In a massive dual-front collaboration, Amazon and Netflix have executed two parallel agreements that rewrite the rules of streaming competition.

1. Content Licensing: Amazon MGM Studios will license four James Bond films plus Amazon Originals Hunters and The Man in the High Castle to Netflix starting January 15, 2026.

2. Ad Tech Integration: Amazon Ads has partnered with Netflix to allow advertisers using Amazon DSP direct programmatic access to Netflix’s premium ad inventory. This integration launches in Q4 2025 across 11 key markets including the US, UK, and major EU/LatAm territories.

This is a unique cross-divisional alliance involving top leadership from both content and commercial sides.

• On Content: Chris Ottinger (Head of Worldwide Distribution, Amazon MGM) is the seller, with Bela Bajaria (Netflix CCO) as the buyer.

• On Ad Tech: Paul Kotas (SVP, Amazon Ads) is driving the DSP integration to “remove the guesswork” for buyers, while Amy Reinhard (President of Advertising, Netflix) secures a massive demand pipe to fill Netflix’s ad-supported tier.

This isn’t just about sharing movies; it is a Commercial Interlock that benefits both parties through “Co-opetition.”

• The Content Layer (Front End): Amazon is using Netflix’s massive reach to keep the James Bond franchise culturally relevant (“The Suits Effect”) while it sits in development limbo for Bond 26.

• The Ad Layer (Back End): By plugging Amazon DSP into Netflix, the companies are collaborating to solve a market fragmentation problem. Netflix gains easy access to Amazon’s massive base of advertisers, while Amazon Ads strengthens its position as a primary buying utility for premium video, regardless of platform.

This dual-strategy signals a sophisticated evolution in the market where asset optimization is prioritized alongside platform growth.

• Monetizing “Sunk” Costs: The inclusion of Hunters and The Man in the High Castle is innovative. These high-budget originals have already served their primary purpose on Prime Video (acquisition). By licensing them to Netflix, Amazon unlocks a secondary revenue stream for content that was otherwise sitting idle—effectively “renting” the assets to recoup production costs.

• Democratizing Ad Supply: For Netflix, the Amazon DSP partnership is pragmatic and advertiser-centric. To scale their ad tier, they need to remove friction for buyers. Amazon’s DSP is one of the most widely used buying platforms; integrating it allows both companies to grow the overall programmatic TV market together.

The walls are coming down. We are moving from strict “Walled Gardens” to “Permeable Platforms.”

• Content Supply: Premium IP now rotates to maximize yield (Amazon Originals -> Netflix).

• Ad Supply: Inventory is no longer siloed. A buyer can now use Amazon’s ad tech stack to reach audiences on Netflix, blurring the competitive lines in favor of efficiency.

This represents the “End of the Streaming Wars” and the beginning of the “Streaming Trade Alliance.” Amazon has proven that being a competitor does not preclude being a partner. By powering Netflix’s content library and its ad stack, both companies are prioritizing Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) and market efficiency over rigid exclusivity. This collaborative model is likely to become the standard for how major platforms operate in a consolidated future.