Battle of the Titans ends in merger

This year, more than four million cinema tickets will be sold in Lebanon, despite the offer of a cheaper alternative by hundreds of cable TV and DVD pirates. The ABC mall cinema in Achrafieh has finally thrown open its doors – after months of delay. A 12-screen multiplex north of Beirut, reportedly the Middle East’s biggest, is slated for completion by year’s end. The big story however, is the merger between Lebanon’s two major cinema distributors, Planete and Empire. The move comes after an almost ten-year battle for market supremacy, one in which Empire ultimately prevailed. Both companies confirmed to EXECUTIVE that Planete has committed to a November 4 management takeover by Empire, in a possible prelude to a buy-out. The announcement comes after Planete saw the 65% market share it acquired in just a few years after its 1995 launch drop to less than 25% in 2004. The official