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It’s one of the oldest stories ever told, but “The Chosen” is finding success with a very new approach to bringing the episodic Biblical epic to audiences. Originally available to stream on a dedicated app, “The Chosen” chose to premiere its third and fourth seasons in theaters via Fathom Entertainment — an unprecedented move for an entire season of television, in the case of season 4. But the unconventional strategy paid off handsomely, with Fathom grossing $72 million to date through the two “The Chosen” seasons, plus a Christmas feature. Now preparing to roll out the show’s fifth season, “The Chosen: Last Supper,” starting March 27, the specialty distributor is pulling out all the stops.

It’s a last rodeo too for Fathom. The fifth season will be the final one distributed by the company, as producers 5&2 Studios and global distributor Lionsgate recently made a deal for U.S. rights with Amazon...

Scarecrow Video has named Jonathan Marlow as executive director. The Scarecrow archive of more than 150,000 physical film and television items makes it one of the largest publicly-accessible physical media libraries in the world.

“Scarecrow Video is not just a place or a collection of movies, it is another portal to home. In our search for a new Executive Director, we needed to find someone who not only has the skills necessary to help us navigate the challenging times facing all nonprofits but also someone who truly understands the special nature of this institution. The Board is thrilled that Jonathan Marlow has returned down the yellow brick road to Scarecrow,” said Lacey Leavitt Gray, Board President of Scarecrow Video.

Scarecrow launched a fundraising effort in 2024 to keep the nonprofit alive and preserve public access to its collection, raising over $1 million to help the archive stay in its Seattle location through at...

Eric Becker.

Fathom Entertainment, a joint venture of the country’s largest movie theater chains, has named Eric Becker as its head of corporate communications.

Becker will report to Shannah Miller, the Vice President of Marketing at Fathom Entertainment, and will be responsible for all external communication activities, media relations and programming publicity campaigns, among related tasks.

“Fathom Entertainment is pleased to have Eric join our team at this transformational chapter in time for the company and while experiencing such great change for the industry-at-large,” Ray Nutt, the Chief Executive Officer of Fathom Entertainment, said in a statement on Wednesday. “Working closely with Shannah and her team, Eric’s many years of senior PR leadership, integrity, and experience and dedication to telling the story of the business of media and entertainment is a perfect fit for Fathom and the culture we have built at the company.”

Becker joins Fathom Entertainment...

Fathom Entertainment (recently rebranded from Fathom Events) has tapped Eric Becker, the former longtime press chief at Starz, as head of communications.

He will report to marketing VP Shannah Miller and be responsible for overseeing all external communications activities for the company, including strategic media relations, corporate communications, and programming publicity campaigns. He replaces Colette Carey, who exited at the end of last year.

Becker spent more than 18 years at Starz from the late 1990s through 2017 after Lionsgate acquired the pay TV network, serving as SVP, Corporate Communications. Subsequently, he ran his own solo PR consultancy, Becker PR, working primarily on behalf of media, entertainment and technology companies. After Starz, he also worked as an SVP at Icr, a strategic communication advisory firm.

“Fathom Entertainment is pleased to have Eric join our team at this transformational chapter in time for the company and while experiencing such great change for the industry-at-large,...

Fathom Events is on track for a record-breaking 2024 with gross revenue of $145+ million, up 45% from $100 million a year ago, and plans to rebrand to Fathom Entertainment starting in January to better reflect its mission.

The 20-year-old distributor’s strong numbers reflect in large part an expansion from core and primarily events-based and limited engagements in recent years to include more special engagements with longer release windows. The new name, it said, reflects that evolution and “the start of a bold, new chapter for the company in the rapidly changing media and entertainment landscape.”

“With the significant decline in volume of major motion picture theatrical releases post-covid and the proliferation of streaming options at-home, present day audiences are constantly on the lookout for something fresh and different and uniquely relevant at the movie theatres,” said Fathom CEO Ray Nutt. “Consumer enthusiasm and embrace of specialty content in theatres has translated into Fathom’s highest-grossing year ever.

Specialty distributor Fathom Events is getting a new name starting in 2025, bolstered by record-breaking revenues in 2024 of over $145 million. The company, which is co-owned by AMC Theatres, Cinemark Theatres and Regal Cinemas, increased revenues 45% vs. last year and aims to continue to be the leader in live and recorded content, with a healthy dose of special engagements and event cinema, in 2025 when it will operate as Fathom Entertainment.

The company’s banner 2024 was marked by the success of the “Coraline” re-release, which grossed over $34 million, “The Chosen” series that pulled in over $32 million at the box office and “The Blind,” which grossed over $17 million.

“The Blind,” a biopic of “Duck Dynasty” star Phil Robertson, marked a shift in distribution strategy as Fathom pushed to get the film to play in theaters for over six weeks after the initial seven-day release sold out.

And on the back of “Coraline,” Fathom CEO...

Fathom Events, which puts movies, TV series, concerts and other events into movie theaters for limited runs, saw a record-breaking year for limited releases in 2024, with revenues increasing 45% to more than $145 million. CEO Ray Nutt also announced that the company will rebrand as Fathom Entertainment starting in January.

