AMC signs film deals ahead of UK launch

AMC has expanded its drama and film schedule ahead of its UK launch later this week.

The channel has now picked up a raft of feature films and US drama series and from several international distributors.

Feature film deals have been signed ahead of launch with companies including Paramount Pictures, Miramax, Icon Film Distribution as well as Sony and Lionsgate. The agreements give AMC UK access to movies including Nicolas Winding Refn’s Only God Forgives, starring Ryan Gosling, Mel Gibson’s The Beaver and Julianne Moore’s Shelter.

TV programmes include two series of period drama Manhattan from Lionsgate, a drama based around nuclear weapon project The Manhattan Project.

It has also picked up Cleaners, Sony Pictures Television’ crime action series which launched on the broadcaster’s OTT subscription service Crackle.

Separately, the channel has struck library deals for complete series of Mad Men and Breaking Bad, which both air on AMC in the US, and drug comedy drama Weeds, which aired on Showtime and is distributed by Lionsgate.

AMC is now available in more than 125 countries around the world.

Bruce Tuchman, president of AMC Global and Sundance Channel Global said: “The stature of the UK market is key in anyone’s global business.”