Month: September 2026

Mitch Neuhauser To Step Down As Managing Director of CinemaCon Following 2028 Show

Following 19 Years Managing the World’s Premier Exhibition Showcase, Neuhauser to Retire on June 30, 2028

Matt Pollock to Assume Co-Managing Director Position to Ensure Seamless Transition

WASHINGTON, D.C. and LOS ANGELES, CA – September 29, 2026 – Cinema United, the world’s largest trade association representing global exhibition, announced today that Mitch Neuhauser will retire following CinemaCon® 2028. Neuhauser has overseen the growth and development of exhibition’s premier annual event, CinemaCon, since 2009. Under his leadership, the show continues to grow in popularity and evolve as the world’s greatest platform for exhibition and distribution to come together and celebrate the magic of movies on the big screen.

“It is impossible to overstate what Mitch means to Cinema United and the entire exhibition community. He is synonymous with CinemaCon, and it simply would not have become the spectacular event that it is without him,” said Cinema United President and CEO, Michael O’Leary. “Mitch loves this industry, the people in exhibition and the studios, and the experience of seeing a movie in a theatre. His vision and leadership will be missed, but I want to join everyone in the entertainment industry in congratulating him on an amazing career.”

“Working in this incredible industry for the past 45 years has been the dream of a lifetime, capped off by bringing CinemaCon to fruition in 2011,” Neuhauser said. “Our industry is unlike any other. We bring people together from all around the world, and that has inspired me across all these years. Knowing that Michael O’Leary and Cinema United are also recognizing the important contributions of Matt Pollock, who I’ve worked with for almost two decades, gives me great satisfaction. CinemaCon, Cinema United and the global theatrical industry will be in great hands when the baton is passed in 2028.”

Neuhauser began his career in 1981 with the Sunshine Group Worldwide, where he ultimately became Vice President following the company’s purchase in 1998 and oversaw ShowEast, Cinema Expo, CineAsia, and later ShoWest, beginning in 2001. Neuhauser joined Cinema United (formerly the National Association of Theatre Owners) in 2009 and spearheaded the transition from ShoWest to CinemaCon in 2011. Under his guidance, CinemaCon has become a global phenomenon drawing participants from around the world each year. Neuhauser served on the Board of Directors of the Will Rogers Motion Pictures Pioneers Foundation and received the Heart of Show Business Award from Variety of Southern California in 2018.

Cinema United also announced today that Matt Pollock will immediately assume the role of Co-Managing Director of CinemaCon and begin the transition of taking over the lead position in 2028.

“Matt is the perfect choice to assume this important role. He has all the qualities necessary to ensure that CinemaCon continues to grow and evolve into the future,” added O’Leary. “Making him Co-Managing Director today illustrates the confidence that I, along with the entire exhibition industry, have in Matt. I am also pleased he will work closely with Mitch through this important transition.” 

Hosted by Cinema United, CinemaCon is the world’s premier showcase of theatrical exhibition, with the 2027 show taking place April 12-15 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

About Cinema United

Founded in 1948, Cinema United is the largest exhibition trade organization in the world, representing more than 33,000 movie screens in all 50 states, and more than 30,000 screens internationally. Its membership includes theatres of all sizes, from the largest cinema chains to one-screen theatres in cities and towns around the world. For additional information, please visit cinemaunited.org. Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn and X/Twitter.

Margot Robbie and Jason Blum Join Cinema United’s Filmmaker Leadership Council

Acclaimed Filmmakers Lend their Expertise and Passion in Support of Global Cinema

Formed to Advance and Champion the Theatrical Experience, Council is Led by Chair Jerry Bruckheimer and Vice Chair Emma Thomas

LOS ANGELES, CA – September 29, 2026 – Cinema United, the world’s largest exhibition trade association representing more than 63,000 movie screens worldwide, announced today that acclaimed filmmakers and Oscar® nominees Margot Robbie and Jason Blum have joined the Filmmaker Leadership Council, a strategic group of world-class producers and directors united in a single cause to champion the future of cinema worldwide. Robbie and Blum join council leaders Jerry Bruckheimer and Emma Thomas, and charter members Ryan Coogler, Brad Bird, Jason Reitman, and Celine Song.

