Category: Reel Blog

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 Attends Phoenix Theatres’ Governor’s Square Mall Opening

[Left to Right: Phoenix Theatres’ Jordan Hohman, Cinema United’s Phil Contrino, and Phoenix Theatres’ Cory Jacobson]

Detroit-based Phoenix Theatres opened their ninth location and first theatre in beautiful Clarksville, Tennessee at the Governor’s Square Mall on May 22nd—just in time for a historic Memorial Day weekend at the box office. Phoenix Theatres now operates 79 screens in five states: Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee. At this new location, Dolby provided all the cinema servers, sound processors, loudspeakers, and new digital amplifiers in every auditorium. Dolby ATMOS is installed in five of the 10 screens at Governor’s Square, and an impressive 25% of Phoenix’s screens are in ATMOS-equipped auditoriums. 

The team at Phoenix—led by owner Cory Jacobson—turned the opening into a true communal event for local residents: the Montgomery Central High School marching band performed the Mission: Impossible theme; Anthony Cafaro, Co-President and Owner of The Cafaro Company, spoke about the importance of having a movie theatre at the mall; Mike Rainey, Chairman of the Clarksville Area Chamber of Commerce, touted valuable how the cinema is to the community; and movie fans of all ages were treated to a buffet dinner from mall neighbor Dave & Busters and four free screenings to pick from (Lilo & Stitch, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, Top Gun: Maverick, and the original Star Trek film.)

“It’s safe to say that this is the largest turnout we’ve had for a ribbon cutting,” said Rainey to applause from the more than 200 people gathered. “As you walk through the theatre tonight, you are going to realize the investment that Phoenix Theatres has put into Clarksville. It goes a long way toward helping us enhance the quality of life for our community.”

“Movie theatres in the past were synonymous with big jazzy entrances, adding an element of showmanship to moviegoing,” said Cory Jacobson when discussing how he landed on the design for this location. “Our new theatre at Governor’s Square Mall needed to develop a character all its own and now features a new glass entranceway that enhances the size of the new lobby.”

“We wanted to do something truly spectacular and enhance the cinema experience to a new level,” added Jordan Hohman, Vice President of Project Development for Phoenix Theatres.

Derek Almada will serve as General Manager of the Governor’s Square Mall location. He was promoted from Phoenix’s Dubuque, Iowa location after working with the company for a year and a half. In a heartfelt speech at the opening, Almada thanked his girlfriend for moving to Tennessee with him, and he promised the best possible moviegoing experience to the excited customers in attendance.

Cinema United Releases Statement on Proposal to Support Hollywood and Exhibition

“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.”

“Sinners” Director Ryan Coogler Touts Importance of Cinema In Letter To Fans

Following on the massive opening weekend for Sinners, director Ryan Coogler penned an open letter to fans thanking them for helping make the movie a success.

“I had the gift of the opportunity of making a film inspired by my family and my ancestry but it was always a film that we wanted to make for audiences, in theaters,” Coogler writes. “We always had our minds on you, the audience, and felt a deep responsibility to entertain you, and move you in the way only cinema can. I believe in cinema. I believe in the theatrical experience. I believe it is a necessary pillar of society. It’s why me and so many of my colleagues have dedicated our lives to the craft. We don’t get to do what we do if you don’t show up.”

READ MORE HERE

CinemaCon Daily News Recaps

APRIL 3

CinemaCon
Las Vegas Now: CinemaCon Returns to Las Vegas; Head of ‘Cinema United’ Shares What’s To Come

Michael O’Leary, President and CEO of Cinema United – who hosts the event- speaks with Las Vegas Now about the importance of this gathering and what’s to come in the world of cinema. Formally known as NATO, Cinema United has rebranded and is excited for this next chapter.
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Deadline: Paramount’s Brian Robbins Touts Slate Amid “All The Noise Going On At Our Parent Company” – CinemaCon

Paramount co-CEO and head of Paramount Pictures, Brian Robbins, acknowledged to a big CinemaCon crowd that it may be an odd time for the company right now, but Par’s slate remains terrific.  

