AMC Theaters abandon talks with major studios regarding PVOD

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

While attending the Citi Global TMT West Conference in Las Vegas yesterday, AMC Entertainment CFO Craig Ramsey informed investors that the theater chain is abandoning their negotiations with major studios to usher in Premium Video On Demand (PVOD) as a way that audiences can experience new films. Two years ago, AMC had been keen on the idea after watching the results of releasing Paramount's SCOUTS GUIDE TO THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE and PARANOMAL ACTIVITY: THE GHOST DIMENSION using the PVOD fprmat. Now, Ramsey is saying that the notion to release theatrical releases in the comfort of your own home is "not the topic that it was earlier," and that the whole idea "is a very complicated matter" with "no consensus."

If you're unfamiliar with the concept of PVOD, it's a service that would allow for you to stream theatrical content in your home. In theory, the films would be made available for in-home viewing as early as three weeks after release, to the tune of $30-$40 per stream. Complications with the proposal arose when both film studios and theater owners could not come to terms on how the service would roll out – not to mention who would get a larger piece of the money pie. At the end of the day, I think we can chalk this up to yet another misstep in the ongoing struggle to put more asses in theater seats.

For me, there's nothing quite like going to see a movie on the silver screen. I love almost everything about it: the smell of popcorn in the air, the dynamic sound system, seeing audience members react to pivotal moments in real time. All of that and more is what makes the experience of going to the movies unique, at least for that first watch.

With that said, I can also see the other side of the coin as well. After all, some individuals simply don't have time to make it to the theater. There's also the parents of the world to consider. I'm sure there are plenty of people who would love nothing more than to pile their swarm of talkative youngsters into a basement theater room rather than the family mini van, only to receive nasty looks from theatergoers upon their arrival. Really, this situation can be approached in a myriad of ways, and perhaps that's just a small part of the overall problem with PVOD.

What do you think of this news? Would you be willing to pay extra to watch a newer movie in your home as opposed to going to the theater? Is going to the cinema an escape for you, and you'd rather not rock the boat? Let us know in the comments section below.