AMC Entertainment is expanding its film distribution business with the creation of Leawood Films, a new company aimed at bringing more small and mid-budget movies to theaters. Rather than financing or developing films itself, Leawood will focus primarily on fully financed or completed projects that might otherwise struggle to secure meaningful theatrical distribution.
AMC Chairman and CEO Adam Aron said the rationale is straightforward. “Leawood Films is being created with a straightforward objective, given that substantial excess capacity exists in the movie theatre industry: to bring more movies to theatres.” Aron said even a few additional films each year would provide incremental revenue for AMC, its Odeon subsidiary in Europe and other exhibitors.
The company has assembled an experienced advisory team that includes former Warner Bros. Pictures Group chairman Toby Emmerich and former Walt Disney Studios marketing president Ricky Strauss. Veteran distribution executive Kyle Davies, who has left his position as President of Distribution at Bleecker Street, will lead distribution at Leawood Films. Variance Films is expected to assist with North American releases, while Piece of Magic Entertainment will work internationally.
Leawood plans to maintain theatrical windows of at least 45 days before PVOD and 90 days before SVOD. Filmmakers will generally retain ownership of their intellectual property and the majority of downstream revenue after theatrical release. No initial slate has been announced, with the first releases not expected until 2027 or 2028.
Despite some headlines suggesting AMC is newly entering film distribution, the exhibitor has been here before. AMC Theatres Distribution handled “Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour” and “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé” in 2023 and subsequent event releases. AMC is also a founding co-owner, with Regal and Cinemark, of Fathom Entertainment, which has grown into a significant specialty theatrical distributor.
That makes Leawood less AMC’s entry into distribution than an expansion of its ambitions in the business. The bigger question will be how other exhibitors respond as one of their largest competitors increasingly becomes a supplier of the films appearing on their screens.