“We are thrilled and honored to welcome two leaders like Margot and Jason to this influential group,” said Michael O’Leary, President and CEO of Cinema United. “Margot is a global superstar and the voice of a generation who loves movies on the big screen. Jason is beloved by fans around the world for creating incredible—and scary—experiences in theatres. They are both well-known, fierce advocates of the theatrical experience. I want to thank them both for their commitment, and I look forward to working closely with them to advance this great industry together.”

“It’s an absolute honor to have Margot and Jason join the Filmmaker Leadership Council,” said Council Chair Jerry Bruckheimer. “Their combined impact on this industry is enormous, and I know they will help our efforts immensely.”

“For me, the magic of cinema starts with the cinema itself,” Robbie said. “Storytelling in this format can be incredibly powerful, and I truly believe movie theatres are essential to our art form. I couldn’t be more grateful and excited to be able to work with such a powerful group of creatives to continue to drive the theatrical experience forward.”

Blum added, “Movie theaters are where fans are made. Bold, creative voices are bringing young audiences back to the movies, and that’s exciting. Turning moviegoing into a habit takes all of us, and this Council gives us a way to do that together.”

The Filmmaker Leadership Council brings together some of the world’s most influential movie creators to work alongside Cinema United to provide vital feedback and recommendations on the most pressing issues facing theatrical exhibition today—including consolidation, sustainable windows, the promotion and marketing of the cinematic experience, and highlighting innovation and technology.

At CinemaCon 2026, Bruckheimer and Thomas spearheaded a popular keynote discussion with O’Leary, hosted by Matt Belloni, during which they addressed important industry topics and the future of the Council. Also at CinemaCon, Reitman, a fellow theatre owner as part of the Village Directors Circle and member of Cinema United, spoke during Cinema United’s Independent Theatre Owners Coalition (ITOC) event and spent time touring the trade show floor to meet with vendors and members alike. This week, Blum will speak to members of exhibition as part of a live conversation at Cinema United’s annual Fall Summit gathering in Los Angeles. It is part of the Council’s overall mission to strengthen relationships between the exhibition community and filmmakers, as well as to help rebuild the moviegoing audience through a series of private and public initiatives, such as CinemaCon and the Fall Summit.

Members of the Council meet quarterly to discuss key priorities and upcoming initiatives. Serving as Executive Director of the Filmmaker Leadership Council is Greg Foster, industry veteran and senior consultant for Cinema United.

Margot Robbie is a three-time Academy Award nominated actress and producer who has captivated global audiences with breakout performances alongside some of the most notable names in film. Robbie is currently in production on the Oceans Prequel for Warner Bros., which she is also producing under her LuckyChap banner. The film will be directed by Bradley Cooper, with an exciting ensemble to include: Cooper, Monica Barbaro, Wagner Moura, Josh Gad, Omar Sy, and George MacKay, among others. Earlier this year, Robbie starred in and produced Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights, which grossed over $240 million worldwide. In 2023, Robbie starred in Greta Gerwig’s Barbie as the titular role for Mattel and Warner Bros, which she also produced under her LuckyChap banner. The film grossed over $1.4 billion worldwide and was nominated for 8 Academy Awards. In 2022, Robbie starred in Damien Chazelle’s 1920s Hollywood drama, Babylon. Robbie received an Academy Award nomination for her performance in Jay Roach’s Bombshell, opposite Nicole Kidman and Charlize Theron. Prior to that and most notably, Robbie starred as Tonya Harding in I, Tonya and received an Academy Award nomination for her performance. Robbie also served as a producer on the film with LuckyChap. Other noteworthy performances include Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Mary Queen of Scots, Birds of Prey, The Suicide Squad, Suicide Squad, and The Wolf of Wall Street. LuckyChap’s projects across film, television, and theatre include Barbie, Wuthering Heights, Saltburn, Promising Young Woman, I, Tonya, My Old Ass, Sterling Point, Sirens, Maid, and 1536.