“In all seriousness, I’m excited to be back at CinemaCon, and incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished at Paramount Pictures in the midst of all the noise going on at our parent company. We have a terrific slate that our team has put together, and I can’t wait to share that with you,” he told theater owners at the annual Las Vegas showcase.
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Screen Daily: Disney brings ‘Avatar’, ‘Fantastic Four’, ‘Elio’, ‘Tron: Ares’ footage to CinemaCon  Disney executives delivered a tidy CinemaCon session in Las Vegas packed with sequels, reboots and spin-offs like Avatar: Fire & Ash, The Fantastic Four: First Steps,and Tron: Ares and noted – unsurprisingly – that the studio and its labels has ranked number one in Hollywood for eight out of the past nine years and keeps films exclusively in cinemas longer than any of its rivals.

Judging from the steady stream of whoops and applause from the crowd of exhibitors at The Colosseum in Caesars Palace on Thursday, the formula works, and Disney’s appetite for revisiting familiar territory well into 2028 and beyond suits them well. A common theme of studio presentations, panels and conversations with the industry this week has been the need to supply variety, in bulk and frequently. Disney is doing that, even if the source material is familiar.
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APRIL 2

Deadline: Amazon MGM’s Mike Hopkins Cozies Up To Theater Owners, Promises “When Amazon Commits To Something, We Tend To Do It Big — CinemaCon

Mike Hopkins, Head of Prime Video & Amazon MGM Studios, made his debut at his first CinemaCon tonight, breaking the ice with de rigueur anecdote of how he fell in love with cinema – going to see Stars Wars as a kid with his brother, both in jammies, “even though I was a bit too old to wear pajamas in public.”

Applause for that in the auditorium of Caesars Palace Las Vegas, and even more for his promise to deliver 15 feature films a year to theaters by 2027, and for years to come. The studio will begin with 12-14 films starting next year, Courtenay Valenti, head of Film, Streaming and Theatrical, said recently.

“We are committed to doing this for the long terms and when Amazon commits to something, we tend to do it big.” The company is putting together a distribution team to roll out films globally.
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Screen Daily: ‘Wicked: For Good’ stars, filmmakers close high-energy Universal CinemaCon session

Director Jon M. Chu and producer Marc Platt brought a bewitching first-look ahead of the November 21 follow-up to last year’s $747m global hit that featured Dorothy (not in full view), and prompted Platt to assure that the film mines deeper and more profound themes. Chu noted impishly that this was the third successive year that a Wicked film has served as the studio’s presentation finale.

A rousing medley of Universal theme tunes performed by a 43-piece orchestra kicked off the two-hour session in which studio brass touted the year’s tentpoles and a giant 2026 slate. They also trumpeted the studio’s credentials as a box office behemoth and champion of theatrical distribution – music to the ears of the exhibitor attendees at The Colosseum in Caesars Palace.

Donna Langley, chairman, NBCUniversal Entertainment & Studios, noted that audiences were evolving. “There’s no question we continue to face an uphill climb,” she said, “but it’s one we will climb together. There is a lot to be excited about and a lot to be proud of… and our upcoming slate is definitely no exception.” 
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Variety: ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ Dazzles CinemaCon as First Reactions Praise ‘Visually Stunning’ and ‘Fantastic’ Live-Action Remake: ‘A Gorgeous Reimagining’

Universal and DreamWorks Pictures’ live-action “How to Train Your Dragon” remake has been unveiled to members of the press and theater owners at CinemaCon, and the first reactions are calling it “one of the best live-action” remakes thus far. CinemaCon attendees were advised they were seeing an unfinished version of the movie, but what they did see earned an enthusiastic applause when the credits rolled. The scene where Hiccup rides the dragon Toothless for the first time also generated mid-screening applause.
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Deadline: Angel Studios Dates New WWII Film ‘Truth & Treason’, TIFF-Premiering ‘Sketch’ & ‘Zero A.D.’ From ‘Sound Of Freedom’ Director, Tees Up First Trailers – CinemaCon

