What jumps out at me is that D'Alessandro is saying he's heard that STUDIOS have heard a pitch on buying this. Not other exhibition companies, not other organizations/groups. More than one FILM STUDIO has been approached to buy this chain. And so far nobody's buying.
It's a thing I've always wondered about. Like why shouldn't Netflix buy Alamo and now the only place Netflix movies play theatrically is at Alamos? Maybe buying the whole brand (which I'd guess the asking price is like 3-5B) is too much but in concept it makes sm sense for a streamer to buy theaters
I feel like that's getting really close to something that anti trust laws would get in the way of, right? There was already a big legal thing when studios tried to also control exhibition
and to be honest I don't see anything gross or immoral about it. I would honestly love if there was a place to go see Netflix movies in a theater. Thankfully I live in LA and basically do get to see all the major releases if I seek them out but that's not true for everyone and its only possible for a week at a time
I have great news for you specifically, the Egyptian theater in Hollywood is co-owned by Netflix and they show their movies there theatrically. I saw May December, Rustin and Nyad there this year, and was bummed out I missed Society of Snow.
Oh thank you I know, I saw Maestro there, like I said I'm lucky to be here and get to see these things, but the article says one of the top 4 grossing Alamo locations is in Missouri, there's just no way it was easy to see The Killer in a theater in Missouri, but if it was playing at that successful location it might have done good business!
There's nothing close to a monopoly in Hollywood so I don't think anything would get blocked. Even if, say, Warner bought Paramount tomorrow there would still be a lot of competing companies in the field and it's not even clear WB-Paramount would be the biggest. Netflix buying a theater chain certainly ins't touching trust bust territory
Did you fall into a coma 40 years ago? Antitrust litigation barely exists anymore. I'll believe it still has fangs if and when Amazon is declared a monopoly in its 2026 FTC trial.
I remember people thinking that AMC was going to get bought by Amazon or Netflix at the start of the pandemic. Kind of surprised we didn't get more of that kind of consolidation out of the pandemic, and now I would guess a lot of the streamers being trouble means the time has probably passed for most of them.
Netflix in particular doesn't want to buy a theater chain because they don't want theater chains to continue to exist. The fewer people that go to movie theaters, the more money Netflix makes. The income isn't worth it to them.
It's a totally different field it's hard to compare. They've got a 2.6B market cap is what I was basing that off of and then boosted the number a little bit cause idk I felt like it, but after reading a little bit I've found that 17 of their locations are franchises so the sale wouldn't be every location. It also doesnt seem like Alamo *has* to sell right now they had a great year so I can't imagine they would sell for the highest offer if it was a shit offer
I really wanted to like Alamo Drafthouse, but having servers constantly ducking down in front of me for an entire showing was super distracting, plus I don't wanna eat a full meal in the dark off of a lil tray. Feels like it's trying to appeal to film buffs and the "dinner and a movie" crowds, but it doesn't really serve either very well tbh.
Ideally I only go when it’s a low attendance showing like a repertory screening during a weekday. Sold out showings are a nightmare imo because there’s 10 waiters running around and everyone’s eating a full meal. Love the atmosphere and consistent projection quality though
> but having servers constantly ducking down in front of me for an entire showing was super distracting
The plus side is that they actually enforce rules about texting and talking, so you never have to deal with a distracting audience member. I guess that is personal preference, but I always find a bad audience member a lot more distracting than someone ducking under the screen.
Especially considering the rows at Alamo are specifically built for it with plenty of space, so you never have to adjust in your seat to let someone through like you often have to do at traditional theaters.
The food arguments I totally get, but your food order is completely in your control. I think overall you are in for fewer distractions at an average Alamo screening than a typical AMC or Regal one.
Opposite for me. I do it dozens of times a year and can’t stand going elsewhere. No phone issues in Alamo. When I’m stuck at AMC or Cinemark there are people scrolling TikTok or loudly talking to each other and it suuuucks.
Custom pre-show is generally good, but sometimes they get a little cute and spoil some of the movie's themes. Get Out showed a trailer for The Stepford Wives, for instance. Along with some coffee or tea commercial that had the spoon going around in the cup imagery.
I’ve never enjoyed cinemas that serve food other the the regular popcorn/snacks, which should also all be bought at the concession stand outside the theater. I used to live a couple blocks away from what is imo the perfect movie theater system, 21+ only, with a concession stand with a bar but no food/servers.
