Fandango Enters Distribution With 'House of Worship'
Get the Culture newsletter
Daily culture — film, music, books, the trends and ideas worth your attention. Free.
- Fandango distributed its first film, "House of Worship," opening at approximately 400 theaters over three days, featuring 25 Christian music artists and executive produced by Darlene Zschech and Michael W. Smith.
- Jerramy Hainline, Versant's EVP of Digital Platforms & Ventures, said the plan is to push the film through the company's full ecosystem — theatrical, Premium VOD, TVOD, AVOD, and library — framing it as a "one-year deal, all the way through."
- Fandango has built a track record in non-traditional theatrical content, including WWE events, the Winter Olympics, a Spanish-language FIFA World Cup presentation with Telemundo, and Love Island USA screenings that sold out across 20 markets.
- Versant, Fandango's parent (spun off from Comcast with Warner Bros Discovery as a minority shareholder), is diversifying away from challenged linear TV; Hainline cited Golf's revenue mix shifting from 85% cable to a 50/50 cable/digital split as the model to replicate.
- Hainline identified Bundesliga, LOVB Volleyball, WNBA, and NASCAR as rights holders he is evaluating for potential theatrical distribution through Fandango.
- Fandango absorbed Vudu in 2024 and in July dropped "at Home" from its streaming brand, unifying its digital storefront and ticketing under one name as it expanded free, ad-supported content.
Why it matters: Fandango's entry into distribution — backed by connections to 95% of U.S. theaters and a digital pipeline covering Premium VOD, TVOD, and AVOD — gives rights holders a turnkey path to theatrical release for niche content, while giving Versant a new growth lever beyond declining linear cable.
Ask SkimNews
