Movie Theaters Upset with Decision to Stream Marvel Studios’ “Black Widow” on Disney+ Premier Access

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney+

Following the announcement that Marvel Studios’ Black Widow will be released both in theaters and on Disney+ Premier Access on July 9th, theater owners became upset with the decision and now the Chief Executive of AMC Theatres is speaking out.

Black Widow‘s release was pushed back to July 2021 from May 2020 as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, making it one of the summer’s most anticipated movies. The latest Marvel film will also be released on Disney+ Premier Access for a one-time fee of $30 on the same day it’s released in theaters.

According to The Wall Street Journal, theater owners want to secure better terms from Disney, such as a higher share of box-office revenue or a chance to show Black Widow exclusively due to the release decision. However, the ability to fight the company might be undercut by the need to bring moviegoers back into theater seats after long closures and limited capacities.

Some theater owners were already left fuming over Disney’s decision to release Raya and the Last Dragon in theaters and on Disney+ last month, and now the Black Widow decision adds more fuel to the fire.

AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc. Chief Executive Adam Aron spoke out in regard to the Disney+ release of Black Widow, “We haven’t made any threats [but] it is widely known that AMC has threatened not to play movies if we could not find business terms that we found acceptable.”

Aron is referring to when AMC Theatres refused to show Universal films in the wake of the on-demand release of Trolls: World Tour last year, stating that “This policy is not aimed solely at Universal out of pique or to be punitive in any way, it also extends to any movie maker who unilaterally abandons current windowing practices absent good faith negotiations between us, so that they as distributor and we as exhibitor both benefit and neither are hurt from such changes.” This led to a multi-year deal between the two parties, including AMC Theatres receiving a percentage of revenues from digital releases.

These tensions highlight the changing dynamics between film studios and theaters as the COVID-19 pandemic pushed some cinema chains into bankruptcy, and as consumers and studios turned to streaming entertainment at home. Disney+ has recently reached the milestone of 100 million subscribers, and the number will keep growing as more content is added to the streaming platform.

Movie Theaters Return with Reopening of AMC Theatres at Disney Springs

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks

After months of unprecedented closures, guests can once again head on over to AMC Theatres, grab some popcorn, and settle in for a viewing of Ghostbusters on the big screen. Is it 1984 again? No, but it’s felt like decades since we last set foot inside of a movie theater.

For Yesterday only, the theater in Disney Springs offered special 15 cent tickets to various re-runs of popular recent films and some throwbacks, as well.

Outside, social distancing markers were set up along the queue to the ticket windows, however mobile ticketing is encouraged. While old Sonic the Hedgehog posters lined the exterior of the theater, there is an adorable Soul banner…“Coming Soon to Theaters”.

In the Concessions, where there are a few notable changes. First off is a simplified menu for shorter lines and quicker service. Condiments like ketchup, relish, and butter for popcorn are available by request, as are things like napkins, lids, and straws.

Grab & Go items are still available, as are Mobile Ordering Pick-Up windows.

Cash is no longer accepted at the Concessions stand. If needed, guests can use cash at the ticket booth to buy an AMC card, and then they can use that to purchase concessions.

Refills on popcorn and Coca-Cola Freestyle drinks are temporarily unavailable, and Crew Members fill up your drink or ICEE orders.

AMC Theatres Reopening at Disney Springs on August 20 – Tickets to Cost 15 Cents on Reopening Day

Posted on by Mathew Corn Uncategorized

AMC Theatres has just announced that it will be reopening nearly 2/3 of its theaters starting August 20, including AMC DINE-IN Disney Springs 24.

The theater chain is offering $0.15 movie tickets—roughly the cost of a movie back in 1920 back when the company’s founders, the Dubinsky Brothers, began operations with a single movie screen in Kansas City, Missouri.

Movies available at the special reopening price include Black Panther, Beauty and the Beast, Back to the Future, Grease, Ghostbusters, and Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back.

Starting August 21, the chain will show a number of these films for just $5 a ticket.

AMC Stubs A-List members will receive a $10 credit to use through the end of October, with prices for the subscription service remaining unchanged through June 2021.

To check if your local AMC theater is reopening, you can check the full list of locations here.

AMC Theatres Postpones Reopening to August in Wake of Film Release Date Delays

Posted on by Mathew Corn Uncategorized

With studios delaying film release dates, AMC Theatres has announced they will once again push back their reopening to mid-to-late August, according to Deadline.

The theater chain, which operates a location at Walt Disney World’s Disney Springs, had previously announced that reopening would begin July 30th. The news comes in the wake of Warner Bros. announcing that the Christopher Nolan-directed blockbuster Tenet would be modifying its release strategy. Instead of opening worldwide on one date, Tenet will now be released first in markets where theaters have reopened, including select countries in Europe and Asia where COVID-19 has been mitigated, before hitting the American market in states where theaters have been allowed to return to operation. AMC Theatres said in a statement that a third of all of its locations in Europe and the Middle East have reopened and have resumed normal operations.

The statement also added:

The new timing reflects currently expected release dates for much anticipated blockbusters like Warner Bros.’ Tenet and Disney’s Mulan as well as release dates for several other new movies coming to AMC’s big screens.

Mulan is currently expected to be released on August 21st, though Deadline‘s Anthony D’Alessandro reports that it’s been speculated by industry insiders that Disney may shift to a similar release strategy, where the movie will run in states and countries where theaters are operating, and expand as other locations allow their theaters to reopen.

AMC 24 @ Disney Springs Now Closed Due To COVID-19

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks

Due to concerns over the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the AMC 24 at Disney Springs is closed along with many of the other franchises and Disney owned-and-operated stores.

Staff at the AMC has been informed that the schedule has been cleared for the remainder of the month and that all showings are suspended indefinitely. While theaters initially attempted to limit seating and establish some social distancing, further guidelines against large gatherings of people have made it so that all theaters will now close for the remainder of the pandemic.

We’ll be keeping our eyes on developments here in Florida and in California, as well as in Paris, and Tokyo, Shanghai, and Hong Kong regarding the COVID-19 outbreak’s effect on Disney Parks operations and beyond.