Fathom’s strong year comes as re-releases of classic titles are helping bring moviegoers into theaters even in a time of uneven release schedules for new movies. The company’s most recent home run was this year’s 15th anniversary re-release of “Coraline,” which totaled $34 million at the box office, becoming Fathom’s biggest grosser ever.

The distributor, which is jointly owned by AMC Theatres, Cinemark Theatres and Regal Cinemas, has been expanding to include more special engagements with longer release windows. The new name “reflects our significant growth and evolution and the start of a bold, new chapter for the company...

At 10:41 a.m. on Dec. 6, outside the Lincoln Square AMC Theatres in New York City, a middle-aged woman stopped in front of a man holding a sign that read: “2 Free Tickets Interstellar Now.”

“Right now?” she said.

“Right now!” he replied, before revealing a hidden cost on the back of the sign: “1 Hug.”

She happily paid his price for the rare commodity: a matinee seat for a film that came out a decade ago. In secondary markets online, tickets to Christopher Nolan’s 2014 space epic had been listed for weeks for as much as $215, after all 166 Imax screens sold out for the duration of the rerelease. Last weekend, “Interstellar” pulled in $4.57 million domestically, more than any new movie, and, at $27,500, a higher per-screen average than top grossers “Moana 2” and “Wicked.” Demand is so high, in fact, that Imax is expanding the theater count for next weekend.

The accomplishment...

Toei Animation and Fathom Events are teaming up for the first three-episode premiere of the Dragon Ball Daima English dub this November, with the debut dubbed trailer now revealed.

Hot on the heels of the upcoming Oct. 11 simulcast premiere of Dragon Ball Daima on Crunchyroll and Hulu, Fathom Events is giving anime fans a chance to watch the brand-new Dragon Ball series by the late Akira Toriyama on the big screen. Episodes 1-3 of Dragon Ball Daima's English dub will be screened from Nov. 10-12 in hundreds of theaters across North America. This event will mark the world premiere of Daima's English dub, with ticket sales going live on Oct. 11. Toei Animation's new trailer can be seen below.

Related Dragon Ball Reveals the Volume Cover Illustration That Akira Toriyama Wanted to Fix

Dragon Ball's official Toriyama archive unveils a piece of Dragon Ball cover art that Akira Toriyama...

Re-releases of classic films aren’t supposed to make much of a mark at the box office. They usually serve as a helpful stopgap for theaters to bring in a little extra revenue during slow periods on the release slate. But “Coraline” has proven otherwise — and its newfound success has caught the attention of Hollywood.

The debut film from stop-motion animation Laika Studios returned to theaters courtesy of Fathom Events and Trafalgar Releasing this past weekend for its 15th anniversary, and set a record for those distributors with the most successful re-release in their history with $29.3 million grossed worldwide. Last weekend, the film grossed $9.6 million from Friday to Sunday, enough to put it in the top 5.

For comparison, in its original theatrical run from Focus Features in 2009, “Coraline” earned an unadjusted $75.2 million domestic and $124.5 million worldwide. For an inflation-proof comparison, turn to Mexico, where “Coraline” sold 1.6 million tickets. As of Tuesday,...

Laika is celebrating the beyond-expectations box office results for the re-release of its acclaimed 2009 stop-motion animated film Coraline and will extend the run of its groundbreaking film through August 29th.

Coraline returned to theaters worldwide for its 15th Anniversary in newly remastered 3D for a special limited engagement that started August 15th. In partnership with Fathom in the U.S. and Trafalgar Releasing internationally, the film is offered in stunning, newly remastered 3D and 2D formats.

Since opening on Thursday, August 15, the re-issue of Coraline has earned over $20 million at the worldwide box office. It has sold $12.5 million in tickets in the U.S. and $7.6 million internationally, for a worldwide total of $20.1 million. Coraline was the #4 movie at the domestic box office.

The 15th anniversary Coraline showings also include an early glimpse of Laika’s upcoming film, Wildwood. You can check out that teaser here.

In Mexico, Coraline has officially...

One year after making $7 million in theatrical re-release, Henry Selick’s 2009 stop motion film Coraline is headed back to theaters nationwide this summer… this time in 3D.

Fathom Events will be celebrating the 15th anniversary of Coraline by bringing a brand new 3D remaster to theaters around the world from August 15 – August 22, 2024.

Variety details in a report this afternoon, “Ticket sales kick off on June 21. A 2D version of the film will also be available to exhibitors.” You can sign up for an email reminder now.

“Laika set the 3D standard with the 2009 release of Coraline,” said the studio’s Chief Marketing and Operations Officer David Burke. “This newly remastered version, in the works for three years, brings Neil Gaiman’s enchanting story to life in stunning, stereoscopic 3D detail and is a love letter to Laika fans everywhere.”

“Everybody loves Coraline, and Fathom is proud to partner once again...

