Who Owns Prime Video?

Prime Video's origins trace back to September 7, 2006, when Amazon launched "Amazon Unbox," its first digital video distribution service. This initial offering allowed users to rent or purchase movies and TV shows for download, representing Amazon's early entry into digital media distribution beyond its e-commerce roots. The service debuted with content from major studios including Paramount, Warner Bros., Universal, and Sony Pictures.

In 2008, Amazon rebranded the service as "Amazon Video on Demand," transitioning from the download-focused model to a streaming-based service that eliminated the need for proprietary software. This shift aligned with emerging consumer preferences for instant access to content and positioned the platform to compete with early streaming services like Netflix.

A pivotal development occurred in February 2011, when Amazon integrated video streaming into its Prime membership program, offering unlimited access to a selection of movies and TV shows at no additional cost to Prime subscribers. Concurrent with this integration, the service was renamed "Amazon Instant Video." This strategic bundling with Prime membership created a compelling value proposition that differentiated Amazon's video offering from standalone subscription services.

In 2013, Amazon made a watershed move into original content production with the establishment of Amazon Studios. The division's first original series, political comedy "Alpha House" and tech comedy "Betas," premiered in November 2013. This marked Amazon's transition from being merely a distributor to becoming a content creator, allowing for differentiated offerings in an increasingly competitive streaming landscape.

The service underwent another rebranding in 2015, becoming "Amazon Prime Video" (commonly shortened to "Prime Video"), creating clearer association with the Amazon Prime membership program. This period also saw significant international expansion, with the service launching in the UK, Germany, and Japan in 2015, followed by a major global rollout to over 200 countries and territories in December 2016.

Between 2017 and 2020, Prime Video substantially increased investment in original content production, with standout successes including "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," which won multiple Emmy Awards, and "Manchester by the Sea," which became the first film from a streaming service to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. In 2018, Amazon made headlines with the acquisition of television rights to "The Lord of the Rings" for $250 million, leading to the development of "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power," which premiered in 2022 as one of the most expensive television series ever produced.

A significant strategic pivot occurred in 2021 when Prime Video began aggressively investing in sports rights acquisition. The platform secured exclusive rights to "Thursday Night Football" NFL games in an 11-year, $11 billion deal that commenced with the 2022 season. This move into live sports represented Amazon's recognition of sports content as a critical differentiator in the streaming wars.

The years 2023-2025 saw Prime Video implement several technological and user experience enhancements, including a comprehensive interface redesign launched globally in September 2023 that improved content discovery and navigation. In January 2024, Prime Video introduced personalized AI-powered content summaries and scene navigation, utilizing Amazon's proprietary machine learning capabilities to enhance viewer engagement.

In mid-2024, Amazon restructured its entertainment divisions, consolidating Prime Video, Amazon Studios, MGM Studios, Freevee, and Twitch under a unified "Amazon Entertainment" division, creating more integrated content development and distribution strategies across platforms.

Most recently, in January 2026, Amazon completed the full global integration of its MGM+ streaming service into Prime Video, following the 2022 acquisition of MGM Holdings. Additionally, Prime Video became the global leader in sports rights investment among streaming platforms in February 2026, accounting for approximately 27% of the $14.2 billion spent by streaming services on sports broadcasting rights worldwide, surpassing traditional media companies in several key markets.