Might Odeon be showing Universal movies after all when cinema reopen? There’s been a little bit of progress.
Well, this might just be one of those fusses that’s slowly died down a bit. Off the back of Universal Pictures’ decision to bypass a cinema release altogether for the film Trolls World Tour, it then suggested it was looking for a similar model for other films in the future.
This went down like a proverbial fart in a car over at the offices of AMC Theaters in the US, the huge multiplex chain that owns Odeon Cinemas in the UK. It loudly suggested that if Universal was going to give theatrical releases short shrift, then it’d refuse to show any more of its films. Films in the UK on the Universal slate include No Time To Die, and Jurassic World and Minions sequels, to name just a few.
It all made headlines, and then the story went quiet, with the world seemingly having a few other things to focus on instead.
Now, though, fresh word has popped up courtesy of AMC’s quarterly earnings statement. Whilst there’s no resolution as of yet, there is at least talk of a way forward. The statement included the words “while we are in active dialogue with Universal, no movies made by Universal Studios are currently on our docket”, backed up by chatter from AMC’s CEO Adam Aron. He said that “relations are warm with Universal”.
He added that “they have always been warm, and I’m using that as a good word. There’s nothing personal about this issue with Universal. I have great respect for Universal’s executives. It’s just an issue about money. We are in active dialogue with Universal”.
Expect this all to be resolved and toys returned to prams in due course.
