AMC Interchange 30

There is a possibility that A.M.C. maybe struggling against the Cineplex across the highway since the Colossus got the Imax and UltraA.V.X.

Well after all these months, they are still showing films in about half of their screens, so I guess this is ongoing. Another thing I’ve noticed is that they never seem to get the big blockbusters that they used to get. Always shared them with the Colossus across the highway, but now the Interchange seems to get mainly second run. Which is a shame, because personally I like the Interchange better. Not nearly as noisy or as garish as the Colossus.

The Hollywood Reporter had an article regarding AMC’s Canadian operations, many of which from my experience in the GTA had to share movies with Cineplex. To say they have over capacity would be a misstatement, last time I was at a Canadian AMC (for Breakaway) last October – I noticed how little effort they put into running the place, for a 24-plex they had no expanded menu apart from ice cream, one of their large houses was entirely closed off. As far as I can tell they also didn’t have gift cards (they were running a trailer tag for “AMC Gift Certificates” from the 1990’s) and apart from a few digital installs this location was 35MM (AMC has converted many of the sites they’re planning on begin in for the long term to all digital). They also haven’t introduced their bar/fork and screen concept either to Canada – whereas Cineplex/Famous Players had been leading on expanded concessions.

I know Cineplex can’t really grow any more to buy AMC (and perhaps even AMC closing would present an issue of Cineplex were to want to open a new complex). In the US a lot of these big AMCs that they weren’t renewing their leases on were bought up by other operators who came in and “right-sized” them, including their first megaplex the Grand 24. Empire it would appear would be the only one that could pull this off unless another exhibitor wanted to enter Canada (though I feel as if Cineplex is dominant and any exhibitor would have an issue competing directly with them). I wouldn’t appear though that the big US exhibitors are interested – Regal has a few on the border, Cinemark withdrew from Canada, and Carmike and Rave have no international operations.

Also AMC Covina 30 is down to 17 screens. The Colossus across the way is now Canada’s largest cinema.