Henry Selick’s modern classic “Coraline” turns 15 this year, and a new 3D remaster of the stop-motion feature (announced in February) will get a worldwide theatrical release this fall by Fathom in the U.S and Trafalgar Releasing in the rest of the world.

Limited screenings will begin on August 15 and feature an early glimpse of Laika’s upcoming film, “Wildwood.” Ticket sales kick off on June 21. A 2D version of the film will also be available to exhibitors.

“Coraline”

In 2023, Fathom re-released the original version of “Coraline” in the U.S., which netted over $7 million at the box office, a record for the event-based distributor. The film is also screening in this year’s Annecy Classics program, marking a return to the French festival where it won the Cristal for a feature film in 2009.

“Coraline” was written by Neil Gaiman and Selick and stars voice actors Dakota Fanning, Ian McShane,...

DC Studios and Fathom Events are collaborating on the theatrical release of the acclaimed documentary “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story.” The film, which DC Studios, HBO Documentary Films and CNN Films acquired out of the Sundance Film Festival this year, will debut in cinemas across the U.S. on Saturday, September 21, 2024.

There will be an encore presentation on September 25, Reeve’s birthday. Visit Fathom Events for further information and participating theaters. The film’s international theatrical rollout will follow.

Jeff Goldstein, President of Domestic Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures, stated, “On behalf of not only Warner Bros., but also my colleagues at DC, HBO and CNN, it’s an honor to be a part of bringing Christopher Reeve and his singular legacy to audiences again. It was at this very studio where he made us all believe a man could fly, and this documentary reveals what made him a true hero,...

The acclaimed documentary Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story is heading to the big screen, but for a limited release. The film will officially hit theaters in September, but it will be for just two days only.

Exploring the career and life story of beloved Superman actor Christopher Reeve, the documentary premiered at Sundance in January. It drew very high praise, resulting in an approval rating of 100% at Rotten Tomatoes. Others will get the chance to see Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story when it is released in theaters on Sept. 21, 2024, courtesy of Fathom Events. It will then have an encore screening in theaters on Sept. 25, which would mark Reeves' 72nd birthday if the actor hadn't died in 2004. It's not yet clear if the limited showings will be followed by a wider release, and international release details have yet to be determined.

Related James Gunn Confirms Superman's Ma and Pa Kent...

DC Studios and Fathom Events are partnering to give Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story a special theatrical release.

The film, which DC Studios, HBO Documentary Films and CNN Films acquired out of the Sundance Film Festival this year, will debut in cinemas across the U.S. on Sept. 21, 2024. An encore presentation will follow on Sept. 25, the Superman actor’s birthday.

“Everyone knows that Superman is a superhero, but I’m eager for audiences to discover the Real superhero behind Superman. This film is an extraordinary story that takes a deep dive into the man Christopher Reeve really was and the courage he displayed,” Fathom Events’ CEO Ray Nutt said in a statement.

The doc, from filmmakers Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui, traces their subject’s Hollywood and personal history alongside the tireless activism for disability awareness that followed his paralysis.

“It was at this very studio where he made us...

Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story, the documentary from Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui (McQueen), which premiered to critical acclaim out of this year’s Sundance Film Festival, has been slated to hit select U.S. theaters via DC Studios and Fathom Events on September 21, with an encore presentation to follow on the late actor’s birthday, September 25.

An international theatrical rollout is also forthcoming at a date not yet disclosed.

Stated Jeff Goldstein, President of Domestic Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures, “On behalf of not only Warner Bros., but also my colleagues at DC, HBO and CNN, it’s an honor to be a part of bringing Christopher Reeve and his singular legacy to audiences again. It was at this very studio where he made us all believe a man could fly, and this documentary reveals what made him a true hero, on- and off-screen. Partnering with our friends at Fathom...

“Super/Man,” a documentary about the life of Christopher Reeve, will hit the big screen in the fall.

The film, which was widely embraced at Sundance and sold to Warner Bros. Discovery for roughly $15 million, will play in select theaters on Sept. 21 followed by an encore presentation on Reeve’s birthday, Sept. 25. The Warners-owned DC Studios is collaborating with Fathom Events on the theatrical release.

It’s not clear if “Super/Man” will get a wider, traditional theatrical release at a later date. Plans for the film’s international rollout have yet to be announced.

“On behalf of not only Warner Bros., but also my colleagues at DC, HBO and CNN, it’s an honor to be a part of bringing Christopher Reeve and his singular legacy to audiences again,” Jeff Goldstein, president of domestic distribution, said. “It was at this very studio where he made us all believe a man could fly,...

Fathom Events is partnering with Warner Bros. Pictures in bringing filmmaker Daniela Völker’s timely and poignant documentary The Commandant’s Shadow to theaters across the U.S. on Wednesday, May 29, 2024, with an encore presentation the following day.

Screenings for this very special event will be available in 500+ theaters across the Fathom network of cinemas. Tickets go on sale from today at Fathom Events and participating theater box offices.

The Commandant’s Shadow follows Hans Jürgen Höss, the 87-year-old son of Rudolf Höss, as he faces his father’s terrible legacy for the first time. His father was the Camp Commandant of Auschwitz and masterminded the murder of over a million Jews.

