AMC and Vudu score big with new on-demand streaming partnership

Four years after AMC Theatres launched its on-demand streaming service, AMC Theatres On Demand, the company is now transferring its entire library of films over to Vudu, the Fandango-owned digital video on-demand service.

Vudu announced Thursday that it’s the official new streaming destination for AMC Theatres On Demand, giving users access to over 200,000 movies and TV shows, including the latest hit titles like “The Super Mario Bros. Movie," "John Wick: Chapter 4," "Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves," "Avatar: The Way of Water" and more.

That being said, AMC Theatres On Demand users are no longer able to watch, purchase or rent titles on the AMC Theatres On Demand apps or website. Instead, users will have to create a Vudu account to purchase new titles as well as move over their existing AMC content library. According to the AMC website, users have until August 31 to transfer their existing movie collection over to Vudu.

AMC Theatres On Demand users already on Vudu can link their accounts in order to have a unified viewing experience. Meanwhile, new Vudu consumers get 15% off every purchase during the first month of using the service.

Also, many of the movies previously purchased through AMC Theatres On Demand will be upgraded to the highest video quality, the company wrote in its announcement, which includes 4K Ultra HD. Users that rent or own applicable titles will be automatically upgraded for free.

Movie rentals on Vudu range from $0.99 to $5.99, whereas purchased films can cost up to $24.99. Users can also buy TV shows, with individual episodes priced at around $1.99 or $2.99 and full seasons ranging between $16.99 and $43.99. Vudu doesn’t require a paid subscription.

Today marks a noteworthy partnership for both companies. AMC is the largest theater chain in the U.S., with 600 theaters and approximately 200 million customers. Vudu is among the most popular digital video on-demand services, with 60 million registered users.

The new partnership allows Vudu to profit from new movies that are playing in AMC theaters while simultaneously growing its user base. AMC benefits as well as it will earn a portion of the revenue.

“As we continue to evolve our business and remain focused on ‘Making Movies Better’ by enhancing the theatrical experience, we’re even more excited to expand our relationship with a trusted partner who will ensure a continued preeminent experience for those consumers who are streaming their post-theatrical movies at home,” Nikkole Denson-Randolph, AMC senior vice president, Content Strategy & Inclusive Programming, said in a statement.

For years AMC has struggled to recover since the pandemic; however, it has somewhat bounced back. In the latest earnings report, the company noted that its losses have narrowed, with an adjusted net loss of $179.7 million in the first quarter of 2023 compared to $266.3 million the year prior. AMC also reported that total revenues grew to $954.4 million.

Since the early 2000s, Fandango has provided online ticketing for AMC Theatres in the U.S. In 2017, the company acquired AMC-founded online movie ticketing website MovieTickets.com, which was a major rival at the time.

Fandango bought Vudu from Walmart in 2020 and merged the service with its streaming platform FandangoNOW.

“AMC Theatres has been a valued exhibition partner of Fandango’s for more than two decades, and we’re thrilled to now offer our Vudu streaming service to AMC Theatres On Demand consumers,” added Cameron Douglas, vice president of Home Entertainment at Fandango.