Amazon MGM Takes Over ‘The Thomas Crown Affair’ Release in France After ‘Masters of the Universe’ Fallout

Amazon MGM Studios is taking a more hands-on approach to how its films reach theaters abroad, and Michael B. Jordan’s ‘The Thomas Crown Affair‘ looks like the first big test. The studio has announced that it will release the heist thriller directly in France. That is a notable shift for a company that has leaned on outside partners for overseas theatrical rollouts.

For years, Amazon MGM relied on other studios to get its films into international cinemas. Warner Bros. handled that work under a deal signed in 2022, and that arrangement was set to expire at the end of 2025. The studio then signed a multi-year agreement with Sony Pictures to release four titles abroad: ‘After the Hunt’, ‘Mercy’, ‘Crime 101’ and ‘Project Hail Mary’.

That Sony deal was always described as a bridge. Reports at the time said that once those titles were out, Amazon MGM planned to release its movies overseas directly, in territories where it sets up its own offices. Sony would keep supporting releases in markets where Amazon chose not to open shop.

The studio also began building the machinery. It hired Charlie Coleman, a veteran of Warner Bros. international marketing, as head of international theatrical marketing, based in London. Now the French release of ‘The Thomas Crown Affair’ appears to be the first major sign of that strategy in action, with the film set to open in France on March 3, 2027.

After bad experiences with WB & most recently with #Sony in some markets, #AmazonMGM gets ready to slowly start handling themselves theatrical distribution of their own films overseas. The first experience will be #MichaelBJordan’s actioner #TheThomasCrownAffair in #France’s #BoxOffice, which #AmazonMGM has announced this morning they will directly release on MAR 3, 2027 in that market. The actioner was supposed to be released by #Sony in France, but after the studio failed to release #MastersOfTheUniverse in theatres locally this past SUMMER, #Amazon is clearly not willing to risk something similar happening to #ThomasCrown.

— Luiz Fernando (@Luiz_Fernando_J) November 9, 2026

The timing is hard to separate from what happened in France this summer. Amazon MGM skipped a French theatrical run for ‘Masters of the Universe’, sending the film to Prime Video there instead. Coverage tied the decision to French rules that require a long wait before a theatrically released film can reach streaming.

The move drew criticism. One French outlet suggested the studio made a mistake by giving up cinema revenue in the country, and other coverage noted growing unease among French distributors and fans who felt the decision was made for them. ‘Masters of the Universe’ was distributed overseas by Sony Pictures Releasing International elsewhere, which leaves the French gap standing out.

Against that backdrop, Amazon MGM taking direct control of ‘The Thomas Crown Affair’ in France reads like a course correction. It signals that the studio wants to guarantee a theatrical release for a film it considers a flagship title. The studio hasn’t framed it that way publicly, so the connection is an interpretation of the timeline rather than a stated reason.

First trailer for ‘THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR’, directed by & starring Michael B. Jordan. The film follows a billionaire who steals priceless artworks while falling in love with the woman investigating him. In theaters on March 5, 2027. https://t.co/1YLyBUc4AU

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) July 29, 2026

Jordan directs, produces and stars in the film, which is a reimagining of the 1968 original with Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway and the 1999 remake with Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo. The cast includes Adria Arjona, Kenneth Branagh, Lily Gladstone, Danai Gurira and Pilou Asbaek. Jon Batiste composed the original score, and Drew Pearce wrote the screenplay.

In the United States, Amazon MGM will release the film in theaters and IMAX on March 5, 2027. Other international dates, including Germany, Mexico and the United Kingdom, cluster around the same early March window. A teaser trailer arrived in July, and the studio showed footage at CinemaCon.

Jordan has history with the studio. His directorial debut ‘Creed III’ opened to $58.3 million and grossed $276.1 million worldwide, the best results of any film in that franchise. That success is a big reason Amazon MGM has put heavy marketing behind his follow-up.

Taking over distribution in France gives the studio direct control over release dates, marketing and theater relationships in a market with strong cinema habits. It also avoids a repeat of the headaches around its summer tentpole. If the approach works, it could set a template for other territories.

The wider question is how quickly Amazon MGM expands self-distribution. The studio has said little about where else it plans to open offices, and the next major test may be its biggest franchise. For now, France is the market to watch.

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