Alamo Drafthouse — a dine-in movie theater chain — has started its own on demand service during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The service allows customers to buy and rent movies online, giving people another way to watch films during the coronavirus pandemic.
The service — called Alamo On Demand — will offer a library of films selected by the company’s own team.
“Alamo On Demand helps us to continue the conversation past the theatrical window and recommend movies we love to our community,” said Tim League, founder and former CEO of Alamo Drafthouse Cinema. “And in these shuttered days and beyond, these rentals and purchases help support your neighborhood theater.”
According to The Verge, Alamo has been working with Vista Cinema, a cinema management software company, for the launch. Alamo has teamed up with Sony Pictures Classics to bring new films to the service consistently.
The service launched with films such as “Parasite” and “Portrait of a Lady on Fire.” Available Sony films will include “Call Me By Your Name,” “Pain and Glory” and “A Fantastic Woman,” per CNBC.
Alamo is also working with major studios for films as well, including “rare gems” and tentpole studio releases.
The platform will release new movies every two weeks.
The decision to launch an on-demand service comes as movie theater chains and studios decide how to release films during the coronavirus pandemic. Universal pulled “Trolls World Tour” from its theater release and put it on demand, prompting theaters to scoff.
NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell told The Wall Street Journal that “Trolls World Tour” exceeded company expectations and the company may start releasing films on digital and movie theaters at the same time.
But AMC Theaters Chairman and CEO Adam Aron didn’t like the idea, calling it “unacceptable,” according to The Hollywood Reporter. Aron said AMC would no longer allow Universal films to run on its screens. Other theater chains supported AMC’s decision.
Meanwhile, Disney came to the same decision. The company announced “Artemis Fowl” would not be released in theaters. Instead, the film would be released straight to Disney Plus.