AMC’s Direct-To-Theater Model

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Happy Wednesday, Future Party. Robert Pattinson is filming Batman 2 right now, and he said the fight scenes are really making him feel his age and that it “is significantly harder than it used to be.” We get it, Robert. When we’re sitting and typing for too long, we now get aches in muscles we didn’t know existed. But, hey, we’re both sacrificing for our art.

AMC Theatres announced that it’s launching a distribution label called Leawood Films to service low- and mid-budget movies.

The Big Picture: Moviegoing is finally back, both culturally and financially… and AMC wants a lot more titles to put on screens. With studios like Sony buying up theater chains, AMC figures it might as well be a bit more like a studio and find more projects itself.

Behind The Scenes: The world’s largest theater chain is looking to compete with its own clients — theatrical distributors.

Final Credits: AMC calls Leawood a “low-risk opportunity” because of how well concert films like Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour and Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé did for the company. The company feels it can score some easy wins on underused screens without having to give half the haul to studio partners.

However the politics with Hollywood play out, the existence of Leawood could be a welcome sigh of relief for the entertainment industry. In recent years, most movies that have premiered at major festivals haven’t been picked up for distribution, forcing producers to turn to unorthodox release methods. Leawood gives them a chance at the big screen.

Coming Soon: With creators like Markiplier successfully distributing movies directly in theaters, a lot more digital creators could turn to filmmaking in partnership with Leawood.

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The Grand Theft Auto VI hype is so high that even its marketing materials are raking in blockbuster viewership.

Why It Plays: With a budget estimated to be over $1 billion (making it the most expensive entertainment title ever) and pre-sales already topping $4.8 billion (already making it one of the most successful titles ever), GTA VI is expected to be a cultural touchstone this year, akin to Spider-Man: Brand New Day and The Odyssey.

Between The Lines: Has there ever been a game more anticipated than GTA VI?

Last Level: Axios notes that what made the success on Netflix so monumental was how a gaming-trailer drop became “must-see TV” on streaming. It points to how Netflix app usage jumped 35% compared to the hour before the trailer premiered. That means people were waiting to hit play.

Prepare for everyone you know to be playing this game come Thanksgiving.

Prediction: Considering the dire straits of the gaming industry at large right now, Rockstar Games and Take-Two Interactive could make a splashy film or TV deal for GTA rights sometime next year.

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53.6% of you voted No, I’ve never used one in yesterday’s poll: Have you ever used a GoPro camera?

“My life doesn’t include any activities that would be compelling enough to watch again, much less subjecting anyone else to a replay of whatever.”

“I don’t own a GoPro, but it would be fun to own one — just to occasionally wear it while walking around for personal history and to view later so I can remember how things used to be.”

“Rented one in Hawaii for snorkeling.”

“I got one with a lot of optimism at first, but found that, for my personal situation, a phone camera was superior almost all the time.”

“Own several, but never considered buying the stock.”

“I bought a 1st-gen GoPro in the early 2000s when they were a small startup company. They showed up at the Sea Otter Bike Festival, and I was blown away by the novel technology. I can’t believe how big and ubiquitous they became in 20+ years!”

Let’s keep the conversation going. Join Poll Of The Day, so your opinions can shine. Discover how your views line up with your peers’, check out cool insights, and have some fun. It’s data with personality.

🎥 President Trump is supporting the creation of a federal tax credit for film and TV production.

🐒 The Sphere is programming 4D effects, including animatronic flying monkeys, into its screenings of The Wizard of Oz.

💿 The RIAA reported that CD sales are up 60% this year. New nostalgia era unlocked.

📈 Markiplier turned GoPro’s share into a stonk… just as the company merges with Starman Optical.

🛰️ Space startup Starcloud is raising funds to send a craft to the star Alpha Centauri — a trip that will take 80,000 years.

🪥 Dyson is releasing a $499 toothbrush that will floss for you. Worth it.

👗 Pietro Mulier soft-launched his tenure at Versace by dressing Nicole Kidman for the premiere of Practical Magic 2.

👓 Filmmaker Spike Jonze collabed with Warby Parker on a collection of glasses. (Cool, but can we get another movie, Spike?)

👜 Gap is getting into the handbag business.