“At CinemaCon 2025, we unveiled the most ambitious and cinematic slate in Angel Studios’ history. There are no greater partners than the dedicated exhibitors who bring these stories to life on the big screen. We are all in on theatrical — bullish on the big screen, unwavering in our commitment to the theatrical window, and firm believers in the power of the shared moviegoing experience,” said Brandon Purdie, EVP and Head of Theatrical Distribution.
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APRIL 1

CinemaCon State of the Industry: Cinema United President and CEO Michael O’Leary Calls Upon Exhibition and Distribution To Come Together To Transform Industry

We need a system that recognizes our common goals and does not pit one sector against another in a short-sighted quest for immediate financial return at the cost of long-term success.

Now is the time for us to take what we know, and what we have learned and craft a model that will thrive for generations.
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Deadline: Cinema United CEO Wants 45-Day “Baseline” Window & “Only In Theaters” Marketing – CinemaCon

O’Leary said a 45-day window should be the baseline, “a clear, consistent starting point” because “for most movies, the ultimate box office success and consumer demand cannot be effectively determined short of a 45-day window.”

A compelling movie, he said, will do just as well, possibly better, on PVOD at 45 days as it would at 20.”

“A clear, consistent period of exclusivity, supported by meaningful nationwide marketing from both distribution and exhibition, is essential for all theatrically released films to be successful. It is the bedrock upon which our collective prosperity is built.”
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The Wrap: Cinema United CEO Argues for Longer Theatrical Windows in CinemaCon Speech: ‘There Must Be a Baseline’

Outside of windowing, O’Leary also called on new approaches to marketing films, reemphasizing the phrase “only in theaters” and not promoting home platform availability during the theatrical run. He pointed to a recent NRG survey showing a a 38% decline in the number of movies that reached a audience awareness level over 50% by opening weekend as a sign that marketing needs to change.

“We live in a time of pervasive and relentless communication, and there is no excuse not to attain this target if exhibition and distribution work together. If fewer than half of movie-goers are aware of a new movie, can we sincerely say we are working to build a robust theatrical business?” he said.

For the exhibitors’ part, O’Leary called on attendees to continue their work to refurbish their theaters and to make them into places that people want to come back to. Cinema United released a report last week outlining the efforts that theaters from the biggest chains to independent theaters are doing to improve the quality of their theaters. 
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The Wrap: Lionsgate Lays Out Its Box Office Comeback Plan at CinemaCon With Help From The Weeknd

Lionsgate had a flop-filled year in 2024, and it would like to leave it in the rear-view mirror. Fortunately, the turnaround is already underway after a modestly successful winter, and now the studio is looking at a brighter 2025, which it laid out in full to movie theater owners at CinemaCon on Tuesday.

The presentation was filled with a flurry of announcements of production greenlights and first-look deals, as well as onstage interviews by Lionsgate’s film chairman Adam Fogelson with stars and directors of the studio’s upcoming attractions.

It was all capped off with Jenna Ortega, co-star of The Weeknd’s upcoming music concept film “Hurry Up Tomorrow,” introducing the cinema-loving pop star to an auditorium of thrilled exhibitors to perform a pair of songs, including his 2020 smash hit “Blinding Lights.” 
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The Hollywood Reporter: ‘Superman’ Stars Unveil Krypto-Heavy New Footage and Recall “Witnessing the Magic of Cinema”

[Nicholas] Hoult added about a memorable moment from watching Corenswet during production: “I felt like I was witnessing the magic of cinema in first-person in real time.”

Said [David] Corenswet, “It’s a great honor to play a role that exists so clearly in the public consciousness.”

