AMC Theatres is officially expanding beyond exhibiting movies and deeper into the film distribution business.
AMC Entertainment has announced the creation of Leawood Films, a new distribution company designed to bring more movies to theaters across the United States and internationally, with a particular focus on small and mid-budget productions.
Unlike a traditional movie studio, Leawood Films will not finance productions or develop scripts. Instead, the company plans to work with established and emerging filmmakers whose projects are already fully financed or completed. AMC will then leverage its massive exhibition network, marketing capabilities, and relationships with other theater chains to help those films reach the big screen.
The move could create an interesting new theatrical pathway for independent filmmakers who may struggle to secure traditional distribution. AMC says filmmakers working with Leawood Films will generally retain ownership of their intellectual property and the majority of downstream revenue opportunities after the theatrical run.
AMC Chairman and CEO Adam Aron says the objective is straightforward: bring more movies to theaters, while complementing rather than competing with AMC’s existing relationships with major Hollywood studios.
Leawood Films has not selected its first releases yet, with AMC saying its initial projects are unlikely to arrive before 2027 or 2028.
For independent filmmakers and moviegoers looking for more variety at their local theaters, Leawood Films could become a significant new player in getting smaller movies back where they belong: on the big screen.
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