Category: Reel Blog

As 2024 begins to wind down, the exhibition industry is surging in a major way. Movie theatres around the world are packed with enthusiastic movie-goers, and the industry is showing yet again how culturally significant it is.

Below, we’ve included some of the press coverage focused on how exhibitors are being creative and innovative in order to give consumers a great experience.

The Thanksgiving stretch is delivering an unprecedented estimated $422M at the domestic box office.

AMC Theatres CEO Adam Aron says that this weekend is “a national phenomenon” when it comes to moviegoing.

That Wednesday through Sunday tally for all movies breaks the previous Thanksgiving record for all titles from 2018 when Ralph Breaks the Internet drove the marketplace to a $315.6M total.

Distribution sources always felt we were in for an enormous moviegoing rebound in the post Covid-post strikes era fueled by the massive want-to-see of Disney’s Moana 2, and the second weekends of Universal’s Wicked and Paramount’s Gladiator 2. For those keeping track, the 10-day box office since Friday, Nov. 22 when Wicked and Gladiator 2 opened is bound to gross a huge $681.5M.

Bob Bagby, the chief executive officer the B&B Theatres chain and chairman of the National Association of Theatre Owners, said in an interview that a young family friend pledged to see Wicked in cinemas at least twice more.

“Our lobbies were full of guests in pink and green and of course a few dressed like gladiators, and this is just the beginning of a fantastic holiday season,” Bagby said.

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Are ‘Wicked’ and ‘Gladiator II’ the next ‘Barbenheimer’? How movie theaters are making ‘Glicked’ a can’t-miss event.

Calling this movie pairing “the perfect storm to bring everyone out,” Mike Bowers, president and CEO of Harkins Theatres, told Yahoo Entertainment that the chain has been “eventizing movies” since its founding in 1933 — and plans to continue with “Glicked.” “Whether it’s specialty cocktails or, of course, the famous popcorn vessels and lobby interactions and such for the guests,” he explained, “it’s beyond going to the movies and going home. They get an opportunity for an Instagram moment and something that’s shareable.”

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‘Wicked’ Seeing $117M Opening, ‘Gladiator II’ Still Conquering $60M — Saturday AM Box Office Update

Exhibitors are upping the out-of-home experience. B&B Theatres has Roman guards tearing tickets and serving Strength & Honor cocktails in celebration of Gladiator II. Alamo Drafthouse Cinema is selling “Defying Gravi-Tea”, Witch’s Brew and throwing Emerald City soirees. Marcus Theatres has character appearances by Elphaba and Glinda, and pink and green ICEE’s.

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‘Wicked’ and ‘Gladiator’ set the stage for gravity-defying box office weekend

Exhibitors are joining in on the fun too. Look Cinemas — a dine-in theater chain with locations in Downey, Glendale, Monrovia and Redlands — has curated a special “Wickedator” menu with themed food and beverage items ranging from Arena Nachos (“Gladiator”) to Emerald City Sours (“Wicked”). James Meredith, head of marketing and revenue at Look Cinemas, said the company has been preparing for this weekend for months, reserving premium screening rooms for both films, hosting advance screenings as early as Wednesday and expanding its showtimes and hours of operation to meet consumer demand reminiscent of the “Barbenheimer” craze.

“Our guests want to come in and escape for a while and have a big event or celebration around some of these popular movies,” Meredith said. “These types of movies … remind customers of how special the moviegoing experience is.”

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There’s Still Time to Nominate a Theatre for the North American Cinema Awards. The submission deadline has been extended to November 27.

The International Cinema Technology Association (‘ICTA’), the leading global network of professionals in the motion picture industry, is now accepting award nominations for its Fourth Annual North America Cinema Awards (NACA) presented in partnership with Celluloid Junkie.

The NACA Awards acknowledge theatrical motion picture exhibition organizations that have demonstrated industry-changing innovation and shown a continual dedication to excellence in delivering the best possible moviegoing experience. ICTA created the NACA Awards to recognize and showcase the remarkable technological innovations within the cinema industry.

To be eligible for the 2024 awards, nominee projects must be completed between November 1, 2023 and October 31, 2024. All nominations must be received by ICTA by midnight Pacific on November 27, 2024. Winners will be notified in early December.

