AMC Theatres, Warner Bros Agree to Exclusive 45-Day Window

AMC Theatres on its earnings name Monday introduced that it has set a deal on a shortened theatrical window with Warner Bros., agreeing to completely launch their movies for 2022 in a 45-day window.

Warner Bros. already had an analogous deal for 45 days for its 2022 movies with Cineworld, however the information ought to come as reassuring to theater house owners in preserving a theatrical window after Warner Bros. this yr experimented with opening its full 2021 slate in theaters and on HBO Max for one month day-and-date. At the time the day-and-date technique was introduced, Warner Bros. stated it was a one-year experiment in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the window deal is an indication they’re holding to that promise.

Among the movies set for launch by Warner Bros. subsequent yr are the DC movies “The Batman,” “Black Adam,” “The Flash” and “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.” The studio additionally plans to launch the Baz Luhrmann biopic “Elvis” starring newcomer Austin Butler as Elvis Presley and Tom Hanks as Presley’s supervisor, Colonel Tom Parker.

“It’s especially gratifying that Warner Bros is yet again embracing a theatrical window,” Aron stated on the earnings name. “For us at AMC, it’s especially pleasing to be working so harmoniously with Warner Bros. once again. We’re in active dialog with every major studio on this topic. We’re hearing considerable support that an exclusive theatrical window is an important way to build a successful movie franchise.”

With $423 million in home field workplace grosses up to now this yr, Warner Bros. has the very best annual market share at 24%. But the studio has solely seen one in every of its 12 movies, “Godzilla vs. Kong,” attain the $100 million mark. This previous weekend, the studio’s DC movie “The Suicide Squad” opened beneath expectations to a $26.5 million launch in North America.

AMC on its earnings name Monday additionally introduced plans to start accepting Bitcoin as a type of cost by the tip of 2021 and that the theater chain is in talks to lease eight former Arclight and Pacific Theaters areas.

Jeremy Fuster contributed to this report.