EXCLUSIVE: In Monday’s press release revealing AMC Theatres‘ new distribution venture Leawood Films, distribution veteran Kyle Davies was listed as an advisor. However, we’ve come to learn that the exec is leaving Bleecker Street as President of Distribution to lead distribution at the No. 1 theater chain’s new film label.
Leawood Films, AMC said, will be dedicated to distributing small to mid-sized movies that have been fully financed.
It’s still early days, but we understand Davies will work in conjunction with NYC-based distributor Variance, which has booked for AMC on Taylor Swift: Eras Tour, Taylor Swift: Showgirl and the Beyoncé concert doc Renaissance.
We understand that Davies departure from Bleecker Street was amicable, and a search is underway for a new head of distribution there.
During Davies’ run at Bleecker Street, he launched the most successful Broadway capture film, Hadestown, via the distribution company’s sub-label Crosswalk. It has grossed more than $20 million at the domestic box office since its July release. Davies also had a high with Stray Kids: The Dominate Experience K-pop concert pic ($7.2M domestic), also through Bleecker’s Crosswalk. Other titles he handled included Rob Reiner’s final movie Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, Stop! That! Train!, The Friend, The Wedding Banquet, Fackham Hall, I.S.S. and Sasquatch Sunset. Bleecker has a busy autumn with Alex Gibney’s Musk, Victorian Pscyho, Mike Leigh’s upcoming Tender Loving Care and more.
Davies came to Bleecker from Paramount Pictures, where he was president of domestic distribution. During his run there beginning in 2016, he was responsible for distribution strategy across such major titles as Rocketman, A Quiet Place, Book Club, Mission: Impossible – Fallout, Bumblebee, Arrival, Fences, Daddy’s Home 2 and Annihilation among others.
Before Paramount, Davies was Relativity Media’s President of Worldwide Distribution.
Earlier in his career, Davies was EVP Theatrical Distribution at Overture Films, handling distribution of such films as Law Abiding Citizen, Brooklyn’s Finest and The Visitor. He was named president of the division in 2010, after Relativity acquired Overture’s marketing and distribution assets. Before joining Overture, Davies had an earlier stint at Paramount as SVP Distribution following its purchase of DreamWorks, working on such titles as Mission: Impossible III, Dreamgirls, Over the Hedge, Gladiator, Saving Private Ryan, American Beauty, Shrek and Shrek II.
Outside of distribution, Davies is involved in the Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation as co-chairman of the Pioneers Assistance Fund Committee.