Amazon Explores Acquisition of Landmark Theatres (Report)
Deal would grab Amazon 50 theaters in major markets like New York and Los Angeles
Sean Burch | August 16, 2018 @ 8:37 AM
Last Updated: August 16, 2018 @ 9:33 AM
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Amazon is exploring an acquisition of the indie cinema chain Landmark Theatres, according to a Bloomberg report on Thursday.
The deal would bring about 50 movie theaters into the tech giant’s fold, including in high-profile markets like Los Angeles, New York and Chicago.
Amazon — which is set to spend in the neighborhood of $5 billion on content this year — would add 245 screens to showcase its latest movies. Terms of the potential deal were not reported by Bloomberg.
Landmark, co-owned by Mark Cuban and Todd Wagner, has been open to a sale for several months, after CEO Ted Mundorff told TheWrap in April that the exhibition chain was on the block.
Amazon and Landmark did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment.
Similar to Amazon opening bookstores after the Seattle-based juggernaut wiped out most of its bricks-and-mortar competition, the company would be jumping into the theater business as it grapples with a downturn of its own.
In a recent survey from the MPAA, attendance among frequent moviegoers in a key 18-to-24 years old demographic was down 28 percent last year, compared with 2016. Attendance among teens who frequent the cineplex was down 22 percent.
Overall, box office revenue from 2017 was down nearly 3 percent, compared with 2016 — even as the average ticket price rose 4 percent to $8.97.
Amazon’s move towards physical stores was accelerated last year with its $13.7 buyout of Whole Foods.
How Streaming Networks Invaded the Emmys: From 'House of Cards' to 'Handmaid's Tale' (Photos)
The streaming services are taking over the Emmys. Four years after "House of Cards" opened up the major categories to online content providers with three wins, Netflix, Hulu and Amazon have hit an all-time high with a combined total of 126 nominations. But how did we get here?
"House of Cards" The political thriller became the first streaming-only original series to get nominated in major Emmy categories in 2013. It won three that year, including Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series and Outstanding Casting. The show has been nominated for 53 Emmys in total, six of which turned into major category wins.
Netflix
"Orange is the New Black" Netflix seemed to be on a critical roll after "Orange is the New Black" debuted in 2014. It was nominated for 12 awards, including five in acting categories. Uzo Aduba, who plays Suzanne Warren, won for Guest Actress in a Comedy Series. She won a second time in 2015.
Netflix
"The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" The Tina Fey-produced comedy was called the "first great sitcom of the streaming era" and the Emmy voters seem to agree. Since premiering in 2015, the show has garnered 16 nominations.
Netflix
"Transparent" "Transparent" was -- and still is -- Amazon Prime's flagship show. In 2015, following its debut season, it won an unprecedented five Emmy awards, including Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series for Jill Soloway and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy for Jeffrey Tambor. The show has been a continuous staple at the Emmys since.
"Grace and Frankie" 2015 was a big year for streaming services at the Emmys. "Grace and Frankie" was yet another Netflix series that earned nominations in major categories. The show has continued to be a consistent presence at the awards ever since -- specifically in acting categories.
Netflix
"Jessica Jones" The Marvel Netflix show became the first of the Defenders universe to get an Emmy win, for Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music.
Netflix/Marvel
"Master of None" The big addition at the 2016 Emmys was the Aziz Ansari-led comedy "Master of None." The Netflix series earned Ansari nominations for acting, writing and directing -- and a win for writing with his colleague Alan Yang. He'll get another shot in 2017 with more nominations in the same categories, including Outstanding Comedy Series.
TheWrap
"Stranger Things" 2017 is a huge year for Netflix, with 91 nominations for the streaming giant overall. And sleeper hit "Stranger Things,"created by relative newcomers Matt and Ross Duffer, earned a staggering 18 of them, including Outstanding Drama Series. For a genre show released with little marketing, this is quite a feat.
Netflix
"The Crown" The hugely popular (and acclaimed) period drama about the life of Queen Elizabeth II earned Netflix five Emmy nominations this year.
Netflix
"Handmaid's Tale" In 2017, Hulu established itself as a serious original programming contender with this adaptation of Margaret Atwood's seminal novel. The highly acclaimed series not only became arguably the defining political commentary of the early Trump-Era, it also went on to make history for Hulu with 13 nominations.
Hulu
"The Beatles: Eight Days a Week" Hulu didn't stop with "The Handmaid's Tale." This documentary about the Beatles earned five nominations.
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"Black Mirror" The anthology series didn't qualify for the main Emmys until the third season arrived on Netflix. It got three nominations in 2017, including two for the episode "San Junipero" -- which was nominated for Outstanding Television Movie, despite being a part of an anthology.
Netflix
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Netflix, Hulu and Amazon have a combined 126 nominations this year
The streaming services are taking over the Emmys. Four years after "House of Cards" opened up the major categories to online content providers with three wins, Netflix, Hulu and Amazon have hit an all-time high with a combined total of 126 nominations. But how did we get here?
Netflix
