AMC Does DTC
That's DTC as in Direct-To-Consumer Direct-To-Cinema.
From the Future Party newsletter (2026-09-02):
AMC Theatres announced that it's launching a distribution label called Leawood Films to service low- and mid-budget movies. The Big Picture: Moviegoing is finally back, both culturally and financially… and AMC wants a lot more titles to put on screens. With studios like Sony buying up theater chains, AMC figures it might as well be a bit more like a studio and find more projects itself.Behind The Scenes: The world's largest theater chain is looking to compete with its own clients — theatrical distributors.
Leawood Films is launching with some heavy hitters, including former Warner Bros. Group chairman Toby Emmerich, former Walt Disney Studios marketing president Ricky Strauss, and former Bleecker Street distribution boss Kyle Davies.
The distributor will focus on low- or mid-budget films that are already fully financed and completed, giving them an exclusive 45-day theatrical window.
It'll allow filmmakers to keep ownership of their projects (Leawood is focused on just exhibition) and will even attempt to program the movies at rival chains.
The first movies under Leawood will hit theaters in either 2027 or 2028.
Final Credits: AMC calls Leawood a "low-risk opportunity" because of how well concert films like Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour and Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé did for the company. The company feels it can score some easy wins on underused screens without having to give half the haul to studio partners.
However the politics with Hollywood play out, the existence of Leawood could be a welcome sigh of relief for the entertainment industry. In recent years, most movies that have premiered at major festivals haven't been picked up for distribution, forcing producers to turn to unorthodox release methods. Leawood gives them a chance at the big screen.
Coming Soon: With creators like Markiplier successfully distributing movies directly in theaters, a lot more digital creators could turn to filmmaking in partnership with Leawood.
Underused screens meet under-distributed films.