Three-time Oscar® nominee Jason Blum is the founder and CEO of Blumhouse Atomic Monster, a film, television and gaming company regarded as the driving force in horror. Following the merger of Jason Blum’s Blumhouse with James Wan’s Atomic Monster in January 2024, the combined company is responsible for more than $10 Billion in worldwide box office and has represented approximately 50% of the horror market in the last ten years. Blumhouse Atomic Monster is home to the highest number of ongoing franchises of any studio, including Halloween, The Conjuring, The Purge, The Black Phone, Annabelle, Paranormal Activity, The Exorcist, Insidious, The Nun, M3GAN, and Five Nights at Freddy’s, along with iconic films from cinematic visionaries including Jordan Peele’s Get Out, Damien Chazelle’s Whiplash and Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman. The company recently crossed $1 billion at the worldwide box office for 2026, the second year in a row, on the strength of just four films, among them, Curry Barker’s Obsession and Kane Parsons’ Backrooms, the highest-grossing releases in the history of Focus Features and A24, respectively. The company will close out the year with the highly anticipated Other Mommy, starring Oscar-winner Jessica Chastain and directed by Rob Savage, in theaters October 9, 2026, from Universal.

ABOUT CINEMA UNITED

Founded in 1948, Cinema United is the largest exhibition trade organization in the world, representing more than 33,000 movie screens in all 50 U.S. states and Canada, with an additional more than 30,000 screens in 81 countries internationally. Its membership includes theatres of all sizes, from the largest cinema chains to one-screen theatres in cities and towns around the world. For additional information, please visit cinemaunited.org.

Cinema United Announces Important Leadership Promotions To Strengthen Advocacy, Industry Partnerships and Global Impact

Amanda Martin becomes SVP, External Affairs, and Erin Von Hoetzendorff is promoted to VP, Membership and Global Affairs

New roles reflect Cinema United’s growing commitment to serve exhibition worldwide

WASHINGTON, D.C. and LOS ANGELES — September 29, 2026 — Cinema United, the world’s largest trade association representing global exhibition, announced today two important leadership promotions. Amanda Martin will assume the newly created role of Senior Vice President, External Affairs, and Erin Von Hoetzendorff will be promoted to Vice President, Membership and Global Affairs. Both appointments reflect Cinema United’s continued investment in building an organization equipped to serve the full breadth of the exhibition industry, both domestically and abroad.

“As exhibition continues to evolve, Cinema United is evolving with it,” said Michael O’Leary, President & CEO of Cinema United. “These two well-deserved promotions will allow us to strengthen our partnerships across the entertainment ecosystem, deepen our advocacy on behalf of all theatre owners, and expand our engagement with international theatre owners, ensuring that every constituency we serve has a strong voice within our organization. Amanda and Erin are critical to our success, and in these new roles, they will have even greater impact on the direction and future of Cinema United.”

Amanda Martin, Senior Vice President, External Affairs

Amanda Martin, who served previously as the Chief of Staff since joining Cinema United in 2023, will become SVP, External Affairs. She will continue to serve as a senior member of Cinema United’s leadership team, leading the organization’s advocacy efforts and strategic partnerships across the filmed entertainment industry. In this role, Martin will grow and strengthen Cinema United’s relationships with allied organizations, coalitions and stakeholders central to the exhibition business and oversee the organization’s state government affairs function. Martin will also lead and shape all educational programming for Cinema United’s signature industry events, including CinemaCon and the Fall Summit. She will, along with CEO Michael O’Leary, continue to serve as a federal advocate before Congress and relevant federal agencies.

Erin Von Hoetzendorff, Vice President, Membership and Global Affairs

Erin Von Hoetzendorff, who first joined the organization in 2018, is being promoted to the position of VP, Membership and Global Affairs. In this capacity, Von Hoetzendorff will continue the excellent work she has done as the head of Membership Services and will also lead Cinema United’s expanded engagement with international theatre owners, building on the organization’s existing membership function to deliver substantive representation and support for exhibitors around the world. This role reflects Cinema United’s recognition that global exhibition is critical to the success of our industry, and that Cinema United is committed to helping elevate their voice as a key part of our advocacy on behalf of all theatre owners.

