Category: Member News

Headlines Newsletter, August 6, 2025

Distribution
Variety: Disney Boss Bob Iger Says ‘Creating New IP’ Is of ‘Great Value’ but There’s No ‘Priority’ Among Sequels, Remakes and Originals: Just ‘Great Movies’

Bob Iger said during Disney‘s earnings call that the studio does not have a priority when it comes to movie sequels, remakes and original content, despite the upcoming slate being overwhelmingly dominated by franchise fare like “Freakier Friday,” “Predator: Badlands,” “Tron: Ares,” “Zootopia 2” and “Avatar: Fire and Ash.” Disney is only seeking to make great movies, the CEO stressed.

“We continue to be focused on creating new IP,” Iger said. “Obviously, that’s of great value to us long term. But we also know that the popularity of our older IP remains significant, and the opportunities to either produce sequels or convert what was previously animation to live action, like we’re doing with ‘Moana’ in 2026, it’s just a great opportunity for the company and supports our franchise. So I wouldn’t say that we’ve got a priority one way or the other. Our priority is to put out great movies that ultimately resonate with consumers.”

“The more we can find and develop original property, the better,” Iger continued. “Of course, we are developing original property under the 20th Century banner and under the Searchlight banner. And look, you could even argue that Marvel continues to mine its library of characters for original property. Even though, for instance, there have been Fantastic Four movies before, we kind of consider the one we did an original property in many respects, because we’re introducing those characters to people who are not familiar with them at all.” 
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THR: Paramount Rounds Out Its Executive Ranks Under David Ellison

The new Paramount Global has rounded out its executive ranks for business operations following the close of its merger with David Ellison’s Skydance, which is expected to be finalized on Thursday.Don Granger will be president of its motion picture group and Matt Thunell will have the same role at Paramount Television Studios. Jane Wiseman will lead streaming originals from the executive vice president level.
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Release Calendar
Variety: ‘Hamilton’ Movie Sets September Theatrical Release

On Tuesday’s episode of “The Tonight Show,” Lin-Manuel Miranda revealed that the movie version of his Tony Award-winning musical “Hamilton” will come to theaters on Sept. 5.

“I have an announcement!” Miranda declared during his “Tonight Show” interview. “So, tomorrow is the 10-year anniversary of ‘Hamilton,’ and we’ve been celebrating all year. But we have one more way to celebrate. We filmed most of the original cast performing in ‘Hamilton’ in 2016, and we always wanted to release it theatrically, but then the pandemic hit, and so we decided to release it on streaming so that everyone could see it at home whenever they wanted. But, Sept. 5, you will be able to see ‘Hamilton’ in movie theaters nationwide and in Puerto Rico.” 
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Variety: Mel Gibson Splits ‘Passion of the Christ’ Sequel Into Two Movies, Sets 2027 Release Dates

Mel Gibson‘s much-delayed “The Passion of the Christ” sequel will be split into two films, with each part set to release in 2027.“The Resurrection of the Christ Part One” is slated for Good Friday, March 26, while “Part Two” is set for 40 days later on Ascension Day, May 6. Lionsgate will release the films in theaters. 
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Apply Now For the Future Leaders in Cinema Program

We’re excited to announce the launch of Future Leaders in Cinema (FLIC)—a new leadership development program designed to identify and support the next generation of movie theater leaders.

What is FLIC?
FLIC is a two-year program focused on leadership development, education, and industry engagement. Selected participants will gain valuable access to:

  • Leadership-focused educational programming
  • Networking opportunities with peers and industry executives
  • One-on-one mentorship from senior leaders
  • Exclusive participation at industry events, including the Cinema United Fall Summit

Program Highlights:

  • Selected scholars will receive a scholarship to attend the Cinema United Fall Summit that covers the cost of registration and hotel, and a stipend of up to $1000 for travel costs.
  • Participants will attend leadership programming, committee meetings, and networking events to deepen industry knowledge and build connections.

Eligibility:
Applicants must own or work for a movie theater that is a member in good standing in Cinema United, demonstrate leadership potential, and commit to full participation over the program’s two-year term.

How to Apply:
Applications are now open and close on August 25 at 6:00 pm PST. A letter of recommendation from an industry professional will be required.

Learn more and apply here

We look forward to seeing the next generation of leaders shape the future of cinema!

