The COVID pandemic that flared up in 2020 forced extended closure of more than 40,000 screens in 5,500 American movie theaters — a devastating blow to an industry already facing long-term structural competition from stream-at-home movie services. Since the pandemic, most theaters have re-opened and are slowly re-building their audiences.
Here are the major players to watch.
AMC Entertainment now owns about 10,000 screens in more than 900 theaters around the world. The company is a subsidiary of Chinese conglomerate Dalian Wanda, which is owned by Chinese tycoon Wang Jianlin. [ticker: AMC]
Regal Entertainment, a division of the British chain Cineworld, operates 5,774 screens at 425 theaters in 41 states, the District of Columbia, and Guam. Regal also operates 97 IMAX theaters in 25 states
Cinemark Theaters, which also owns Century Theatres and Rave Cinemas, operates 5,708 screens at 502 theaters in the U.S. and Latin America
Smaller movie exhibition chains include:
- Marcus Theaters operates 1.098 screens at 90 locations in 17 states.
- Harkins Theaters owns more than 400 screens at 33 locations in four states: Arizona, Colorado, Oklahoma, and Southern California.
- B&B Theaters (including three locations under construction) operates 550 screens at 57 cinema locations in 15 states.
- National Amusements owns more than 1,500 movie theaters in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Latin America. The company operates under several brands, including Showcase Cinemas, Multiplex Cinemas, and Cinema de Lux.
- Bow Tie Cinemas, now known as Scene One Entertainment, owns nine movie theaters with 60 screens in Colorado, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina, and Virginia.
- Landmark Theatres, based in Los Angeles, was sold to sold to Cohen Media Group in 2018. The company owns 35 theaters in the United States and specializes in independent, foreign, and new Hollywood films.
- Alamo Drafthouse operates 41 cinemas throughout 25 metropolitan areas. Recently acquired by Sony, the chain will re-open 6 cinemas that recently closed.
Sources: Company reports via qz.com, Google