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Amazon In Running To Acquire Landmark Movie Chain (bloomberg.com)
According to Bloomberg, Amazon is in the running to acquire Landmark Theaters, a chain focused on independent and foreign films with more than 50 theaters in 27 markets, including high-profile locations in New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. From the report: Landmark's theaters are known for art-house fare, and some high-end locations include coffee bars or lounges, setting them apart from the typical movie experience. "This is probably a move to get broader distribution of film content," said Leo Kulp, an analyst with RBC Capital Markets LLC. "Netflix had been discussed as a potential buyer of Landmark for a similar reason." The possible move was viewed positively by investors, who saw it as a sign that Amazon wasn't looking to disrupt moviegoing and was supportive of the theatrical experience, Kulp said.
They probably just want a theater to show original movies in so that they are eligible for awards (that then attract new subscribers). Any increase in profitability is purely coincidental.
Bezos' long term goal is that any business you do, lands a dollar in his wallet. If they forces Ma Bell to split up, it is now HIGHLY OVERDUE to split up: Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Apple, Oracle. These are becoming far too powerful... just because their leader don't have little mustaches and scream speeches at rallies, does not mean their intentions are innocent.
Maybe, just maybe, Amazon decided to do something right by the people of Seattle. Before Mark Cuban took over, Landmark was the best movie chain in town, with a whole suite of indie-minded theaters all over town; now, they're nearly all shut down, awaiting for the inevitable condos to sprout up over their ruins. I've been longing for some deep-pocketed local to pick up the Harvard Exit or Guild 45th and get them running again, as a hobby if not a major business opportunity.
--- Work, worry, consume, die. It's a wonderful life. -- Bill Griffith
I wonder if they'll make you get a membership for the prime seats?
> I'm not an Amazon customer and this sure as hell won't make me one.
They don't care. All of your neighbours are.
People need to see that.
That was my thought. However, the academy seems to have snubbed the online streaming services in the past. I remember that Beasts of No Nations didn't receive any nominations despite being well regarded and receiving nominations (and even wins) in many other awards.
Cannes even recently changed their rules to prevent anything that doesn't get a theatrical run in France from entering the competition. Normally this wouldn't be a problem as Netflix could just do a single theater release, except there's another strange French law that prohibits films from appearing on streaming services until 36 months after their theatrical release.
I suspect that some of it might also be as a potential way to recoup costs from big budget productions like Game of Thrones where you could do a theatrical release every few years that might pull in a few tens of millions of dollars that you might not otherwise get. Occasionally you make a 90 minute episode that gets a theatrical release. I bet that even people who own the subscription service would pay to see it on a big screen, especially if it's a kind of fantasy epic like Game of Thrones.
Our family just discovered an awesome Landmark theater that we were planning to become frequent customers of. We don't do Amazon in our household, so if Amazon buys them, we won't be going any more. We're hoping some more ethical company buys Landmark.
I don't respond to AC's.