The prestigious awards will be celebrated at the 2025 ICTA Los Angeles Seminar Series on Tuesday, January 14 at a Gala Awards Dinner. Winners must attend in person and will be celebrated at the event.

Projects should embrace the showmanship of going to the movies and create an elevated guest experience through the design and use of technology.

The three categories are:

Best New Build Cinema
This category is for new construction of a cinema completed in North America. . Please include owner/operator, architect/engineer, contractor and technology vendors and installers. Recognized for offering outstanding cinematic experiences thanks to the implementation of cutting-edge cinema technology and innovations.

Best Cinema Refurbishment
This category includes expansions and renovations of cinemas. An existing cinema site or screening room that has been significantly enhanced or altered.

Best Use of Technology
This category includes new technology used in a cinema. Technology could be within the auditorium, projection booth or elsewhere in the theatre including lobby, ticketing and other spaces. Technology includes software, hardware, physical elements and operations within the venue.

(left to right) David Schoner Jr., Associate Director of The NJ Motion Picture and Television Commission; Janice Kovach, NJ Motion Picture and Television Commissioner/Mayor of Clinton, NJ; Kristen Mider, Cranford DMC Chairwoman; Farrah Way, Daughter of Lt. Governor Tahesha Way; Doreen Sayegh, President, JDS Entertainment, LLC; Brian Andrews, Cranford’s Mayor; Baylen Bielitz, Actor; Tahesha Way, NJ Lieutenant Governor/Secretary of State; Kathleen Miller-Prunty, Cranford Deputy Mayor/DMC Liaison; Lou DiGioia, Cinema United’s COO; Steve Oliviera, DMC Board Member; Paul Gallo, Cranford Councilman

On October 17th, The Cranford Theater held a private special screening of Mothers’ Instinct. Lou DiGioia, Cinema United’s Chief Operating Officer, attended the event. The evening highlighted the benefits of New Jersey’s tax incentive program and the current filmmaking surge in the state, as well as the importance of the moviegoing experience in theatres. Mothers’ Instinct was primarily filmed in Cranford and played at the Cranford Theater in July.

(left to right) Ted Hope, Ann Hornaday, Ron Yerxa, Susan Fox, Albert Berger, Phil Contrino, Karyn Temple, Derval Whelan

Cinema United’s Director of Media & Research Phil Contrino joined moderator Ann Hornaday and an esteemed panel to discuss the future of cinema at the 2024 Middleburg Film Festival. The panelists were:

Albert Berger and Ron Yerxa (Producers, Nebraska, Little Miss Sunshine, Election)

Susan Fox (Senior VP, Government Relations, The Walt Disney Company) 

Ted Hope (Producer, former head of Amazon Original Movies)

Karyn Temple (Senior Executive VP & Global General Counsel, Motion Picture Association) 

Derval Whelan (Head of Distribution, VP, Sales, Searchlight Pictures)

The wide-ranging conversation dealt with many topics including how important low-to-mid budget films are to movie theatres, the perception of movie theatres among consumers, and the opportunities and challenges that filmmakers and distributors are encountering.

The Middleburg Film Festival, founded in 2013, offers a carefully curated selection of narrative and documentary films screen in intimate theatre environments, followed by fascinating conversations with world-renowned filmmakers, actors, and other special guests. The films include festival favorites, world and regional premieres, first-class foreign films, and Oscar contenders.

At the 2024 festival, Conclave and September 5 shared the Audience Award.

(left to right) Cinema United’s Chief of Staff Amanda Martin, Cinema United of PA President Gina Taffet, and Frank Moses of Golden Star Cinemas

Cinema United of Pennsylvania recently held its annual in-person meeting at the stunning R/C Queensgate in York, PA. Under the leadership of President Gina Taffet, members from across the state gathered for an enriching day filled with legislative and regulatory updates, insightful presentations, and valuable networking opportunities.

One of the highlights of the event was a presentation by Drew Sheaffer of Penn Cinema, who showcased the innovative marketing initiatives that engage their local communities. He shared details about the exciting events they organize around major movie releases, which not only draw in audiences but also strengthen their ties to the community.

