Amazon, EPIX Sign Agreement for More Prime Instant Video Content

Amazon Prime Instant Video just got a major boost in terms of selection due to a new agreement with EPIX.

Amazon and EPIX signed a multi-year licensing agreement to bring a whole new batch of new releases, original programs and classic titles to Amazon Prime Instant Video, which allows members to stream movies and TV shows for an annual fee of $79.

EPIX is partnered with studios like Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, Paramount Pictures and Lionsgate, meaning many major films will now be available on Amazon Prime Instant Video. Some new titles include “The Avengers,” “Paranormal Activity 2,” “True Grit,” “The Lincoln Lawyer,” “Iron Man 2,” “Kick Ass” and “Thor.”

“We are investing hundreds of millions of dollars to expand the Prime Instant Video library for our customers. We have now more than doubled this selection of movies and TV episodes to over 25,000 titles in just under a year,” said Bill Carr, Vice President of Video and Music at Amazon. “We are thrilled to be able to offer our customers such popular EPIX titles, many of which were just recently in theaters. We can tell from the data that our customers love watching movies on Prime Instant Video. We think customers will really enjoy watching new titles like The Avengers, Iron Man 2 and The Hunger Games on their Kindle Fire, PlayStation 3, Xbox, iPad or any of the other of the Amazon Instant Video compatible devices.”

The move to try and get more licensing deals with Prime is likely because Amazon will soon be releasing a new line of Kindle Fire tablets. Users have the option to use the popular Prime Instant Video alternative, Netflix, but Amazon likely wants to move users toward its own services. Updating the Kindle Fire (adding external volume controls, a camera, new mapping services via Nokia, etc.) and having more to offer on Prime could really draw some new members.

Amazon Instant Video also recently became available on the iPad, meaning it has to appeal to Apple users as well.

Amazon is expected to announce a new Kindle Fire as early as this week.