning actor Daniel Kaluuya who will be narrating the highly anticipated All or Nothing: Arsenal docu-series
Daniel Kaluuya as All or Nothing: Arsenal voiceover[/caption]All Top Boy fans will be eager to tune in to watch Jungle, a"timeless" "rap drama series" that, through music, depicts what life is like for young people in London. Prime UK took a chance on first-time TV producers Junior Okoliand and Chas Appeti, and allowed them to bring their vision to life.
Junior Okoliand and Chas Appeti[/caption]
Amazon Prime Video's undeniable advancement comes notably close to the recent news of Netflix's "downfall". At the start of the year, it was revealed that Netflix are expected to lose up to 750,000 UK subscribers due to major titles switching to other streaming platforms.Chris Bird acknowledged that the streaming market will be impacted due to the cost of living crisis, but remained confident that Prime Video has achieved the status of a "must have" service.
He said, "Inflation is rising, the cost of living is soaring and we don't expect the same level of video engagement from customers as we had seen through the pandemic period. But that is not dampening investment at all. We are not expecting a dramatic slowdown. We are still seeing growth in our business and customers are pleased and excited."Netflix introduced streaming services in 2007. By 2013, House of Cards was released - Netflix's first original series. Today, some of the world's most beloved shows like Stranger Things, You, and Orange Is the New Black are Netflix Original productions.Netflix is still the most popular streaming service in the UK; with an estimated 14 million subscribers. However, Amazon Prime is following closely behind with 12.3 million. And with everything Prime UK has in store for us this year, it really is anybody's game to become the country's streaming king.
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