Amazon Prime has always enjoyed an advantage over competitors like Netflix (NFLX) and Disney+ (DIS).
Unlike other streaming companies, Amazon Prime didn't really need to worry about being profitable. This allowed the studio to repeatedly spend exorbitant amounts of money on projects that have flopped with viewers.
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But times may be changing at the studio as Amazon (AMZN) CEO Andy Jassy has begun to seek detailed budgetary analysis for some of the studio's biggest shows, Bloomberg reports.
The deeper look at the budget comes as part of a company-wide cost-cutting program that is expected to claim at least 27,000 jobs at the company when its all said and done.
"The Rings of Power," Prime's most expensive show -- and one of the most expensive television programs ever produced with a reported price tag above $400 million -- has seen some success, but others like "The Citadel," which reportedly cost more than $250 million, have not.
Amazon has released at least six new series over the past month that that failed to reach the top-10 in Nielsen's list of most-watched streaming programs in the U.S., according to Bloomberg.
"Daisy Jones & the Six," "The Power," "Dead Ringers," and "The Peripheral" each cost more than $100 million to produce.
Despite its struggles, "The Citadel"has been renewed for a second season and Amazon Prime is also reportedly working on spinoffs.
Last year Amazon spent $7 billion on entertainment content that includes films, television and sports, up from $5 billion the year prior. That was third to Disney+ and Netflix.
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