Inside Jen Salke’s Amazon MGM Exit: James Bond Clashes, ‘Citadel’ Misfire and Mike Hopkins’ Ambitions for the Future

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On Tuesday, it was revealed that Amy Pascal and David Heyman will produce the upcoming James Bond movie for Amazon MGM Studios. Interestingly, Jennifer Salke, the studio’s CEO, was not quoted in the announcement; instead, it was Courtenay Valenti, head of film, who made the announcement about the deal.

In my humble opinion as a movie enthusiast, this week’s announcement that Jennifer Salke is stepping down from her role at Amazon Studios after seven years has sent ripples through Tinseltown. The James Bond franchise might have played a part in this decision, with rumors of a power struggle between Salke and Mike Hopkins, the head of Prime Video & Amazon MGM Studios, circulating for some time now. The recent agreement that handed the Bond intellectual property to Amazon’s creative team was another hint that change was on the horizon for Hopkins.

Since Amazon purchased MGM for $8.5 billion in 2022, including its valuable Bond franchise, Salke and Barbara Broccoli – long-term guardians of the Bond intellectual property – have not always agreed on the series’ future direction. However, it was Hopkins, a non-creative executive who has been Salke’s superior since joining Amazon in 2020, who has been working towards reconciliation with the Broccolis instead.

According to EbMaster’s latest observations, it appears that Broccoli expressed her lack of motivation when collaborating with Salke to others. The tension reached a boiling point following the Wall Street Journal’s December article about the Bond standstill. This sparked concern within the studio regarding Salke’s effectiveness in film production and her ability to successfully manage one of the most iconic franchises in Hollywood. Additionally, it seems that this development expedited Amazon’s negotiations for purchasing the Broccolis’ stake, which began in early 2024.

Reports indicate that Salke envisioned transforming Bond into a more universal, less hazardous character suitable for television series and video games. However, her plan to turn 007 into a soft-hearted hero for mainstream America was met with discomfort by Broccoli, as per multiple sources. Critics joked that Salke’s interpretation of Bond seemed to depict him as a rule-breaking spy akin to a character from an NBC drama, rather than a respected intellectual property that only a select few top-tier directors could handle.

Last month, Broccoli and her half-brother, Michael Wilson, finally agreed to the deal transferring ownership of the franchise to Amazon, though it seemed they may have sensed an impending reorganization within the company.

Salke is well-known for her keen ability to spot budding creative talents. This skill kept her at the helm as the creative head for a tech firm, recognized primarily for its free shipping rather than artistic freedom, for an impressive seven years.

However, it was evident at Amazon that Hopkins felt the world was not sufficient; his ambitions were reaching beyond what Amazon could offer. This speculation was brewing before Hopkins announced in a memo to his colleagues on Thursday that Salke would be transitioning from her role into a first-look production agreement.

Initially, people perceived Talent as a potential weakness amidst Hopkin’s impressive track record at the tech giant. However, if Salke couldn’t succeed with what’s now considered the key brand to leverage in the Amazon-MGM realm, then this became the decisive factor prompting Hopkins to take action and leave.

While diamonds are known for their permanence, jobs, including those held by Jennifer Salke at Amazon Studios, can be transient. Although the James Bond-like challenges Salke faced might have significantly influenced her decision to leave, they were not the sole cause. For Amazon’s CEO Andy Jassy, Jeff Bezos, and the Seattle management team, talent is valued and Hollywood offers an appealing environment. However, these elements are not the primary focus.

Despite the unpredictable nature of Hollywood causing Salke and her team to invest substantial resources on ventures that don’t always yield success, John Hopkins has been garnering accolades in Seattle for expanding Prime Video’s live sports business, increasing its global reach, and boosting Amazon Channels subscriptions. Recently, Hopkins secured a significant triumph by integrating Apple TV+ as an additional feature on Prime Video. In the eyes of Seattle, deals like this are where the financial rewards lie.

The partnership between Hopkins and Salke was fragile, yet effective for a while due to Salke’s creative talents, an area where Hopkins, despite his experience at Sony Pictures TV, Hulu, Fox Networks Group, was found wanting. Salke transformed a troubled streaming platform focusing on niche, independent-style TV, reeling from sexual misconduct accusations against its former leader Roy Price, into a major player broadcasting shows like “Bosch” and “The Boys” and “Fallout,” which garnered unexpected accolades. Additionally, she skillfully steered Amazon’s personal project, “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” which, under Bezos’ approval, became the most expensive television production in history (with a price tag exceeding $1 billion).

