Showcase Cinemas owner National Amusements is going up for sale, as a by-product of the now complete Paramount and Skydance deal. Flying a little under the radar in reports of Skydance’s now-completed acquisition of Paramount is what happens to other companies involved in the transaction. Following the absolutely not a bribe that was paid to ... Looks like Showcase Cinemas is about to get a new owner
Showcase Cinemas owner National Amusements is going up for sale, as a by-product of the now complete Paramount and Skydance deal.
Flying a little under the radar in reports of Skydance’s now-completed acquisition of Paramount is what happens to other companies involved in the transaction. Following the absolutely not a bribe that was paid to Donald Trump to settle his entirely reasonable zillion dollar lawsuit because someone said something he didn’t like, the deal is now concluded, but the future of the National Amusements entity is up in the air.
This was part of now-former Paramount owner Sheri Redstone’s network of companies, and it too has now gone up for sale. For us in the UK, National Amusements is the company that operates the Showcase Cinemas chain. I have a vested interest here, as the Dudley branch is one of my local cinemas, and always has immaculate toilets when I go there.
Anyway: the new Paramount, having just acquired National Amusements, is now selling it. Across the world, this affects just over 750 screens, to it’s not a gigantic player in theatrical exhibition, but it is a notable one. Showcase Cinemas has been part of the framework of the British cinema landscape for decades, too. It’s outlasted the likes of UCI, UGC, Virgin Cinemas and more.
Already, there are rumours of buyers circling, with the new president of Paramount describing interest in purchasing National Amusements as “robust.” Given the scale required to compete in the modern multiplex world, the suspicion is that an existing chain will look to purchase National Amusements and the Showcase brand, but that’s speculation on my part.
The guess is that new Paramount will want to get any deal done relatively quickly, as it looks to reorganise itself after the prolonged and presumably quite exhausting takeover/merger process. Hopefully, Showcase Cinemas will land firmly on its feet, and celebrate its new owners in the right way, with a healthy season of Gerard Butler films. Best to all staff affected by the uncertainty in the meantime.
