Amazon recently announced that Jennifer Salke will step down as the head of Amazon MGM Studios, a decision that may reflect dissatisfaction with the company’s streaming strategy in recent years.
Mike Hopkins, head of Amazon MGM Studios and Prime Video, still praised Salke’s contributions in an email to employees. He mentioned that this change aims to simplify the leadership structure, aligning with efficiency trends in various tech companies.
As part of this restructuring, Amazon will not seek a replacement for Salke’s position. Instead, the heads of the film and TV studios will report directly to Hopkins.
Salke’s departure also highlights the challenges Amazon faced in the streaming industry under her leadership. After joining Amazon Studios in 2018 from NBC, Salke played a key role in shifting the company’s focus from producing critically acclaimed films and series to more mainstream content.
During her tenure, Amazon achieved some successes with series like Reacher, Jack Ryan, Fallout, and The Boys. However, its massive investment in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power did not generate the expected impact, despite breaking viewership records upon its premiere. With a reported budget of over $1 billion, the series failed to become a global phenomenon.
Meanwhile, Citadel—a spy series designed as the centerpiece of a fictional universe with international spin-offs like Citadel: Diana and Citadel: Honey Bunny—also faced major setbacks. Extensive reshoots made it one of the most expensive series in history after The Rings of Power, but audience and critical reception was underwhelming. Reports indicate that its second season has been postponed until spring 2026, with some spin-offs put on hold.
Additionally, Amazon struggled to get a new James Bond film into production following its acquisition of MGM in 2022. Franchise producers Michael Wilson and Barbara Broccoli retained creative control, and a Wall Street Journal report suggested tensions between Broccoli and Amazon. Broccoli was reportedly frustrated when Salke referred to James Bond as “content” in a meeting and even called Amazon’s team “idiots.”
Another source stated that Amazon founder Jeff Bezos was furious about the WSJ report on Broccoli’s discontent. He reportedly instructed his team to resolve the matter, saying, “I don’t care what it takes, get rid of her.” Eventually, Amazon reached an agreement to buy out Wilson and Broccoli’s control over the James Bond franchise.
Salke’s name was notably absent from Amazon’s official announcement regarding the James Bond deal. However, she is expected to launch a new film and TV production company with an initial partnership deal with Amazon.