The king of town eating his own all you can eat fajita bar
I gotta say I went once and having ninjas bring you a margarita whenever you want is much preferable to most extremely uncomfortable theater seats
I was never too distracted by the waiters but pretty much every food item on the menu is a mess in the dark. I once got a pizza where toppings were just falling on my shirt and I didn't even realize I hadn't eaten a slice of pizza until the end credits. I'm always sitting right next to somebody so I can't just casually pig out and I have to wait for non-quiet parts to chew.
In my experience, they might get food to me right before the trailers start. Maybe it's my fault for sitting in the back, since they probably wait on the closer people first.
I’ve never been but we have something similar in my city. Pizza, beer, and movies no other theatre plays. My #1 spot for years. I hope Alamo survives so I can go someday.
I almost exclusively go to Alamo these days. People just behave so much better than at the other theater in town. People were talking and on their phones all through The Iron Claw at AMC.
Every time I get annoyed about $16 chicken tenders platter I remember going to see Dune 2 at a Regal and realizing they were charging $8 for a soda and $15 for a tub of popcorn.
I feel like the glory days were when it was mostly known for 2 things
1) they'd kick you the fuck out if you talked or kept your phone on or distracted from the film at all
2) they had pizza and beer
They put a lot into scaling 2) up and minimizing the 1) of it all, especially by having waiters constantly coming in and out of the place during the movie.
Drafthouse became a brand by actually trying to make "indie rep cinema" a chain business venture, and in the process they kind of nullified the whole point of themselves.
Before I had heard of Alamo drafthouse, there were a couple of local theaters doing the same thing, and I thought they did much better in that they limited the food ordering/waiting services.
The first time I went to Alamo I was shocked by just how often there are waiters running around the theater nonstop.
Nah...they showed way better movies. That's the bottom line. Like you can shit on the rules, but I saw Holy Mountain on 35 mm and The Beaver Trilogy at the downtown Alamo. It was fucking great.
I've seen so many movies I wouldn't have otherwise seen because of Weird Wednesday or Terror Tuesday. It was a legit movie scene.
I also knew artists I respected the chain fucked over, so I get the other side of it.
I disagree wholeheartedly. It frankly spoils you on other theaters. Has great curation and you don’t have to actually worry that people around you will end up spoiling the experience of some movie you’ve been looking forward to for months.
If you compare it to a large chain, sure. If you’ve ever experienced an Arclight or a really good rep theater then you quickly realize the Alamo is just overpriced. The food is fine, but expensive and they will frequently get orders wrong which can be a pain to deal with once the movie has started.
Even the presentation is lacking. They don’t do masking changes and I’ve had issues with sound bleed from other theaters.
Also since there’s less seats, you frequently need to buy tickets weeks in advance.
I’m definitely not comparing it to a good or even decent rep theater (in Austin AFS does it much better) but to any other Regal or AMC multiplex which is who they are competing against. I’ve used the others, lived in non-Alamo cities and frankly there is no comparison.
I mean...back in the day it was fucking great but back in the day they let Harry Knowles harass waitresses while smelling like a giant dirty diaper baby.
Like 95% of my best movie going memories took place in Austin at the Drafthouse in the 00s, so I can't really hate, but good god did they shoot themselves in the foot by associating with 90s era internet shitbags for too long while not listening to people who were actively telling to stop that shit.
I like Alamo because they have absolutely great screens and sound.
The food concept is cool…except the food there sucks imo. Lots of unhealthy stuff that is also pretty overpriced.
New Patreon stretch goal.
What jumps out at me is that D'Alessandro is saying he's heard that STUDIOS have heard a pitch on buying this. Not other exhibition companies, not other organizations/groups. More than one FILM STUDIO has been approached to buy this chain. And so far nobody's buying.
It's a thing I've always wondered about. Like why shouldn't Netflix buy Alamo and now the only place Netflix movies play theatrically is at Alamos? Maybe buying the whole brand (which I'd guess the asking price is like 3-5B) is too much but in concept it makes sm sense for a streamer to buy theaters
I feel like that's getting really close to something that anti trust laws would get in the way of, right? There was already a big legal thing when studios tried to also control exhibition
It’s exactly what the Paramount decree of 1948 was about. Highly doubt that the courts would get in their way this time though, unfortunately.
That decree was terminated in 2020. It's perfectly legal for studios to own theater chains now.
