Amazon MGM Studios

Background

Amazon.com is an e-commerce and cloud computing company, founded by Jeff Bezos as "Cadabra" on July 5, 1994 in Seattle, Washington. Originally founded as a bookstore, Amazon later diversified to physical audio/video discs, music streaming, software, video games, electronics, car parts, and fresh produce. They also sell "everyday" products (USB cables, batteries, portable speakers, even patio heaters) under the "AmazonBasics" brand, as well as their own supply of electronics (Kindle e-readers, Fire tablets/streaming boxes/sticks, Echo smart speakers). Amazon is also responsible for their line of cloud services, namely Amazon Web Services, Alexa, and Amazon Drive (a competitor to Google Drive).

Around 2008, Amazon entered the film production industry, producing The Stolen Child with 20th Century Fox. Two years later, Amazon Studios was created for the purpose of producing/distributing TV shows, movies, and comics from online submissions and crowd-sourced feedback. Their content is distributed through Amazon Prime Video, which is a competitor to Netflix and Hulu. In May 2021, Amazon announced it will acquire MGM Holdings, Inc., the owner of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios. The deal was finalized in March 2022. The company was rebranded to "Amazon MGM Studios" on October 2023 and currently releases its films under the MGM and Orion Pictures banners.

Amazon Studios

1st Logo (January 9, 2013-)

Logo: On a black background, many orange dots (could represent either atoms or dust particles) zoom out and form the outline "amazon" (in its corporate font). As it is zooming out, an orange arrow/smile is revealed under the "amazon" text, then it is zoomed out even further, revealing the text "studios". When it has finished zooming out, "amazon" lights up in white.

Variant: There was an early version of this logo, which was slightly extended.

FX/SFX: CGI complied at Eyeball Studios NYC, with design and animation by Benjamin Hill.

Music/Sounds: The early version contains a reversed synth note which gradually gets more intense, followed by a deeper synth note. The later version is an orchestrated version of the early version, this time followed by a piano/string chord.

Availability: Seen on Amazon's original series and pilots, such as Good Girls Revolt, the US version of Mad Dogs, and Little Big Awesome.

2nd Logo (December 4, 2015-)

Logo: We see the Amazon Studios logo fade in on a black background as it slowly zooms in towards the viewer. It shines, but not so noticeably.

Variant: A still version is seen at the end of Elvis & Nixon.

FX/SFX: Simple computer animation.

Music/Sounds: None or the opening theme of the movie.

Availability: Seen on Amazon's original movies, such as Chi-Raq, Creative Control, and Elvis & Nixon. Also appears at the end of Manchester by the Sea, which uses the next logo at the beginning.

3rd Logo (June 24, 2016-)

Logo: On what at first glimpse appears to be a blue-tinted marble surface, we see a hardcover book in a closed position. As we start to zoom in closer to the book, it opens by itself and flips a few pages. We then see a city starting to form itself (roads uncurling, buildings sticking together like a magnet/stretching into their full position, etc). The marble surface fades to a sunset sky background (just without the sun) as that happens. Moving into the center position, the last roads finish unfurling and we move further on to see street lights, a sidewalk, and apartments surrounding our view. As the camera stops moving, we encounter a cinema taking form. The ending product is a typical cinema entrance sign, filled with lighting around the sides, and the Amazon Studios logo in the center of it, finally slamming onto the lighted ceiling below it.

FX/SFX: CGI by Antenna Creative.

Music/Sounds: The sound of pages flipping, followed by a set of string instruments warming up with city construction sounds in the background, and finally an orchestra hit. Composed by Simone Benyacar.

Availability: Seen on Amazon's theatrical movies, such as The Neon Demon and Manchester by the Sea. It also appears in place of the Broad Green Pictures logo at the start of the 2017 BGP DVD of Landline, itself an Amazon film.

Editor's Note: This is a logo that should truly make you feel like you're being brought into the movie, and that is why this logo is a contender for best logo of the decade.

4th Logo (April 24, 2020-)

Logo: On a blue-black gradient background, we see the text "AMAZON" wipe in from the left and "STUDIOS" wipe in from the right, both set in the Amazon Ember typeface. Then a white overlay of the text fades in from the center. The background fades, and the logo wipes out after a few seconds.

Variants:

• A scope version of this logo exists.
• On A Very British Scandal, the logo is still and also shares with the 2021 Blueprint Television and 1997 BBC logos.

FX/SFX: Simple computer animation.

Music/Sounds: None.

Music/Sounds Variant: On Borat's American Lockdown, the 2015 rearrangement of the 2013 Amazon Originals jingle is heard.

Availability:

• First debuted on Happiness Continues: A Jonas Brothers Concert Film and seen on nearly every Amazon original movies and series since 2020.
• This is also seen on Amazon-exclusive movies and series internationally such as Cruel Summer and Boss Level.
• In countries where Deep Water is shown on Amazon Prime Video internationally, this replaced the Hulu Originals logo.
• Following the renaming to Amazon MGM Studios, all movies produced by the studio going forward now carry the 2021 MGM logo.

Amazon MGM Studios

(January 19, 2024-)

Logo: On a black background, a flash of yellow light appears from left to right, revealing the golden text "AMAZON MGM STUDIOS" with "AMAZON" set in the light weight of the Amazon Ember typeface, and "MGM STUDIOS" set in the bold weight of Metro Mayer Serif. The logo shines for a bit, then fades out.

FX/SFX: Computer animation.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: It debuted on the 2024 series adaptation of Zorro. This is currently being used in tandem with the previous logo.