“Together, these roles will help Cinema United serve exhibition more completely and effectively than ever before,” O’Leary added. “One strengthens our connections across the industry itself and elevates our advocacy on behalf of our members; the other strengthens our connection to theatre owners around the world. Both are essential to how we grow and represent our members going forward.”

The new positions are effective immediately and represent Cinema United’s ongoing commitment to building an organization with the capability and reach to meet the needs of exhibition today and in the years ahead.

About Cinema United

Founded in 1948, Cinema United is the largest exhibition trade organization in the world, representing more than 33,000 movie screens in all 50 states, and more than 30,000 screens internationally. Its membership includes theatres of all sizes, from the largest cinema chains to one-screen theatres in cities and towns around the world. For additional information, please visit cinemaunited.org. Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn and X/Twitter.

IndieWire OpEd: Congress Must Act to Support Cinemas Tax Credit and Keep Movies on Main Street

[Left to Right: Becky Dupuis (Polson Theatres), Paul Gunsky (CineLux), Stephanie Silverman (Belcourt Theatre), and Lauren McChesney (Shankweiler’s Drive-In)]

Four independent leaders at Cinema United–Becky Dupuis (Polson Theatres), Paul Gunsky (CineLux), Lauren McChesney (Shankweiler’s Drive-In), and Stephanie Silverman (Belcourt Theatre)–drafted an OpEd for Indie Wire touting the importance of the SCREEN Act:

For more than a century, the American motion picture industry has been an enduring part of our shared experience. Movies bring audiences across the country the unique magic of sitting with their neighbors to see extraordinary stories told on the big screen at their local cinema.

This summer’s strong box office demonstrates once again that Americans still love going to the movies. But that success masks one important truth facing theatrical exhibition today: Over the past six years, studio consolidation, a global pandemic, and multiple labor strikes have all contributed to a long-term erosion of available capital to reinvest in our businesses. For nearly all theater owners, years of lost and disrupted revenue mean that even as audiences are returning, the capital needed for major improvements has not. Thankfully, a bipartisan bill, the Supporting Cinema Renewal, Enhancement, and Enriching Neighborhoods (SCREEN) Act (H.R. 9938), is waiting in the wings. This legislation will have a direct economic impact in all 50 states, and we urge Congress to act.

We are four small business owners who represent this vital piece of the American film industry’s success, and as Congress considers how to restore and strengthen American film, it must ensure movie theaters are part of the solution. We own and operate independent theaters in Northern California, Nashville, rural Montana and Idaho, and America’s oldest drive-in theater in Orefield, Pennsylvania. We are not part of Hollywood, although we’re vital to bringing films to audiences. We are proud Main Street enterprises.

READ THE FULL OP-ED HERE

Cinema United Releases Statement On Paramount Settlement

Statement from Michael O’Leary, President and CEO of Cinema United:

“For nearly a year, and throughout multiple efforts to acquire the iconic Warner Bros. Studios, Cinema United has remained steadfast in its primary objective to safeguard theatres of all sizes across this great nation and around the world from the harms of legacy studio consolidation.

The agreement announced yesterday accomplishes many of exhibition’s objectives. The consent decree includes language on increased film production for five years, meaningful theatrical exclusivity and wide distribution, prohibitions on cost increases, and continued access to the catalogs of Paramount and Warner Bros. While no settlement can eliminate all risk from a merger of this size, these conditions will enable our industry to adapt and succeed in a rapidly changing media environment.

The State Attorneys General’s lawsuit and, now the consent decree, strongly validates that movie theatres are the beating heart of Main Street America and the entire U.S. film industry. Cinema United appreciates the efforts of both the State Attorneys General and Paramount to resolve the merger lawsuit.  Our focus now shifts back to our bright future. For well over 100 years, global exhibition has worked closely with both Paramount and Warner Bros. to deliver amazing big screen experiences to fans around the world.  We look forward to strengthening these historic partnerships to ensure that going to the movies remains the premier entertainment option for generations to come.”