Amazon Takes Catherine the Great, Rasputin Series From Russia's Mars Media

The deal was brokered by Janson Media, one of the largest content suppliers to Amazon Prime Video.

Amazon has struck one of its biggest deals for Russian content following an agreement with Mars Media that includes the Catherine the Great series Velikaya.

Janson Media, one of the largest content suppliers to Amazon Prime Video, was involved in brokering the deal, Jesse Janson, the company's executive vp acquisitions and development, confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter.

Under the deal, the television series Velikaya (The Great), focused on Russia's 18th century Empress Catherine the Great, Grigory R, centered on mystic Grigory Rasputin who had a big influence on Russia's last czar Nicholas II, and a few others will be available on Amazon Prime Video.

Founded in 2011 by Ruben Dishdishyan, previously the founder and president of Central Partnership, Mars Media quickly emerged as one of Russia's major production companies for movies and television series.

In 2017, the company produced, in collaboration with CTB, Boris Khlebnikov's Arrhythmia (Aritmiya), one of last year's biggest art house hits in Russia.