For 5 days beginning on March 29, individuals who purchase tickets to sure films at sure AMC Theaters will see video messages starring … Jason Blum?
It’s a great distance from Nicole Kidman, whose breathy “We come to this place for magic” branding spot has turn into legend. However Mr. Blum, a horror movie producer, has been working to construct his leisure firm, Blumhouse, into extra of a consumer-facing model. The objective is to create an affiliation between its title and every thing scary, kind of like Marvel and superheroes. That, in flip, might make Blumhouse extra useful as an acquisition goal within the years forward.
AMC and Blumhouse, which has made greater than 200 horror films and reveals, are teaming up for what they’re calling the Midway to Halloween Movie Pageant. (It’s extra like 40 % of the best way.) Beforehand launched Blumhouse horror films, together with “Cut up,” “Ouija: Origin of Evil,” “The Purge,” “The Invisible Man” and “Insidious,” which may have its thirteenth anniversary on April 1, shall be on provide in 100 AMC theaters in 40 cities.
Mr. Blum, 55, will introduce every movie with a tailor-made message, providing an anecdote concerning the manufacturing or a tidbit of trivia. James Wan, who directed “Insidious,” will seem in a video, as will Mike Flanagan, who directed “Ouija: Origin of Evil.” Ticket consumers will even see elaborate adverts generally known as sizzle reels for Blumhouse, which can promote the occasion via its social media channels.
“Horror has at all times attracted misfits, me included, and taking part in occasions like this enables me to have a good time that,” Mr. Blum mentioned, earlier than referring to one of many firm’s signature movies. “I like taking dangers on tales that different folks discover too dangerous — like ‘Get Out’ — and having a model permits me to do this.”
For AMC, the Blumhouse partnership is a option to make up for a provide scarcity. Field workplace analysts count on the most important Hollywood studios to launch roughly 100 films in 2024, down from 124 final 12 months.
Some studios pushed again deliberate releases, citing delays attributable to two union strikes that shut down Hollywood for months final 12 months. “Disney’s Snow White,” “Mickey 17” and “A Quiet Place: Day One” moved off the March launch calendar. Different studios have began to launch fewer movies to save cash.
A24, one other movie firm that pays eager consideration to its model, has taken comparable benefit of the scarcity, teaming up with AMC in February, as an illustration, for an occasion known as A Lover’s Collection that includes a few of its earlier releases. On Wednesday, A24 introduced an identical screening sequence with IMAX, whereby the large-format cinema firm will digitally remaster previous A24 films like “Hereditary” and “Uncut Gems.”
Mr. Blum has lengthy curated a status as a maverick. Most movie producers preserve a low profile; he typically promotes his movies by attending premieres in costume, as in late 2022 when he dressed as M3gan, a murderous doll with synthetic intelligence. In December, he posted a video on X of himself in his underwear. (He was taking a dip in an icy Connecticut stream. Don’t ask.)
His penchant for promotion, self and in any other case, has helped flip Blumhouse into Hollywood’s main horror manufacturing facility. It releases 4 or 5 movies a 12 months. Most are hits, together with the latest “5 Nights at Freddy’s.” Some are usually not, together with “The Exorcist: Believer.” Blumhouse is working to considerably improve film manufacturing as a part of a merger with Atomic Monster.
Mr. Blum and Abhijay Prakash, Blumhouse’s president, are additionally constructing companies devoted to authentic video video games, merchandise and reside occasions.
“Our largest plans have but to play out,” Mr. Blum mentioned.
