Prime Video invests in Filipino content

ABS-CBN, GMA bring in original and licensed titles

PRIME VIDEO, the global streaming service of Amazon, is set to deliver more Filipino storytelling by collaborating with leading studios ABS-CBN and GMA.

“Our content strategy for the Philippines is built on a simple principle: meet customers where they are and give them what they love,” said David Simonsen, director for Prime Video Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, in an e-mail interview with BusinessWorld.

“It’s not about imposing a one-size-fits-all approach. It’s about understanding that Filipino audiences want authentic local stories, premium international content, and live sports all in one place,” he said, adding that the goal is to be a “one-stop entertainment destination.”

With this, Prime Video is beefing up its Filipino content slate, spanning family drama, political thrillers, suspense, romance, crime, and comedy.

THE LINEUP
Leading the charge is LOL: Last One Laughing Philippines, which had its first season premiere on the platform in 2024. Directed by Randolph Longjas and hosted by Vice Ganda, it is a competition show where the contestants face off in a showdown, with the goal to make others laugh without cracking up themselves.

“Season two will be crazier,” Mr. Longjas told BusinessWorld on the sidelines of Prime Video’s event announcing the slate on April 14. Though they can’t yet reveal the new set of contestant comedians, he promised that it will represent “comedy from different platforms across all generations.”

“LOL proved that we don’t need to pretend to be someone else. If we stick to our core [as Filipino storytellers], that can become global,” he added, explaining how the series has reached other countries.

Released in March was the crime drama The Silent Noise, starring Angelica Panganiban and Zanjoe Marudo. It will be followed by more in the thriller genre — romance-thriller Love Is Never Gone featuring Joshua Garcia and Ivana Alawi, and psychological thriller The Loyalty Game featuring Janine Gutierrez and Jericho Rosales.

Meanwhile, Paulo Avelino and Kim Chiu take on their third Prime Video project as co-stars after Linlang and The Alibi, to deliver the Filipino-Korean cross-cultural drama Kopino.

CROSS CULTURAL, CROSS NETWORK
Rondel Lindayag, ABS-CBN creative head, spoke at a panel at the slate announcement, saying that these collaborations are their way of “experimenting with how to write and produce content.”

“When it comes to bringing stories to the global market, it’s all about sharing our authentic Filipino narratives while also experimenting,” he said.

There’s Honor Thy Mother, marking a monumental collaboration between ABS-CBN and GMA, with Kapamilya (ABS-CBN) icon Sharon Cuneta and Kapuso (GMA) star Barbie Forteza leading the family drama.

“At the height of the network wars, there was a wall between us and there was no crossing that boundary, so this is a golden era,” said Aloy Adlawan, GMA creative director. “Barbie grew up before our eyes and she’s a generational talent because she can do comedy and drama. We’re happy and excited that she’s doing this with Sharon.”

Rounding out the slate of Filipino Prime Originals is Behind Closed Doors, starring Marian Rivera in an unfamiliar yet juicy role as a journalist and mistress. It reunites her with GMA Network director Dominic Zapata.

“Walang dahilan para mag-no for this project kasi ang offbeat niya para sa akin! (I had no reason to say no for this project because it’s quite offbeat for me!)” Ms. Rivera said at the launch. She expressed excitement, this being her comeback project after two years.

Mr. Simonsen explained in an e-mail that building “the infrastructure, relationships, and content pipeline that serves the audience at scale” allows them to help Filipino stories reach a global customer base.

“We’re enabling new models of collaboration — bringing together talent and partners in ways that weren’t possible in traditional broadcasting — because we can focus purely on what creates the best customer experience,” he said.

Prime Video is currently offered in over 240 countries and territories worldwide.

PINOY MOVIES, NBA
Caitlin Parkinson, head of APAC programming strategy at Prime Video, said that their customer-first approach has led them to balance both local and international opportunities.

“It’s about getting to know what drives audiences. We would never create something for the Philippines that Filipino audiences don’t want to see,” she said.

Along with the seven original titles, Prime Video announced exclusive licensed Filipino films: Samahan ng mga Makasalanan; Gabi ng Lagim; the Bayaniverse trilogy: Quezon, Heneral Luna, and Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral; Bar Boys: After School; and Open Endings.

K-drama titles set to premiere later this year include the romance drama, A Love Other Than Yours, starring Seo Kangjun, Ahn Eun-jin, Lee Joo Ahn, and Jo Aram; Final Table, featuring global sensation Ahn Hyo-seop as an overseas-based chef who joins a cooking tournament; and Nine to Six, starring Park Min Young, Yook Sung Jae, and Go Soo in an office romance.

Live basketball is another major content offering that Filipinos can expect on the platform, said Chaitanya Divan, head of content acquisition at Prime Video Southeast Asia. Because basketball is the number one sport in the Philippines, they will exclusively stream live NBA games for that market.

“NBA has the power to bring people together. The data is very revealing, with more than 50% of the population here saying they are NBA fans, 70 to 80% of which regularly engage with NBA content,” Mr. Divan said.

He added that the “pulsating, youthful energy” of the Philippines can be seen in the data they’ve gathered about Filipino customers.

“There’s the immense diversity in content consumption. There are weeks where local content tops the charts and there are weeks where US and global originals are on top,” he said. “The diversity is fascinating.”

Mr. Simonsen assured that they constantly look at customer data to inform decisions about what content to bring to the platform.

“What we’re seeing is that Filipino audiences are incredibly sophisticated — they don’t want to choose between local and international content; they want both, and they want quality across the board,” he said.

Prime Video is available in the Philippines for P149 per month. — Brontë H. Lacsamana