Sony Pictures Buys Alamo Drafthouse Theater Chain

CULVER CITY, CA — Sony Pictures Entertainment on Wednesday announced it has acquired Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, the nationwide chain of 35 movie theaters geared toward film buffs.

With the acquisition, Sony becomes the first major Hollywood studio in 75 years to own a movie theater chain.

Alamo Drafthouse is billed as North America's seventh-largest theater chain, with 35 locations across the country, including Downtown Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston and New York. The chain is known for serving food and craft beer at its theaters, and boasts a strict no-texting policy.

The chain will be managed under a new division, Sony Pictures Experiences.

“We believe strongly in engaging entertainment fans outside the home in fun and distinctive ways as seen most recently with our Wheel of Fortune LIVE! traveling tour, and the opening of Wonderverse in Chicago,” said Sony Pictures President Ravi Ahuja. “Alamo Drafthouse’s differentiated movie-going experience, admired brand and devoted community fit well with this vision. Our Crunchyroll business also aligns well with their audience’s interests. We look forward to building upon the innovations that have made Alamo Drafthouse successful and will, of course, continue to welcome content from all studios and distributors.”

Alamo Drafthouse's Michael Kustermann will remain chief executive of the so-called dine-in movie theater chain, which is based in Austin, Texas.

"We are excited to make history with Sony Pictures Entertainment and have found the right home and partner for Alamo Drafthouse Cinema," Kustermann said in a statement.

From 1948 until four years ago, film distributors were prohibited by federal regulators from owning a cinema chain. The rules were abolished in 2020, and Sony is now the first studio in seven decades to invest in a movie exhibition company.

City News Service contributed to this report.