The final season of ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ began this week and over its eight-year run, the series has maintained a unique distribution strategy. In the U.S., Hulu has consistently been the exclusive first-window service, with no second-window availability—a rarity in modern streaming practices. Internationally, however, Show Tracker reveals its distribution has been remarkably stable, with first-window services remaining unchanged across key markets like France (OCS), Australia (SBS), Germany (Magenta TV), Italy (TIMVision), and Spain and Sweden (Max) from its debut season through its final one.
Amazon's involvement in the show’s distribution predates its acquisition of MGM, the series’ distributor. Early interactions included second-window rights acquisitions in markets like Italy and third-window availability in many other markets.
However, Amazon's 2021 acquisition of MGM marked a shift in strategy. Since then, Amazon Prime has pushed for greater prominence, securing shared first-window rights for the final season in Canada alongside its original buyer Bell, who now premiere it directly on their SVOD Crave - as well as in the UK alongside original buyer Channel 4. This co-premiere approach reflects Amazon’s willingness to use MGM’s marquee show to boost its own service where it can.
In Latin America, Paramount Channel’s acquisition of Season 1 ensured that The Handmaid’s Tale found a home on Paramount+ for its final season. This move helps bolster the SVOD’s library further with a high-profile title to draw in new subscribers, alongside the many vertically integrated titles from Paramount’s distribution arm.
While Hulu remains dominant in the US as the only home of the Handmaid’s Tale, elsewhere Amazon Prime is increasingly leveraging its ownership of MGM to bring the blockbuster series onto its own service. Provided the final season goes smoothly, it is set to become a staple part of the service in many countries, even as in the form of library content, that will no doubt remain a big draw for new and existing subscribers for years to come.
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