Höss and his family’s lives were recently fictionalized in the Academy Award-winning The Zone of Interest. Now, The Commandant’s Shadow tells the story of the real people who lived on-site at Höss’s death camp.

While Hans Jurgen Höss...

Fathom Events will partner with Warner Bros. Pictures in bringing filmmaker Daniela Völker’s documentary The Commandant’s Shadow to theaters across the U.S. on Wednesday, May 29, 2024, with an encore presentation the following day. Screenings will be available in 500+ theaters across the Fathom network of cinemas. Tickets go on sale from today at Fathom Events and participating theater box offices.

The Commandant’s Shadow follows Hans Jürgen Höss, the 87-year-old son of Rudolf Höss, as he faces his father’s terrible legacy for the first time. His father was the Camp Commandant of Auschwitz and masterminded the murder of over a million Jews; the life of Höss and his family was recently fictionalized in the Academy Award-winning The Zone of Interest. Now, The Commandant’s Shadow tells the story of the real people who lived on site at Höss’s death camp.

While Hans Jurgen Höss enjoyed a happy childhood in the family villa at Auschwitz,...

“The Good Half,” a comedic drama starring Nick Jonas, has been acquired by Utopia and will be released in theaters this summer.

Utopia, which was co-founded by “The Good Half” director Robert Schwartzman, is partnering with Fathom Events for preview screenings on July 23 and July 25 in 900 theaters in North America. Those showtimes will feature a virtual Q&a with Jonas and Schwartzman, moderated by “Mad Men” actor Kiernan Shipka. “The Good Half” will likely get a traditional theatrical release later in the year.

“The Good Half” premiered last June at the Tribeca Festival, where it was seeking distribution. Though Schwartzman runs Utopia, representatives stress that he independently produced “The Good Half” before his own company acquired the film nearly a year later.

Jonas stars in the movie as Renn, a writer who travels home to Cleveland for his mother’s funeral. As he reunites with his family — Brittany Snow plays his high-strung sister,...

Fathom Events, the company best known for bringing theater, opera, live events and concerts to screens, is currently on track for gross revenues of over $93 million. Despite the fact that the exhibition space has yet to fully recover from the Covid pandemic, Fathom is enjoying the best year in its history — it will surpass sales from 2019, previously the highest-grossing year in company history, by 116%. For further context, Fathom reported revenues of $68 million in 2022.

So what’s behind the surge? Fathom is chalking up the strong results to a pivot in business strategy for the company, one that saw it introduce a “specialty distribution” model. The goal was to bring a wider array of content to cinemas beyond the productions of the Metropolitan Opera that helped put Fathom on the map. It’s one that saw Fathom distribute faith-based films like “The Blind,” as well as release episodes of “The Chosen,...

To get this out of the way up top: No one is Taylor Swift.

This was the unanimous refrain among players who make and distribute concert films and music documentaries when asked what Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour means for the space. Nonetheless, insiders note that Swift’s is a rising tide that lifts all boats, with artists and their teams already making calls and taking cues from Swift’s Eras deal, which sees her keep an outsized portion of the film’s $160.4 million global haul after its second weekend in release.

According to a survey of 6,000 moviegoers by NATO’s Cinema Foundation, 72 percent said they want to see more concert films on the big screen. But that content has not been available with consistency.

“Concert films were ruined by poor execution,” says RadicalMedia co-founder Jon Kamen, who has long worked in the space. Kamen’s credits range from Concert for George,...

The Blind is now the most successful release in the history of Fathom Events, as the faith-based feature has grossed $15.7 million at the North American box office as of Monday.

The film is Fathom’s first to see a longer theatrical run than its traditional event cinema releases. Originally slated for an eight-day run as part of Fathom’s new specialty distribution model, it was extended twice, Fathom said, and held a steady position in the top 10 for the duration of its more than three weeks in cinemas.

The Blind was produced by Tread Lively and Gnd Media Group. Andrew Hyatt directs the back-story of the star of Duck Dynasty, Phil Robertson. In 1960s Louisiana, Robertson falls in love and starts a family, but his demons soon threaten to tear everyone apart. As he seeks to conquer the shame of his past, he ultimately finds redemption in an unlikely place.

You may not expect to hear Christopher Nolan talk about Taylor Swift, but the Oppenheimer director is crediting the success of the singer’s recent concert film with proving just how important theaters are.

“Taylor Swift is about to show the studios, because her concert film is not being distributed by the studios,” Christopher Nolan said at the Cuny Graduate Center. “It’s being distributed by the theater owner, AMC, and it’s going to make an enormous amount of money. And this is the thing, this is a format, this is a way of seeing things and sharing stories, or sharing experiences that’s incredibly valuable. And if they [the studios] don’t want it, somebody else will. So that’s just the truth of it.“

Rather than distribute Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour through a traditional studio, the singer made a deal with AMC Theatres, which will likely prove incredibly profitable.

Is Taylor Swift saving cinema?

