Jennifer Salke Departs Amazon MGM Studios Amid Streaming Struggles

Amazon announced this week that Jennifer Salke is stepping down as the head of Amazon MGM Studios—a move that signals potential dissatisfaction with the company’s streaming strategy in recent years.

While Salke’s boss, Mike Hopkins (head of Amazon MGM Studios and Prime Video), praised her contributions in an email to employees, he also noted that her departure would help “flatten our leadership structure”—a common justification in recent tech industry shake-ups. Rather than replacing Salke, Amazon will now have its film and TV studio heads report directly to Hopkins.

Salke, a former NBC executive, joined Amazon Studios in 2018 as the company aimed to expand beyond critical hits into mainstream success. Under her leadership, Amazon delivered notable streaming successes such as Reacher, Jack Ryan, Fallout, and The Boys. However, its ambitious investments have yielded mixed results. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power debuted to record-breaking numbers but failed to become the cultural juggernaut Amazon had hoped for, despite its staggering $1 billion budget.

The studio also poured immense resources into Citadel, an espionage thriller meant to launch a global franchise with spinoffs like Citadel: Diana and Citadel: Honey Bunny. Costly reshoots turned Citadel into the second most expensive series ever made (behind The Rings of Power), yet its reception was underwhelming. Reports indicate that season two has been delayed from fall 2025 to spring 2026, with additional spinoffs put on hold.

Amazon’s struggles extended to the James Bond franchise following its acquisition of MGM in 2022. Longtime Bond producers Michael Wilson and Barbara Broccoli retained creative control, and tensions reportedly ran high—particularly with Broccoli, who was said to be unimpressed by Amazon’s approach. A Wall Street Journal report in December suggested that she was particularly irked when Salke referred to Bond as mere “content,” allegedly even calling Amazon executives “idiots.”

The article further claimed that Jeff Bezos was so furious over the report that he demanded, “I don’t care what it takes, get rid of her.” Amazon ultimately reached a deal with Wilson and Broccoli, paying them to relinquish control over the Bond franchise. When Amazon later announced the agreement, Salke’s name was notably absent.

Despite her departure, Salke is not severing ties with Amazon entirely—she will be launching a new film and TV production company with a first-look deal at the streaming giant.