[Rachel] Brosnahan praised the film’s universality: “I feel like these stories endure because there’s something in it for everyone.” She said of playing characters reviously portrayed by legendary performers, “We get to stand on the shoulders of giants … and then find our ways into their heads.” 
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MARCH 31

CinemaCon
Deadline: Michael O’Leary’s Had It With Short Theatrical Windows — They Must Be “Meaningful” For Movies To Succeed

“We are reaching the point … where we’re starting to say, ‘Hey, we need some clarity. We need some stability in terms of what the windows are.’” — Michael O’Leary, President and CEO of Cinema United “From the exhibition perspective, we believe that you have to have a meaningful window in order for movies to be successful. We have concerns about some of the shorter windows not allowing enough time for a movie to kind of take hold and build an audience,” — O’Leary

The bouncing around confuses consumers. “We would like to see the window stabilize. We think there’s confusion among the moviegoing public as to how long movies are going to be in theaters. It kind of varies from film to film, and that’s just not a way to reach audiences — if they don’t know from one weekend to the next what’s available. How long is it going to be available? Where can I see it?” — O’Leary

“We think that theatrical exclusivity is core to the success of this entire industry, not just exhibition, but in order to see the studios getting the chance to recoup their investment.” — O’Leary 

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The Wrap: Cinema United CEO Michael O’Leary Talks CinemaCon, Amazon and No Longer Being Confused With NATO

The Wrap: You made infrastructure investment a core aspect of your first year as head of Cinema United. Are there any developments on that front that we might see at CinemaCon?

Michael O’Leary: We’ve already started to see different circuits make those investments, whether it’s putting in new types of seating or upgrading projectors. And this is not just in the big circuits. It’s all the way from the world’s largest down to the one screen Mom-and-Pop theater in a rural community.

Because of that, you’re going to continue to hear a regular cadence of those things coming out, and we intend to go back and try and chart the progress and report that out so that people can see it. One of the things that we’re doing is releasing a report that snapshots all the great reinvestment that’s going on in communities across the country and around the world. We’re going to do more and more of that as we go forward, because the work that’s being done in these theaters is really something special and something that we don’t think gets the attention that it deserves. 

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Adweek: Behind the Screens Campaign Returns to CinemaCon With New Episodes

“Every time that I meet with a theater owner—whether it’s small theater or a big theater—I always came away from it feeling energized. We wanted to to figure out a way to highlight that.” — Michael O’Leary, President and CEO of Cinema United

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Deadline: Sony Motion Picture Boss Tom Rothman At CinemaCon: “Cost And Windows Can Work For Us Or Against Us”

Leave it to Tom Rothman to tee up CinemaCon, ever the philosopher, with the ultimate sermon that waves the flag for moviegoing.

Acknowledging the elephant in the room at this year’s confab — windows — Rothman told the Caesars Palace full of exhibs, “Cost and windows can work for us or against us. Theatrical needs to be smart about them both. I will let you know that Sony will work with you on both.” That got great applause.

He also encouraged exhibition to lower prices, but not in an arrogant fashion, pointing out how Tuesdays — the discount day of the week for exhibitors — is robust. Rothman encouraged: What if Monday, Wednesday, etc. were all Tuesday?

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The Hollywood Reporter: James L. Brooks Set to Receive CinemaCon Award Ahead of Release of New Film ’Ella McCay’

James L. Brooks is heading to Las Vegas.

The veteran creative, who has maxed out his multihyphenate talents during a career that spans six decades, will be adding another honor to his long list of accolades when CinemaCon presents him with a Cinema Vérité trophy for his big-screen accomplishments.

The special honor will be presented during the Walt Disney Studios presentation inside the Colosseum at Caesars Palace on April 3. It comes ahead of the release of his newest film, Ella McCay, set for release from 20th Century Studios on Sept. 19. Written and directed by Brooks, the comedy follows the complicated politics that arise when a young woman’s stressful career clashes with a chaotic family life.