Christopher Nolan is applauding Swift for shaking off studio distributors and offering a new model of theatrical distribution. Nolan, while in discussion with fellow filmmaker Emma Thomas and Pulitzer Prize–winning “American Prometheus” author Kai Bird about “Oppenheimer” at the Cuny Graduate Center, pointed to Swift’s decision to release “The Eras Tour” documentary directly to the AMC Theatre chain.

“Taylor Swift is about to show the studios, because her concert film is not being distributed by the studios. It’s being distributed by the theater owner, AMC, and it’s going to make an enormous amount of money,” Nolan said. “And this is the thing, this is a format, this is a way of seeing things and sharing stories, or sharing experiences that’s incredibly valuable. And if they [the studios] don’t want it, somebody else will. So that’s just the truth of it.

“Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” is a tour de force. The concert film, produced by Tay’s own team, bypassed major distributors in favor of AMC, (legally) charged whatever Swift wanted for tickets ($19.89), and put a ton of money in the singer’s pocket: Swift negotiated a 57 percent cut of the revenue that would normally go to a distributor.

With roughly $125 million in worldwide box office after opening weekend, should traditional film distributors be worried about going the way of Scooter Braun? Chill; there are not many who “have the appeal that [Swift] has,” Richard Abramowitz, a veteran of the event-cinema space with his indie distributor Abramorama, told IndieWire.

As unique as Swift’s example may seem, it’s happened before and it’s likely to happen again. Abramowitz pointed to a release he did for the 2011 documentary “Pearl Jam Twenty.” Abramorama “did not spend a penny” in advertising, he said,...

It’s official: the new season of the hit Biblical streaming series The Chosen, about the life and ministry of Jesus, will first play exclusively in theaters.

The theatrical rollout of The Chosen: Season 4 begins Feb. 1, 2024, with a two-week run of episodes 1-3, followed Feb. 15 by episodes 4-6 and Feb. 29 by episodes 7-8. Fathom Events is handling distribution duties in the U.S. and Canada. A consortium of distributors will bring the episodes to the big screen in Latin America, the U.K., Poland, Australia and New Zealand.

Following its theatrical run, season four of The Chosen will debut across streaming platforms, including The Chosen TV, mobile apps, broadcast and cable TV. Lionsgate is the show’s global television distributor.

Last season, the first and final episodes of The Chosen played in theaters via Fathom.

“Every time we’ve dipped our toes in the theatrical waters, viewers have overwhelmingly told us they want more.

Fathom Events and Roadside Attractions are teaming up to release Madeleine Gavin’s Sundance award-winning documentary “Beyond Utopia.”

The film takes viewers on a harrowing journey as one family risks everything to escape from North Korea. The pact comes after the film made its world premiere in the U.S. documentary competition section at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, where it won the doc audience award.

While the film attracted plenty of interest from distribution companies following its debut in Park City, the market slowdown has led to deals taking longer than usual to nail down.

Roadside acquired domestic rights to “Beyond Utopia” and will release the film theatrically in select markets later this fall, thereby qualifying the docu for Oscar consideration. Fathom Events will release the film in more than 600 theaters nationwide during a special two-night only event on Oct. 23-24.

Using hidden camera footage, Gavin tells the...

Coraline continues to captivate audiences with its timeless appeal, as evidenced by its impressive box office earnings and devoted fanbase. The film's per-screen average earnings surpassed newer releases, highlighting its magnetic pull on both old and new audiences. Due to overwhelming demand, Coraline will be returning to the silver screen on August 28 and 29.

There are films that defy the ordinary - they capture hearts and become timeless. Such is the legacy of Coraline. Audiences remain spellbound and exhilarated by the animated marvel, even fourteen years after its premiere. Recently, the beloved animated feature raked in a whopping $4.91 million over a two-day Fathom Events screening, signaling its undying charm and solidifying its position as a classic.

With a stellar performance at the box office this week, the eerie tale stood tall only behind releases such as Barbie and Oppenheimer. This figure doesn't just highlight the film's timeless appeal but also pays homage to its steadfast fanbase.

“Coraline,” 2009’s Oscar-nominated animated feature from Laika Studios, grossed a combined $4.91 million in a limited theatrical rerelease via Fathom Events.

The success of the screenings, which were held Monday and Tuesday, has led to two additional screenings of the Henry Selick-directed film being added on Aug. 28 and Aug. 29.

The showings, hosted by Fathom in partnership with Laika and Park Circus, placed the film third in gross box office behind “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer.” It ranked as the highest grosser in per screen average on both days, making $3,000 per screen.

“As of now, Coraline is Fathom’s biggest classic movie of all time and the second highest grossing title for 2023,” Ray Nutt, CEO of Fathom Events, said in a statement. “This film carries such a large fan following year after year, and they certainly came out in force this year to see their favorite film.”

The stop-motion film based on the...

Henry Selick’s 2009 stop motion film Coraline returned to theaters nationwide on Monday, August 14 and Tuesday, August 15, courtesy of Fathom Events, Laika, and Park Circus, and the screenings were such a success that more showings are coming later this month.

