AMC and Universal Reach Deal to Stream Films 17 Days After Theatrical Release

AMC Theatres and Universal have reached a deal to make the studio's film available on premium video-on-demand just 17 days after the films play in cinemas, including three weekends, the two companies announced Tuesday.

Previously the company required that studios commit to at least a three month theatrical release before making films available in the home.

The cost for streaming the premium titles has not yet been revealed, but recent direct-to-home streaming releases have come with with a pricetag from $19.99 to $25.00 per rental.

The streaming deal is part of a multiyear agreement in which AMC agreed to play Universal films, in exchange for at least three exclusive weekends of film's screened through AMC.

The deal currently only covers AMC markets in the United States. Discussions regarding AMC theaters in Europe and the Middle East are forthcoming.

"The theatrical experience continues to be the cornerstone of our business," said Donna Langley, chair of Universal Filmed Entertainment Group. "The partnership we've forged with AMC is driven by our collective desire to ensure a thriving future for the film distribution ecosystem and to meet consumer demand with flexibility and optionality."

AMC CEO Adam Aron said in a statement, "AMC enthusiastically embraces this new industry model both because we are participating in the entirety of the economics of the new structure, and because premium video on demand creates the added potential for increased movie studio profitability, which should in turn lead to the green-lighting of more theatrical movies. This multi-year agreement preserves exclusivity for theatrical viewing for at least the first three weekends of a film's release, during which time a considerable majority of a movie's theatrical box office revenue typically is generated."

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