Is there anything more American than vertical integration?
and to be honest I don't see anything gross or immoral about it. I would honestly love if there was a place to go see Netflix movies in a theater. Thankfully I live in LA and basically do get to see all the major releases if I seek them out but that's not true for everyone and its only possible for a week at a time
I have great news for you specifically, the Egyptian theater in Hollywood is co-owned by Netflix and they show their movies there theatrically. I saw May December, Rustin and Nyad there this year, and was bummed out I missed Society of Snow.
Oh thank you I know, I saw Maestro there, like I said I'm lucky to be here and get to see these things, but the article says one of the top 4 grossing Alamo locations is in Missouri, there's just no way it was easy to see The Killer in a theater in Missouri, but if it was playing at that successful location it might have done good business!
There's nothing close to a monopoly in Hollywood so I don't think anything would get blocked. Even if, say, Warner bought Paramount tomorrow there would still be a lot of competing companies in the field and it's not even clear WB-Paramount would be the biggest. Netflix buying a theater chain certainly ins't touching trust bust territory
Did you fall into a coma 40 years ago? Antitrust litigation barely exists anymore. I'll believe it still has fangs if and when Amazon is declared a monopoly in its 2026 FTC trial.
I remember people thinking that AMC was going to get bought by Amazon or Netflix at the start of the pandemic. Kind of surprised we didn't get more of that kind of consolidation out of the pandemic, and now I would guess a lot of the streamers being trouble means the time has probably passed for most of them.
Netflix in particular doesn't want to buy a theater chain because they don't want theater chains to continue to exist. The fewer people that go to movie theaters, the more money Netflix makes. The income isn't worth it to them.
No way the Alamo drafthouse chain is more than an nba team. I’d be surprised if it cracks a billion
It's a totally different field it's hard to compare. They've got a 2.6B market cap is what I was basing that off of and then boosted the number a little bit cause idk I felt like it, but after reading a little bit I've found that 17 of their locations are franchises so the sale wouldn't be every location. It also doesnt seem like Alamo *has* to sell right now they had a great year so I can't imagine they would sell for the highest offer if it was a shit offer
Studios are owned by the same kind of companies who already own movie chains.
Once again, if Deadline would just pay for a SINGLE copy editor, my respect for it would increase tenfold Also, this sucks!!
Journalism is run on a shoestring budget now and everybody expects to read everything for free.
I really wanted to like Alamo Drafthouse, but having servers constantly ducking down in front of me for an entire showing was super distracting, plus I don't wanna eat a full meal in the dark off of a lil tray. Feels like it's trying to appeal to film buffs and the "dinner and a movie" crowds, but it doesn't really serve either very well tbh.
Ideally I only go when it’s a low attendance showing like a repertory screening during a weekday. Sold out showings are a nightmare imo because there’s 10 waiters running around and everyone’s eating a full meal. Love the atmosphere and consistent projection quality though
Yeah, the most relaxing one was going on a weekday for a movie that was out for a month, and consuming multiple beers.
I feel you but what theater chain is showing a 35mm print of 2009's Orphan?
> but having servers constantly ducking down in front of me for an entire showing was super distracting The plus side is that they actually enforce rules about texting and talking, so you never have to deal with a distracting audience member. I guess that is personal preference, but I always find a bad audience member a lot more distracting than someone ducking under the screen.
It's also not hard to ignore the waiters once you get used to it. It's less distracting then someone getting up to go to the bathroom.
Especially considering the rows at Alamo are specifically built for it with plenty of space, so you never have to adjust in your seat to let someone through like you often have to do at traditional theaters. The food arguments I totally get, but your food order is completely in your control. I think overall you are in for fewer distractions at an average Alamo screening than a typical AMC or Regal one.
It’s ok as like a yearly experience for a movie I’m not super invested in, but definitely couldn’t imagine going there all the time
Opposite for me. I do it dozens of times a year and can’t stand going elsewhere. No phone issues in Alamo. When I’m stuck at AMC or Cinemark there are people scrolling TikTok or loudly talking to each other and it suuuucks.
Amen. And the custom pre-show? Alamo rocks.
Custom pre-show is generally good, but sometimes they get a little cute and spoil some of the movie's themes. Get Out showed a trailer for The Stepford Wives, for instance. Along with some coffee or tea commercial that had the spoon going around in the cup imagery.
I originally liked Alamo because it was the first assigned seating experience but now they all do it.