Fathom Events has announced in a press release today, “The acclaimed 2009 stop-motion epic was a huge box office hit for Fathom Events, Laika, and Park Circus this past Monday and Tuesday, grossing a combined $4.91 million in U.S. gross box office.

“The film was third in gross box office behind Barbie and Oppenheimer on both Monday and Tuesday but was First in per screen average on both of those days.”

Due to demand, additional showings will take place on August 28 & August 29.

“As of now, Coraline is Fathom’s biggest classic movie of all time and the second highest grossing title for 2023,” said Ray Nutt, CEO of Fathom Events. “This film...

Cineverse and Fathom Events Bring Horror/Comedy ‘Shaky Shivers’ to the Big Screen for One-Night-Only on September 21: "Cineverse and Fathom Events announced today that the horror/comedy Shaky Shivers will arrive in theaters for a one-night event on September 21. The 80s-inspired creature feature is the directorial debut of ‘Fast & Furious’ alum Sung Kang and will feature an introduction from Kang ahead of the film’s feature presentation.

Frightening and funny, the film puts the camp back in summer camp. After finding herself bitten by a mysterious animal, Lucy becomes convinced that she will transform into a fearsome werewolf. Joined by her best friend Karen, the two embark on a wild adventure filled with magic and mayhem, as they look to do battle with a throat-slashing creature ripped right out of an 80s horror movie.

During the peak of the Covid pandemic, Kang made a career shift from blockbuster action...

Duck Dynasty and the Metropolitan Opera are two very different cultural phenomena, but they have at least one thing in common: Fathom Events, the unique and prolific theatrical distributor based in Denver.

Over the past 20 years, Fathom has mastered the art of finding audiences for one-off cinematic events, from live broadcasts of opera, stage plays and live concert pics to anniversary rereleases of classic Hollywood films. A groundbreaking partnership with The Metropolitan Opera put Fathom on the map. Launched in 2006, The Met: Live in HD program, which sees about 10 operas a year beamed into theaters on Saturdays and Wednesdays, has generated more than $205 million in box office sales and consistently lands on a weekend’s top 10 list.

The company has also made a big impression in the faith-based and anime spaces (again, two disparate genres). Fathom ranked No. 9 on the list of top distributors at the 2022 domestic box office, with...

Coraline will return to the big screen to celebrate Laika Studios’ 15-year anniversary.

Fathom Events, in collaboration with Laika, Shout! Factory, and Park Circus, announced that Coraline will play in theaters for a limited time in August, along with never-before-seen footage delving into the creative process and development of Laika's films. Alongside Coraline, ParaNorman will return to theaters as well, all to celebrate the 15th anniversary of Laika Studios. Coraline will return to theaters on Aug. 24, while ParaNorman will have a screening on Nov. 16.

Related: Will There Be a Coraline Sequel?

"Bringing these Laika films back to theaters gives everyone at the studio such joy," said Laika Chief Marketing Officer David Burke in a statement. "It allows our longtime fans to enjoy these remarkable movies on the big screen once again while providing an opportunity for new generations of moviegoers to revel in the artistry and technological brilliance of the Laika team.

When Ray Nutt took the reins of Fathom Events as CEO in 2017, the first thing he decided to change was the nomenclature used to describe the titles that the company distributes to hundreds of theaters around the U.S.

“Alternative content” was the short-hand description used for the projects handled by the Denver-based distributor that is owned by the nation’s three largest exhibition chains: AMC Entertainment, Regal Cinemas and Cinemark. Nutt, a veteran exhibition and cable TV executive, explains in the latest episode of Variety‘s “Strictly Business” podcast that the wording was too vague, in his view.

“We started to transition into what we’re calling now ‘event cinema,’ ” Nutt says.

He points to developments in technology and production hardware that has lowered the barrier of entry to producing high-end content. But getting it distributed in multipexes around the country is still a high bar. Fathom Events offers...

Thanks to the insatiable appetite of horror fans for the twisted and depraved, the independent film scene has seen some recent microbudget box office hits, from “Terrifier 2” to “Skinamarink.” The next one may come from the Hundred Acre Wood with “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey.”

Directed by Rhys Frake-Waterfield, “Blood and Honey” reimagines Winnie the Pooh and Piglet as bloodthirsty slasher villains bent on revenge against Christopher Robin after he left them behind upon reaching adulthood. The film’s first trailer was a viral hit after it was released this past August, and now event film distributor Fathom Events will be bringing “Blood and Honey” to approximately 1,500 theaters starting February 15 for a nine-day limited engagement.

“There are so many films with the usual horror monsters, like werewolves and ghosts, and we want to make something that really stood out,” Frake-Waterfield told TheWrap. “I thought that maybe if we were lucky,...

After initially being set for a one night release, Winnie the Pooh: Blood & Honey's theatrical release is getting a major expansion. The upcoming horror film will present a dark twist on A.A. Milne's iconic children's books as a now-adult Christopher Robin returns to the Hundred Acre Wood after graduating from college and finds the eponymous bear and Piglet having turned feral and killed their friends and going on a murderous killing spree against Robin, his girlfriend, and a group of college women staying at a nearby home. Hailing from writer/director Rhys Frake-Waterfield in his feature debut, Winnie the Pooh: Blood & Honey has garnered widespread attention for its bizarre premise.

