WarnerMedia and AMC have made a deal that will bring back an exclusive 45 day theatrical window for Warner Bros. movies in 2022. The agreement follows a similar deal between WarnerMedia and Cineworld.
AMC CEO Adam Aron announced the deal during AMC’s earnings call on Monday. “We’re especially pleased Warner Bros. has decided to move away from day-and-date,” Aron said during the call. “We’re having conversations with other movie studios in Hollywood.”
Aron acknowledged that the move toward simultaneous premieres on streaming and in theaters was due to the pandemic and a temporary plan. “We’re seeing the consensus that exclusive theatrical window is a good way to build major motion picture franchises,” he said.
AMC made a similar deal with Universal last year, agreeing to a 17 day theatrical window. The deal came after a feud between the two companies, during which AMC declared it would no longer carry Universal’s films in its theaters.
ViacomCBS is also taking another look at the theatrical window. CEO Bob Bakish confirmed the company is planning to adhere to a 45-day theatrical window for its new releases before heading to streaming on Paramount+ during the company’s Q2 earnings call. “The situation is a bit fluid,” Bakish said. “As a general principle we do like the 45-day fast follow theatrical to pay-1. That is the overall direction we’d like to go over time. But we’ve got to look at each title in this pandemic and figure out what is the right strategy.”