Alliance Atlantis plans to lower the curtain on its small theater chain by the end of September by selling off the five locations it co-owns through its distribution wing.

The movie houses – 24 screens in Ontario and B.C. – have operated under the AA brand since the late ’90s and are owned by Cineplex Galaxy and the Motion Picture Distribution LP, which is half owned by Alliance.

AA originally shared the locations with Famous Players, which Cineplex bought in June.

It is the latest step away from the movie trade for AA. The Toronto giant is also planning to sell its share of the distribution partnership and has favored its broadcast holdings since it exited film and TV production in 2003.

The news came with word that Cineplex has completed its buyout of Famous and is proceeding with its plans to jettison another 34 theaters, in keeping with a ruling by the federal competition bureau.

The sale of the AA theaters is being handled separately from the larger sell-off, however, according to a Cineplex spokesperson.

-www.allianceatlantis.com