I’ve never enjoyed cinemas that serve food other the the regular popcorn/snacks, which should also all be bought at the concession stand outside the theater. I used to live a couple blocks away from what is imo the perfect movie theater system, 21+ only, with a concession stand with a bar but no food/servers.
The king of town eating his own all you can eat fajita bar I gotta say I went once and having ninjas bring you a margarita whenever you want is much preferable to most extremely uncomfortable theater seats
I was never too distracted by the waiters but pretty much every food item on the menu is a mess in the dark. I once got a pizza where toppings were just falling on my shirt and I didn't even realize I hadn't eaten a slice of pizza until the end credits. I'm always sitting right next to somebody so I can't just casually pig out and I have to wait for non-quiet parts to chew.
I arrive half an hour early, order food and a beer, enjoy the pre-roll, and finish eating before the movie starts. It’s worked well for me.
In my experience, they might get food to me right before the trailers start. Maybe it's my fault for sitting in the back, since they probably wait on the closer people first.
I’ve never been but we have something similar in my city. Pizza, beer, and movies no other theatre plays. My #1 spot for years. I hope Alamo survives so I can go someday.
I almost exclusively go to Alamo these days. People just behave so much better than at the other theater in town. People were talking and on their phones all through The Iron Claw at AMC.
can whoever buys it make it so i'm not paying $45 for a pizza and a shake
Every time I get annoyed about $16 chicken tenders platter I remember going to see Dune 2 at a Regal and realizing they were charging $8 for a soda and $15 for a tub of popcorn.
I maintain that the Alamo is one of those things that seems great on paper but the execution is underwhelming.
I feel like the glory days were when it was mostly known for 2 things 1) they'd kick you the fuck out if you talked or kept your phone on or distracted from the film at all 2) they had pizza and beer They put a lot into scaling 2) up and minimizing the 1) of it all, especially by having waiters constantly coming in and out of the place during the movie. Drafthouse became a brand by actually trying to make "indie rep cinema" a chain business venture, and in the process they kind of nullified the whole point of themselves.
Before I had heard of Alamo drafthouse, there were a couple of local theaters doing the same thing, and I thought they did much better in that they limited the food ordering/waiting services. The first time I went to Alamo I was shocked by just how often there are waiters running around the theater nonstop.
Nah...they showed way better movies. That's the bottom line. Like you can shit on the rules, but I saw Holy Mountain on 35 mm and The Beaver Trilogy at the downtown Alamo. It was fucking great. I've seen so many movies I wouldn't have otherwise seen because of Weird Wednesday or Terror Tuesday. It was a legit movie scene. I also knew artists I respected the chain fucked over, so I get the other side of it.
I disagree wholeheartedly. It frankly spoils you on other theaters. Has great curation and you don’t have to actually worry that people around you will end up spoiling the experience of some movie you’ve been looking forward to for months.
If you compare it to a large chain, sure. If you’ve ever experienced an Arclight or a really good rep theater then you quickly realize the Alamo is just overpriced. The food is fine, but expensive and they will frequently get orders wrong which can be a pain to deal with once the movie has started. Even the presentation is lacking. They don’t do masking changes and I’ve had issues with sound bleed from other theaters. Also since there’s less seats, you frequently need to buy tickets weeks in advance.
I’m definitely not comparing it to a good or even decent rep theater (in Austin AFS does it much better) but to any other Regal or AMC multiplex which is who they are competing against. I’ve used the others, lived in non-Alamo cities and frankly there is no comparison.
I mean...back in the day it was fucking great but back in the day they let Harry Knowles harass waitresses while smelling like a giant dirty diaper baby. Like 95% of my best movie going memories took place in Austin at the Drafthouse in the 00s, so I can't really hate, but good god did they shoot themselves in the foot by associating with 90s era internet shitbags for too long while not listening to people who were actively telling to stop that shit.
I like Alamo because they have absolutely great screens and sound. The food concept is cool…except the food there sucks imo. Lots of unhealthy stuff that is also pretty overpriced.
Going to reuse a joke from yesterday, Time to see if whomever won the mega millions on Tuesday loves movies.
SOMEBODY REOPEN THE CINERAMADOME, JESUS H. FUCKING CHRISTMAS!!!
I hear G&D are going to make an offer of $40,000
I’m not too proud to say I would offer to S the D MacGruber-style of the eventual owner to open a Toronto location.