If you have questions, please reach out to Amanda Martin at amanda@cinemaunited.org

Headlines Newsletter, August 4, 2025

Distribution
The Hollywood Reporter: David Ellison Sets His Team: These Are the People Who Will Run the New Paramount

As previously announced, former NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell will be president of the new Paramount. But joining him will be Andy Gordon, who had been leading RedBird Capital’s Los Angeles office, who will become COO of the company. RedBird, which is providing financial capital to support the Skydance deal, has also most recently employed Shell.As expected, current Paramount co-CEO George Cheeks, who has also been leading the CBS business, will remain with the company as chair of TV media, adding oversight of the company’s cable TV channels.Cindy Holland, the former Netflix content chief, will lead new Paramount’s streaming businesses, including Paramount+ and Pluto. Holland has been a Skydance advisor since last year.
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Cinema United Visits Megaplex’s New Cinema Entertainment Center in South Jordan, Utah

[Cinema United’s Amanda Martin with Britten Maughan, President of Megaplex Theatres]

Megaplex Theatres hosted a film cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of their first ever cinema entertainment center in South Jordan, Utah. The company is already planning to build two more cinema entertainment centers over the next two years.

Britten Maughan, President of Megaplex Theaters, kicked off the ceremony with some opening remarks.

“Megaplex is a place where extraordinary moments become cherished memories,” said Maughan. “We are thrilled to open Megaplex’s first cinema entertainment center with cinema, bowling, games, and enhanced dining options, securing Megaplex’s position as a place to live life larger.”

Executives Steve Miller, Steve Starks, and Michelle Smith from the Larry H. Miller Company—Megaplex’s parent company—were also in attendance, and they spoke about the enormous potential the new venue has. Dawn Ramsey, mayor of South Jordan, was on hand to tout the importance of a new out-of-home entertainment choice to the local community.

The South Jordan location boasts eight movie screens, 18 bowling lanes, arcade games, and an event space. Two of the five screens are Mega Screens, Megaplex’s premium large format option. 

Megaplex’s latest venture represents an important addition to South Jordan’s Daybreak community, which also includes a minor league stadium for the Utah Bees, an outdoor concert venue, and room for ice skating in the winter. 

Code Updates Impacting Cinema Operations

Cinema United partners with Code Consultants, Inc. (CCI), a leading engineering and consulting firm that provides expert guidance to ensure that cinema designs and operations comply with evolving building codes and safety standards. Click here for a report that includes the latest updates from CCI on key code changes in areas such as fire/life safety, structural requirements, and accessibility to provide an overview of current and upcoming regulatory developments that might affect the cinema industry.

Headlines Newsletter, June 27, 2025

Distribution
The Hollywood Reporter: Sony to Release Select Amazon MGM Movies Overseas, Beginning With Luca Guadagnino’s ‘After the Hunt’Amazon MGM Studios has tapped Sony to release a handful of its upcoming high-profile movies at the international box office as it goes about building its own foreign operation.Under the pact, Sony will handle overseas duties for After the Hunt, Mercy, Crime 101 and Project Hail Mary, according to a statement released by the two studios.Following those releases, Amazon MGM will directly distribute theatrical titles in territories overseas where it launches its own offices, with Sony supporting the studio in other international markets. This doesn’t include the next James Bond movie, which will be handled overseas by Universal.
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Variety: Artists Equity Inks Overall Theatrical Film Agreement With Sony PicturesArtists Equity, the independent studio founded by Ben Affleck, Matt Damon and Gerry Cardinale, has signed an overall theatrical feature film agreement with Sony Pictures. Under the three-year agreement, Sony will distribute the theatrical films globally, which will be developed and produced by Artists Equity. Sony will finance the films and handle all ancillaries, with Artists Equity having the option to co-finance individual projects.“Artists Equity, in the short span of its existence, has proven remarkably adept at developing and producing high quality commercial films,” said Sony Pictures’ Motion Picture Group chairman and CEO Tom Rothman. “This is not a surprise to me as I have known the two creative ‘Pros from Dover’ for many years and always admired their smarts, talent and moxie. Now that Ben and Matt and their team have set their sights firmly on the high bar of the theatrical market, Sony is lucky as hell to be partnering with them. We look forward to making a bunch of hit films together.”Artists Equity CEO Affleck added, “It’s an enormously meaningful landmark for Artists Equity to be making films for theatrical release with Sony Pictures and in particular with Tom Rothman, with whom Matt and I go back more than twenty years. Tom has both a deep and abiding love for movies and an understanding of and appreciation for how they are made. I can’t think of a better partner than Sony, which is fully in on the theatrical experience, as Artists Equity seeks to make films expressly meant to be seen in the cinema, with an audience. It’s an honor to make films for the magical dark room where we come together with strangers to project our innermost secrets onto a screen, surrendering to a story together, agreeing to share the same flickering dream. I’m grateful for the opportunity to bring movies to a global audience, with the entire expert Sony team.”
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Creative Community
The New York Times:  The Century’s Best Movies Though the advent of streaming services has affected the way movies are made and watched over the last quarter-century, only one film from a streamer made the list: Netflix’s “Roma,” at No. 46. I think that’s a testament to just how profound the big-screen experience still feels. Our greatest cinematic memories, like the time my jaw dropped while watching “Fury Road,” are forged in the dark with a packed audience along for the ride.
Read full article

