THB HEADLINES: CEO of #4 Theater Domestic Chain Speaks Out

(Editor’s Note: This started as an exchange between Greg Marcus (@greglovesmovies), Julia Alexander (@loudmouthjulia), Entertainment Strategy Guy (@EntStrategyGuy), and myself. I decided it was worth putting together as an editorial from the guy who is CEO of Marcus Corp, which owns the Marcus Theaters chain, the domestic market’s #4 chain, with more than 1000 screens operating in America.)

by Greg Marcus

I think @DavidPoland used the right word, “ecosystem.” There is the broad ecosystem of all the sales channels (theatrical, PVOD, VOD, streaming, etc). Viewed as an ecosystem, not a zero-sum game, there are many ways to benefit a piece of IP that goes beyond the box office itself, but it starts with simply adding revenue/box office to the overall income stream a movie generates across the sales channels.

However, there are more value creation opportunities. For example, the ability for theatrical to create awareness and distinguish filmed product can add value to that product as it move…