Amazon’s Epix Gets New Name Minus Creativity: MGM Plus | Epix, Amazon’s commercial-free subscription service acquired when it purchased MGM for $8.45 billion, is getting a new name, but not a particularly creative one.
On the same day that Lionsgate renamed Starzplay to Lionsgate+, MGM’s Epix announced that it, too, would receive a “+” in its brand name. The ad-free streaming service Epix announced today that it will relaunch in early 2023 as MGM+. While the new name isn’t particularly creative (it’s mostly a plus sign), the rebranding comes as streaming services continue to adopt the names of their larger brands. Of course, this includes Lionsgate’s new Lionsgate+ service. Can we please put an end to the plus signs now?
The new name will take effect in January, according to a statement issued by the company on Wednesday. MGM will keep investing in original programming for the channels, such as “Hotel Cocaine” and “Belgravia: The Next Chapter.” It will also have a library of MGM and other studio films, including “No Time to Die,” “House of Gucci,” and “Licorice Pizza.”
MGM Plus will continue to be available in the United States on Prime Video, cable, telco, satellite, and digital distribution services, according to the release, which does not mention Amazon.
“This rebranding assures existing and new viewers that MGM+ is the place to find a television that reflects and celebrates the legacy of the iconic MGM brand — cinematic programming with sophisticated storytelling that entertains, delights, surprises, and transports.” “MGM is television for movie fans,” said Michael Wright, president of MGM+.
Amazon paid $8.5 billion for the famed Hollywood studio in a deal that closed in March. The online retailing behemoth already offers Prime Video and Freevee, an ad-supported streaming service. MGM, Paramount Global, and Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. founded Epix in 2008 as a way to generate recurring revenue for their films from cable TV subscribers. MGM acquired its partners five years ago.
According to the company, the new MGM Plus logo “will embody MGM’s rich legacy while also orienting the brand toward the future.” It reimagines MGM’s classic art-deco typeface’s rich 100-year history in a contemporary and forward-thinking manner. The brighter palette and typography combine the rich legacy of the classic MGM brand with the forward-thinking spirit of the next generation streaming service.”