The rollout of Beyoncé's 'Renaissance' film did not go so smoothly, according to the head of AMC Theaters, which distributed the concert film.
Adam Aron, CEO of the country's largest theater chain, said this Variety in an interview published last week, it was said that the company's distribution deal with the musician almost fell through after news of the project leaked.
“Beyoncé seriously considered not making the movie at all because the secret was revealed,” Aron said.
The revelation came just months after “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé” premiered, following Taylor Swift and AMC's hugely successful concert film “Eras Tour.”
According to Aron, AMC went out of its way to keep the “Eras Tour” movie under wraps — a clandestine move that gave the company a ticket sales advantage and reportedly irritated other theater chains.
In an effort to smooth things over with industry peers, AMC decided to handle the launch of the “Renaissance” a little differently – by giving fellow exhibitors a calm, early warning about the picture to level the playing field .
“At least half a dozen film circuits have leaked the news,” Aron told Variety. “So they didn't keep their word.”
Representatives for AMC and Beyoncé did not immediately respond to The Times' requests for comment.
“Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé” – featuring dazzling footage from the singer's successful world tour – arrived in theaters on December 1 and grossed $44 million at the worldwide box office. It was only the second title released by AMC, which previously operated solely as an exhibitor.
Following the success of “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” — which grossed $261.7 million worldwide — AMC plans to distribute “two to three” concert films per year, Aron told Variety. Theater owners are increasingly turning to alternative programming, such as live music and sports, in hopes of boosting attendance in the wake of the COVID-19 shutdown.
