(New York, New York — June 6, 2005) – AMC, basic cable’s premiere destination dedicated to movies and movie culture, announced today the exclusive television exhibition rights to 22 films from Warner Bros. Domestic Cable Distribution, including the network window for such mega-hits as Two Weeks Notice, Million Dollar Baby, The Last Samurai, Ocean’s 12, Troy and Mystic River, as well as the upcoming Batman Begins. The agreement will further expand the network’s movie library, while building on its strategy to serve the full spectrum of moviegoers.
The network window is the window immediately following a film’s pay cable exhibition. This deal begins in June 2005, with the network television premiere of the Sandra Bullock and Hugh Grant hit, Two Weeks Notice.
Today’s announcement comes on the heels of AMC’s most successful year ever (2004). In 2005, AMC continues to post record ratings growth in total day and prime time households and key demo deliveries. The network experienced its best EVER 1Q in 1Q 2005, and posted double digit HH and key demo growth across every daypart year to year in April 2005. In addition, season to date (Oct 04 thru Apr 05) is pacing to be AMC’s strongest season ever.
“The deal represents AMC’s strong commitment to providing our audience with a broad range of movies,” stated Ed Carroll, President, Rainbow Entertainment Services. “AMC now has an unchallenged position as the movie destination for basic cable.”
“In the first quarter of this year, 13 of basic cable’s top 20 programs were theatricals, proving that movies are a very integral part of cable television’s programming,” said Eric Frankel, President, Warner Bros. Domestic Cable Distribution. “With this package of contemporary blockbusters, AMC has moved solidly into the ranks of cable’s leading networks by programming first-run movies which will raise its ratings significantly, and in turn, its profile among advertisers, cable operators and viewers.”
In addition to the titles below, this licensing agreement also includes three additional upcoming titles from the Studio’s 2005 and/or 2006 slates.
Million Dollar Baby – The 2004 Best Picture of the Year and winner of three additional Oscars, including Best Director (Clint Eastwood), Best Actress (Hilary Swank), Best Supporting Actor (Morgan Freeman). On over 200 Top 10 lists.
The Last Samurai – #1 box-office sensation Tom Cruise stars in this epic adventure of one man caught between two worlds and his ultimate redemption. This $110+million hit was nominated for four Oscars, including Best Supporting Actor for Ken Watanabe.
Two Weeks Notice – The #1 romantic comedy of the 2002 holiday season starring Golden Globe nominee Sandra Bullock and Golden Globe winner Hugh Grant about two weeks between two people too clueless to know they’re made for each other.
Terminator 3 – Golden Globe winner Arnold Schwarzenegger reprises one of the screen’s most
iconic roles in the blockbuster 3rd installment of one of the biggest action movie franchises of all time. A top 10 box-office hit of 2003.
Ocean’s 12 – The screen’s biggest stars reprise their roles in the $122+ million sequel to the box-office smash, only this time the caper goes international. Oscar winner Steven Soderbergh directs George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Catherine Zeta Jones, Andy Garcia, Don Cheadle and Bernie Mac.
Raising Helen – Academy Award nominee & Golden Globe winner Kate Hudson goes from modeling agency exec to surrogate mom in this heart-warming comedy co-starring Sex and The City’s John Corbett and Joan Cusack.
Mystic River – From Oscar-winning director Clint Eastwood comes Sean Penn and Tim Robbins in their Oscar-winning roles alongside Kevin Bacon, Laurence Fishburne, Marcia Gay Harden and Laura Linney. Nominated for six Oscars including Best Picture.
Ladder 49 – Screen legend and Oscar nominee John Travolta stars alongside Oscar nominee Joaquin Phoenix in this heart-pounding, explosive action-thriller about firefighters who put their lives on the line every day. “Two thumbs up” for this $61+ million box-office hit.
Batman Begins – Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins explores the origins of the Batman legend and the Dark Knight’s emergence as a force for good in Gotham.
Starsky & Hutch – Comedy’s #1 funny man, Ben Stiller teams with Owen Wilson in the ultimate buddy cop farce. This $90+ million box-office blast based on the wildly popular TV drama series also stars platinum-selling recording artist Snoop Dogg, Vince Vaughn and Will Ferrell.
Constantine – Superstar Keanu Reeves of The Matrix trilogy stars in this exciting suspenseful drama based on the #1 selling DC Comics/Vertigo series about a man who’s been to hell and back. Also starring Oscar nominee Djimon Hounsou, Rachel Weisz and Gavin Rossdale (lead singer of Bush).
Troy – The greatest love story of all time comes to the screen as a $132+ million box-office spectacular featuring superstars Brad Pitt, Orlando Bloom, Eric Bana, Peter O’Toole, Julie Christie and directed by Oscar nominee Wolfgang Petersen.
Insomnia – Oscar winner Al Pacino, Oscar winner Robin Williams and Oscar winner Hilary Swank star in this stylish suspense thriller from the Oscar-nominated director of Memento, Chirstopher Nolan. The #2 detective thriller of 2002.
The In-Laws – Oscar winner Michael Douglas and Academy Award nominee Albert Brooks star in this hilarious, critically-acclaimed buddy movie.
Murder By Numbers – Critically acclaimed thriller by Oscar winning director Barbet Schroeder, starring Golden Globe nominee Sandra Bullock.
Gothika – $59+ million box-office hit by acclaimed filmmakers Joel Silver & Robert Zemeckis starring Academy Award & Golden Globe winner Halle Berry.
Exorcist: The Beginning – The prequel to the legendary Exorcist – directed by action master Renny Harlin.
Alexander – Academy Award winning filmmaker Oliver Stone directed this epic star-studded drama. Alexander has a cast that includes industry favorites Anthony Hopkins, Angelina Jolie, Val Kilmer, Colin Farrell and Jared Leto.
Catwoman – Oscar winner Halle Berry stars alongside Golden Globe winner Sharon Stone, as the feline superheroine.
About AMC
AMC, a division of Rainbow Media’s Entertainment Services, which also includes WE: Women’s
Entertainment and IFC Companies, is a 24-hour, movie-based network, dedicated to the American movie fan. The network, which reaches over 86,000,000 homes, offers a comprehensive library of popular movies and a critically-acclaimed slate of original programming that is a diverse, movie-based mix of original series, documentaries and specials. AMC has garnered many of the industry’s highest honors, including 14 Emmy awards. AMC is “TV for movie people.”
About Warner Bros. Domestic Cable Distribution
Warner Bros. Domestic Cable Distribution (WBDCD) is one of the leading suppliers of programming to the pay television and basic cable marketplaces. WBDCD is responsible for sales, marketing and distribution of already-produced product from the Studio’s vast library, including feature films, television series, mini-series, television movies and specials to basic cable and pay television. WBDCD is also a major licensor of feature films to the broadcast networks.