Headlines Newsletter, June 25, 2025

Distribution
The Hollywood Reporter: Sony to Release Select Amazon MGM Movies Overseas, Beginning With Luca Guadagnino’s ‘After the Hunt’Amazon MGM Studios has tapped Sony to release a handful of its upcoming high-profile movies at the international box office as it goes about building its own foreign operation.Under the pact, Sony will handle overseas duties for After the Hunt, Mercy, Crime 101 and Project Hail Mary, according to a statement released by the two studios.Following those releases, Amazon MGM will directly distribute theatrical titles in territories overseas where it launches its own offices, with Sony supporting the studio in other international markets. This doesn’t include the next James Bond movie, which will be handled overseas by Universal.
Read full article
Variety: Artists Equity Inks Overall Theatrical Film Agreement With Sony PicturesArtists Equity, the independent studio founded by Ben Affleck, Matt Damon and Gerry Cardinale, has signed an overall theatrical feature film agreement with Sony Pictures. Under the three-year agreement, Sony will distribute the theatrical films globally, which will be developed and produced by Artists Equity. Sony will finance the films and handle all ancillaries, with Artists Equity having the option to co-finance individual projects.“Artists Equity, in the short span of its existence, has proven remarkably adept at developing and producing high quality commercial films,” said Sony Pictures’ Motion Picture Group chairman and CEO Tom Rothman. “This is not a surprise to me as I have known the two creative ‘Pros from Dover’ for many years and always admired their smarts, talent and moxie. Now that Ben and Matt and their team have set their sights firmly on the high bar of the theatrical market, Sony is lucky as hell to be partnering with them. We look forward to making a bunch of hit films together.”Artists Equity CEO Affleck added, “It’s an enormously meaningful landmark for Artists Equity to be making films for theatrical release with Sony Pictures and in particular with Tom Rothman, with whom Matt and I go back more than twenty years. Tom has both a deep and abiding love for movies and an understanding of and appreciation for how they are made. I can’t think of a better partner than Sony, which is fully in on the theatrical experience, as Artists Equity seeks to make films expressly meant to be seen in the cinema, with an audience. It’s an honor to make films for the magical dark room where we come together with strangers to project our innermost secrets onto a screen, surrendering to a story together, agreeing to share the same flickering dream. I’m grateful for the opportunity to bring movies to a global audience, with the entire expert Sony team.”
Read full article
Creative Community
The New York Times:  The Century’s Best Movies Though the advent of streaming services has affected the way movies are made and watched over the last quarter-century, only one film from a streamer made the list: Netflix’s “Roma,” at No. 46. I think that’s a testament to just how profound the big-screen experience still feels. Our greatest cinematic memories, like the time my jaw dropped while watching “Fury Road,” are forged in the dark with a packed audience along for the ride.
Read full article

Cinema United President & CEO Michael O’Leary Moderates Panel at ShowCanada

ShowCanada 2025 took place in beautiful Victoria, British Columbia from May 27-29. The annual conference brings together all sectors of the film industry from Canada and the U.S.A.

