Interesting! I didn't realize that. I don't want to get so far afield of news roundups, but I read Judge Torres'
decision on terminating the decrees. Those decrees only apply to Paramount, Fox, WB, Loews (the studio), Columbia, Universal, RKO, MGM, and UA. The only two of those that still exist on their own is Universal and MGM (kind of - they only release 3 movies last year). I still think that antitrust laws are a significant deterrent to Disney buying up Regal or AMC. Judge Torres' opinion essentially says that the purchase of one of the major chains by a major studio would need to be reviewed by the DOJ antitrust division and that antitrust law passed subsequent to the
Paramount Pictures decision probably would not lead to a successful merger: "...changes to antitrust administration, in particular, the HSR Act, provide federal antitrust agencies with notice and the opportunity to evaluate the competitive significance of any major transaction between a movie distributor and a theater circuit, which suggests a low likelihood of potential future violation." (p. 14).
I'm probably reading it the wrong way since I haven't studied antitrust law since law school in 2002 (and I was never that good at antitrust law in the first place! I'm a criminal prosecutor). But
Paramount Pictures as precedent still seems to survive and in any event, any (hypothetical for now) purchase by Disney of a major movie theater chain would both be subject to DOJ review and a court challenge. Judge Torres also does mention Disney being essentially the 800 pound gorilla in movie distribution and I'm sure their creation of
Disney+ does not help in an antitrust setting.
