Streaming service Lionsgate+ is coming back from the dead, sort of: Amazon has announced today the expansion of its MGM Prime Video Channel in the UK, rebranding it as MGM+ and adding a selection of content from the recently shuttered Lionsgate+.
The content deal with Lionsgate will bring a range of popular TV series and movies to MGM+ subscribers in the UK, further bolstering Amazon’s streaming offerings in the competitive British market.
The news is particularly good for Outlander fans, who feared that the next season – which is set to return in November 2024 – would not have a UK home.
The move comes on the heels of Lionsgate+’s closure in the UK earlier this year, following its struggle to gain enough traction.
Lionsgate+’s Bumpy Road
The rise and fall of Lionsgate+ in the UK has been a long journey, reflecting the challenges faced by niche streaming services in an increasingly crowded market (or, in other words – too many paid streaming services over not enough viewers).
Launched in October 2022 as a rebranding of StarzPlay in the UK, Lionsgate+ aimed to carve out a space for itself by offering a curated selection of acclaimed series and movies from Starz and other international providers.
The service was available as both a standalone app and through Amazon’s Prime Video Channels, giving subscribers flexibility in how they accessed its content.
Despite a promising start, Lionsgate+ struggled to gain significant traction against established streaming giants like Netflix, Disney+ and Apple TV+.
While the service boasted popular titles such as Outlander, The Great, and Power, it failed to attract a large enough subscriber base to sustain itself in the highly competitive UK streaming market.
In November 2023, Lionsgate announced that it would be shutting down its UK operations as part of a larger restructuring effort to spin off Starz.
Lionsgate+’s shutdown in the UK was initially set for February 29, 2024, with the standalone app and service ceasing operations on that date.
However, in a surprise move, Lionsgate revealed that the service would continue to be available through Prime Video Channels for an unspecified period beyond the February 29 deadline.
This extension provided a temporary lifeline for Lionsgate+ subscribers, but the lack of clarity regarding the service’s long-term future left many uncertain about the accessibility of their favourite shows.
Ultimately, Lionsgate+ was fully discontinued on Prime Video Channels last week (for new subscribers), leaving subscribers without access to its content – but, as we found out today, a new solution is coming.
Lionsgate’s Content Moving To MGM
Now, Amazon is stepping in to fill the void left by Lionsgate+’s departure.
Starting this month, former Lionsgate+ subscribers who joined via Prime Video Channels in the UK will gain access to the expanded MGM service.
MGM has been available as Prime Video Channel in the UK for years – and already includes TV shows and films from MGM’s rich library.
Come May, the service will be officially rebranded as MGM+ in the UK, aligning with recent rebrands in Europe, Latin America, and the US.
This marks the third content deal that MGM+ has struck with Lionsgate, following similar partnerships in Europe and Latin America.
Notably, MGM+ will be the exclusive UK home to the complete Outlander franchise, which had been a major draw for Lionsgate+ subscribers.
The service will also feature other popular Starz series such as Power Book I-IV, BMF, The Serpent Queen, P-Valley, and Hightown.
Additionally, MGM+ will host legacy hit series like The Great, Mad Men, Nashville, and Weeds, as well as blockbuster movies including American Psycho, Reservoir Dogs, and Saw.
Unlike in the US and some other countries, Amazon confirmed to us that MGM+ in the UK will only be available as a Prime Video Channel, and not as a standalone streaming service with its own app (at least for the time being).
This means that subscribers must also have an active Amazon Prime or Prime Video subscription to access the service, and it will only be available via the Prime Video app.
The pricing for MGM+ will remain unchanged, at £4.49 per month on top of the Prime Video subscription fee (Lionsgate+ used to cost £5.99/month).
The expansion of MGM+ in the UK is part of Amazon’s broader strategy to invest in and grow the channel internationally.
Michael Katzer, head of MGM+ International, stated that the addition of premium first-run TV franchises and blockbuster movies will allow MGM+ to continue its evolution as a premium international streaming service.
For Lionsgate, the partnership with MGM+ ensures that its content will remain available to viewers in the UK market.
“We are pleased to extend our partnership with MGM+ to bring beloved films and television series to the service in the United Kingdom,” said Agapy Kapouranis, Lionsgate president of international television and digital distribution.
“With the addition of the United Kingdom, Lionsgate and STARZ content will now be available to MGM+ viewers in more than 20 countries around the world.”
While the loss of Lionsgate+ may have initially disappointed some British viewers, the migration of key content to MGM+ ensures that popular series and movies will remain accessible – albeit at the added cost of a Prime Video subscription (which is currently £5.99/month if you get it without Amazon Prime).
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