Cinema United’s President & CEO Michael O’Leary moderated the annual State of the Industry panel featuring three industry heavyweights: Chris Aronson, President of Domestic Distribution for Paramount Pictures; Ellis Jacob, CEO of Cineplex; and Jim Orr, President of Domestic Theatrical Distribution for Universal Pictures. The interesting and entertaining discussion focused on opportunities and challenges as the cinema industry looks to the future.

Congratulations to Carrie Wolfe, Event Producer of ShowCanada, and Nuria Bronfman, Executive Director, Movie Theatre Association of Canada, on another excellent show!

ShowCanada 2026 heads to Banff in 2026.

Cinema United Visits Penn Cinema in Lititz, PA

[Left to Right: Cinema United’s Phil Contrino and Penn Cinema’s Penn Ketchum]

Penn Cinema in Lititz, Pennsylvania recently undertook a massive $2 million re-design of its lobby–which now includes a full-service bar, beer wall, and a lounge with room for 50 people–just in time for 2025’s record-breaking Memorial Day weekend and a busy summer at the box office.

Penn Ketchum, Managing Partner of Penn Cinema, operates 34 screens at three locations: two in Pennsylvania and one in Delaware. Before the new lobby opened, he worked with Kinectiv, a local advertising/marketing firm, to roll out new branding that is easily adaptable both to promotions inside the theatre and on social media.

“The feedback from guests has been over-the-top positive,” says Ketchum of the addition to the theatre. “In the long run, we expect this will help overall attendance at our cinema.”

The new bar has added two full-time employees and six part-time employees to the Penn Cinema team. It boasts creative cocktails such as the Barbenheimer or I’ll Never Let You Go (a nod to Titanic). A new kitchen that will boast a range of options from pizzas to gourmet hot dogs to compliment the expanded beverage choices is slated to open in June.

Cinema United Summer Messaging

Overarching themes:

  • Theatrical exhibition is a “Main Street” industry, with theatres located in cities and towns of all sizes across this great country. Going to the local theatre remains the premium entertainment option for movie fans of all ages.
  • Local theatres sit at the forefront of the “experiential economy,” which helps drive the American economic engine and ensures that we remain the world’s leader in filmed entertainment.
  • Although critical to the American motion picture industry, exhibition is not a “Hollywood” industry, and it boasts companies that are headquartered across the United States in small towns, rural communities, and major cities – not simply in California or New York. 

Key industry stats:

  • Moviegoing is deeply ingrained in American life: 76% of 12 to 74-year-old Americans attended at least one movie in a theatre this past year, which translates to approximately 200 million United States citizens heading to local theatres.
  • The local theatre bolsters local economies across America: For every dollar spent at an American movie theatre, an additional $1.50 is spent in that area’s local economy.
  • Local employment boost: On average, three people are employed per screen in the U.S.
  • A new generation of moviegoers: According to a 2025 report by the National Research Group, 37% of Gen Z moviegoers go to the movies more than six times per year, which is up from 29% in February 2023.
  • Family-friendly movies are essential to the strength of exhibition: So far this year, nine PG-rated movies were released at 2,000+ movie theatre locations – up from just sixduring the same periodlast year. The success of these films helps create a culture of moviegoing with younger generations.
  • Loyalty programs are key drivers for our success: At movie theatres in the United States and Canada, loyalty programs have a combined total of over 120 million members–and growing. Loyalty programs boost all aspects of theatrical exhibition–from ticket sales and concessions to merchandising and word-of-mouth promotions.
  • The release slate is rebounding in a major way in 2025: Year-to-date, 44 movies have been released at 2,000+ locations, up from 40 this time last year.

Optimism for 2025 & Beyond:

  • The surge of moviegoing in Q2 (+84% year/year), led by box office giants, Lilo & Stitch, A Minecraft Movie, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning and Sinners, speaks directly to the importance of having a diverse slate of content, made up of both original films and those based on existing IP.
  • The aforementioned measurements of success, however, are not possible without the important investments and upgrades made by theatre owners to modernize, improve upon and enhance the future of moviegoing:
  • We are bullish on theatrical prospects for the rest of 2025 & beyond. The industry is on pace for at least 15 more wide releases at 2,000+ locations compared to 2024, with such major releases as Avatar: Fire and Ash, Wicked: For Good, Zootopia 2, among others. When combining exhibitor innovation with a robust release slate, our industry thrives.
Cinema United
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