Alamo Drafthouse, the dine-in movie show chain that pale in the course of the pandemic earlier than declaring chapter three years in the past, has a recent lease on life after discovering a brand new company proprietor.
Sony Photos mentioned Wednesday it has bought Alamo and can hold its 35 places open. The theater, whose headquarters will stay in Austin, Texas, might be folded into a brand new division referred to as Sony Photos Experiences. As a part of the transaction, Sony additionally acquired Alamo’s style movie pageant, Implausible Fest.
Sony did not disclose the acquisition worth or different phrases of the deal.
Sony Image President Ravi Ahuja mentioned the deal aligns with the corporate’s mission of “partaking leisure followers outdoors the house in enjoyable and distinctive methods,” including that “Alamo Drafthouse’s differentiated movie-going expertise, admired model and devoted neighborhood match properly with this imaginative and prescient.”
Alamo is the nation’s largest privately owned theater chain, with places in California, New York, Texas, Virginia and different states. The theaters appeal to greater than 10 million prospects a 12 months, in keeping with Sony.
Alamo, launched in Austin in 1997, distinguished itself within the land of film chains by providing prospects alcoholic drinks, seat-side meals service and a vibe that shortly made a splash amongst theater goers. The corporate’s tagline: “The Alamo Drafthouse Theater is sweet meals, good beer and good movie, all on the similar place!”
“We have been created by movie lovers for movie lovers,” Alamo CEO Michael Kustermann, who will retain his place, mentioned in a press release. “We all know how essential that is to Sony, and it serves as additional proof of their dedication to the theatrical expertise.”
Social-distancing restrictions as a result of pandemic, coupled with the delayed launch of latest movies, slammed its enterprise, Alamo mentioned in submitting for chapter in 2021. Alamo had 41 theaters earlier than in search of safety from collectors, however the firm closed six places throughout north Texas.
Alamo was certainly one of numerous movie show chains that cratered in the course of the pandemic. The proprietor of Regal Cinemas, Cineworld, declared chapter in 2022. AMC Theatres risked working out of money final 12 months till it acquired a $917 million money infusion from buyers.
Non-public fairness corporations Altamont Capital and Fortress Funding purchased Alamo as a part of its chapter. The theater firm emerged from Chapter 11 in March of 2021.
—The Related Press contributed to this report.