The Rings of Power performed well, but its value remains a topic of ongoing discussion – a point that’s irrelevant so long as Bezos is content. This production marked Amazon’s next significant financial venture into constructing a large-scale, international cosmos, with the Russo brothers’ ‘Citadel’ being the latest buzz in town. It could potentially have influenced the balance in Salke’s universe under Hopkins.

Initially conceived as the second costliest TV series ever (its budget inflated due to reshooting needs), the concept appeared promising: An action-packed spy series starring Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Richard Madden, with subsequent spinoffs planned for various global regions. The parent show premiered in 2023 and was renewed for a second season, while “Citadel: Diana” (Italy) and “Citadel: Honey Bunny” (India) spin-offs have already aired. However, it has not become the cultural sensation Amazon anticipated, and it remains unclear if or when the planned spin-offs will surface.

At a SXSW discussion led by MPA head Charlie Rivkin this month, Salke discussed the delicate dance between taking artistic risks and keeping an eye on budgets: “Creative confidence is what guides us,” she explained. “However, it’s crucial to be correct frequently, which is another principle we follow at Amazon.” She added, “If you have a strong conviction and are wrong most of the time, I don’t believe either of us would still be here. You can be incorrect occasionally because taking risks is important, but not all the time.

It’s been chatted about in Hollywood circles that due to the poor return on investment for many high-budget Amazon productions, Hopkins revoked Salke’s authority to give the green light last year. Lately, there has been a shakeup concerning Bond.

With this move, it’s likely that Hopkins felt prepared to oversee Amazon MGM Studios’ creative teams, bypassing an intermediate level, and directly handle creative matters. The timing isn’t accidental; this decision was made just before CinemaCon, where Amazon MGM Studios will make its debut on the main stage to showcase its upcoming cinematic lineup. Hopkins seems eager to deliver that announcement.

Instead of replacing Salke, the studio will continue with her leadership, which also means avoiding the expense of hiring a presumably high-earning studio head. Hopkins described this adjustment as “streamlining” when he spoke to local representatives on Thursday about the decision, and explained that both TV (under Vernon Sanders) and film (headed by Courtenay Valenti) will now directly report to him.

Changes might be on the horizon, as Hopkins mentioned in his communication to team members. “We plan to spend a couple of weeks engaging in thoughtful discussions with Jen’s direct reports and others to determine the optimal long-term structure for the Amazon MGM Studios organization as a whole. We will share updates about this process in due course.

Moving forward, it appears that Salke’s future involves a fresh chapter due to her recent first-look production agreement with Amazon. This arrangement seems to offer her some relief from the creative limitations imposed by tech supervisors. Moreover, this type of production deal is not common these days, and Salke’s smooth transition into this new role might be a reflection of her significant contribution in transforming Amazon into a significant player in Hollywood.

As a dedicated movie enthusiast, I’ve had the privilege to witness some remarkable productions over the past 18 months. Shows like “The Rings of Power,” “Fallout,” “Reacher,” and many others under the leadership of Roy Price have been cultural phenomena, captivating audiences globally with their compelling narratives. However, it’s important to note that this list is just a snapshot of his impressive tenure at Amazon. The fear among program suppliers is that his departure might signal a shift in focus away from creativity at the streaming giant.

Salke has been praised for her determined efforts to amplify female voices and talent on screen. During a SXSW session, she mentioned that at Amazon, they were excelling with what’s commonly referred to as “Jacks” – like ‘Jack Ryan’ and ‘Jack Reacher’. She added that while they were effectively catering to men, their female leadership team felt it was important to represent the entire audience. They perceived they weren’t doing a great job in creating an engaging destination for women. So, this team put together a fantastic selection of content aimed at women, without neglecting “dad TV”. Here’s hoping that more women flock to this content, which will in turn inspire them to create even more films and television shows tailored for women.

As an ardent advocate for creativity, I’m excited about the opportunity to keep pushing boundaries – much like Salke did during her seven fruitful years at Amazon. Hopefully, this new chapter will bring her a sense of peace and fulfillment.

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2025-03-29 01:48