Digital Cinema Distribution Coalition today announced the nation’s fourth- and fifth-largest theatre chains, Carmike Cinemas, Inc. (NASDAQ: CKEC) and Marcus Theatres®, a division of The Marcus Corporation(NYSE:MCS), respectively, and Wehrenberg Theatres have joined as its newest exhibitor customers.
Their entrance brings two more of the largest theatre exhibitors, as well as the oldest and largest family-owned theatre chain in the U.S., into the rapidly expanding DCDC, founded by leading exhibitors AMC Theatres, Cinemark Theatres and Regal Entertainment, and major studios Warner Bros. and Universal Pictures. DCDC launched in October 2013 with 17,000 screens across more than 1,200 North American theatre sites, most of which have already been satellite-enabled.
The additions of Carmike Cinemas, with 2,901 screens and 276 theatre sites in 41 states; Marcus Theatres, totaling 685 screens at 55 locations in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and Ohio; and Wehrenberg Theatres, operating 16 movie theatres with 218 screens in Missouri, Illinois, Iowa and Minnesota, adds nearly 4,000 screens across 303 sites to the DCDC network. Combined with the three exhibitor founders and previously joining exhibitor customers Southern Theatres and National Amusements, DCDC has expanded its reach to over 21,000 screens across more than 1,800 sites.
DCDC is committed to digital delivery services to content providers through next-generation satellite technology, providing feature, promotional, pre-show and live content to its movie theatre customers. Warner Bros., Universal, The Walt Disney Company, Sony Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Paramount Pictures, Lionsgate, Focus Features, Open Road, and Freestyle Releasing have signed on as content provider customers of DCDC.
DCDC CEO Randy Blotky said, “The addition of Carmike Cinemas, Marcus Theatres and Wehrenberg Theatres, which join Southern Theatres, National Amusements and our founders, caps a phenomenal year of growth for us. These great theatre operators, as well as our many top content provider customers, are drawn to our state-of-the-art, cost-effective and efficient digital delivery platform and our unique business model, which provides a fair and uniform pricing structure to all of our customers.”
The deals follow DCDC’s acquisition of most of the equipment and related assets of the Deluxe/EchoStar satellite network, and the completion of a template agreement with the Cinema Buying Group of the National Association of Theatre Owners’ (NATO), both in March. Negotiated on behalf of its members by NATO and the CBG, the latter agreement has the potential to significantly expand DCDC’s footprint among smaller theatrical exhibitors.
About Carmike Cinemas
Carmike Cinemas, Inc. (NASDAQ: CKEC) is a U.S. leader in digital cinema, 3-D cinema deployments and one of the nation's largest motion picture exhibitors. Carmike has 278 theatres with 2,917 screens in 41 states. The circuit includes 42 premium large format (PLF) auditoriums featuring state-of-the-art technology and luxurious seating, including 25 "BigDs," 15 IMAX auditoriums and two MuviXL screens. As "America's Hometown Theatre Chain" Carmike's primary focus is mid-sized communities.
About Marcus Theatres
Marcus Theatres®, a division of The Marcus Corporation (NYSE:MCS), is the fifth largest theatre circuit in the United States and currently owns or operates 685 screens at 55 locations in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and Ohio. For more information, please visit www.marcustheatres.com and follow the company on Facebook and Twitter (@Marcus_Theatres).
About Wehrenberg Theaters
The oldest family owned theatre circuit in the United States based in St. Louis with 218 screens in 16 locations in Missouri, Illinois, Iowa and Minnesota. For more information go to www.wehrenberg.com/company
About the Digital Cinema Distribution Coalition
DCDC was formed by AMC Theatres, Regal Entertainment Group, Cinemark Theatres, Universal Pictures and Warner Bros. to provide the industry with theatrical digital delivery services across North America through a specially created network comprised of next-generation satellite and terrestrial distribution technologies. It is capable of supporting feature, promotional, pre-show and live content distribution into theaters.
The Network is designed to ensure audiences have the highest-quality entertainment experience, while exhibitors and content providers achieve a strategic, secure and cost-effective new distribution model. As digital distribution replaces the use of traditional physical media for content distribution, users of the Network will have access to a host of delivery options and resources.
