AMC Theaters, the largest theater chain in the United States, is launching its own independent film distribution label, a move the company says is aimed at finding homes for small and mid-sized films that struggle to secure distribution elsewhere.
According to IndieWire, the new label is called Leawood Films. AMC's decision to enter the distribution business follows its unexpected success with Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, which it released directly to its theaters and went on to gross $261 million worldwide. The company is now creating a formal vehicle to release other films, beyond concert documentaries and music events.
Leawood Films will operate with a notable advisory board. Former Warner Bros. Pictures Group Chairman Toby Emmerich, former Walt Disney Studios Marketing President Ricky Strauss, and Kyle Davies are all serving in advisory roles. Davies was previously President of Domestic Distribution at Paramount Pictures and most recently served as President of Distribution at Bleecker Street. He is departing Bleecker Street as part of this move.
The label says it will focus on completed films or those already fully financed, meaning it will not be developing, producing, or financing projects itself. That approach is designed to limit risk, though IndieWire notes it will require Leawood to be active buyers at festivals like Sundance, which carries its own costs.
AMC says Leawood Films will not take priority away from the company's traditional studio partners and that it hopes to secure screenings beyond AMC's own theater locations. All releases will carry a 45-day theatrical exclusive window and a 90-day window before moving to streaming on demand platforms.
The company has been clear that it does not intend to limit the label to music or concert content. In addition to The Eras Tour, AMC has also distributed Beyonce's concert documentary Renaissance and Swift's more recent Release Party of a Showgirl. Leawood Films is intended to move beyond that category.
The launch comes as the independent film distribution market has seen new players enter and struggle in recent years. Several distributors have taken on festival acquisitions only to find limited screens and audience interest. AMC enters that space carrying roughly $4 billion in debt, with its stock trading at $2.64 at the time IndieWire published its report.
Whether the company's scale and theater access can offset the structural challenges of the indie distribution business remains to be seen. The label has not announced a first acquisition or release date.