Cinema United was honored to connect with such dedicated exhibitors from Pennsylvania, and they look forward to building on these relationships at future meetings. The collective enthusiasm and commitment to enhancing the cinema experience in the state truly made this gathering memorable.

Cinema United’s 2024 Fall Summit Conveys Optimism For A Bright Future
By Michael O’Leary
President & CEO, National Association of Theatre Owners

The 2024 Fall Summit brought together more than 300 exhibitors in Los Angeles from September 23-26 for a week full of meetings, presentations, panel discussions, screenings, and networking events that were focused on the future of our great industry

We came to Los Angeles with our vision clearly set on a bright future for exhibition and on fans who love movies on the big screen. The Summit did not disappoint as the optimism for the future was palpable. As the box office continues to rebound, exhibitors across the country continue to create great experiences for moviegoers to enjoy. We have the wind at our backs for the first time in a while. 

I want to thank all our members who volunteer their time to support Cinema United, The Cinema Foundation, and CinemaCon. You take time out of your busy schedules to help make sure this great industry thrives. We could not make the Fall Summit – or anything we do – a success without you.

The passion and innovative ideas that members conveyed in 1-on-1 conversations and on panels are truly inspiring. This industry is incredibly creative and dynamic, and the entire team at Cinema United is committed to promoting you each day. Our “Investing in Ourselves” panel—moderated by B&B’s Brock Bagby and featuring Salt Lake Film Society’s Tori A. Baker, Cinema Lab’s Brandon Jones, Emagine Entertainment’s Ally Smith—provided many examples of creativity in our space.

A vibrant future requires us to be clear about the challenges, and to be intentional in how we address them. This industry works best when we have open lines of communication with our partners in distribution. I applaud Jeff Goldstein and Andrew Cripps of Warner Bros for their candor when answering important questions about the future of our industry. Jeff and Andrew are true champions of the theatrical experience. On a separate panel, NEON’s Tom Quinn, Focus Features’ Peter Kujawski, and Searchlight’s Matthew Greenfield addressed the state of mid-budget and specialty films and how confident they are in the future of this important part of the theatrical ecosystem. We need all aspects of distribution to excel! 

Our film screenings at the Summit showed just how diverse and strong the upcoming slate is: Sony’s frenzied and fun Saturday Night, Paramount’s action-packed Gladiator II, and Universal’s highly anticipated new musical Wicked. The commitment from distribution to releasing films for theatre continues to be strong and it on full display during the week. I know that members felt energized by all three films.

During our visit to SONY, it was an honor to welcome acclaimed filmmaker Jason Reitman to the Cinema United family and to the Independent Theatre Owners Coalition (ITOC). Jason, along with a group of legendary directors including Christopher Nolan and Steven Spielberg, recently purchased the legendary Village Theatre in Westwood. Jason’s passion for the big-screen experience comes through in a big way, and he fits right in among the Cinema United membership. Jason shared a moving story about watching Ghostbusters: Afterlife at CinemaCon with his late father, Ivan Reitman, and how he’ll never forget the crowd’s reaction to a movie he made for his dad. Welcome, Jason, and we all look forward to all the great things in store for the Village Theatre.

For the Cinema United team, the Fall Summit is not just a welcome chance to catch-up with Cinema United members, it also signals the end of the summer movie season, and the time when we turn our focus to thinking about the coming year and how we are going to capitalize on the opportunities before us. As I noted at the Summit, we are at long last in a welcome period of “normalcy.”  For the first time in almost five years, we are not dealing with the impact of outside factors on the marketplace. Rather, we are welcoming an increasing number of movie fans, looking at ways to enhance the experience of all those fans, and showing them a wide range of top-quality movies. In other words, you are getting to be theatre operators once again. The future holds much promise, both for this fall and into 2025. Now is the time for us to leave the pessimism and cynicism of the past to history and move deliberately to define ourselves and our role in the next century of filmed entertainment. Let’s build on the enthusiasm and optimism of the Fall Summit and continue to innovate and show the world that there simply is no other entertainment experience like a movie on a big screen in a theatre full of people.