“We are encouraged by recent efforts to bolster the American filmed entertainment industry, including proposals to assist the people who operate theatres in towns of all sizes across the country to create the great movie houses of the next generation,” said Michael O’Leary, President and CEO of Cinema United. “It is important to recognize that theatrical exhibition is not a Hollywood industry, but a Main Street industry, and proposals that support and promote the hard work being done by theatre owners will have a positive and meaningful impact in communities across this nation. We are committed to working with the administration, Congress and all interested parties who recognize and share the goal of ensuring that our local theatres retain both their economic and cultural significance, and we thank them for their leadership.”
Month: May 2025
Headlines Newsletter, May 7, 2025
| Tariffs |
| Variety: Jon Voight Gives First Interview on Trump’s Bombshell Hollywood Tariff Proposal: We Can’t Let Hollywood ‘Go Down the Drain Like Detroit’ (EXCLUSIVE) “This shouldn’t be political. I don’t know the political identities of the people we’ve talked to. We’ve talked to a lot of people here. I don’t distinguish them on their party affiliation. And If we can come up with [a plan that can be executed], he’ll back us. He wants us to be the Hollywood of old,” Voight adds. “If we all come together, I believe we have a bright future.” |
| Distribution |
| The Hollywood Reporter: Bob Iger Says Disney’s Film Slate in Next 18 Months Is Its Best Since 2019Other films Iger singled out for having his attention and endorsement are Pixar’s Elio (June) and The Fantastic Four: First Steps (July), as well as Tron: Ares, Zootopia 2, and Avatar 3: Fire and Ash coming later in 2025.“That’s quite a lineup,” Iger said. But he wasn’t done yet.In 2026, Disney will put out a new Avengers film, its Mandalorian movie, another Toy Story and the live-action Moana. It’s “as strong as any slate that I’ve seen in a long time, since — well in 2019 I think was our best year — the strongest I’ve seen since then.” |
Headlines Newsletter, May 6, 2025
| Domestic Box Office |
| Variety: Can Summer Set a Post-COVID Box Office Record With Help From ‘Superman,’ Marvel and ‘Jurassic World: Rebirth’? “We’ve gone from guarded cynicism to flat-out optimism,” O’Meara says. “We’re all feeling like it’ll be a good summer.” Summer movie season, which runs from May through August, kicks off the most profitable stretch for the movie business. Historically, the four-month period has accounted for $4 billion, or around 40% of the annual box office, as studios deliver new installments in their biggest properties. But in the post-pandemic era, domestic revenues have reached those heights only once, during the boom times of 2023’s “Barbenheimer.” This year, though, industry analysts believe the summer frame has the potential to be the strongest since the great COVID reset. |
| Release Schedule |
| Variety: ‘Practical Magic 2,’ Starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman, Sets Fall 2026 Release Date “Practical Magic 2,” a follow-up to the 1998 fantasy comedy, will cast a theatrical spell next fall. The witchy sequel, starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman, is set to debut on Sept. 18, 2026. Bullock and Kidman are reprising their roles as sisters Sally and Gillian Owens, who descend from a long line of witches. In the original movie, they find themselves fighting off a curse that kills the men they fall in love with. It’s unclear where the second film will pick up. |