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Listen: Ticket To Ride Podcast Live from CinemaCon 2025

(From left to right: Paul Dergarabedian, Mike Polydoros, Colleen Barstow, Michael O’Leary, and Thaddeus Bouchard)

The Ticket to Ride podcast—hosted by Paul Dergarabedian, Senior Media Analyst, Comscore; Mike Polydoros, CEO at PaperAirplane Media; and Thaddeus Bouchard, President, ScreenDollars—recorded a special live episode during Cinema United’s Independent Theatre Owners Coalition (ITOC) event on Monday at CinemaCon in Las Vegas.

The hosts were joined by Cinema United’s President & CEO Michael O’Leary, and ITOC Chair Colleen Barstow of ACX Cinemas as they discussed what’s shaping the world of cinema and the future of the moviegoing experience. From breaking down recent box office trends to personal stories of running indie theaters, the conversation delivers genuine insights. Listen below:

Listen: CinemaCon 2025’s Industry Think Tank Panel

(From left to right: Michael O’Leary, Matthew Belloni, Peter Levinsohn, Eduardo Acuna, Tom Quinn, and Joseph Kosinski)

Matthew Belloni recorded the latest episode of The Town with Matthew Belloni, his popular podcast about the entertainment industry, live at CinemaCon on Tuesday. An esteemed list of panelists joined Belloni for a candid discussion on everything from theatrical windows to the current state of the box office: Eduardo Acuna, CEO, Regal Cineworld Group; Joseph Kosinski, Director of F1 and Top Gun: Maverick; Peter Levinsohn, Chairman, Global Distribution, NBCUniversal Entertainment & Studios; and Tom Quinn, Founder & CEO, NEON. Cinema United’s President and CEO Michael O’Leary introduced the panel. You can listen to the podcast below:

Cinema United Hosts Trade Show Tour at CinemaCon 2025

Cinema United President and CEO Michael O’Leary led a guided tour of the CinemaCon Trade Show floor showcasing leading companies in the cinema industry who were unveiling new products, services, and experiences that contribute to creating an exceptional theatrical experience. This year, the focus of the tour was to highlight a broad cross-section of companies headquartered in states throughout the country, demonstrating the breadth of the industry and its impact on Main Street America.

Participating companies listed below:

BARTESIAN (CHICAGO, IL): Revolutionizing cinema cocktails, Bartesian will demonstrate its premium single-serve cocktail machine, with new and exclusive limited-time-offer flavors.

C. CRETORS AND CO. (WOOD DALE, IL): Inventors of the original popcorn machine, C. Cretors and Company will present its latest innovations, including induction-heated popcorn machines and self-serve poppers.

DIPPIN’ DOTS (PADUCAH, KY): The original beaded ice cream brand will debut its new Cookie Monster ice cream, featuring blue sugar cookie-flavored ice cream dots.

THE ICEE COMPANY (LA VERGNE, TN): A staple in cinemas, Icee will co-exhibit with J&J Snack Foods and Dippin’ Dots, showcasing new limited-time flavors, innovative video merchandising, and fresh ways to enjoy frozen treats.

J&J SNACK FOODS (MOUNT LAUREL, NJ): This leader in snack foods will showcase new products and flavors across its baked goods, frozen beverage, and frozen novelties categories.

REDEMPTION PLUS (OVERLAND PARK, KS): A trusted partner for entertainment centers, Redemption Plus will showcase its custom design services, trending product selections, and expert merchandising solutions.

SYSCO CORPORATION (HOUSTON, TX): A new player in the cinema space, Sysco will showcase its newly stocked assortments of cinema candy, popcorn, and sodas.

TK ARCHITECTS (KANSAS CITY, MO): Known for its innovative, customized solutions, TK Architects will show off their latest designs tailored for cinema clients.

Cinema United
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