With just a month remaining until the film hits the big screens, Fathom Events has revealed that Winnie the Pooh: Blood & Honey's theatrical release is getting a major expansion. Initially slated for a one-night release on February 15, the...

We’ve previously heard that director Rhys Frake-Waterfield’s movie Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey will be getting a theatrical release though Fathom Events in the US on February 15th… and now Fathom Events has announced that, due to popular demand, they will be giving Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey a nine day release in more than 1500 theatres nationwide! The film will be showing on the big screen from Wednesday, February 15th through Monday, February 23rd.

A.A. Milne’s 1926 children’s book Winnie-the-Pooh and the characters in it lapsed into the public domain at the start of this year, and that’s how Frake-Waterfield was able to make this movie happen, no permission required. The filmmaker explained to Variety that Pooh and Piglet (go) on a rampage after being abandoned by a college-bound Christopher Robin. “Christopher Robin is pulled away from them, and he’s not [given] them food,...

Originally set for a one-night-only theatrical release, we’ve learned today that Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey is now getting an expanded theatrical release from Fathom Events.

Fathom Events announced today that the long-awaited horror film will expand to nine dates in theaters starting on Wednesday, February 15 and running through Monday, February 23.

The film will also be available in more than 1,500 theaters nationwide.

“We have been overwhelmed with the enthusiastic response from the public. From top media companies ranging from Rolling Stone magazine to USA Today to TMZ to individual comments on Reddit and YouTube—the world is craving Blood and Honey, and we’re thrilled to be teaming up with Fathom to deliver Winnie-The-Pooh as never seen before,” says Stuart Alson, executive producer.

“This film has been on our radar for several months and audience engagement continues to increase at remarkable rates,” said Ray Nutt, CEO of Fathom Events.

Fathom Events and the Metropolitan Opera have renewed the “The Met: Live in HD” screening series, extending a cultural tradition that has delivered scores of performances from the Met’s stage at Lincoln Center directly to theater screens nationwide since 2006.

The partnership between the country’s largest performing arts institution and leading event-cinema distributor will be renewed for three more years, through the 2025–26 season, culminating in the 20th anniversary of the “Live in HD” program.

The announcement comes three weeks ahead of the Dec. 10 “Live in HD” transmission of a new work, “The Hours” by Kevin Puts, based on the novel by Michael Cunningham and the 2002 movie of the same title. The Met is presenting the world premiere staging of the work.

The partnership that began in 2006 with fewer than 100 theaters has grown to an average of 725 theaters and an estimated audience of more than 580,000 annually, according to representatives for both organizations.

Fathom Events, which has carved out a specialty niche with its limited engagements of faith-based films, scored a big win this weekend screening the first two episodes of the upcoming third season of the Jesus biopic TV series “The Chosen.”

Angel Studios’ production landed in the No. 3 spot on the box office charts, with a heavenly 8.2 million from 2,027 theaters, just behind the 9 million opening that Searchlight’s “The Menu” earned with approximately 1,200 more theaters in play. Angel Studios’ series, now in its third season, is a retelling of Jesus of Nazareth’s life and ministry alongside his disciples that has been produced primarily on a crowdfunded budget with tens of millions of dollars donated by the series’ evangelical Christan fan base.

Because of that crowdfunding, “The Chosen” is free to stream through an app made specifically for the show, but its fans have paid tickets this weekend to see new...

It’s not just Netflix and “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.” More streaming content looks to be making its mark at theaters ahead of an online premiere. In what would be a stunning surprise, the first two episodes of the third season of “The Chosen” (Fathom Events), a faith-based crowd-funded online episodic series, looks like it might rank as high as No. 2 at theaters this weekend.

Sources with access to ticket sales so far on its opening day estimate it could earn 9-10 million for the weekend. That would put it in a race with “The Menu,” Searchlight’s horror comedy, behind the second weekend of “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.”

The series from creator Dallas Jenkins is available to stream on Peacock, among other platforms, and centers on the years Jesus spent as an apostle with his disciples. The new season will have eight episodes, available at an unspecified...

Stories of vomiting, passed-out patrons, and theater ambulance visits certainly helped. But the box-office success of “Terrifier 2” — the gory horror sequel from director Damien Leone that managed to make 10 million on a budget of a quarter-million bucks — is a perfect storm of viral marketing savvy and a revitalized interest in event cinema. Now, leading event cinema distributors are trying to chase down their own “Terrifier 2.”

Beyond “Terrifier 2” — which just held onto a domestic top 10-box office spot in its fifth weekend — last Saturday’s live stream of the “2022 League of Legends World Championship” made 405,000 from just over 400 locations. A recent live stream of two Coldplay concerts in Buenos Aires made over 1 million, just missing the top 10 for its weekend.

