KANSAS CITY, Mo., April 25 (UPI) -- AMC Entertainment Inc. is selling advance "Iron Man 3" tickets again after settling with Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures on how to split U.S. ticket income.
"'Iron Man 3' tickets are now on sale," AMC said in a statement. "We thank our partners at Disney for working with us to achieve economical terms so we can present our guests with one of the biggest blockbusters of 2013 and solidly kick off the summer movie season."
Neither AMC nor Disney would say what the terms were. Sources told the Los Angeles Times Disney had sought as much as 65 percent of ticket sales, well above the 50 percent to 55 percent studios typically collect.
AMC, which does business as AMC Theatres and is the second-largest U.S. movie-theater chain, was not the only chain to balk at the revenue split. Regal Entertainment Group, the nation's largest, and Cinemark Theatres, the No. 3 chain, joined AMC last week in halting advance ticket sales for the movie, which is to be released nationwide May 3.
It was not immediately clear whether Disney also settled with Regal and Cinemark. Neither chain was selling advance "Iron Man 3" tickets late Thursday, a United Press International check indicated.
Even though Disney didn't comment, studio executives told the Times Disney felt justified in seeking improved revenue splits to offset the rising cost of making movies.
In addition, Disney has made significant investments in acquiring and developing new properties, including Marvel Studios Inc., which produced "Iron Man 3," and Lucasfilm Ltd., the Times said.
