*By Conor White* Amazon is looking to grab even more brick-and-mortar real estate and disrupt yet another industry. The e-commerce/streaming giant is [reportedly](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-08-16/amazon-is-said-to-be-in-running-to-acquire-landmark-movie-chain) interested in acquiring Landmark Theaters, a move that Cinemablend's managing director Sean O'Connell said could be a good fit. "Landmark right now basically specializes in indie-type films, mid-level budgets," O'Connell said Friday in an interview with Cheddar. "They're not necessarily going after all the blockbusters, and so, maybe this serves the niche that Amazon is trying to corner." In true Amazon style, buying a chain of movie theaters wouldn't solely be about showing films. "I think this is almost about business model and real estate as much as it is about the movies," said Larry Dignan, editor-in-chief of ZDNet. "The big question here is whether doing something like Landmark makes more sense than just waiting for something like Sears to bankrupt and take some of that real estate." Dignan also suggested other factors were at play. "The other end game here is they could add things into Prime subscriptions, because remember ー whatever Amazon does has everything to do with Prime subscriptions," he said. A 70-year-old Supreme Court case may dictate whether Amazon is allowed to move forward with the purchase. The 1948 decision in *United States v. Paramount* prohibited studios from owning theaters and screening their own films ー paving the way for the present-day movie theater system. The Justice Department recently [opened a review](https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/department-justice-opens-review-paramount-consent-decrees) of the case, noting it may now be irrelevant. What the Justice Department decides could determine Amazon's future in this matter, and O'Connell said Amazon will be watching closely. "There's only X amount of screens you can get on, and when you're competing against, let's say, Disney, that might have 'Christopher Robin', the latest Marvel film, a potential 'Star Wars' film on all those different screens, and Amazon is trying to get 'Beautiful Boy' or something in front of theaters, they're competing with that ー and so, now if they have their own chain, they can get those films in there."

Share:
More In Business
Starbucks’ Change Flushes Out a Debate Over Public Restroom Access
Starbucks’ decision to restrict its restrooms to paying customers has flushed out a wider problem: a patchwork of restroom use policies that varies by state and city. Starbucks announced last week a new code of conduct that says people need to make a purchase if they want to hang out or use the restroom. The coffee chain's policy change for bathroom privileges has left Americans confused and divided over who gets to go and when. The American Restroom Association, a public toilet advocacy group, was among the critics. Rules about restroom access in restaurants vary by state, city and county. The National Retail Federation says private businesses have a right to limit restroom use.
Trump Highlights Partnership Investing $500 Billion in AI
President Donald Trump is talking up a joint venture investing up to $500 billion for infrastructure tied to artificial intelligence by a new partnership formed by OpenAI, Oracle and SoftBank. The new entity, Stargate, will start building out data centers and the electricity generation needed for the further development of the fast-evolving AI in Texas, according to the White House. The initial investment is expected to be $100 billion and could reach five times that sum. While Trump has seized on similar announcements to show that his presidency is boosting the economy, there were already expectations of a massive buildout of data centers and electricity plants needed for the development of AI.
Load More