Fathom’s ongoing showings of the Met Opera and its recent Studio Ghibli Fest continue to perform, in some cases better than pre-pandemic levels. And Fathom recently announced...

Audiences came out in droves to see John Carpenter’s “The Thing” when it returned to theaters Sunday to mark its 40th anniversary, but many left the Fathom Events screenings disappointed: Many reported that the film was cropped from its original aspect ratio and the picture quality was bad. Fathom responded to the outcry with a fix. A second round of nationwide screenings on Wednesday will be in the film’s original widescreen format — which Carpenter considers a “happy ending.”

“It’s distressing, it’s horrible,” the director told IndieWire Tuesday, after several viral Twitter threads detailed the film’s subpar presentation. Among them was posts from director and podcast host Mick Garris, who vowed he would “never Ever” see a Fathom screening again, and encouraged his thousands of followers to do the same.

He said the film was shot in the 2.35:1 widescreen aspect ratio, but the version Fathom...

Updated , 11:00 a.m: On the heels of a home-state world premiere at SXSW and a special screening on May 1st at the Texas Rangers’ stadium, Utopia has announced that its documentary Facing Nolan, on baseball legend Nolan Ryan, will debut theatrically nationwide on June 24th, in Regal Cinemas, Studio Movie Grill and additional select arthouse locations, followed by a digital release through Utopia on July 19th. The film had previously been set to screen nationwide in theaters for one night only on May 24th, via Fandom Events.

Facing Nolan will give viewers an intimate look at the ups and downs of Ryan’s storied 27-year career, as well as his personal relationships with friends and family, also naturally covering a handful of his greatest achievements on the diamond. More information on the film directed by Bradley Jackson can be found below. Watch its trailer above.

Previously, April 12: Facing Nolan,...

Fathom Events and Spain’s Bosco Films are partnering to bring faith-based documentary “Vivo” (“Alive”) to about 700 North American locations on April 25.

Produced by Hakuna Films and directed by Jorge Pareja, “Alive” narrates four real-life stories filmed in Spain of people who tell how Christian’s Eucharist transformed their lives.

“Alive,” which previously bowed by Bosco in Spain and 14 Latin American territories, marks the Spanish indie distributor’s leap into the international market, where it’s been closing a bundle of exhibition agreements with local and international operators.

The peak in “Alive’s” international theatrical career comes with the U.S. release after the Fathom Events deal.

“In the event cinema business, we see that people come to the theater in groups, having a true community experience,” said Ray Nutt, CEO of Fathom Events.

“To be able to bring this same experience to the Spanish speaking community is very important to us.

Warner Bros. Pictures is teaming with Fathom Events for a special theatrical event of the Daniel Roher-directed documentary, Navalny, which had its surprise screening at the Sundance Film Festival and won the Audience Award in the U.S. Documentary Competition section as well as the Festival Favorite Award.

The movie about Russian government opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who targeted in an assassination attempt in August 2020, was acquired by CNN Films and HBO Max in early January before Sundance. Warner Bros. will screen the film in more than 800 theaters in North America on April 11 and 12.

The screenings will be followed by a special conversation with the filmmakers, to be moderated by CNN chief international correspondent, Clarissa Ward. Ward has reported extensively from Russia and Ukraine, and specifically on matters related to Navalny, for several years.

Warner Bros. previously had success with the Fathom Events special theatrical release of the Peter Jackson directed 2018 WWI documentary,...

Warner Bros. has officially acquired Sundance breakout documentary “Navalny” for theatrical release and set a special Fathom screening event only in theaters.

CNN Films, Warner Bros., and HBO Max have partnered with Fathom Events to present director Daniel Roher’s documentary thriller “Navalny” in special screening events April 11 and 12 across over 800 theaters in North America. The screenings will be followed by a conversation with the filmmakers, moderated by CNN’s chief international correspondent Clarissa Ward.

“Navalny” centers on the untold story of Russian dissident and presidential candidate Alexey Navalny, who was the target of a 2020 assassination attempt, allegedly ordered by President Vladimir Putin. On March 22, Navalny was sentenced to nine years in a maximum-security prison after he was convicted of fraud and contempt of the Russian court. Kremlin critics see the sentencing as an attempt to keep Putin’s primary rival behind bars for as long as possible.

“Navalny” premiered at 2022 Sundance,...

“Navalny,” the documentary about Russian dissident and political opposition leader Alexey Navalny who was just imprisoned by Vladimir Putin’s government, will now get a theatrical release from Warner Bros. Pictures and Fathom Events.

“Navalny” premiered to acclaim at Sundance earlier this year and was meant to debut through CNN Films and HBO Max. But that was before Russia invaded Ukraine, and with the Russian war still raging, the film will now make its debut next month in special screenings before it hits streaming, and it will still eventually debut through CNN+ and HBO Max and on broadcast via CNN Films.

Daniel Roher’s film “Navalny” will screen in more than 800 theaters in North America on April 11 and 12 in partnership with Fathom Events and Warner Bros. The screenings will be followed by a special conversation with the filmmakers and moderated by CNN chief international correspondent, Clarissa Ward. Ward has reported...