Sony Pictures Entertainment Today, it acquired Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, a beloved independent theater business. Alamo Drafthouse has earned many loyal fans over the years for its well-enforced no talking and no texting policy during screenings, as well as its dining experience with food and drink menus.
At least for now, the Alamo experience for viewers may not feel any different under new management. Alamo Drafthouse will continue to operate 35 theaters and host the Fantastic Fest film festival. Current CEO Michael Kustermann will remain at the helm and report to the new head of Sony Pictures Experiences.
It’s the end of an era for the indie theater chain founded by Tim and Carrie League in 1997. But given how much the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the filmmaking experience, at least that’s not the end of the Alamo Drafthouse story. The business went to great lengths to retain the support of the audience in 2020, but the Texas-based company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2021 and began in March of this year.
There is no dollar figure attached to the announcement, but Sony’s press release notes that Alamo Drafthouse is the seventh largest theater chain in North America. Despite its struggles, the company attracts an annual audience of 10 million and posted a 30 percent increase in box office revenue last year. Perhaps this prepares the Alamo theaters to host in the near future.
