AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc. (NYSE:AMC) drew fresh attention after CEO Adam Aron publicly endorsed Paramount Skydance’s plan to buy Warner Bros. Discovery, saying it could strengthen the flow of movies that stay exclusive to theaters longer.
The backdrop is a 2026 box office that has already delivered big wins such as The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which has helped push the film to $628.7 million dollars worldwide after two full weekends.
- AMC stock is surging on strong momentum. See the chart here.
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MSN reported that Aron said AMC is not trying to sway regulators but wanted to put the exhibitor’s view on record as the transaction is reviewed.
Aron wrote, “It is time for AMC to make known our favorable view about Paramount’s desire to acquire Warner.”
He argued the key is a bigger, steadier pipeline and longer exclusive runs before movies hit other platforms. Aron pointed to a 45-day theatrical-only period and called the commitments a “significant improvement” for theaters.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie has already crossed $300 million domestically and added $320.6 million internationally for that $628.7 million global total after two weekends.
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Big titles have also boosted high-margin concessions. AMC said Mario tie-in products ranked as its second-strongest performer for popcorn buckets and related food items, behind only the Taylor Swift documentary.
AMC previously said it posted its highest combined global admissions and food-and-beverage revenue for a five-day Easter stretch in its 106-year history, with more than six million guests visiting AMC and ODEON locations worldwide.
In addition to Mario, Project Hail Mary has been another major draw for theaters in 2026, with domestic box office above $250 million. The early-year momentum also included domestic box office growth of 24.8% year over year in the first quarter.
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At CinemaCon in Las Vegas on Thursday, Paramount CEO David Ellison told theater operators he plans to scale up releases if the deal clears.
Ellison said, “I wanted to look every single one of you in the eye and give you my word: Once we combine with Warner Bros., we are going to make a minimum of 30 films annually across both studios.”
Aron also praised Warner’s studio leadership, naming Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy, and said the lineup is positioned to be “a compelling and promising slate of movies coming to delight moviegoers in 2026, 2027, 2028, and beyond.”
AMC Price Action: AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc shares were up 18.63% at $1.91 on Friday, according to Benzinga Pro.
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