AMC Theaters isn’t merely a destination for watching new film releases; it now helps make those releases happen.
Launched on August 31, 2026, AMC has rolled out Leawood Films, its very own movie distribution label that aims to bring small or mid-sized flicks to the big screen that have been completely financed and finished.
Speaking in a press release, AMC Entertainment chairman and CEO Adam Aron cited moviegoers’ increasing appetites for independent films.
“Ultimately, moviegoers consistently demonstrate their appetite for a wide variety of theatrical content, and we believe there are more outstanding films that deserve the opportunity to find audiences on the big screen,” he said. “Through Leawood Films, we believe we can bring meaningful value to filmmakers whose movies might otherwise not get made, or which might not be taken to theatres.
“We can assure them the availability of movie theatre screens and attractive economics, as well as have them benefit from our relationships across the exhibition industry, our proven marketing capabilities, and our extensive experience connecting theatrical content with moviegoing audiences.”
This doesn’t come as a huge surprise; some of the biggest films of the year were created on comparatively measly budgets (Obsession, Backrooms), and YouTube star Markiplier’s independent horror flick Iron Lung had so much hype behind it that AMC Theaters, along with several other major cinema chains, picked it up to help the movie become one of biggest independent film releases of all time.
“Leawood Films is being created with a straightforward objective, given that substantial excess capacity exists in the movie theatre industry: to bring more movies to theaters. If we can take steps to ensure that a few extra movies come to theaters each year, it is gravy for AMC in the United States and Odeon in Europe, as well as for our fellow exhibitors,” Aron added.
Tangentially, it’s worth noting that Markiplier also approached YouTube with the idea of distributing independent films on its platform, making AMC the latest major entertainment company to take notes based on shifting audience demands.
As per reporting from Deadline, Leawood Films’ board of advisors is made up of former Warner Bros Group chairman and Toby Emmerich, former Walt Disney Studios marketing president Ricky Strauss and former Paramount distribution veteran Kyle Davies.
AMC says this venture is a “low-risk opportunity” with the potential to catapult the next big film into the limelight. Perhaps Nicole Kidman wasn’t wrong when she said AMC Theaters “make movies better.”
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Virginia (she/her) is IGN’s News Editor. With ten years of experience reporting on games and entertainment, she’s got a storied background in the fighting game community, influencer news, and viral online trends. Find her on Twitter at @TheeMissGlaze.
