Amazon Gives Prime Members a Look at ‘Aquaman’ a Week Early
Prime members will be able to see the movie in select theaters a week early, starting Dec. 15.
(Bloomberg) -- Amazon.com Inc. is teaming up with Warner Bros. to offer members of its Prime shopping service early theatrical screenings of the new DC Comics superhero movie “Aquaman.”
Prime members will be able to see the movie in select theaters a week early, starting Dec. 15, according to a posting at Amazon.com. It follows similar deals with Sony Pictures for “Hotel Transylvania 3” and the rebooted hit “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle.”
Amazon is competing with Netflix Inc. and Apple Inc. for video content and the best television and film producers. Deals like the one with AT&T Inc.’s Warner Bros. can help the e-commerce retailer build its ties to major studios and theater chains. The tickets will be available through Amazon’s website.
“Prime Exclusive Baby!” the film’s star, Jason Mamoa, said on the Amazon website to promote the early screenings.
Prime’s popularity in the U.S. is showing signs of peaking. Membership grew by 8 percent to 97 million in the 12 months ended Sept. 30, according to Consumer Intelligence Research Partners, the slowest pace since the research firm started tracking it in 2012. Amazon’s retention of those signing up for free trials is also dropping, the researcher said.
Members pay monthly or annual fees in exchange for shipping discounts, access to video streaming and other perks. In April Amazon increased the yearly price of Prime to $119 from $99. That followed January’s 18 percent increase in the monthly rate to $12.99.
--With assistance from Spencer Soper.
To contact the reporter on this story: Anousha Sakoui in Los Angeles at asakoui@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Nick Turner at nturner7@bloomberg.net, Rob Golum
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