Small theaters survived a blockbuster summer, but the margins still don’t work

The Ankler revisits the small-town exhibitors it profiled during last fall’s worst domestic October since 1997. A stacked summer filled seats, but holdover mandates and 65% studio splits still eat the good weeks.

Why it matters. Studios keep the upper hand on splits and holdover terms even when a strong slate fills seats, leaving independent exhibitors dependent on release timing they don't control.

Signal from The Ankler · Matthew Frank · read the original.

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