Marini leads Amazon Japan push to double content budgets

Amazon MGM Studios Japan will double its investment in local content to meet global quality benchmarks, according to studio head Buddy Marini. He made the announcement on Wednesday during a TIFFCOM market session at the Tokyo International Film Festival, where he discussed the commercial potential of Japanese intellectual property.

The strategy relies on a massive revenue base generated by domestic partners. Matsuhashi Shinzo, CEO of Credeus and a fellow panelist, reported that films he has produced surpassed 100 billion yen, or $633 million, in cumulative box office receipts this year. Matsuhashi noted that his production model prioritizes strong scripts and talented directors, a method that helped his recent live-action titles set national records.

Marini, who took the Japan leadership role in March after serving as managing director of Warner Bros. Discovery Japan and CEO of Hulu Japan, said the studio focuses on expanding into international markets across all genres. He argued that Prime members view the service as a global platform where the origin of a title matters less than its quality. He stated that if a show is interesting, viewers will watch it regardless of where it was made.

The studio plans to apply this approach to upcoming live-action adaptations, including "The Apothecary Diaries" and "Bless." Marini pointed to "The Silent Service," a series about a Japanese submarine captain, as a recent success. He described the project's results as remarkable but emphasized that sustaining that level of quality requires careful development and close collaboration between creative staff and screenwriters.

Steven Maeda, executive producer of Netflix's "One Piece," also spoke at the session. He said the series topped charts in 46 countries during its 2023 release, drawing more than 140 million viewing hours in its first week. Maeda recalled that Netflix initially wanted to minimize costs, but the team argued that a faithful adaptation would attract both existing fans and new viewers. He said that success in this space requires winning over both groups simultaneously.

The session was organized by the Motion Picture Association and UniJapan, with entertainment sociologist Nakayama Atsuo moderating. Marini, who founded Mangamo, said his role covers the entire production lifecycle from initial concept to final distribution. He noted that Amazon's distinct advantage lies in its diverse benefits package, which encourages viewers to explore content beyond traditional movie genres.