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Amid the bustle and glitz of last week\u2019s CinemaCon in Las Vegas, one question loomed over the annual trade convention \u2014 how will the proposed Paramount Skydance-Warner Bros. Discovery deal affect the movie theater business?<\/p>\n
That anxiety showed up in a state of the industry speech from Cinema United trade group President Michael O\u2019Leary, who reiterated his organization\u2019s opposition<\/a> to further industry consolidation.<\/p>\n It showed up in a trailer for Amazon MGM Studios\u2019 upcoming film \u201cSpaceballs: The New One,\u201d when a voiceover poked fun at Hollywood studios \u201cmerging willy-nilly\u201d as images of the Paramount sign and Warner Bros. water tower flashed across the screen.<\/p>\n And the subject again took center stage \u2014 literally \u2014 when Paramount Chief Executive David Ellison himself gave a speech during his studio\u2019s presentation at Caesars Palace. He sought to reassure the assembled movie theater operators and exhibition executives that the combined company would indeed release a minimum of 30 films a year.<\/p>\n \u201cI wanted to look every single one of you in the eye and give you my word,\u201d he said during an onstage speech, in which he also committed to a 45-day theatrical window and 90-day period before films go to streaming services. \u201cPeople can speculate all they want, but I am standing here today telling you personally that you can count on our complete commitment. And we\u2019ll show you we mean it.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s true that Paramount has nearly doubled its theatrical releases since Ellison took over. As he noted in his speech, the storied studio is now planning 15 films this year, up from eight in 2025.<\/p>\n But as I\u2019ve written previously, theater owners and other studio executives question how releasing 30 movies a year across the combined Paramount-Warner Bros. would work \u2014 not only in terms of giving each film the proper marketing campaign to succeed in theaters but also because of the massive cost cuts that will inevitably occur once the merger is final.<\/p>\n Still, Ellison\u2019s commitment to 30 films a year got a round of enthusiastic applause \u2014 and at least one high-profile boost. <\/p>\n A day earlier, AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc. Chief Executive Adam Aron told me in an interview<\/a> that he backed Ellison\u2019s takeover of Warner, saying he and AMC believed in the tech scion\u2019s talent as a filmmaker and a movie executive, as well as his pledge to release those 30 films a year.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re enthusiastic that David will fulfill his promises,\u201d Aron said. \u201cAnd that in the end, this will prove to be a good thing for our company and our industry.\u201d<\/p>\n Not everyone shares that enthusiasm.<\/p>\n