In the on going theater and streaming debate, theaters might have just won a small battle. AMC has announced that they have reached a deal with Warner Bros. to have an exclusive 45-day window for all of its theatrical releases in 2022, this also includes 2021 films such as The Matrix 4 and Dune.
The AMC CEO Adam Aron said in a statement, via Deadline, “We’re especially pleased that Warners has has decided to move away from day-and-date releases and commit to theatrical windows as well,” He added, “We’re having conversations with other movie studios in Hollywood.”
This will certainly be a story to keep an eye out for. Even before the pandemic theaters seemed to be struggling to keep up with platforms like Netflix and Hulu. Streaming over the last 5 years has created a place where people can watch content straight from their homes.
However, it is clear AMC is trying to keep the theatrical experience alive, though it will be difficult. Just this past weekend The Suicide Squad, which garnered fantastic reviews from fans and critics alike, had the lowest box office of any DC film in the last decade.
It is important to note that the movie was released on HBO Max and in theaters on the same day. Warner Bros. had a similarly poor box office return for In the Heights earlier this summer, though it had equally great reviews.
Time will tell how theaters will survive in a pseudo-post-pandemic world, but for now AMC has a small victory for theaters everywhere.
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