AMC Theatres is wearing a hot dog suit while trying to find the guy who did this. On an earnings call shortly before the Oscars, CEO Adam Aron reportedly told investors that he “sure hope[s] we can introduce longer windows because I think the current industry experiment has failed,” per The Hollywood Reporter. As part of his reasoning, he reminded his audience that before the pandemic, most films weren’t available digitally until at least 74 to 90 days after they wrapped up their initial theatrical window.
What he failed to mention, per the outlet, is that it was AMC which launched that little “industry experiment” in the first place. In 2020, the theater chain struck a deal with Universal to collapse the window of exclusivity to 17 days for a movie opening to $50 million or less and 31 days for more. This let Universal open its own $20 digital rental window—now the industry standard—and the rest is history. Some studios have held out for closer to 40 or even 60 days, but in general, audiences have been conditioned to expect quick turnarounds. It’s less appealing to spend money at the movie theater when you know you’ll be able to watch the same film from your living room in a matter of weeks. For example, you can now watch Sophie Thatcher murder Jack Quaid’s friends in Companionright after you watch her eat her own in Yellowjackets—all without leaving your couch. Companion was available on digital just 18 days after it opened in theaters.
Now, Aron wants to extend that window to at least 45 days, which he thinks should be considered “sacrosanct.” In his view, “17 days and 30 days are too short,” and he’d like to eventually consider going back to 60 days or more. Unfortunately for his bottom line, the damage has already been done. Multiple sources told THR that the CEO has met with at least three out of the five major studios, but execs aren’t too keen to set back the clock. “That ship has sailed,” one reportedly said.
To his credit, Aron—who believes that both parties would benefit financially from the change—claims that these conversations “are live right now between studios and theaters.” If he’s not able to convince them alone, the Oscars may have done some of the hard work for him. Host Conan O’Brien poked fun at people’s propensity for watching movies on their phones in a bit “inventing” the movie theater, before Anora‘s Sean Baker used his Best Director acceptance speech as a “battle cry” to preserve the theatrical experience. “In a time where the world can feel very divided, this is more important than ever. It’s a communal experience you simply don’t get at home,” he said. “Distributors, please focus first and foremost on the theatrical releases of your films… let’s keep the great tradition of the moviegoing experience alive and well.” You can watch his full speech below:
