Boxoffice - August 2018

$6.95 

AUGUST 2018 

20TH CENTURY FOX’S 

THE PREDATOR OPENS WIDE 

SEPTEMBER 14, 2018 

THE A-LIST 

AMC LAUNCHES STUBS 

A-LIST, ITS IN-HOUSE 

SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE 

IT 

CAME 

FROM 

OUTER 

SPACE 

DIRECTOR SHANE BLACK 

BRINGS THE PREDATOR 

TO THE BIG SCREEN 

CONVENTION 

PREVIEWS 

CINESHOW: GRAPEVINE, TX 

SHOWSOUTH: BRASELTON, GA 

EXPOCINE: SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL 

GROWING UP 

DIRECTOR JESSE PERETZ 

ON ADAPTING NICK HORNBY’S 

JULIET, NAKED 

MAKING MOVIES 

MORE INCLUSIVE 

NATIONAL AMUSEMENTS 

ROLLS OUT SENSORY 

SENSITIVE SCREENINGS 

The Official Magazine of the National Association of Theatre Owners

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2018 VOL. 154 NO. 8 

FEATURES 

THE A-LIST 26 

AMC LAUNCHES STUBS A-LIST, 

ITS IN-HOUSE SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE 

MAKING MOVIES MORE INCLUSIVE 28 

NATIONAL AMUSEMENTS ROLLS OUT 

SENSORY SENSITIVE SCREENINGS 

GROWING UP 30 

DIRECTOR JESSE PERETZ ON ADAPTING 

NICK HORNBY’S JULIET, NAKED 

CONVENTION PREVIEW: SHOWSOUTH 38 

Q&A WITH EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 

ROBIN MILLER 

CONVENTION PREVIEW: EXPOCINE 40 

Q&A WITH TONKS CHIEF EXECUTIVE 

OFFICER MARCELO LIMA 

CONVENTION PREVIEW: CINESHOW 42 

A DISCUSSION WITH THE EXHIBITORS 

WHO BUILT TEXAS’ ANNUAL SHOW 

IN MEMORIAM 46 

REMEMBERING FRANK LIBERTO 

ROSE BYRNE AND CHRIS O’DOWD IN JULIET, NAKED 

OLIVIA MUNN 

COVER STORY IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE 

DIRECTOR SHANE BLACK ADDS THE PREDATOR 

TO THE 30-YEAR-OLD SCIFI/HORROR FRANCHISE 

THAT ONCE BOASTED TWO FUTURE GOVERNORS 

3 HELLO 

4 EXHIBITION BRIEFS 

16 NATO NEWS 

24 CHARITY SPOTLIGHT 

48 INDIE FOCUS brought to you by Spotlight Cinema Networks 

52 SOCIAL MEDIA 

56 INVESTOR RELATIONS 

58 3D CALENDAR brought to you by RealD 

60 EVENT CALENDAR 

62 ON SCREEN 

82 BOOKING GUIDE 

88 MARKETPLACE 

Boxoffice Magazine has served as the official publication of the National Association of 

Theatre Owners (NATO) since 2007. As part of this partnership, Boxoffice is proud to feature 

exclusive columns from NATO while retaining full editorial freedom throughout its pages. As 

such, the views expressed in Boxoffice, except for columns signed by NATO executives, neither 

reflect a stance nor endorsement from the National Association of Theatre Owners. 

2 BOXOFFICE ® AUGUST 2018

hello. 

>> Coming off a great first half of the year, we’re looking 

forward to the string of conventions lined up for the late 

summer and fall months. In this issue we preview three 

upcoming conventions: ShowSouth in Braselton, Georgia 

(August 21–23); CineShow in Dallas, Texas (August 27– 

29); and ExpoCine in São Paulo, Brazil (October 2–5). The 

return to the convention circuit reminds me a bit of going 

back to school from summer vacation: catching up with old 

friends, making new contacts, and finding renewed energy 

to tackle the rest of the year. Each of these three shows, I believe, 

will offer attendees that very same opportunity while 

providing a different look at how exhibition continues to evolve in their specific regions. 

While audiences buzz about this summer’s titles, those in the industry have been more caught up 

with the latest development in digital ticketing. Subscription services have become the biggest 

topic of the year for exhibition. The concept has seen great traction over the last 12 months: 

from the rapid rise of third-party providers to the introduction of in-house offerings from two 

of the country’s top three cinema circuits. The concept is now facing backlash from a segment of 

users after a string of service interruptions affected third-party subscription providers in late July. 

Meanwhile, other digital ticketing platforms have begun to market themselves as the antithesis to 

these customer-service woes; Atom Tickets, for example, is currently running a campaign targeting 

frustrated Moviepass customers by promoting the stability of their own service. The digital ticketing 

landscape has become increasingly competitive in recent years, and exhibitors have taken note 

of the opportunities granted by taking greater control of their admissions. In this issue, we take 

a look at the latest addition to the subscription service family in the United States, AMC’s Stubs 

A-List, the first offering of its kind by the largest exhibition circuit in the United States. AMC’s 

take on subscription leverages highlights the circuit’s investment in premium large-format auditoriums 

(a topic we covered in last month’s issue), widening its appeal to audiences by making its 

most technologically advanced screens available to subscribers. While “value” leads the sales pitch 

when it comes to subscription, consumers will undoubtedly begin taking more stock in reliability 

from any service they choose to join. 

We’ll continue our coverage of subscription throughout the year by highlighting the entire digital 

ticketing space as a whole: from innovations like dynamic pricing to loyalty programs, and alternatives 

like memberships and discount days. Ultimately, our role in this conversation isn’t to promote 

any one service over another—but simply to spotlight the differing approaches that cinemas 

around the world have taken to engage consumers and encourage a higher frequency of visits. 

As always, we look forward to hearing your feedback on the stories in the following pages. And if 

you see me or our team at any of the upcoming conventions, please feel free to say hello. 

Daniel Loria 

Editorial Director 

Boxoffice Media 

daniel@boxoffice.com 

AUGUST 2018 BOXOFFICE ® 3

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BOXOFFICE ® (ISSN 0006-8527), Volume 154, Number 

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IN MEMORIAM 

STEPHEN LANE COLSON SR. 

>> Stephen Lane Colson Sr. passed away on July 3, 2018, in Birmingham, 

Alabama, at the age of 72. Colson launched his career in the movie industry 

as a general manager and vice president with Weis Theaters. He continued 

his career with General Cinema Theaters as their vice president of southwest 

operations in Chestnut Hill, Mass., and in 1992 he became president 

and chief operating officer at Litchfield Theatres in Pawley’s Island, S.C. 

After selling the company, Colson moved his family to Birmingham, where 

he served as chief operating officer with Cobb Theatres for two years. 

During this time, he was granted the honor of participating in the Olympic 

Torch relay through Birmingham as part of its route to Atlanta for the 

1996 Olympic Games. Colson founded his own theater company, AmStar 

Entertainment, LLC, where he developed seven modern stadium-theater 

locations with 96 screens located in six states. AmStar received multiple 

recognitions for construction, operations, and customer service. After 

selling AmStar, Colson continued to work as an industry consultant and 

served on multiple boards within the theater industry. Throughout his life, 

he believed in the magic of going to the movies. 

Stephen Lane Colson Sr. was born March 31, 1946, in Macon, George. 

He is survived by his wife of 36 years, Audrey Hamel Colson; his son, 

Stephen Lane Colson Jr. and his wife, Crystal, of Savannah; his daughter 

Stephanie Lauren Colson of Los Angeles; and his grandson, Stephen “Lane” 

Colson III; as well as a sister and half-sister. After graduating from Armstrong 

College, Colson served as an infantry officer in the United States Army from 

1968 until 1974, first as a Special Forces officer in Guam, and then, promoted 

to captain, in Vietnam where he earned two awards of the Bronze Star 

Medal. A respected leader and a generous, loving friend to many, he will be 

greatly missed. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be 

made to Disabled American Veterans, www.dav.org, or the UAB Comprehensive 

Cancer Center, cancercenter.uab.edu. 


EXHIBITION BRIEFS 

B&B THEATERS TO OPEN SCREENX CINEMA EXPERIENCE 

>> Last month, in conjunction with the official grand opening 

of B&B Theatres’ newly built state-of-the-art flagship Liberty 

12 in Liberty, Missouri, the largest ScreenX environment in the 

world opened to the public. 

It is located on a premium large-format (PLF) Grand Screen 

and measures more than four stories tall and seven stories wide, 

with the capacity to seat 244 attendees. 

Based in the Kansas City DMA, this new opening will also 

mark the first ScreenX auditorium in the Midwest U.S., the 

fourth in the country, and the 143rd worldwide. Previously 

opened U.S. ScreenX locations include two in the Los Angeles 

area and one in Las Vegas. This is the first of four ScreenX 

auditoriums planned to open at B&B Theatres through 2019. 

ScreenX is expected to operate over 200 screens by the end of 

2018, more than 30 percent growth compared to 2017. 

The Liberty 12 location is one of four new ScreenX installations 

planned through 2019, as part of a previously announced 

agreement between B&B Theatres, the seventh-largest exhibitor 

in the world, and CJ 4DPLEX Americas, which manages 

ScreenX and 4DX operations in the U.S. 

“This opening marks an incredible moment for both our 

company and for me personally, and we are thrilled that the 

world’s largest ScreenX experience is a key component of 

our new flagship theater,” said Bob Bagby, president of B&B 

Theatres, which also operates approximately 400 screens at 50 

locations across Kansas, Florida, Iowa, Missouri, Mississippi, 

Oklahoma, and Texas. “We know our guests will be amazed 

by the innovative technology used to project their favorite 

films on three walls of the auditorium and look forward to 

bringing this premium format to other locations over the next 

few months.” 



CINÉPOLIS USA MAKES DALLAS 

DEBUT AT VICTORY PARK 

>> Cinépolis USA celebrated the 

grand opening of Cinépolis Luxury 

Cinemas–Victory Park, the first luxury 

theater for the brand in the Lone 

Star State, on July 27. The eightscreen, 

750-seat multiplex will serve 

as the cinema anchor at Victory Park, 

a 75-acre urban-lifestyle destination 

just north of downtown Dallas. The 

theater marks Cinépolis USA’s debut 

in Dallas, where the company holds 

its headquarters. 

“Dallas is our home, so it is particularly 

exciting to launch our luxury 

cinemas in Victory Park, a coveted 

destination that is quickly becoming 

the premier entertainment district 

in the city,” said Luis Olloqui, chief 

executive officer, Cinépolis USA. “We 

look forward to bringing our personal 

touch to the Dallas community by 

introducing a new moviegoing experience 

in our own backyard.” 

A destination unto itself, the 

44,000-square-foot Cinépolis Luxury 

Cinemas–Victory Park will offer guests 

a luxury moviegoing experience with 

750 fully reclining leather seats in its 

eight auditoriums, each complete with 

cutting-edge sound and high-definition 

projection technology, an upscale 

lounge-style lobby space, as well as a 

gourmet concessions menu and in-theater 

waiter service. Cinépolis Luxury 

Cinemas–Victory Park will feature a 

new menu that is being introduced exclusively 

to Victory Park first and then 

will roll out nationally to all luxury 

cinemas this August. Guests may also 

enjoy beverages from the full bar menu, 

which includes craft beer, specialty 

cocktails, and Cinépolis USA Private 

Label wine. 

The second cinema house set to 

open in Texas, Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas–Victory 

Park adds to Cinépolis 

USA’s luxury movie theater category. 

Its opening follows the brand’s entry 

into Texas with premium theater 

concept Cinépolis Euless in August 

2017. Currently, there are 18 theaters 

in the U.S., located in Texas, Southern 

California, Florida, New Jersey, 

Connecticut, Ohio, and New York, 

with three openings this year and 10 

new theater openings and acquisitions 

projected through 2020, representing 

a 55 percent increase in Cinépolis 

USA’s portfolio of luxury and premium 

cinemas. In 2017, Cinépolis 

reported 338.4 million attendees to its 

theaters worldwide. 

STUDIO MOVIE GRILL ANNOUNCES U.S. 

AND OVERSEAS EXPANSION 

>> Studio Movie Grill (SMG) operates 

314 screens in 30 locations nationwide. In 

addition to new locations in North Carolina, 

Florida, and California, SMG has 

signed licensing agreements for overseas locations 

in Saudi Arabia and South Africa. 

Rounding out SMG’s expansion 

plan, three additional locations in 

Southern California, acquired in 2017, 

will premiere this year as full-service 

in-theater dining concepts in Redlands 

(September), Monrovia (October), and 

Downey (November). 

“Studio Movie Grill has been focused 

on expansion for several years, and we are 

now on the cusp of enormous growth in 

our segment. These opportunities used to 

be stateside, but now we have international 

interest, and that’s exciting,” said Ted 

Croft, CFO. “We are continually innovating 

our brand with a focus on facility 

design, customer service, the best technology, 

and a continually evolving menu.” 

SMG has made Inc. magazine’s list 

of Fastest Growing Private Companies 

three years in a row, and placed 12th in 

Boxoffice magazine’s Giants of Exhibition 

in 2018. 

“SMG is excited to offer a community 

gathering place alongside dinner and a 

movie,” said Founder/CEO Brian Schultz. 

“We are a conscious business on a mission 

to open hearts and minds one story at a 

time, with a desire to leave a positive wake 

in the communities we serve. To reach 

more guests internationally is a testament 

to our drive and larger purpose.” 

STUDIO MOVIE GRILL LOYALTY 

PROGRAM GIVES BACK TO LOCAL 

CHARITIES 

>> For the last 18 years, Studio Movie 

Grill (SMG) has contributed millions of 

dollars in corporate giving and in-kind 

donations to local charities and nonprofit 

organizations. SMG continues its commitment 

to making a difference with its 

new loyalty program, SMG Access. 

SMG Access, launched nationwide in 


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June, is the only theater loyalty program focused on positively 

impacting community members in need through local organizations. 

SMG Access is a purpose-first loyalty platform where 

members earn points on every movie ticket purchased at Studio 

Movie Grill. When a reward is earned, a movie and meal is donated 

to an outreach program. 

SMG Access provides a groundbreaking and purposeful way 

for guests to support outreach programs in their neighborhoods. 

“It’s great to see a loyalty program that gives back to the community,” 

said Vinele Grana, vice president, Worldwide Exhibitor 

Partnerships, Sony Pictures Entertainment. Last month, SMG 

Access members launched the program nationwide by donating 

1,500 movies and meals in collaboration with Sony Pictures 

Animation’s Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation. This on top 

of the 200 movies and meals donated for Lionsgate’s Uncle Drew. 

Studio Movie Grill will announce additional studio partnerships 

this year. 

How it works: Every time guests earn 1,000 SMG Access 

points they will receive a $10 eBonus Card, which can be used 

for movie tickets, food, and non-alcoholic beverages at any SMG 

location. Every time a reward is earned, SMG will donate a 

movie and meal to a local nonprofit in that community, allowing 

guests to join SMG on its mission to impact one million lives. 

As a socially conscious business, SMG is committed to creating 

a positive wake for all five of its stakeholders. SMG’s legacy 

programs include Special Needs Screenings, Chefs for Children 

program, and its annual Opening Hearts & Minds Award, which 

strive to help families and acknowledge local heroes. 

DOLBY AND CINESCAPE TO BRING FIRST DOLBY CINEMAS 

TO KUWAIT 

>> Dolby Laboratories Inc. and the Kuwait National Cinema 

Company (KNCC) have entered into a three-screen agreement 

for the first deployments of Dolby Cinema in Kuwait. The first 

site is expected to open later in 2018 at the 360 Mall in Kuwait 

City with KNCC operating under the Cinescape brand. 

The news follows recent announcements of upcoming openings 

in the U.K. with Odeon and with Kinopolis in Germany. 

“We are really pleased to be able to continue to drive momentum 

in our strategy to expand the Dolby Cinema footprint in the 

Europe and Middle East region,” said Doug Darrow, senior vice 

president, Cinema Business Group, Dolby Laboratories. 

“We’re delighted to be working with such a progressive leader 

in the region. Customers in Kuwait will now be able to experience 

the ultimate presentation for all genres of film. Dolby 

Cinema combines spectacular image, moving audio, and inspired 

design to deliver a superior and immersive experience for moviegoers,” 

he added. 

Khaled Al Marzouq, business development manager at 

KNCC said, “We are committed to bringing our Cinescape customers 

the very best in movie entertainment and are really look- 

FIRST ECLAIRCOLOR HDR AUDITORIUM OPENS 

IN CHINA 

>> Ymagis Group and Chinese cinema systems integrator 

Great Ocean announced the opening of the first Eclair- 

Color HDR (high dynamic range) auditorium in China as 

part of a new multiplex in the city of RuiAn with cinema 

exhibitor Bestar Cinemas. The EclairColor technology is 

a key component of a new premium large-format (PLF) 

concept labeled STARX and boasts a 22-meter wide screen, 

600 seats, and a Sony Digital Cinema 4K SRX-R515QS 

quad-system projector. 

“We’re very excited to bring this new HDR technology to 

our new multiplex at the Wuyue shopping mall, marking a 

first in China,” said Jiang Yuanxin, deputy general manager 

of Shanghai Bestar Cinemas Management Co., Ltd. “As 

part of our master development strategy, we aim to open 50 

STARX PLF auditoriums with EclairColor technology by 

2021 as part of both our existing and new cinema complexes 

located across China.” 

“We are thrilled with this successful collaboration with 

Great Ocean and expect many more EclairColor installations 

to follow in the near future,” said Simon Eyries, EclairColor 

project leader at Ymagis Group. “It’s an important milestone 

for both Chinese filmmakers and cinema exhibitors in the 

deployment of a powerful and affordable HDR technology 

across China. For this occasion, Ymagis Group’s content 

services arm, Eclair, produced their first EclairColor digital 

cinema package (DCP) of a Chinese-made feature film, 

Dying to Survive, directed by Wen Muye.” 



ing forward to offering Dolby Cinema, a 

more dramatic and engaging film viewing 

experience for cinemagoers, and the format 

beloved of Hollywood directors. We 

are really proud to be the first location 

in Kuwait to be offering film lovers this 

state-of-the-art film experience.” 

ECA APPOINTS 

GRAINNE PEAT 

AS MANAGING 

DIRECTOR 

>> The Event 

Cinema Association 

(ECA) has 

announced the 

appointment of 

Grainne Peat to the role of managing director. 

The ECA, established in 2012, is 

the primary trade body for the alternative 

content sector. 

Peat has considerable industry experience, 

gained from her time spent at the 

UK Cinema Association, where she has 

been instrumental in driving forward 

a diverse range of policy issues, most 

notably in the areas of disability and 

access, security, skills and employment, 

and sustainability. Peat was the main lead 

for the association’s networking events, 

including the annual conference. 

With support and resourcing from 

the ECA’s board, Peat will be responsible 

for the development of the association. 

Her role will be pivotal in meeting the 

ECA’s plans and objectives, ultimately 

to promote the event cinema sector and 

grow the support the association offers 

exhibition and distribution members. 

“Grainne is a well-known figure in U.K. 

and European exhibition circles, not least 

for her positive engagement with a wide 

range of industry contacts and stakeholders 

but also her involvement on the UNIC 

Board and being a pioneering mentee on 

the UNIC Women’s Cinema Leadership 

Programme,” said Brad LaDouceur on behalf 

of the ECA’s board of directors, “Her 

advocacy on behalf of the cinema industry 

in recent years makes her the perfect candidate 

to magnify the ECA’s impact.” 

Commenting on her appointment, 

Peat said, “I am excited to be leading the 

ECA as it moves forward at pace—the 

association supports a culturally significant 

sector that is diverse, genuinely innovative, 

and frequently at the technical 

leading edge of cinema exhibition. I want 

to ensure that event cinema is a sustained 

and profitable element of the cinemagoing 

experience.” 

ARTS ALLIANCE MEDIA 

COLLABORATES WITH DELUXE 

TECHNICOLOR DIGITAL CINEMA 

>> Arts Alliance Media (AAM) and 

Deluxe Technicolor Digital Cinema 

(DTDC) have formed a collaboration 

that will deliver the industry’s first 

automated KDM (key delivery message) 

management service, representing a step 

toward the promise of fully automated 

cinema management. 

KDMs are unique security keys 

issued by service providers of theatrical 

content on behalf of studios/content 

owners to enable film playout. With 

AAM’s new solution, KDMs can now 

be generated and delivered through the 

cloud directly from distributor booking 

systems all the way to the cinema-trusted 

device playout equipment with confirmed 

proof of delivery. All customers 

of AAM’s Screenwriter Theatre Management 

System (TMS) will be invited to 

sign up for the service completely free 

of charge. 

The new automated KDM solution 

offers a quantum leap in responsiveness, 

accuracy, and reliability and is made 

possible through a direct integration 

between DTDC’s worldwide booking 

management systems and AAM’s Thunderstorm 

cloud platform, supported by 

AAM’s Screenwriter TMS. 

A secure communications channel 

between each TMS and AAM’s Thunderstorm 

cloud allows for real-time update 

of DTDC’s global trusted device list 

(TDL), the industry’s most comprehensive 

up-to-date database on the actual 

equipment installed at each cinema. This 

ensures that KDMs delivered to cinemas 

through Thunderstorm are always 

correctly targeted. Once at site, Screenwriter 

takes over to deliver directly to 

the target equipment. At all stages, until 

successful ingest, the delivery is fully 

tracked, thereby allowing DTDC to 

provide definitive proof of delivery to 

their customers. The whole process from 

booking to confirmed ingest is typically 

completed within minutes with zero 

effort required from the exhibitor. 

Rich Phillips, chief technology officer 

at AAM, said, “Automating KDM delivery 

is a critical step in streamlining how 

features get to screens around the world. 

Through AAM’s advancements in cloud 

technologies and this groundbreaking 

partnership with DTDC we now have 

the ability to automate global TDL management 

and to standardize automated 

KDM delivery, ultimately making KDM 

management seamless and invisible for 

our exhibitor customers.” 

CINEMOVIDA TO OPEN MOTION EFX 

THEATRE IN FRANCE 

>> CineMovida has announced plans 

to open a Motion EFX Theatre in spring 

of 2019. The theater will be one of eight 

screens at a new multiplex in Maurepas, 

part of the new town of Saint-Quentinen-Yvelines. 

The theater will feature 117 

MX4D Motion EFX seats. 

“We are excited to move into a new 

market and introduce the excitement of 

MX4D to the region,” said Dan Jamele, 

chief innovation technology officer. 

The silent, air-driven, pneumatic 

system offers a full range of motion and 

effects including air blasts, water, scent, 

and fog. 

CineMovida selected MX4D as their 

preferred 4D technology after lengthy 

research, according to Stephan Miché, 

secretary general. “4D seats are something 

quite new in France and we are 

very proud to work with MX4D. We 

want to show customers that cinema is 

evolving and that we will always stay on 

the cutting edge of entertainment.” 



LES CINÉMAS PATHÉ GAUMONT COMMITS TO 20 IMAX 

WITH LASER SYSTEMS 

>> IMAX Corporation and Les Cinémas Pathé Gaumont 

have announced hybrid joint revenue-share agreements for 

20 IMAX with Laser systems. IMAX’s 

new laser experience for commercial 

multiplexes and 12-channel immersive 

sound system will be added to a 

combination of new and existing Pathé 

and Gaumont sites across Europe. This 

announcement also represents the industry’s 

first multi-territory all-laser IMAX 

cinema circuit. 

Under these agreements, Les Cinémas 

Pathé Gaumont will upgrade 11 IMAX digital theaters in 

operation to IMAX with Laser along with renewed 10-year 

lease terms, reinforcing its commitment to the IMAX Experience. 

In addition, seven IMAX with Laser systems will replace 

IMAX theater systems that are currently contracted to open. 

Les Cinémas Pathé Gaumont will also add IMAX with Laser 

systems to two new IMAX theaters to be located in France. 

Under the agreements, the new technology is slated to be 

installed between 2018 and 2023, with 10 IMAX with Laser 

systems to be added to IMAX theaters in France, seven in the 

Netherlands, and three in Switzerland. 

With these agreements, Les Cinémas 

Pathé Gaumont has a total of 30 IMAX 

theaters that are currently open or contracted 

to open, including 18 theaters in 

France, seven in the Netherlands, four in 

Switzerland, and one in Belgium. 

“We are proud to announce that Les 

Cinémas Pathé Gaumont will equip 30 

IMAX with Laser theaters in Europe 

by 2023. We are the first network committed to be fully 

powered by IMAX with Laser. This commitment forms an 

integral part of our innovation and upgrading strategy, by 

which we aim to offer moviegoers an increasingly intense and 

immersive cinema experience,” said Martine Odillard, chairman 

of Les Cinémas Pathé Gaumont. 

CINEMARK UNVEILS UPDATES AT LAS 

VEGAS SUNCOAST THEATER 

>> Cinemark Holdings Inc. has upgraded 

its Century 16 Suncoast theater inside 

Suncoast Hotel and Casino in the Northwest 

Valley, Las Vegas. Upgrades include 

Luxury Lounger recliners in multiple 

auditoriums, the addition of a Cinemark 

XD premium large-format auditorium, 

and a brand-new café. 

“Cinemark is thrilled to enhance the 

moviegoing experience at our Century 16 

Suncoast theater with some of our top-ofthe-line 

features,” said James Meredith, 

SVP of marketing and communications 

for Cinemark. “With the new amenities, 

our guests will love watching all the great 

summer blockbusters like Ant-Man and 

The Wasp and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom 

in a comfortable and beautiful new 

atmosphere.” 

Cinemark has replaced existing 

seats in eight auditoriums with Luxury 

Loungers, which are heated, ergonomic, 

electric-powered, plush, oversize recliners 

with extendable footrests and swivel 

tray tables. Guests can reserve these seats 

in advance. In addition to the Luxury 

Loungers, the Century 16 Suncoast 

theater now has a Cinemark XD auditorium, 

which includes wall-to-wall screens, 

custom surround-sound systems, and 

Luxury Lounger seating. The new café 

will offer an expanded menu. The theater 

will also feature newly installed Coca-Cola 

Freestyle beverage machines. 

In addition, the Cinemark Century 

16 Suncoast theater also offers a variety 

of discounts, such as early bird pricing 

for the first matinee show time of the day 

and discount pricing for seniors, students, 

and military personnel. 

SCREENVISION ACQUISITION BY ABRY 

IS COMPLETE 

>> Abry Partners, a media-focused 

private equity firm, has finalized its 

acquisition of a controlling stake in 

Screenvision Media. Terms of the transaction 

were not disclosed. 

“We see a very bright future for 

Screenvision,” said John Hunt, managing 

partner of Abry Partners. “We look 

forward to partnering alongside and 

investing with their first-rate management 

team to help further unlock future 

growth for the company as well as their 

leading network of exhibitors.” 

As part of the transaction, the company’s 

existing owners, Shamrock Capital 

and AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc. 

will retain minority stakes. John Partilla 

will remain as the company’s chief 

executive officer. Under his leadership, 

Screenvision Media has experienced 30 

percent revenue growth and a tripling of 

profitability over the past three years. 

“We couldn’t be more excited about 

our new relationship with Abry Partners 

and the potential for growth ahead of us,” 

said Partilla. “We have seen a tremendous 

amount of growth in recent years and are 

confident that this new chapter in our 

business will build even further on that.” 

Moelis & Company served as financial 

advisor and Latham & Watkins LLP 

as legal advisor to Shamrock Capital 

on the transaction. LionTree Advisors 

served as financial advisors and Kirkland 

& Ellis as legal advisor for Abry 

Partners. Deutsche Bank provided debt 

financing for the transaction on an 

exclusive basis and acted as sole lead 

arranger and book runner. n 


NATO NEWS 

DIRECTOR NICOLAS WINDING REFN ON THE SET OF 

THE NEON DEMON WITH ELLE FANNING 

CINEMA IS NOT DEAD 

DAVID CRONENBERG AND NICOLAS WINDING REFN ARE THE LATEST DIRECTORS 

TO TROT OUT THIS TIRED REFRAIN 

Phil Contrino, Director of Media & Research, NATO 

>> I’ll start by saying that David Cronenberg 

is one of my favorite directors. I’ll always 

remember seeing A History of Violence—my 

introduction to his work—in theaters during 

my sophomore year of college. I was knocked 

out by how it combined mainstream entertainment 

with smart psychological undercurrents. I 

quickly worked my way through his canon after 

that viewing. I also admire the work of Nicolas 

Winding Refn, a director who is immensely 

talented at composing striking images. 

It’s very upsetting to me that both 

Cronenberg and Refn recently made headlines 

with pessimistic statements about the 

state of cinema. 

Cronenberg said the following at Neuchâtel 

International Fantastic Film Festival 

in Switzerland: 

“I don’t go to the cinema anymore. [In Neuchâtel] 

I’ve seen more movies than I’ve seen in 

the last five years. [The jury] are seeing 16 films. 

I don’t think I’ve been to the cinema 16 times 

in the last five years. In that sense, for me, that 

cinema is already dead. (continued on page 18) 


NATO NEWS 

DIRECTOR DAVID CRONENBERG 

ON THE SET OF A DANGEROUS 

METHOD WITH KEIRA 

KNIGHTLEY 

“However, filmmaking is not dead. Image-making 

is not dead. Cinema becomes something else. 

It is no longer the cathedral that you go to where 

you commune with many other people.” 

It sounds like Cronenberg has missed out on 

seeing a lot of great movies in the format in which 

they were meant to be seen. That’s a shame. It’s beyond 

condescending for someone who has inspired 

many directors working today to be so dismissive 

of the great work that’s filling theater screens. 

Cronenberg also used the public appearance 

to discuss his intentions to create a series for 

Netflix. This doesn’t come as a surprise, considering 

that content creators are convinced that they 

have to choose sides in a war: they either have to 

make theatrical releases or go to Netflix to create 

a series. This polarization doesn’t reflect reality. 

Content creators can work safely in one format 

without bashing the other. There are plenty of 

producers, writers, and directors who have no 

problem creating for both. The Netflix-or-cinema 

rationale plays right into the grandiose notion 

that Netflix will completely change the way 

people watch movies forever (read: only at home). 

It won’t. 

As for Refn, he was quoted as saying the 

following at the Lumière Film Festival in Lyon Metropolis, 

France. (He was there to promote a new 

streaming platform he created. How convenient!) 

“Cinema is dead. I have come to Lyon to 

declare film to be dead. And now it’s resurrected. 

Film clings on to our feet as we move forward. The 

best way to move forward [is] to 

bury the past. That doesn’t mean 

you forget it.” 

Refn refused to get into the 

Netflix vs. theaters debate by saying, 

“That discussion is so 2000. Here 

we are in the second day of Year 

Zero. The only thing to know is 

that the cinema screen and the 

phone are co-existent. One is not 

better than the other. They are 

co-existent.” One is not better than 

the other? I have a hard time buying 

that a director who takes so much 

pride in stunning images and great 

sound editing really believes that. 

I can’t help but wonder when 

Cronenberg or Refn last stepped 

into a crowded theater on a Friday 

night. It’s impossible to do that and then say with 

a straight face that cinema is dead. And I’m not 

just talking about multiplexes that helped produce 

2018’s massive first half—up 5.2 percent year/year 

in admissions—but also art houses that have been 

packed this summer thanks to hits such as Eighth 

Grade (highest per-screen average debut of the year 

with more than $63K), Won’t You Be My Neighbor? 

($18 million as of press time), RBG ($13.1 

million), Sorry to Bother You ($10.2 million), and 

Three Identical Strangers ($4.5 million). I’ve said 

it before and I’ll say it again: anybody who says 

“They just don’t make ’em like they used to” is not 

paying attention. 

Dismissive comments about cinema’s demise 

also ignore the progress that is being made when 

it comes to diversity behind the camera. Is cinema 

dead for Greta Gerwig, Jordan Peele, and Ryan 

Coogler? Of course it isn’t. All three of those directors 

are breaking down barriers for future directors 

to tell their stories on the big screen. 

Luckily, there’s no shortage of heavy-hitter 

advocates for the superiority of theatrical to 

counter the naysayers: Christopher Nolan, Steven 

Spielberg, James Cameron, Martin Scorsese, Patty 

Jenkins, Paul Thomas Anderson, Wes Anderson, 

Aaron Sorkin, Joe Wright, Scott Cooper, Michael 

Showalter, and Sean Baker—just to name a few. 

Cronenberg and Refn certainly won’t be the last 

to make negative comments, but each new hit that 

draws in moviegoers will prove such comments to 

be out of sync with reality. n 


NATO NEWS 

FROM MOVIE 

THEATER BOX 

OFFICE TO 

NATO’S NORTH 

HOLLYWOOD 

OFFICE 

OR HOW I JOINED THE TEAM 

AND HOW IT’S GOING SO FAR 

by Erin Von Hoetzendorff 

Global Affairs and Administrative Assistant, 

NATO 

ERIN VON HOETZENDORFF: 

EXHIBITION ENTHUSIAST 

>> “So, how did you get involved with NATO?” 

As the newest member of the NATO team, I’ve 

been getting that question a lot lately. But I have a 

hard time answering it quickly. My previous professional 

experience is in marketing for a staffing 

and consulting firm, so how in the world did I end 

up here? And how can I be contributing anything 

beneficial to this organization coming from such 

a different industry? Like I said, the answer is 

complicated. 

To get to the bottom of it, we need to rewind. 

I don’t remember a time where I didn’t love going 

to the movies. I have a very distinct memory of 

watching in awe as a giant Mewtwo floated on the 

big screen while Pokémon: The First Movie played 

before me in a theater in 1999. A few years later, I 

begged my dad to throw my 10th birthday party 

at a movie theater, and he chaperoned a row of 

fifth graders to a sold-out showing of Shark Tale. 

I stood in line for hours for midnight showings of 

Harry Potter. I craved the taste of movie theater 

popcorn. I just really don’t remember a time when 

I didn’t love going to the movies, because the theater 

has always been a sanctuary for me, a sacred 

space where I get to sit back, relax, and enjoy a 

new story in a dark room full of strangers who are 

all there for the same reasons. 

Now let’s fast forward just a bit, to the summer 

of 2013. I was going to be home for a few 

months after my first year of college and felt it was 

probably time to be a productive human and get 


NATO NEWS 

a job. I applied to the seven-screen AMC down 

the street from my house—for the convenience of 

the half mile commute and the possibility of free 

movies, but also because why would I want to work 

anywhere else, really? 

Over the course of three summers at two different 

theaters, I learned how to use the popper, which 

came with a collection of arm burns that felt like 

membership requirements for the exclusive movie 

theater employees club. I attempted, unsuccessfully, 

to master the art of sweeping popcorn off 

carpet—without just crumbling the popcorn into a 

million more tiny pieces of popcorn. I sold tickets 

in a little box office where I got to wear an earpiece 

microphone that my friends said made me look 

like Brittney Spears circa her Baby One More Time 

tour. I tore tickets with precision and poured soda 

with the perfect ice-to-liquid ratio. Even though I 

came home engulfed in a fog of popcorn scent, I 

loved that job. 

After graduating from the University of Portland 

with a B.A. in communications, I moved back 

home to the San Fernando Valley, on the edge of 

Los Angeles. I landed a job, that aforementioned 

marketing position, where I learned a lot about 

managing projects and being a corporate professional, 

but it was a job that I didn’t necessarily 

love. After two years there, it was time to look for 

something that would make me feel excited about 

going to work. 

Here’s where NATO comes in. (I still thank the 

universe for the impeccable timing of their job posting.) 

I walked into NATO’s North Hollywood office 

for an interview and was immediately greeted by an 

eight-foot-tall cylindrical inflatable with the faces of 

the Three Stooges of 2012, which helped calm my 

nerves. I talked about my professional and personal 

experiences. I explained that my ground-level 

knowledge of movie theaters helps me understand 

some of the different operational challenges exhibitors 

face. I emphasized my interest in the industry 

and my desire to work for an organization that 

supports the theaters I grew up loving. 

I got the job—global affairs and administrative 

assistant at NATO. That means I support the 

Global Cinema Federation and industry relations 

by helping to maintain and collect information, 

communicate with members, and prepare reports 

and presentations, among other various tasks. I also 

coordinate the administrative affairs of the North 

Hollywood office. 

I WALKED INTO 

NATO’S NORTH 

HOLLYWOOD 

OFFICE FOR AN 

INTERVIEW 

AND WAS 

IMMEDIATELY 

GREETED BY 

AN EIGHT- 

FOOT-TALL 

CYLINDRICAL 

INFLATABLE 

WITH THE FACES 

OF THE THREE 

STOOGES OF 

2012, WHICH 

HELPED CALM 

MY NERVES. 

I have now been with NATO for a whirlwind 

four months. Three weeks into the job, I got 

to attend my first CinemaCon. And then, two 

months later, I was given the opportunity to travel 

to Barcelona to attend CineEurope. I have learned 

so much at these events, but I think my biggest 

takeaway is that the people in this industry are 

incredibly passionate about what they do. From 

my fellow NATO staff members to the CEOs of 

giant chains and the owners of one-screen driveins, 

I quickly discovered that the people I will 

encounter at this job are all as obsessed with going 

to the movies as I am. And with that, they want to 

make sure the moviegoing experience continues to 

be special and exciting for everyone. 

I know that this industry is always working 

to improve. Of course, there are the recliner 

renovations and the upgraded food and beverage 

offerings that make going to the theater a luxury 

experience, which I love and appreciate, but I’m 

more excited about improvements in inclusion 

and diversity, an idea that’s been referenced 

frequently by NATO this year. I’m excited to see 

stories about men and women of color featured 

prominently on the big screen. I’m excited to see 

theaters being recognized for their inclusive hiring 

practices. I’m excited to see the Academy work to 

improve its diversity. I’m excited to see ADA-captioning 

rules go into effect so that the moviegoing 

experience can be more inclusive. 

Still, I believe that there is so much more that 

can be done. I hope to see more theaters being 

built near communities with large populations 

of people of color. I hope people with disabilities 

continue to be considered and acknowledged as 

the moviegoing experience continues to improve. 

I hope to see more women and people of color in 

leadership positions at theaters, studios, and companies 

involved with the moviegoing experience. 

I want diversity and inclusion, but I also want 

equality. It’s not just about adding a few minority 

faces to the room. It’s about giving minority voices 

the proper platform so they can confidently and 

successfully make a difference. 

Clearly, I have a lot of hopes. But in this industry 

full of people who are dedicated to ensuring that 

everyone can enjoy movie theaters, I’m optimistic. 

I’m honored to be a part of this industry during 

such a pivotal time. So, thanks for welcoming me 

back into the world of movie theaters. In case you 

still aren’t sure, I’m thrilled to be here. n 


IF YOU 

WANT TO 

MAKE A 

STAND, 

THEN IT ’ S 

TIME TO 

TAKE A SEAT. 

S E A T I N G 

YEARS OF DESIGN 

WWW.CAMATIC.COM

CHARITY SPOTLIGHT 

To add events in an upcoming issue, please send announcements to numbers@boxoffice.com 

VARIETY – THE CHILDREN’S 

CHARITY OF SOUTHERN 

CALIFORNIA 

More than 450 people went “all in” to 

benefit one of their favorite charities, 

Variety – the Children’s Charity of 

Southern California, in what was the 

most successful Poker and Casino 

Night fund-raiser on record. Proceeds 

from the event, held at the Paramount 

Pictures Studio Lot, provide support for 

children with special needs in Southern 

California. 

Gilles Marini (pictured) and other celebrities 

(facing page) pose during the 8th Annual Variety 

– The Children’s Charity of Southern California 

Texas Hold ’Em Poker Tournament held at 

Paramount Studios on Wednesday, July 18, 2018, 

in Hollywood, California. 

Photos by Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging 

24 AUGUST 2018

CELEBRITIES AT THE VARIETY - THE CHILDREN’S CHARITY TEXAS HOLD ‘EM POKER TOURNEY IN HOLLYWOOD 

VARIETY OF IOWA 

Variety of Iowa raised more than $200,000 for underprivileged, 

at-risk, and special needs children throughout Iowa with its annual 

Polo on the Green at Powder River Ranch on July 14. Polo on the 

Green is an air-conditioned evening of dinner, all-inclusive hosted 

bar, live and silent auctions, dancing, and, of course, a polo match 

complete with divot stomping. Guests came for the polo and 

stayed for the party. 

STEVE PEMBERTON 

UPCOMING EVENTS 

VARIETY OF DETROIT 

Variety Feeds Kids Luncheon 

September 27 

bit.ly/2AmxxA2 

Variety of Detroit will hold its first Variety Feeds Kids Luncheon on Thursday, 

September 27, 2018, at Pine Lake Country Club. Guest speaker for the luncheon is 

Steve Pemberton, chief diversity officer and divisional vice president of Walgreens, 

and author of A Chance in the World. Variety Feeds Kids distributes food every 

week to 1,200 qualifying children who are at-risk of weekend hunger. Working 

with the school district and Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, Variety Feeds Kids 

distributes bags of food every Friday afternoon. n 


LOYALTY PROGRAMS 

THE A-LIST 

AMC LAUNCHES STUBS A-LIST, ITS IN-HOUSE SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE 

by Daniel Loria 

AMC became the second major U.S. circuit to launch an in-house subscription service with the June launch of Stubs A-List. The 

program comes on the heels of rising consumer adoption of movie theater subscription services, essentially functioning as an 

additional premium tier of the circuit’s popular Stubs loyalty program. 

>> The idea had been kicked about for a number of 

years, according to AMC Chief Marketing 

Officer Stephen Colanero, who cites 

the acquisition of the U.K.’s Odeon 

circuit as a catalyst for the 

efforts. “We talked to them 

about what they had done 

and what they were learning. 

They were very open and 

forthcoming, and shared a lot 

of their experiences,” explains 

the executive. “Fortunately for 

us, they had just launched it 

about a year or 18 months prior 

to our integration. They were very 

honest about their experiences; it 

certainly helped us frame what we 

were embarking on—some of 

our economic modeling, in 

terms of how quickly it stabilized, 

what the activity was 

for the established members. 

We felt a little more confident 

in our research and analytics, 

based on the experiences that 

they had.” 

One of the key decisions 

around the concept was its 

integration with AMC’s 

Stubs loyalty program, which 

already had an existing premium 

tier, Premiere, at a cost 

of $15 per year. This essentially 

put AMC in a different 

position than its counterpart, 

Cinemark, which launched 

its own in-house subscription 

service—Cinemark Movie 

Club—as the sole paid tier of 

… we’re all about choice … We have 

great partners at Fandango and Atom 

Tickets, but we also provide the ability 

for guests to acquire their tickets through 

our website and our mobile app. Different 

people prefer different things; that’s really 

the driving factor behind so many of the 

things that we do. We’re happy to be 

available on all those platforms. 

its loyalty program at a price of 

$8.99 per month. 

Members of AMC 

Stubs Premiere already 

enjoyed a number of 

perks, such as $5 back 

for every $50 spent and 

priority lines at the box office 

and concession stand. The 

company sought to highlight 

the value proposition by 

incorporating A-List into the 

Stubs ecosystem, leveraging the 

power of its existing benefits. 

“We talked about it being either 

within AMC Stubs or not,” says 

Colanero. “Frankly, one of the key 

decision factors was that each 

guest would be contributing 

$20 a month to us, which 

would make them among 

our best—if not our very 

best—guests. If that was the 

case, don’t we want to treat 

them with all the benefits 

that we would want to give 

our best guests?” 

The Stubs program also 

includes a free tier, AMC 

Stubs Insider, with a limited 

number of basic benefits 

for members. The implementation 

of AMC Stubs 

A-List to the company’s 

Stubs loyalty program had a 

profound and immediate effect. 

On June 28, only two 

days after the subscription 

program went live, AMC 


eported it had surpassed 15 million members across all three 

levels of its loyalty program. 

Consumers who opted into Stubs A-List found themselves with 

a compelling value proposition. A-List gives its members three 

admissions per week for a monthly fee of $19.95 at any of the company’s 

600-plus locations. All three admissions can be used within 

the same day, as long as the show times are separated by a two-hour 

period, and no unused admissions will be carried over to following 

weeks. Crucially, the program incorporates access to AMC’s 

market-leading fleet of premium-format auditoriums—including 

IMAX, Dolby Cinema, RealD 3D, AMC Prime and BigD. “We’re 

all about giving choice to our consumers. We know that different 

people are looking for different things at different times, and we 

want to be there with the different choices. We are the leader in 

premium format show times and theaters—and that went into our 

thinking—why would we keep that separate from what we’re offering 

to our guests with this new program?” adds Colanero. 

Members can also book tickets online in advance, including 

at theaters with reserve seating capabilities, meaning audiences 

can reserve a seat for the opening night of a highly anticipated 

new film for the seat they want, at the show time they want. 

The service will include all of the benefits from lower tiers of the 

Stubs loyalty program, including waived online ticketing fees 

and discounts on concessions. The program will function directly 

from the AMC smartphone app, with no need for additional 

cards or payment methods. 

As digital ticketing continues to evolves, so does its platforms. 

AMC has been at the forefront of investing in in-house ticketing 

solutions, including a revamped website and mobile app with 

seamless ticketing integration. Colanero doesn’t see this investment 

as a reaction to third parties, but simply as a way to provide 

consumers with an additional avenue to buy a ticket for their 

theaters. “Again, we’re all about choice,” he explains. “We have 

great partners at Fandango and Atom Tickets, but we also provide 

the ability for guests to acquire their tickets through our website 

and our mobile app. Different people prefer different things; that’s 

really the driving factor behind so many of the things that we do. 

We’re happy to be available on all those platforms.” 

As evidenced by Stubs A-List, subscription is one of the most 

prominent platforms in digital ticketing today. Certain markets, 

such as France and the United Kingdom, have seen the model 

work through in-house offerings by exhibitors. The concept has yet 

to be proven in the United States, however, despite the advances 

made in consumer acquisition by third-party providers. “It’s pretty 

early to tell in our industry,” responds Colanero when asked if he 

believes subscription will be a mainstay for American exhibitors. 

“From a broader consumer perspective, it’s clearly been a major 

trend that is taking place around the country, in many different 

categories. That feels like a long-term trend that consumers have 

adopted on many different fronts. We’re happy to be participating 

in our industry.” n 


SPECIAL PROGRAMS 

MAKING MOVIES MORE INCLUSIVE 

NATIONAL AMUSEMENTS ROLLS OUT SENSORY SENSITIVE SCREENINGS 

by Chris Eggertsen 

When Showcase Cinemas launched their Sensory Sensitive Screenings program this summer, the theater chain’s ultimate goal was 

to make moviegoing more inclusive—and not just for individuals with autism spectrum disorder. 

>> “It’s not just for a child who may be on the 

autism spectrum or who [has] a degree of sensitivity,” 

says Mark Malinowski, vice president of global 

marketing at Showcase’s parent company, National 

Amusements. “It’s also for that child’s family, to 

also participate in the film with them.” 

Showcase is just the latest U.S. exhibitor to 

offer screenings designed specifically for individuals 

with autism and their families, many 

of whom have felt shut out of the moviegoing 

tradition for far too long. Back in 2007, AMC 

became the first major chain to introduce such a 

program with its Sensory Friendly Films series; 

in 2011, Regal Cinemas followed suit when it 

began testing its My Way Matinee initiative in 

select markets (the program has since expanded 

to over 60 theaters nationwide). 

Compared with AMC and Regal, each of which 

operate thousands of theaters nationwide, Showcase’s 

U.S. footprint is relatively small, with just 

29 locations across Connecticut, Massachusetts, 

Rhode Island, New Jersey, New York, and Ohio. 

But for individuals and families affected by autism 

who live near one of Showcase’s eight participating 

theaters, the ability to attend a film screening 

without fear of disturbing other patrons is a relief 

that can’t be quantified. 

“For many, it may be one of the few opportunities 

they have to go [to the movies] as a family,” 

says Lisa Goring, chief program and marketing 

officer for Autism Speaks, which provides guidance 

and employee training for Showcase’s program. “By 

and large, people are thrilled to have the opportunity 

to be out in the community.” 

As with similar programs, Showcase’s monthly 

screenings (which take place the first Saturday 

of each month at 10 a.m.) feature environments 

designed to be friendly for those with autism 

spectrum disorder, particularly those oversensitive 

to sensory stimuli. This includes reduced volume, 

lights that remain dimmed as the movie plays (as 

opposed to being shut off completely), and—likely 

a relief to those convinced there are too many trailers 

in front of movies anyway—zero coming attractions. 

The latter, says Goring, has less to do with 

the often-frenetic nature of the trailers themselves 


than it does the tendency for many with 

autism to become restless while waiting 

for the main event. 

Perhaps the most welcome feature 

of these screenings for families is their 

permissive environment. In the course of 

the film, audiences are given the freedom 

to walk around, dance, and otherwise 

express themselves. “It’s a very understanding 

and accepting atmosphere,” says 

Goring. “If someone needs to get up and 

move around, or if they maybe call out 

or vocalize some things, that’s absolutely 

fine. It’s another way for them to express 

that they’re enjoying the movie.” 

In terms of the initiative, one of 

Autism Speaks’ primary functions is 

training Showcase’s theater employees to 

create that welcoming environment. “It’s 

about awareness in terms of what autism 

is, and some of the accommodations that 

may need to be put in place, and why 

they’re put in place,” says Goring. “And 

then, you know … people with autism 

may communicate a bit differently, [so we 

train] them to be aware of those things.” 

Showcase’s U.S. initiative is new only as 

a cohesive program; according to Malinowski, 

locations within their network 

have been booking “ad hoc” sensory sensitive 

screenings for some time. “But then we 

started to realize there were more and more 

requests coming,” he says. “And we took a 

step back and thought, ‘We need to really 

think of this as more of an official program 

that we would present and ideally be more 

proactive about it so we could provide a 

regularly scheduled group of films.’” 

The series officially kicked off the first 

weekend of July with the Disney-Pixar 

mega-blockbuster Incredibles 2, which 

played in all eight participating locations 

on July 7. Upcoming films include Hotel 

Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation (Aug. 

4), Christopher Robin (Sept. 1), Smallfoot 

(Oct. 6), The Nutcracker and the Four 

Realms (Nov. 3), and Ralph Breaks the 

Internet (Dec. 1). Notably, none of those 

titles carries an MPAA rating above PG, 

and that’s intentional. 

“The choice for this initial group was 

really all family films, because we were 

getting a lot of requests for families,” 

says Malinowski. That said, “As we grow 

locations and as we grow the program 

itself, we’ll probably look at other films 

that might be more adult-skewed.” 

All of which should come as music 

to Goring’s ears. “I think that because 

for most, autism is a lifelong disorder, 

there should be a variety of films,” she 

says. “You know, older people with 

autism have various interests just like 

everyone else, and they should be able 

to have access to see films that are important 

to them.” 

In the immediate future, Malinowski 

says the company hopes to expand the 

program to more of Showcase’s U.S. 

locations, in addition to their theaters 

in Brazil and Argentina. “I think the 

more [theaters] involved with programs 

like this, the better for all of us,” he 

says. “And ultimately, it’s better for 

the moviegoer.” n 


FILMMAKER INTERVIEW 

ROSE BYRNE AND ETHAN HAWKE 

GROWING UP 

DIRECTOR JESSE PERETZ ON ADAPTING NICK HORNBY’S JULIET, NAKED 


>> Breaking up is hard to do, but it’s even harder without the 

right soundtrack. Juliet, Naked is the big-screen adaptation of 

author Nick Hornby’s novel of the same name. It tells the story 

of Annie (Rose Byrne), who curates a museum in an English 

shore town, settling into small-town life despite having doubts 

about her future—particularly with her boyfriend, Duncan (Chris 

O’Dowd), who runs a fan site dedicated to the mysterious rocker 

Tucker Crowe (Ethan Hawke). Duncan is one of a legion of Crowe 

fans who obsesses over the whereabouts of the iconic singersongwriter, 

who disappeared from public life after the release of 

his heartbreak-inspired album “Juliet.” Duncan and Annie have 

a falling-out after she posts a scathing review of “Juliet, Naked,” 

a recently released collection of Crowe’s B sides. The couple 

eventually breaks up, but not before Crowe becomes intrigued 

by her review and begins a long-distance email exchange with 

Annie. As Crowe slides out of obscurity and into Annie’s life, the 

three become entangled in the awkward transition into middle 

age. Boxoffice spoke with the film’s director, Jesse Peretz, a 

former musician himself, on the experience of taking the book to 

the big screen. (continued on page 32) 


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FILMMAKER INTERVIEW 

ANNIE (ROSE BYRNE, CENTER) 

IS STUCK IN A LONG-TERM 

RELATIONSHIP WITH DUNCAN 

(CHRIS O’DOWD, RIGHT)—AN 

OBSESSIVE FAN OF OBSCURE 

ROCKER TUCKER CROWE (ETHAN 

HAWKE, LEFT). WHEN THE 

ACOUSTIC DEMO OF TUCKER’S 

HIT RECORD FROM 25 YEARS 

AGO SURFACES, ITS RELEASE 

LEADS TO A LIFE-CHANGING 

ENCOUNTER WITH THE ELUSIVE 

ROCKER HIMSELF. 

You’d been attached to this project for a while. 

Were you aware of the novel before signing on to 

direct the film? 

I was aware of the novel but hadn’t gotten 

around to reading it. I became attached because 

I was spending every summer as a producer and 

director on the TV show Girls, which Judd Apatow 

is a producer of. Judd, his partner, Barry Mendel, 

and producers Ron Yerxa and Albert Berger, all had 

acquired the project together. 

Tamara Jenkins and Jim Taylor worked with 

them for a couple of years writing a script. It got 

to the point where I think they thought they had 

gone as far as they could with the script. [Jenkins] 

wasn’t going to direct it, and they wanted to find 

a director to jump into the project, pitch changes 

that needed to be made to the script, and find out 

how to move it forward. Because I had worked 

with Judd on Girls, he was the one who had the 

idea of talking to me, drawn around this idea that 

I know the world that [character] Tucker Crowe 

would have come up in. Three decades ago, I was 

in this band The Lemonheads. I wasn’t exactly 

making the kind of music that we define as Tucker 

Crowe’s music in the movie, but it was definitely 

a very close adjacent genre to who Tucker Crowe 

was. Judd also felt like I would be a good call for 

the other elements of the story, about fandom and 

holding on to that 20-something self a little bit too 

late in life, as well as Tucker Crowe’s story about 

trying to redeem himself as a failed father. 

I really liked the script and I liked the things 

that were in it, but I immediately went to reading 

the novel. That’s what really got me hooked, when 

I realized there were a bunch of things in the novel 

that had been left out of the original script. That’s 

what happens when you adapt a 400-page novel— 

you pick and choose what the story’s going to focus 

on. It’s very hard to be able to get all the nuances 

of a novel in. From my perspective, there were a 

couple of things they chose to explore that I found 

less interesting, and things I loved in the book that 


got dropped out of their script. So I talked to them about what 

those differences of opinion were. 

How did you bring those aspects of the novel into your vision 

of the story? 

I had done a couple projects with my sister [Evgenia Peretz], 

who’s a writer for Vanity Fair. She loved the book, and we went 

about redrafting the script. Rose Byrne was someone who came 

to us very early on, like right when I got attached, because she 

loved the book and loved the character. 

Just a couple weeks before Judd gave me the script, 

I had the pleasure of directing Chris O’Dowd 

in an episode of Girls. I was so enamored 

by his improvisational skills; he could 

just keep going and explore different 

things in a scene with three other 

people, but do it in such a way 

that it didn’t throw off the 

trajectory of any other actor’s 

line or the scene’s direction. 

I just thought he was so 

fun and was so skilled. The 

moment that episode was 

done, I said to myself, “I really 

want to find something 

to work on with Chris.” He’s 

such a joy and such a skilled 

guy. Reading the script, by 

page 15, one of the things that 

was definitely driving me in a 

very excited direction was that I 

immediately was obsessed with the idea 

that there was only one guy who could play 

Duncan: Chris O’Dowd. 

Fan culture permeates the film—how obsessive these 

niches of fandom can become and truly dictate people’s lives. 

Do you think these obsessions have become magnified in 

today’s digital age? 

I definitely feel like that level of the obsession with art and 

especially with music—the kind of character who almost in a 

sense chooses who he can be friends with based on “Do they like 

something or not like something?”—has been around forever. In 

that sense, that predates the internet and the ability to connect 

fellow nerds from around the world. But it’s always been there as 

a character trait. I knew a lot of people who were like that. I even 

was like that, although at an age-appropriate time. That’s part of 

the problem, if you will, with the Duncan character. He hasn’t 

quite matured out of that now-age-inappropriate obsession. 

Part of what I also love is that dichotomy. You see in a fan, 

especially in a fan of music and a fan of somebody who’s made 

AT THE 

MOVIES WITH 

JESSE PERETZ 

MOVIEGOING MEMORY 

There was a period when my love of movies deepened 

and clarified to the point where I was like, “This is what I 

want to do with my life.” Right towards the end of high school in 

1985, 1986. There was a Wim Wenders retrospective at the Brattle 

Theatre in my hometown. One night I saw The American Friend, the 

next night I saw Wings of Desire, the next day I saw Paris, Texas. 

Those three movies, seeing them within 72 hours of each other, 

really blew my mind. All I ever wanted to do was make movies 

that had even remotely the kind of poetry of those movies, 

visually and in terms of their characters. I think Wim Wenders 

is one of the less recognized of the great directors of that 

period. By the end of those three days, I was like, 

“One way or the other, this is definitely what I 

want to do with my life.” 

a heartbreak album, you see that Duncan is a character who has 

the possibility of a very sensitive emotional reaction to things. 

Because the music that this guy makes moves him to such an 

insane degree. [Crowe] is, in a way, one of a handful of artists 

who gives his life a real sort of purpose. He’s speaking to real 

emotional things that [Duncan] is really kind of vulnerable to. 

What’s interesting and so true oftentimes about those kinds of 

characters is they can have such a deep and nuanced emotional 

connection to poetic wording, to the way somebody describes a 

certain familiar state of emptiness or heartbreak. At the same 

time, when it comes to the actual people in their lives, 

they’re emotionally stunted. They can’t engage 

with the amount of intensity as they can 

when they’re removed in listening or 

watching, funneled through an artist 

who’s articulating something. 

Did you bring anything from 

your own background as a 

musician into the film? 

I can definitely relate to 

both of those male characters 

in a more specific way, 

because I was a superfan 

of certain people. But at 

the same time, I think that 

I have a much less romantic 

idea of being a musician. 

Just because somebody can 

write a song that has a gorgeous 

unexpected chord change and 

harmony and phrasing, a certain state 

of romantic anger, let’s say, doesn’t actually 

mean that that person is such a deep person, or 

is having complicated tortured emotional experiences 

that the music is representing. 

One of the things for me that was really interesting in 

terms of working on developing this project with people who 

never were musicians—a lot of my producers are real music 

fans but actually never were musicians—part of them still really 

feels this romantic idea about the artist out there. In a way, 

we’re willing to give Tucker a longer leash to be a romantic 

character. For me, I really related to the idea that Tucker sees 

himself in his older age as this bullshit artist. There’s a real 

bogusness to all of the art that’s been worshipped. The ridiculousness 

that people are caring as much, so many years after he 

stopping making a single note of music. Part of my take that 

I brought in that was specific to my own experience is feeling 

the bullshit of that character. Feeling that what’s interesting 

about Tucker is how much he knows that the worship of him 

is a waste of time. n 


COVER STORY 

IT CAME FROM 

OUTER SPACE 

DIRECTOR SHANE BLACK BRINGS 

THE PREDATOR TO THE BIG SCREEN 


You could call it a homecoming of sorts. Shane Black 

broke through in Hollywood thanks to his screenplay 

for Lethal Weapon, a runaway hit that also led to a 

string of acting roles in the ‘80s and ‘90s. Predator (1987), 

with its sweltering jungle film shoot, was one of Black’s 

first studio pictures as an actor. Decades later, the film’s 

titular alien hunter remains embedded in the popular 

consciousness, and Black returns to that world to direct 

The Predator, which follows the story line of the first two 

films in the franchise. Boxoffice spoke with Black about 

how he came to the project and the new elements he 

decided to incorporate to introduce the Predator to a new 

generation of moviegoers 

The Predator has become an iconic character for 

contemporary movie audiences. You appeared in the 

original film; what did coming back to the franchise 

represent to you? 

I’ve always been amazed at the enduring quality of this 

thing, the fact that even young kids today seem to know 

who the Predator is. There have been so many movies over 

the course of the last 30 years that have come and gone; yet 

somehow the Predator has mysteriously persevered. I had 

worked on the original, was down there in Mexico shooting 

it and living it up—and that’s always been a really fond 

memory for me. Even then, I was reluctant to jump into a 

franchise until I spoke to Fred Dekker, someone I’ve worked 

with several times in the past—most notably on The Monster 

Squad (1987). I remember him convincing me: “This could 

be fun, it could be a lark—a throwback to our college days.” 

I love that notion of recapturing that feel movies had when 

I was back in college; we all lined up for Raiders of the Lost 

Ark, going to see the first Alien movie. I liked that aspect to 

it, of going back to the original Predator and writing a love 

letter to it for contemporary audiences. 

(continued on next page) 


I came in on a lark, thinking it was 

just going to be fun. Two years later, it’s 

taken over my entire life and absorbed 

me! I think what drew me to it was 

the ability to make a monster movie 

that just happens to have a monster in 

the background. I wasn’t interested in 

doing an effects movie with swirly colors 

and characters flying around shooting 

bolts at each other—movies these days 

tend to have people who shoot bolts of 

something from a part of their body. I 

thought it would be good to stage this 

as a war movie that happens to include a 

monster, and to make that monster very 

mysterious. It’s a movie where the story 

of the characters looking for the Predator 

is every bit as interesting as the notion of 

the Predator. It gave me a chance to riff 

again on some fun pulp material with 

a guy I love—Fred Dekker—at a scale 

and budget I would never have received 

on an independent project. The people 

at Fox have been terrific; Emma Watts, 

Matt Riley, Stacey Snider have all been 

very supportive. 

AT THE 

MOVIES WITH 

SHANE BLACK 

MOVIEGOING MEMORY 

The first time I remember being swept away was a movie called Battle 

Beneath the Earth. I don’t even know when that came out, but we went to 

see it at the drive-in. It’s kind of comical because theaters are so state-of-theart 

these days, with Dolby Atmos and perfect 4K picture—that the idea of seeing 

something with ambient light all around and sound coming out of a tiny speaker 

seems so distant. But that’s also part of the magic; the experience holds such a special 

power even in less-than-ideal circumstances. It’s an example of one of those great 

memories of family and fatherhood; sitting in the front seat watching the movie in my 

pajamas, falling asleep in the back seat with Dad driving as he whistled a little tune on 

the way home. I have a lot of wonder over how integral the movies were in my family, 

how big a role they play in my memories of spending time and going to the movies 

with my father. 

CONCESSIONS 

My snack is Raisinets. They’re too good; I can’t help but give them 

money. Here in L.A., though, you go to a movie theater and can 

find artisan hot dogs. In that case, I get the Applewoodsmoked 

hot dog with brown mustard—lovingly 

served by a well-groomed theater 

employee. 

This isn’t simply a remake of that original 

film. What are some of the added 

elements you sought to introduce to 

the story for this movie? 

There have been a number 

of attempts and several movies 

that have featured the Predator. 

We wanted to bring a lot of 

elements together and try to 

make—let’s call it a particularly 

well-seasoned stew out 

of it. This film pays a loving 

tribute to the original, but 

it also gives a leaner, meaner 

quality to the guys who are 

going up against the Predator. 

We don’t really focus as much 

on giant muscles, the comic 

book macho element. Don’t 

get me wrong, I’ll always 

love that sort of movie—the 

banter-under-fire movie with 

back-and-forth deadpan humor. 

That’s something I’ve loved since I 


COVER STORY 

STERLING K. BROWN, TREVANTE RHODES, BOYD HOLBROOK, JACOB TREMBLAY, DIRECTOR SHANE BLACK, OLIVIA MUNN, AND KEEGAN-MICHAEL KEY 

saw Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, 

a movie that has been my Holy Grail for 

a long time. At the same time, we wanted 

to inject a bit of humanity into the 

characters instead of focusing on their 

powerful weapons. We wanted to give 

these guys fallibilities and vulnerable 

natures. It’s a loose, ragtag group who 

are rediscovering their abilities instead 

of walking on-screen with a full set of 

commando skills. 

That’s perfectly in-line with your previous 

films: the interrelationship between 

these men who aren’t pre-built, perfect 

heroes—how they talk to each other, 

how they fail to live up to the challenges 

they face. How did those themes come 

through in the casting for The Predator? 

It’s a great ensemble—we’ve got people 

with great acting chops who can swap 

back-and-forth military commands and 

one-liners in equal measure. We weren’t 

looking for the tough, lauded heroes that 

everyone immediately respects. We wanted 

our cast to feel marginalized, to be forgotten 

men in a sense. Guys that have a skill 

set but who also have demons that plague 

them and a broken brain that doesn’t let 

them fit into society. When you do that, 

you’re essentially courting the oddball element. 

You want guys who can be macho, 

who can turn it on, but you also want an 

oddball group that, in some respects, are 

the last guys you ever want to see going up 

against the Predator. You want an audience 

to see them at first and think, “Oh no, not 

these guys—surely, they’ll lose,” and show 

how they can come together and pull it 

off. That’s the fun of it. Watching a group 

of diminished, overlooked guys who can 

come together and do what the entire 

U.S. Army can’t. That was the notion with 

which we approached casting the movie. 

Anyone from our ensemble can play 

a leading man or a character role. Tom 

Jane, Trevante Rhodes—these are actors 

with great chops who can do comedy and 

drama. They were a joy to work with and 

came together as a unit, a dysfunctional 

family that just happens to set their sights 

on a creature from outer space. 

The Predator has been introduced in a variety 

of different settings. Was there anything 

you wanted to try out and explicitly 

avoid in your approach to this film? 

Once again, we wanted to make a 

stew, so we didn’t want to do anything 

so specific as to say, “This time he’s in a 

building! It’s Die Hard … 

with Predator!” We didn’t 

want to be that specific. 

That sounds pretty good, 

though … I think I’d watch 

that movie. 

I would too, actually 

[laughs], as long as the 

Predator is the one running 

with the gun. We wanted to 

pay homage to the jungle, to 

hunting in the hot climate, 

but take things in a slightly 

different direction. Go a 

little bit off course. What if 

the ship didn’t land exactly 

where they thought it did? 

The Predator is a domestic 

terrorist this time; he’s inside 

our borders. Our movie 

acknowledges that the government knows 

about these Predators, that they know they 

exist and have prepared for an event. This 

is the story of one of those incursions; 

what happens when a Predator lands on 

Earth and everyone comes together in an 

unlikely way based on a random crash. 

Why is The Predator a movie that 

deserves to be seen on a big screen at 

the cinema? 

There have been a number of Predator 

movies made over the years and it seems 

to me that they all had their great qualities. 

Each of them seems to have been 

made with a budget that came along 

with an expectation level. But seeing the 

longevity and endurance of this character, 

I think the studio realized the potential 

of what they had in their hands. 

When I came in to direct, I told them, 

“I would love to do this, but I need to 

be able to make it bigger. This can’t be 

just another Predator movie.” And that’s 

what we set out to make: an event movie, 

something people want to buy tickets in 

advance for. We came in to make a big 

movie with scale that can reinvigorate the 

franchise to being more than just a series 

of episodes. n 


CONVENTION PREVIEWS 

SHOWSOUTH 

2018 

AUGUST 21–23 

CHATEAU ELAN 

BRASELTON, GEORGIA 

Q&A with Robin Miller 

Executive Director, ShowSouth 

What can we expect 

from ShowSouth 

2018? 

Our format will 

remain the same this 

year. On Tuesday 

we will kick off the 

show with two very 

informative and 

educational seminars, 

starting off with a 

cocktail party and 

dinner buffet and followed 

by a night of entertainment. 

Wednesday 

starts off with a 

buffet-type breakfast 

and the NATO State 

of the Industry session, 

followed by our Trade 

Show and Exhibitor 

Relations Forum. 

We’re ending the night 

with a cocktail party 

and Statesman of the 

Year Presentation 

Dinner. This year’s 

Statesman of the Year 

is Rob Westerling, vice 

president and head of 

film buying at Regal. 

Rob was chosen to be 

this year’s recipient because 

of his 17 years in 

the business, where he is deeply committed to the 

theater industry, as well as his support of Variety – 

the Children’s Charity. 

Can you tell us a bit more about this year’s 

discussions and presentations? 

Belinda Judson and Esther Baruh from National 

NATO will be attending the show this year, and 

they will be discussing all industry and legislative 

issues at our NATO breakfast on Wednesday 

morning. Our seminars will be held on Tuesday 

afternoon. This year we will be discussing some 

very important issues starting with the EEOC 

presenting a seminar on sexual harassment in the 

workplace. Also, we have the Federal Trade Commission 

coming in to discuss cyber security. These 

are two very important issues that theaters face 

every day, so I hope that we have a great turnout 

for each seminar. 

In terms of entertainment, on Tuesday night 

after our dinner buffet we will be having a Michael 

Jackson impersonator to entertain us, so be prepared 

for a blast from the past. On Wednesday night we 

will have annual Casino Night, along with a performance 

by Stone Theatres own Duane Farmer. 

Who will be attending and exhibiting at the event? 

Our average attendance every year is about 

400-plus, and we are on target to hit that number 

again this year. Our attendee percentage of theater 

owners versus theater managers is probably about 

an average of 60 percent theater managers and 40 

percent theater owners—a very good percentage 

of decision makers. We have a good mix of the 

larger circuits, regional, and independents. We 

have attendees from Regal, GTC, Stone Theatres, 

Southern Theatres, Epic Theatres, Phoenix 

Theatres, Premier Theatres, and many independent 

theater owners. 

Exhibitor relations is an important part of 

our show; we are expecting representatives from 

Disney, Fox, Paramount, Sony, Universal, Warner 

Bros., and several other studios. Coca-Cola has 

always been a strong supporter of ShowSouth, and 

they are our Statesman Award Dinner sponsor. 

Parrot Film is another one of our sponsors that 

has supported ShowSouth through the years, and 

they are our NATO Breakfast sponsor. We also 

have several event sponsors, which include Christie 

Digital, GDC, Before the Movie, and NCM. 

Our trade show is one of the largest events 

among the regional shows. We are expecting 

around 100 vendors, exhibiting everything from 

popcorn to seats to projectors. Anything and everything 

that it takes to run a theater. The theater 

industry is constantly evolving, and with that the 

vendors are striving to keep up with technology, so 

the latest and greatest gadgets will be on display at 

the show this year. 

What is your favorite aspect of ShowSouth? 

My favorite part of ShowSouth is that it feels 

like a big family gathering. We all are one big, 

happy family coming together in a beautiful 

southern setting. Being able to have that one-onone 

time is so very important not only for the 

attendees but for the vendors and exhibitor-relation 

folks as well. n 



THE LATIN AMERICA EXHIBITION SUMMIT 

EXPOCINE 2018 / OCTOBER 2–5 / FREI CANECA CONVENTION CENTER 

SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL 

Interview with Marcelo Lima, Chief Executive Officer, Tonks 

We’re approaching the fifth edition of 

ExpoCine, just as Brazilian and Latin 

American exhibition continue to garner 

more attention. Do you have anything 

new in store for this year’s event? 

Since there are two principal languages 

spoken in Latin America—Portugese and 

Spanish—we’ve decided to host the event 

across split stages this year, one for each 

language. Studios work with different 

release schedules on each film, depending 

on the territory. That’s why we’re 

having a Brazilian and a LatAm stage; the 

LatAm stage will be handled by studios’ 

regional offices—all the six majors will be 

represented—and the Brazilian stage will 

be handled by the local offices here. This 

is the biggest change we have planned 

for this year. Of course we’ll also have 

the trade show floor, with more than 70 

booths, and a number of panels. 

How much of your attendance comes 

from outside Brazil? 

Since we began in 2014, we’ve had 

around 10 percent of attendees coming 

from outside Brazil. The first year we had 

almost 1,000 people, and we got nearly 

100 from outside the country. Last year 

we welcomed 3,000 attendees and around 

300 of them were from outside Brazil. 

How have Brazilian cinemas fared 

in 2018? 

It’s been a tough year, I would say, 

especially for Brazil. Political and economic 

problems here have contributed 

to that. We had a huge decrease in ticket 

sales during the World Cup; most studios 

avoided releasing new films. Before the 

World Cup, we went through a 10-day 

strike where every truck in the entire 

country decided to stop. There wasn’t 

enough gas at gas stations; a lot of com- 


panies let their employees just work from 

home. You can imagine the situation; the 

country had a huge problem. Between 

the strike and the World Cup, it’s been a 

difficult couple of months. 

Have domestic distributors 

been able to step up in 

terms of providing more 

local content? 

Paris Filmes are the 

leaders when it comes to 

releasing domestic movies. 

They’ve recently launched 

their own production company 

and are releasing at 

least one title each month. 

Other local distributors 

are also working to bring 

in more local content and 

international independent 

cinema. We don’t have a 

good number of screens per 

site, so they can suffer in 

months like July and August 

when they’re competing 

for space in a multiplex 

with Hollywood blockbusters. 

What are some of the biggest concerns 

affecting exhibitors in the region today? 

One month after ExpoCine wraps, 

there will be new accessibility laws for 

“It’s been a tough 

year, I would say, 

especially for Brazil. 

… We had a huge 

decrease in ticket 

sales during the 

World Cup; most 

studios avoided 

releasing new films.” 

cinemas around Brazil. I would say 

that’s the number one concern for local 

exhibitors. When it comes to technology, 

many players are still trying to find their 

way through all the premium 

large-format (PLF) offerings. 

Immersive seating is also 

a big question mark; you 

have players like Cinemark 

that already have a 

big footprint here with 

that technology, but local 

exhibitors are still trying to 

figure out what they want 

to offer customers. 

What discussion topics do 

you have planned for this 

year’s event? 

We know the world is 

looking at what is going to 

happen around accessibility 

here in Brazil, so we’ll 

definitely be talking about 

that. Through our partnership 

with ComScore, 

we’ll be sharing some 

data around box office in Brazil and the 

region and what we can expect in the 

future. We’ll also have some statistics 

from Webedia’s Brazilian team on digital 

ticketing. We’re expecting to have another 

great show this year! n 



20 YEARS OF CINESHOW 

A ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION LOOKING BACK— 

AND AHEAD—AT THE EXHIBITORS WHO BUILT 

TEXAS’ ANNUAL CONVENTION & TRADE SHOW 

REIN RABAKUKK AND SAM 

KIRKLAND AT CINESHOW 

IN 2009 

Can you take me back to that first CineShow that 

you had 20 years ago, in 1998? What led to its 

creation? 

Byron Berkley, President & CEO, Foothills 

Entertainment: The tradition of having that show 

came out of a board of directors meeting that was 

held in 1998 for NATO of Texas. This was before 

the formation of the South Central States NATO, 

which was the successor to NATO of Texas. The 

suggestion was made at that board meeting that we 

form what was referred to as a mini trade show or a 

tabletop trade show. 

The idea had originally been proposed to us by 

a fellow who’s no longer with us—but was quite 

prominent at the time—Al Wiggington, who ran 

Theater Services Company, based here in Dallas. 

He did screen cleaning, carpet installations, and 

other types of theater 

work. He used to 

appear at ShoWest 

often, dressed up 

as a circus barker. 

If you remember 

the guy, he used 

to wear a top 

hat, be all 

dressed up. He was the one that originally suggested 

the idea. We presented it to the board, 

they thought it was a great idea, and we took 

it from there. It started out as a tabletop trade 

show, which is basically a series of people standing 

around card tables. From there, it just began to 

grow, and grew into what it is today. 

Randy Hester, President & CEO, Hometown 

Cinemas: I can’t remember exactly how many 

people attended, but it must have worked because 

we haven’t missed a year since then. 

Byron Berkley: It was a struggle in the beginning, 

of course, getting everyone together. The first 

few years, we got off to a decent start. But it took 

a couple years for the momentum to really start to 

kick in, for it to start to really grow. 

What were some of the milestones you hit 

throughout the years to be able to have grown it 

into the show that we know today? 

Byron Berkley: Randy might have some recollections. 

We did have a show where we went out 

to the Studios at Las Colinas. Do you remember 

that one? 

Randy Hester: Yeah. The Studios at Las Colinas, 

that’s the only set of soundstages in Texas. We 

were fortunate, because most of the distributors 

had branch offices back then in Dallas. The people 

from California were glad to come out, because 

they could see their people here, visit with them, 

and attend our event. So it was very well supported 

by distribution. That even made it better, because 

there was an actual soundstage. Some of the film 

production and TV production used the Studios at 

Las Colinas. 

How much did the conversion to digital 

projection impact the show? 

Byron Berkley: At first, it had a significant 

impact because it brought in a whole group of new 

companies that typically did not exhibit at these 

regional shows. NATO brought in a contingent 

of people from its office to discuss the Virtual 

Print Fee program. I think it brought in greater 

participation in the meeting, because a lot of people 

wanted to learn about this technology. They 

wanted to hear about all the pros and cons. 

Randy Hester: Well, that was about the late 

’90s or early 2000s, and it gave the exhibitors a 

chance to get together and talk to one another 

about how we’re going to solve this issue. I think it 


made a huge difference in getting people comfortable, 

because they saw their colleagues in the 

industry. There were always some exhibitors that 

understood it better than others. There were always 

early adopters, and then there are followers. 

What are some of your fondest memories of the 

show throughout the years? 

Randy Hester: I actually bring my staff every 

year, to experience these new products out there 

and bring them to the table. “Check out this new 

product! Oh, that looks great. What’s the price 

point on it?” We might bring that product online. 

It might be digital projection, so that’s a great 

opportunity for some of these companies to bring 

a new piece of equipment and show it to us, show 

us what the new features are on it. 

Byron Berkley: Let me say this. It’s the kind 

of event where people that have been doing this 

for a long time, some of whom are competitors, 

they came together. They had long-standing 

relationships with vendors. Anytime Frank Liberto 

walked in the room, it was fun. He knew everybody, 

everybody loved him. That’s just one thing 

that pops into my mind. It was kind of like seeing 

family once each year. For little companies like 

us, we depend so much on the vendors to help us. 

Then we can all sit around and commiserate with 

one another about things that we didn’t like but we 

couldn’t fix. 

Todd Halstead, Executive Director, Theatre 

Owners of Mid-America: From my perspective, 

this show does not exist without the support of the 

vendors, suppliers, and partners. We’re very much 

in debt and full of gratitude for their support of 

the convention, because without them it would 

not exist. 

David Boles, National Account Manager, Vistar: 

As a supplier, I’m an exhibition rat. We supply 

candies and concession goods to the theaters. It’s 

the heartbeat of my business. This trade show here 

catapults me. The ability to be into the show and 

be part of it has had a huge influence on my success. 

It’s also done it for a lot of other people. 

I was trying to think back to San Antonio, 

how many suppliers we had there and how much 

it’s grown. We’ve grown over the last 15 years 

around this show; it’s been a big part of it. Seeing 

my other partners come in, from seed producers, 

get the candy guys back into it. We all see the 

value of this regional trade show in supporting 

the guys here in Texas NATO and Oklahoma, 

Missouri, and Arkansas. 

Todd Halstead: I’d just like to build on that. 

Folks like David are really integral to the show. 

David was the recipient a couple years ago of the 

CineShow Vendor of the Year Award. This year, the 

Theater Owners of Mid-America board determined 

to rename the Vendor of the Year Award the Frank 

Liberto Award. I think it was Randy who mentioned 

that he was the life of the party in his earlier 

days. I never had the opportunity to meet Mr. 

Liberto, but hearing the history of the exhibition 

industry is really important. We look forward to 

honoring the dedication, the service, and leadership 

that Mr. Liberto brought to the industry. It 

kind of exemplifies the purpose of the award and 

its mission. 

Texas really seems like an innovative and 

distinctive region when it comes to cinema 

exhibition in the United States. Why do you think 

that is? 

Byron Berkley: Well, I think Texans have a 

little separate culture from the rest of the country. 

I think we are somewhat different in character 

than other parts of the country. Maybe we’re more 

willing to take chances and take risks with new 

things, possibly. 

Todd Halstead: I am not a Texan, I am a trueblood 

Kansan. I know that sounds really exciting. 

The event has predominantly been a Texas show over 

the last 20 years. That really kind of changed in 2015 

when we merged the various regional associations 

that were in Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Louisiana, 

BYRON BERKLEY AND JOHN 

FITHIAN IN 2017 



DAVID BOLES AND BYRON BERKLEY IN 2007 

TOD HANNA AND REIN RABAKUKK IN2007 

Arkansas, and Texas. Since then, I think 

we’ve seen the event become significantly 

more of a regional event. We now have 

movie theater owners from Missouri and 

Oklahoma and Kansas and Arkansas increasing 

their numbers and attendance. 

To your point as to why movie theaters 

or exhibitors in Texas seem to be 

leaders in innovation? It’s a very good, 

prescient point. You look at what they do: 

they’ve led the way on dine-in cinema; 

they’re leading the way on the family-entertainment-center 

model. Just look at the 

amazing movie theaters available in Texas. 

Probably the thing that I could chalk it 

up to is, from its inception, anybody who 

was headed to Texas did so because they 

had a pioneering spirit. I would probably 

chalk it up to that more than anything, as 

an outside observer. 

David Boles: The entrepreneurial 

spirit of these guys is huge. Byron, Randy, 

Kevin—those guys have always pushed 

me to know what our customers want, 

what our customers need, making it the 

best for them. I’ve seen Byron change his 

lobby four times, always staying caught 

up with what the people need. It’s a fun 

group. I’m glad to be a part of it. 

Looking to this year’s panelists and 

all of this year’s events, what does the 

upcoming CineShow have in store? 

Todd Halstead: When I came on 

board in 2015, there was concern the 

digital transition was wrapping up its first 

phase. How would that impact the trade 

show? Just to show you how innovative 

this industry continues to be, it doesn’t 

rest on its laurels by any means. The concerns 

that the trade show might start to 

fall off were certainly unfounded. We’ve 

grown from 50 trade show booths in 

2015 to more than 90 registered last year. 

The reason for that is the innovation 

of the movie theater owner—I can 

say particularly those exhibitors in our 

region. You’re now seeing seating companies 

have kind of replaced the digital 

aspect of the trade show. The family 

entertainment center has really come 

online this year. We have more than three 

companies who are involved in the family 

entertainment center or VR sphere. 

That’s what you can expect to see at 

this upcoming trade show: a progression 

in the disparate types of companies that 

are coming to meet with their partners in 

the exhibition industry. 

Byron Berkley: You follow those 

trends; you go back to the start of the 

digital conversion. That, of course, 

brought in new exhibitors to the trade 

show. From digital, it moved to stadium 

seating. That brought in a lot of new 

exhibitors promoting stadium-seating 

products. Then you went to dine-in 

cinemas. Now you have the family 

entertainment centers and the recliners. 

So each one of these developments in the 

industry has successively brought in new 

and different exhibitors to the trade show. 

The trade show has grown as these events 

have occurred. 

Todd Halstead: Digital has not gone 

away, obviously. One of the panels that 

we’re going to be doing is a discussion 

on what’s going to come after this first 

phase. The panel is on virtual reality 

and what’s next. We’re going to have a 

panel with experts in the industry, who 

are just going to look at what the future 

of service contracts looks like, contact 

distribution, and what the current state 

of the equipment will be in the near to 

far term. What you can expect next as 

far as new technologies and equipment 

coming online. n 


Congratulations 

101 Industrial Drive • New Albany, MS 38652 

(662) 539-7017 • vipcinemaseating.com 

THE WORLD’S LARGEST PREMIUM THEATRE SEATING MANUFACTURER.

CINESHOW 2018 

REMEMBERING FRANK LIBERTO 

The current edition of CineShow will host the inaugural Frank Liberto 

award, granted to the industry partners who represent the highest 

quality in service to the region’s exhibition industry. Liberto will be 

posthumously honored with his namesake award at this year’s event. 

Frank Liberto was born in 1933 in San Antonio, Texas. He attended 

Central Catholic High School prior to receiving a B.B.A. in marketing 

from St. Mary’s University in 1955. Liberto was a commissioned 

2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army’s Field Artillery, serving six months of active duty 

and 12 years in the active reserves before resigning as a captain. 

Liberto went on to join the family business, becoming the third-generation president 

and CEO of the Liberto Specialty Company, following in the footsteps of his father, 

Enrico, and grandfather Rosario. He is credited with introducing the concession stand 

nacho in 1976, a product that has grown to be a staple at movie theaters, stadiums, and 

event venues around the world. The nacho offering was a quick hit, with outsize demand 

prompting Liberto to found Ricos Products in 1977 to keep up with orders. 

Liberto’s influence in the concessions business has been recognized by a variety of 

organizations. In 1988 he was named distinguished alumnus of the year by his alma 

mater and honored as one of the South Texas Entrepreneurs of the Year in 1994. 

Liberto is one of three honorary lifetime board members of the National Association 

of Concessionaires (NAC), which named him Man of the Year in 1997. 

Under his leadership, Ricos was named the Texas Family Business of the Year by the 

Hankamer School of Business at Baylor University and a top 20 private business in 

San Antonio by San Antonio Success Magazine. He is survived by his wife, Patricia, 

daughter Denise, sons Rick and Tony, grandchildren Megan, Preston, Danielle, Brianna, 

Madeline, and Nicolas, and great-grandson Wyatt. 


It’s movie time. 

Over 3 Million Subscribers

INDIE FOCUS 

b r o u g h t t o y o u b y 

TEXAS THEATRE 

DALLAS, TEXAS 

Barak Epstein, CEO & Partner 

SCREENS 

The Texas Theatre is a one-screen historic suburban movie palace 

with 645 seats. We currently utilize only the downstairs for patrons 

and hope to create a new sealed-off auditorium in the balcony in 

2019 that will seat an additional 175 people and show more movies. 

TOP TITLES 

2018: Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, My Friend 

Dahmer, Suspiria, Pan’s Labyrinth 

HISTORICAL: Repertory and Star Wars, that’s how we roll! The Texas 

Theatre also showed Return of the Jedi in 1983, back when it was a 

United Artists venue. Other classics that consistently do well for us 

are Blade Runner, The Shining, Dazed and Confused, Auntie Mame, 

Selena, and anything by Andrei Tarkovsky. 



HISTORY 

The Texas Theatre was 

opened in 1931 by Robb 

& Rowley Theatres, which 

was briefly owned by 

Howard Hughes. It was 

the first theater specifically 

built for talking pictures 

in the area, the third-largest 

picture house in the 

city of Dallas, and first to 

boast air-conditioning. It 

was continuously operated, 

ending up as part of 

United Artists, until 1989. 

The theater went through 

several operators over the 

next decade—and an exterior renovation to 

play itself in Oliver Stone’s JFK. The Texas 

Theatre is also very much known as the 

theater where Dallas police apprehended Lee 

Harvey Oswald on 11-22-63. A neighborhood 

nonprofit called the Oak Cliff Foundation acquired 

the building in 2001 and began much 

needed renovations. Our entity, called Aviation 

Cinemas, leased it in 2010 and finished 

out work to reopen the theater. 

COMMUNITY 

We have a core audience of film buffs, 

mostly young professionals and creatives. 

However, touring live events like comedy 

shows, music, and podcasts bring out new 

types of audiences. We constantly marvel at 

the diversity of the people who come through 

the door depending on which films or events 

are occurring. 

CONCESSIONS 

Our full-service bar, featuring many Texas 

beers and custom movie-themed cocktails, 

is the core of our per cap program. At the 

concession stand, fresh popcorn, Topo Chico, 

David Lynch Coffee, and pizza are all winners. 

We source our baked-in-house pizzas from a 

local Italian restaurant. 

PROGRAMMING & GRASSROOTS MARKETING 

We’ve found our niche with repertory and 

indie-film fare. We do run the occasional 

first-run film, like the Star Wars series. Really, 

our main thing is to go 

beyond just screening a 

film and to really create a 

multifaceted experience. 

That can involve special 

themed drinks at the 

bar, an intro or Q&A, 

a short film pairing, a 

costume contest, a DJ in 

the lobby, and/or bands 

performing behind the 

screen after the show. 

Our space—literally, 

behind the screen—is the 

perfect sized venue for an 

intimate electronic music 

show with video art or 

punk rock show. We have a number of organizations 

we partner with for programming, 

including our next-door neighbors, the Oak 

Cliff Cultural Center, who sponsor a family-friendly 

repertory series every summer, a 

group called CineWilde, with whom we have 

a monthly repertory LGBTQ-friendly series, 

The Dallas Neo-Classical Ballet, who performs 

curated live ballet onstage before select 

themed films, and our long-running Tuesday 

Night Trash B-Movie Night. Our greatest 

feat of grassroots marketing is undoubtedly 

our filmed bumpers. We create custom trailers 

for some screenings. Highlights include 

The Fall, The Life Aquatic, and Ghostbusters. 

Many of these repertory programs and custom 

trailers were recently highlighted by the 

Criterion Collection and FilmStruck, who 

profiled the Texas Theatre in their newest Art 

House America Series. 

CINEMA ADVERTISING 

Early on in our operations we partnered 

with Spotlight Cinema Networks to provide 

us an extra revenue stream by showing their 

curated brand content on screen. We were extra 

excited when Spotlight created a program 

with the Film Festival Alliance that allowed us 

to do even more hyper-targeted spots during 

our annual Oak Cliff Film Festival, which is 

headquartered at the Texas Theatre every June. 

The revenue Spotlight generates is an important 

source of income for us, and their team is 

great to work with. n 


SOCIAL MEDIA 

Disney has been pulling away from the competition at the box office 

throughout the last five years, and in 2018 it has secured over a third 

of all box office revenue through July. Rather than delving into the minutia 

of the studio’s films and their individual performances and social 

media markers, this column instead focuses on the macro view of the 

studio’s role in the industry as a whole. The goal here is to gauge how studios 

have performed relative to each other when looking at both Twitter and box 

office dollars over the last four-plus years, specifically in the date range of 

January 1, 2014, to July 21, 2018. 

TWITTER 

MARKET SHARE 

RANKING 

HOW MAJOR STUDIOS RANK ON 

THE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM 

by Alex Edghill 

>> Every day since 

January 1, 2014, our 

data team at Boxoffice 

Pro has tabulated 

Twitter tweets for all 

upcoming films as 

well as those in release. 

From that time to this 

column’s writing we 

have collected over 

1,663 days’ worth of 

tweets. That adds up to 

hundreds of millions of tweets, which makes for a 

hefty data set to wrap one’s arms around. For simplicity’s 

sake, we’ve taken the No. 1 film in terms of 

tweets during that span, identified its corresponding 

studio, and calculated the studio’s 

Twitter market share by year. 

This provides an interesting 

data point to contrast against 

the studios’ annual box 

office market share. A 

title’s earning strength 

is specific to the film 

itself—but marketing, 

awareness, and 

word of mouth as 

borne out by social 

media are also critical 

in its life cycle and 

can contribute to its 

success or failure. 

The first thing the illustration 

clearly points to is 

Disney’s dominance both 

in terms of studio earnings 

market share but 

also our Twitter metric 

of days leading all buzz. 

2018 has been a perfect 

storm for Disney so far 

as both Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War 

have made their way to the top five of all time domestic 

earners, while titles like Star Wars: The Last 

Jedi and Incredibles 2 have cracked the top 10 on 

the same list. That has translated into an unheard-of 

revenue market share of over 36 percent through 

July. On Twitter, that dominance is further magnified: 

Disney has led our Twitter charts for 158 of 

202 days tracked this year, representing about 78 

percent of the year. To put that in perspective, in 

2017 the studio led Twitter for 146 days for the entire 

year, a number it has already surpassed with almost 

half the year to go. Its stranglehold on the box 

office is evident both in receipts and in how many 

people are talking about its films. This wasn’t the 

case in 2014, when Disney held only 14.9 percent 

of the annual studio box office market share and led 

the daily Twitter buzz for 59 days of the year. 

Warner Bros. (WB) has nabbed the second spot 

on the buzz charts for three of the five years in 

question (2014, 2016, and 2017), seeing its studio 

market share rise to a hefty 18.7 percent in 2017. 

Like Disney, WB has a wealth of comic book properties 

that have been a huge boost for the studio 

in recent years, both in terms of revenue and buzz. 

It is the only major studio (including Disney) 

that saw increases in revenue from 2014 to 2017, 

though it has some ground to make up in 2018 if 

it hopes to continue the streak. 

The way Disney and WB have approached their 

comic book properties also deserves a closer look 

in this regard, offering insight into their recent 

box office performance. Disney owns the rights to 

a large portion of the Marvel Comics catalogue, 

leading to the creation of the Marvel Cinematic 

Universe (MCU) multi-film franchise. WB, on the 

other hand, owns a large portion of DC Comics’ 

catalogue, recently rebranded to be called Worlds 

of DC. The 20 MCU films have generated just 

under $7 billion domestically since 2008, while 

WB’s five comic book adaptations in its Worlds of 

DC universe have accounted for $1.6 billion over 

the last five years. 

Fox has consistently been one of the brightest 

lights on Twitter in recent years, finishing third 

from 2014 to 2017, while firmly holding on to the 

second spot so far in 2018. It has been very consistent 

in terms of revenue over that span as well. 

Meanwhile, Universal’s presence in this ranking is 

notable; although it is the third-largest studio in 

terms of revenue since 2014, it has barely registered 


SOCIAL MEDIA 

on the overall Twitter charts outside of 2015. There 

are many reasons for this—from the difficulty of 

tracking some of its titles on the platform to the 

amount of big earners with core audiences outside 

of Twitter’s prime age range of 18–35. 

Most studios see a rise and fall in fortunes year 

to year thanks to the strength of their slate. Disney’s 

outsize success, however, draws upon highly 

recognizable IPs and big name stars—resulting in 

box office dominance for three years running. If 

2018 is any indication, there is a very real possibility 

that it will become the first and only studio to 

date to crack the $4 billion domestic yearly marker, 

a mark that was up till very recently seen as next 

to impossible. Things are looking very rosy for the 

Mouse House indeed. n 

In terms of social media, 

comic book adaptations 

was the most prolific genre 

as it led the Twitter charts 

for almost 31 percent of all 

days (532) in our period of 

interest. Though not a genre 

in and of itself (though perhaps 

it should be), the Star 

Wars franchise accounted for 

almost 14 percent (232) of all 

leading days on the charts, 

which is remarkable on many 

levels. Disney and WB films 

accounted for 8 of the 10 

most prolific films over our 

period of interest. 

MOVIE DAYS AT NO. 1 % TOTAL STUDIO 

Star Wars: The Force Awakens 104 6.25% Disney 

Star Wars: The Last Jedi 82 4.93% Disney 

Black Panther 59 3.55% Disney 

Avengers: Infinity War 56 3.37% Disney 

Suicide Squad 53 3.19% WB 

Wonder Woman 49 2.95% WB 

The Fault in Our Stars 49 2.95% Fox 

Divergent 46 2.77% Lionsgate 

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story 44 2.65% Disney 

Captain America: Civil War 36 2.16% Disney 

Top Five Studios 2014-2018 by #1 Twitter Daily Position / Box Office Revenue Percentage Share 

160 

2018 

2017 2016 2015 2014 

No. Days Leading Twitter Charts 

120 

80 

40 

DAYS AT NO. 1 

BOX OFFICE 

MARKET SHARE 

Box Office Market Share % 

0 

DIS 

FOX 

UNI 

WB 

LG 

DIS 

FOX 

UNI 

WB 

LG 

DIS 

FOX 

UNI 

WB 

LG 

DIS 

FOX 

UNI 

WB 

LG 

DIS 

FOX 

UNI 

WB 

LG 


INVESTOR RELATIONS 

CINEMA ACROSS 

THE STREET 

by Rob Rinderman 

>> While we wait for many of the leading publicly traded companies 

in the cinema ecosystem to report their respective operating results for 

the quarter ended June 30, AMC Entertainment Holdings made news 

by disclosing to stakeholders that during the first week of July it had 

received in aggregate approximately $203 million, which includes proceeds 

from the sale of its entire remaining stake in National CineMedia 

(NCM), plus additional cash from the divestiture of its controlling stake 

in Screenvision Media. 

The exhibitor still maintains a minority ownership 

position in Screenvision, one of the leaders 

in the cinema advertising space. As mentioned in 

this column last month, Abry Partners is now the 

controlling owner of Screenvision, and AMC netted 

cash proceeds of approximately $46 

million from the sale of most of its 

overall stake to Abry. 

On the NCM front, 

AMC sold approximately 

21.5 million common 

units of NCMI, which 

generated the company 

cash in the neighborhood 

of $156.8 

million. On a per unit 

basis, the transaction 

took place at a price of 

roughly $7.30 per unit. 

AMC has also been active 

once again on the ticketing 

front, forging a new alliance 

with the world’s leading social media 

platform. Last month, we highlighted 

AMC’s new Stubs A-List offering, an extension of 

the chain’s popular loyalty rewards plan. 

For $19.95 per month, Stubs members can 

attend as many as three movies per week at one of 

AMC’s domestic U.S. locations—approximately 

380 in all. Unlike MoviePass, A-List subscribers 

can also purchase seats for movies shown in three 

of the circuit’s most popular formats—IMAX, 

Dolby Cinema and RealD 3D. 

Although MoviePass proudly hailed the fact 

that its subscriber base had crossed the three-million 

milestone back in June, shareholders of majority 

parent company owner Helios & Matheson 

(HMNY) have been decimated by dilution and red 

ink on the corporate financials. 

Turning the clock back to October 2017, shares 

were soaring well into the 30s, buoyed by the company’s 

audacious move of dropping the monthly 

subscription price to below $10, from a peak price 

of approximately $50. As of this writing, HMNY 

is a “penny stock,” fetching just $0.10 per share. 

Management recently disclosed that they plan an 

upcoming issuance of additional new 

shares, plus warrants to acquire 

even more shares. 

Perhaps Wall Street 

research analyst Michael 

Pachter of Wedbush 

Securities summed up 

the failure of the MoviePass 

business model, 

at least what we’ve 

seen from them to 

date. “They’re giving 

away dollars for quarters,” 

he said. “That’s just 

a terrible business model.” 

On the social media front, 

AMC’s new partnership with 

Facebook is yet another innovation 

in the rapidly evolving digital ticketing 

space. According to Statista, Facebook has approximately 

240 million users in the United States, ranking 

just behind India’s 270 million “Facebookers.” 

In one of its moves to add more utility for users of 

their social platform, Facebook launched a ticketing 

system with AMC in which domestic U.S. users will 

be able to search movies by location and show time. 


AMC is the first theatrical exhibitor to announce a direct ticketing relationship with Facebook. 

Once users select their preferred cinema location and time, they are given an option 

under Facebook’s “Explore” tab to click on the “Movies” tab and choose AMC’s ticketing platform 

to complete their movie purchase and check out to complete their transaction. 

“From the very beginning of online ticketing 

availability, it’s been our goal to make the process 

as simple and accessible as possible for all of our 

guests,” said Stephen Colanero, chief marketing 

officer of AMC Theatres. 

AMC is the first theatrical exhibitor to announce 

a direct ticketing relationship with 

Facebook. Once users select their preferred cinema 

location and time, they are given an option under 

Facebook’s “Explore” tab to click on the “Movies” 

tab and choose AMC’s ticketing platform to 

complete their movie purchase and check out to 

complete their transaction. 

As an introductory promotion of this alliance, 

advance ticket fees will be waived for moviegoers 

who use the Facebook/AMC interface for their 

purchase. Although AMC is the first exhibitor to 

launch on the Facebook ticketing site, the social 

media platform already has pre-existing relationships 

with both Fandango and Atom Tickets. 

Facebook product manager Swapna Joshi commented, 

“We know people already use Facebook to 

find movies to see in theaters, and purchase tickets 

to them. Today, we’re excited to add AMC as a 

partner. This is another way we’re working to make 

going to the movies fun and easy,” she added. n 

Rob Rinderman is an avid 

follower and fan of the 

cinema and exhibition 

businesses. He has assisted 

many public and privately 

held companies with 

communications and 

business development 

consulting services for over 

two decades and written 

as a freelance journalist 

covering these industries 

since 2015. 


COMING SOON IN 3D 

ALPHA 

AUGUST 17 · SONY 

CAST Kodi Smit-McPhee, Leonor Varela 

DIR Albert Hughes 

GENRE Act/DRA/Thr 

THE NUTCRACKER AND THE FOUR REALMS 

NOVEMBER 2 · DISNEY 

CAST Keira Knightley, Mackenzie Foy 

DIR Lasse Hallström 

GENRE Adv/Fam/Fan 

DR. SEUSS’ THE GRINCH 

NOVEMBER 9 · UNIVERSAL 

VOICE CAST Benedict Cumberbatch 

DIR Scott Mosier, Yarrow Cheney 

GENRE Ani/Com/Fam 

RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET 

NOVEMBER 21 · UNIVERSAL 

VOICE CAST John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman 

DIR Rich Moore, Phil Johnston 

GENRE Ani/Adv/Com 

SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE 

DECEMBER 14 · SONY 

VOICE CAST Jake Johnson, Shameik Moore 

DIR Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman 

GENRE Ani/Act/Adv 

MORTAL ENGINES 

DECEMBER 14 · UNIVERSAL 

CAST Hugo Weaving, Hera Hilmar 

DIR Christian Rivers 

GENRE Act/Fan/SciFi 

ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL 

DECEMBER 21 · FOX 

CAST Rosa Salazar, Christoph Waltz 

DIR Robert Rodriguez 

GENRE Act/Adv/Rom 

AQUAMAN 

DECEMBER 21 · WARNER BROS. 

CAST Jason Momoa, Amber Heard 

DIR James Wan 

GENRE Act/Adv/Fan 

BUMBLEBEE 

DECEMBER 21 · PARAMOUNT 

CAST Hailee Steinfeld, John Cena 

DIR Travis Knight 

GENRE Act/Adv/SciFi

ALSO UPCOMING IN 3D 

THE LEGO MOVIE 2: 

THE SECOND PART 

February 8, 2019 – Warner Bros. 

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: 

THE HIDDEN WORLD 

March 1, 2019 – Fox/Dreamworks 

CAPTAIN MARVEL 

March 8, 2019 – Disney 

DUMBO 


UNTITLED AVENGERS 

May 3, 2019 – Disney 

TOY STORY 4 

June 21, 2019 – Disney 

THE LION KING 

July 19, 2019 – Disney 

SONY PICTURES ANIMATION TBA 

July 26, 2019 – Sony 

WONDER WOMAN 1984 

November 1, 2019 – Warner Bros. 

FROZEN 2 

November 27, 2019 – Disney 

ALADDIN 

December 20, 2019 – Disney 

STAR WARS: EPISODE IX 

December 20, 2019 – Disney 


December 25, 2019 – Sony 

PIXAR TBA 


MULAN 



April 3, 2020 – Sony 

UNTITLED MARVEL FILM 

May 1, 2020 – Disney 

SCOOBY 

May 15, 2020 – Warner Bros. 

REALD.COM

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ELAINE STRITCH AT LIBERTY 

MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO 

CINELIFE ENTERTAINMENT CineLifeEntertainment.com 310-309-5774 

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NIGHT IS SHORT, WALK ON GIRL Tues, 8/21/18 and Wed, 8/22/18 Anime 

RIFFTRAX LIVE: KRULL Thurs, 8/23/18 and Sat, 8/25/18 Comedy 

TCM BIG SCREEN CLASSICS: SOUTH PACIFIC 60TH ANNIVERSARY Sun, 8/26/18 and Wed, 8/29/18 Classic Film 

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TCM BIG SCREEN CLASSICS: THE SOUND OF MUSIC Sun, 9/9/18 and Thurs, 9/12/18 Classic Film 

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TCM BIG SCREEN CLASSICS: REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE Sun, 9/23/18 and Wed, 9/26/18 Classic Film 

NT LIVE: KING LEAR Thurs, 9/27/18 Arts & Entertainment 

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TCM BIG SCREEN CLASSICS: MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON Sun, 10/14/18 and Wed, 10/17/18 Classic Film 

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DRAGON BALL Z SAIYAN DOUBLE FEATURE Sat, 11/3/18 and Mon, 11/5/18 Anime 

THE MET: LIVE IN HD: MARNIE Sat, 11/10/18 and Wed, 11/14/18 Arts & Entertainment 

BOLSHOI BALLET: LA SYLPHIDE Sun, 11/11/2018 Arts & Entertainment 

TCM BIG SCREEN CLASSICS: DIE HARD 30TH ANNIVERSARY Sun, 11/11/18 and Wed, 11/14/18 Classic Film 

CASTLE IN THE SKY Sun, 11/18/18, Mon, 11/19/18 and Wed, 11/21/18 Anime 

THE MAGIC FLUTE SPECIAL HOLIDAY ENCORE Sat, 12/1/18 Arts & Entertainment 

BOLSHOI BALLET: DON QUIXOTE Sun, 12/2/18 Arts & Entertainment 

TCM BIG SCREEN CLASSICS: WHITE CHRISTMAS Sun, 12/9/18 and Wed, 12/12/18 Classic Film 

THE MET: LIVE IN HD: LA TRAVIATA Sat, 12/15/18 and Wed 12/19/18 Arts & Entertainment 

BOLSHOI BALLET: THE NUTCRACKER Sun, 12/23/18 Arts & Entertainment 

ROYAL OPERA HOUSE roh.org.uk/cinemas cinema@roh.org.uk 

MAYERLING Thu, 10/4/18 Ballet 

DIE WALKÜRE Sun, 10/28/18 Opera 

LA BAYADÈRE Tue, 11/13/18 Ballet 

THE NUTCRACKER Mon, 12/3/18 Ballet 

THE QUEEN OF SPADES Tue, 1/22/19 Opera 

LA TRAVIATA Wed, 1/30/19 Opera 

DON QUIXOTE Tue, 2/19/19 Ballet 

LA FORZA DEL DESTINO Tue, 4/2/19 Opera 

FAUST Tue, 4/30/19 Opera 

WITHIN THE GOLDEN HOUR / NEW SIDI LARBI CHERKAOUI / FLIGHT PATTERN Thu, 5/16/19 Ballet 

ROMEO AND JULIET Tue, 6/11/19 Ballet 

SCREENVISION screenvisionmedia.com/events 

PIPELINE Wed, 10/3/18, Fri, 10/5/18 and Sun 10/7/18 Theatre 


ON SCREEN 

SYNOPSES COURTESY OF QUICKLOOKFILMS.COM 

ALPHA 

AUG 17 / SONY • COLUMBIA / WIDE 

>> Alpha is an epic adventure set in the last Ice Age, 20,000 

years ago. While on his first hunt with his tribe’s most elite 

group, a young man is injured and left for dead. Awakening to 

find himself broken and alone, he must learn to survive and 

navigate the harsh and unforgiving wilderness. Reluctantly 

taming a lone wolf abandoned by its pack, the pair learns 

to rely on each other and become unlikely allies, enduring 

countless dangers and overwhelming odds in order to find 

their way home before the deadly winter arrives. 

CAST KODI SMIT-MCPHEE (ABOVE), NATASSIA MALTHE, LEONOR 

VARELA DIRECTOR ALBERT HUGHES WRITER DAN WIEDENHAUPT 

GENRE DRAMA, MYSTERY RATING PG-13 FOR SOME INTENSE PERIL 

RUNNING TIME TBD 


ON SCREEN 

ROSE BYRNE AND CHRIS O’DOWD 

JULIET, NAKED 

AUG 17 / ROADSIDE ATTRACTIONS • LIONSGATE / LIMITED 

>> Annie is stuck in a long-term relationship with Duncan, an 

obsessive fan of obscure rocker Tucker Crowe. Duncan is far more 

devoted to his music idol than to Annie. When the acoustic demo 

of Tucker’s hit record from 25 years ago surfaces, it leads to a lifechanging 

encounter between Annie and the elusive rocker himself. 

CAST ROSE BYRNE, ETHAN HAWKE, CHRIS O’DOWD DIRECTOR JESSE 

PERETZ WRITERS EVGENIA PERETZ, JIM TAYLOR, TAMARA JENKINS 

GENRE COMEDY, DRAMA, MUSIC RATING R FOR LANGUAGE RUNNING 

TIME 105 MIN. 

MILE 22 

AUG 17 / STX ENTERTAINMENT / WIDE 

>> In a visceral modern thriller from the 

director of Lone Survivor, Mark Wahlberg 

stars as James Silva, an operative of the 

CIA’s most highly prized and least-understood 

unit. Aided by a top-secret tactical 

command team, Silva must retrieve and 

transport an asset, who holds life-threatening 

information, to Mile 22 for extraction 

before the enemy closes in. 

MARK WAHLBERG 

CAST MARK WAHLBERG, LAUREN COHAN, RON- 

DA ROUSEY DIRECTOR PETER BERG WRITERS 

LEA CARPENTER, GRAHAM ROLAND GENRE 

ACTION RATING TBD RUNNING TIME TBD 


GREAT 

MOVIE 

EXPERIENCES 

START 

ONLINE 

Technology evolves. Don’t get left behind. 

By combining our unique blend of market-leading data services 

with scalable technology solutions, we ensure our exhibitor 

and studio partners succeed in an ever-evolving world. 

Find out how we can help you change for the better. 

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203. 438. 8389 

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www.webediamoviespro.com

ON SCREEN 

THREE SECONDS 

AUG 17 / AVIRON / WIDE 

>> Reformed criminal and former special-ops soldier Pete 

Koslow, in order to free himself from jail and return to his wife and 

daughter, has been working undercover for crooked FBI handlers 

to infiltrate the Polish mob’s drug trade in New York. In a final 

step toward freedom, Koslow must return to the one place he’s 

fought so hard to leave, Bale Hill Prison, where his mission 

becomes a race against time when a drug deal goes wrong and 

threatens to reveal him as a mole. 

CAST ANA DE ARMAS, ROSAMUND PIKE, JOEL KINNAMAN DIRECTOR 

ANDREA DI STEFANO WRITER MATT COOK GENRE CRIME, DRAMA 

RATING TBD RUNNING TIME TBD 

WE THE ANIMALS 

AUG 17 / THE ORCHARD / LIMITED 

>> We three, we brothers, we kings. Manny, Joel, 

and Jonah tear their way through childhood and 

push against the volatile love of their parents. As 

Manny and Joel grow into versions of their father 

and Ma dreams of escape, Jonah, the youngest, 

embraces an imagined world all his own. 

CAST RAÚL CASTILLO, JOSIAH GABRIEL, TERRY HOLLAND 

DIRECTOR JEREMIAH ZAGAR WRITERS DANIEL KITROSS- 

ER, JEREMIAH ZAGAR GENRE DRAMA RATING R FOR 

STRONG SEXUAL CONTENT, NUDITY, LANGUAGE, AND 

SOME UNDERAGE DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE RUNNING 

TIME 94 MIN. 

THE WIFE 

AUG 17 / SONY PICTURES CLASSICS / NY•LA 

>> After nearly forty years of marriage, Joan and Joe Castleman are complements. 

Where Joe is casual, Joan is elegant. Where Joe is vain, Joan is self-effacing. 

And where Joe enjoys his very public role as Great American Novelist, Joan 

pours her considerable intellect, grace, charm, and diplomacy into the private 

role of Great Man’s Wife. Joe is about to be awarded the Nobel Prize for his acclaimed 

and prolific body of work. Joe’s literary star has blazed since he and Joan 

first met in the late 1950s. The Wife interweaves the story of the couple’s youthful 

passion and ambition with a portrait of a marriage, 30-plus years later—a 

lifetime’s shared compromises, secrets, betrayals, and mutual love. 

CAST GLENN CLOSE, CHRISTIAN SLATER, JONATHAN PRYCE DIRECTOR BJÖRN RUNGE WRITER 

JANE ANDERSON GENRE DRAMA RATING R FOR LANGUAGE AND SOME SEXUAL CONTENT 

RUNNING TIME 100 MIN. 


ON SCREEN 

A.X.L. 

AUG 24 / GLOBAL ROAD FILMS / WIDE 

>> A.X.L. is a top-secret robotic dog created by the military 

to help protect tomorrow’s soldiers. Code named by 

the scientists who created him, A.X.L. stands for Attack, 

Exploration, Logistics, and embodies the most advanced, 

next-generation artificial intelligence. After an experiment 

gone wrong, A.X.L. is discovered hiding alone in the desert 

by a kind-hearted outsider named Miles, who finds a way 

to connect with him after activating his owner-pairing 

technology. Together, the two develop a special friendship 

based on trust, loyalty, and compassion. Helping Miles gain 

the confidence he’s been lacking, A.X.L. will go to any length 

to protect his new companion, including facing off against 

the scientists who created him and who will do anything to 

get him back. Knowing what is at stake if A.X.L. is captured, 

Miles teams up with a smart, resourceful ally named Sara to 

protect his new best friend on a timeless, epic adventure for 

the whole family. 

ALEX NEUSTAEDTER 

CAST ALEX NEUSTAEDTER, THOMAS JANE, BECKY G DIRECTOR OLIVER 

DALY WRITER OLIVER DALY GENRE SCI-FI RATING PG FOR SCI-FI AC- 

TION/PERIL, SUGGESTIVE MATERIAL, THEMATIC ELEMENTS, AND SOME 

LANGUAGE RUNNING TIME TBD 

PAPILLON 

AUG 24 / BLEECKER STREET / LIMITED 

>> Based on the international best-seller, the film follows the epic story of Henri 

“Papillon” Charrière, a safecracker from the Parisian underworld who is framed 

for murder and condemned to life in the notorious penal colony on Devil’s Island. 

Determined to regain his freedom, Papillon forms an unlikely alliance with a 

convicted counterfeiter, Louis Dega, who, in exchange for protection, agrees to 

finance Papillon’s escape, ultimately resulting in a bond of lasting friendship. 

CAST CHARLIE HUNNAM, RAMI MALEK, TOMMY FLANAGAN DIRECTOR MICHAEL NOER 

WRITER AARON GUZIKOWSKI GENRE CRIME, DRAMA, MYSTERY RATING R FOR VIOLENCE 

INCLUDING BLOODY IMAGES, LANGUAGE, NUDITY, AND SOME SEXUAL MATERIAL RUNNING 

TIME 133 MIN. 

REPLICAS 

AUG 24 / ENTERTAINMENT STUDIOS / WIDE 

>> A scientist becomes obsessed with bringing back his family members 

who die in a traffic accidents. 

CAST KEANU REEVES, ALICE EVE, EMILY ALYN LIND DIRECTOR JEFFREY NACHMANOFF 

WRITER CHAD ST. JOHN GENRE CRIME, MYSTERY, SCI-FI RATING PG-13 FOR THEMATIC 

MATERIAL, VIOLENCE, DISTURBING IMAGES, SOME NUDITY, AND SEXUAL REFERENCES 


CHARLIE HUNNAM IN PAPILLON 


ON SCREEN 

SLENDER MAN 

AUG 10 / SONY • SCREEN GEMS / WIDE 

>> In a small town in Massachusetts, four high school girls 

perform a ritual in an attempt to debunk the lore of Slender 

Man. When one of the girls goes mysteriously missing, they 

begin to suspect that she is, in fact, his latest victim. 

CAST JOEY KING, JAVIER BOTET, JULIA GOLDANI TELLES DIRECTOR 

SYLVAIN WHITE WRITERS DAVID BIRKE, VICTOR SURGE GENRE 

HORROR RATING PG-13 FOR DISTURBING IMAGES, SEQUENCES OF 

TERROR, THEMATIC ELEMENTS AND LANGUAGE INCLUDING SOME 

CRUDE SEXUAL REFERENCES RUNNING TIME TBD 


THE HAPPYTIME 

MURDERS 

AUG 24 / STX ENTERTAINMENT 

WIDE 

>> No Sesame. All Street. The 

Happytime Murders is a filthy 

comedy set in the underbelly of 

Los Angeles where puppets and 

humans coexist. Two clashing 

detectives with a shared secret, 

one human and one puppet, are 

forced to work together again to 

solve the brutal murders of the 

former cast of a beloved classic 

puppet television show. 

CAST MELISSA MCCARTHY, ELIZABETH 

BANKS, MAYA RUDOLPH DIRECTOR 

BRIAN HENSON WRITER TODD BERGER 

GENRE ACTION, COMEDY, CRIME RAT- 

ING R FOR STRONG CRUDE AND SEXUAL 

CONTENT AND LANGUAGE THROUGH- 

OUT, AND SOME DRUG MATERIAL 


PUPPETEER BILL BARRETTA PERFORMS AS PUPPET P.I. PHIL PHILLIPS 


ON SCREEN 

KIN 

AUG 31 / LIONSGATE • SUMMIT / WIDE 

>> Kin, a pulse-pounding crime thriller with 

a sci-fi twist, is the story of an unlikely hero 

destined for greatness. Chased by a vengeful 

criminal, the feds, and a gang of otherworldly 

soldiers, a recently released ex-con 

and his teenage brother go on the run with 

a weapon of mysterious origin as their only 

protection. 

ZOË KRAVITZ 

CAST JAMES FRANCO, ZOË KRAVITZ, CARRIE COON 

DIRECTORS JONATHAN BAKER, JOSH BAKER WRIT- 

ERS JONATHAN BAKER, JOSH BAKER GENRE ACTION, 

SCI-FI RATING PG-13 FOR GUN VIOLENCE AND 

INTENSE ACTION, SUGGESTIVE MATERIAL, LANGUAGE, 

THEMATIC ELEMENTS, AND DRINKING RUNNING 

TIME TBD 

THE LITTLE STRANGER 

AUG 31 / FOCUS FEATURES / WIDE 

>> The Little Stranger tells the story of Dr. Faraday, the son 

of a housemaid, who has built a life of quiet respectability 

as a country doctor. During the long hot summer of 1948, 

he is called to a patient at Hundreds Hall, where his mother 

once worked. The Hall has been home to the Ayres family 

for more than two centuries. But it is now in decline and its 

inhabitants—mother, son, and daughter—are haunted by 

something more ominous than a dying way of life. When he 

takes on his new patient, Faraday has no idea how closely, 

and how disturbingly, the family’s story is about to become 

entwined with his own. 

CAST DOMHNALL GLEESON, RUTH WILSON (BOTH ABOVE), CHAR- 

LOTTE RAMPLING DIRECTOR LENNY ABRAHAMSON WRITER LUCIN- 

DA COXON GENRE DRAMA, HORROR, MYSTERY RATING R FOR SOME 

DISTURBING BLOODY IMAGES RUNNING TIME 111 MIN. 


FERNANDA CASTILLO, EMILIANO ARAMAYO, 

AND MAURICIO OCHMANN 

YA VEREMOS 

AUG 31 / LIONSGATE • PANTELION / LIMITED 

>> Ya Veremos is the story of Santi, a preteen who is dealing 

with the recent separation of his parents, Rodrigo and Alejandra. 

Despite their divorce, Santi’s parents are both desperately 

devoted to their son. When the three learn that Santi has a 

medical condition that could jeopardize his eyesight, Santi’s 

father encourages him to make a list of places and things 

he wants to see and do before losing his sight completely. 

Santi immediately obliges with an elaborate list but with one 

condition—the estranged couple must come together to help 

him fulfill his dreams. As the three embark on the amazing, 

sometimes wacky adventure, the couple must learn how to live 

together for the sake of their son. But will the adventure open 

their eyes and make separating impossible?. 

CAST MAURICIO OCHMANN, ERIK HAYSER, ARIEL LEVY DIRECTOR PEDRO 

PABLO IBARRA WRITER ALBERTO BREMER GENRE DRAMA RATING TBD 



ON SCREEN 

THE NUN 

SEPT 7 / WARNER BROS. • NEW LINE / WIDE 

>> When a young nun at a cloistered abbey in Romania 

takes her own life, a priest with a haunted past and a 

novitiate on the threshold of her final vows are sent by the 

Vatican to investigate. Together they uncover the order’s 

unholy secret. Risking not only their lives but their faith and 

their very souls, they confront a malevolent force in the form 

of the same demonic nun that first terrorized audiences 

in The Conjuring 2, as the abbey becomes a horrific 

battleground between the living and the damned. 

CAST TAISSA FARMIGA, BONNIE AARONS, CHARLOTTE HOPE 

DIRECTOR CORIN HARDY WRITER GARY DAUBERMAN GENRE 

HORROR, MYSTERY, THRILLER RATING R FOR TERROR, VIOLENCE, AND 

DISTURBING/BLOODY IMAGES RUNNING TIME TBD 


COLD SKIN 

SEPT 7 / SAMUEL GOLDWYN / 

LIMITED 

>> On the edge of the Antarctic 

Circle, a steamship approaches a 

desolate island. On board is a young 

man, poised to take up the post of 

weather observer, to live in solitude 

far from civilization. But on shore he 

finds no trace of the man he has been 

sent to replace, just a deranged brute 

in the lighthouse who has witnessed 

a horror he refuses to name. For the 

next 12 months his entire world will 

consist of a deserted cabin, rocks, 

silence and the surrounding sea. Then 

night begins to fall. 

CAST RAY STEVENSON, DAVID OAKES, AURA 

GARRIDO DIRECTOR XAVIER GENS WRIT- 

ERS JESÚS OLMO, ERON SHEEAN GENRE 

ADVENTURE, HORROR, SCI-FI RATING TBD 



ON SCREEN 

JENNIFER GARNER 

PEPPERMINT 

SEPT 7 / STX ENTERTAINMENT / WIDE 

>> Peppermint is an action-thriller that 

tells the story of young mother Riley 

North who awakens from a coma after her 

husband and daughter are killed in a brutal 

attack on the family. When the system 

frustratingly shields the murderers from 

justice, Riley sets out to transform herself 

from citizen to urban guerilla. Channeling 

her frustration into personal motivation, 

she spends years in hiding, honing her 

mind, body, and spirit to become an 

unstoppable force eluding the underworld, 

the LAPD, and the FBI, as she methodically 

delivers her personal brand of justice. 

CAST JENNIFER GARNER, RICHARD CABRAL, 

MICHAEL MOSLEY DIRECTOR PIERRE MOREL 

WRITER CHAD ST. JOHN GENRE ACTION, 

DRAMA, THRILLER RATING R FOR STRONG 

VIOLENCE AND LANGUAGE THROUGHOUT 



KRISTIN STEWART AND CHLOË SEVIGNY 

LIZZIE 

SEPT 14 / SABAN • ROADSIDE ATTRACTIONS / LIMITED 

>> 1892: Headstrong Lizzie Borden lives with her wealthy 

father, stepmother, and sister in Fall River, Massachusetts. Lizzie 

lovingly tends to her pet pigeons and is occasionally allowed 

out of her dimly lit, foreboding house, but otherwise lives under 

strict rules set by her domineering father. When her family hires 

live-in maid Bridget, an uneducated Irish immigrant, the two 

find kindred spirits in one another. Their friendship begins with 

covert communication and companionship that blossoms 

into an intimate relationship. Meanwhile, tension builds in 

the Borden household, and Lizzie’s claustrophobic existence 

becomes increasingly more oppressive and abusive, leading to 

its inevitable breaking point. 

CAST KIM DICKENS, KRISTEN STEWART, CHLOË SEVIGNY DIRECTOR CRAIG 

WILLIAM MACNEILL WRITER BRYCE KASS GENRE BIOGRAPHY, CRIME, 

DRAMA RATING R FOR VIOLENCE AND GRISLY IMAGES, NUDITY, A SCENE OF 

SEXUALITY, AND SOME LANGUAGE RUNNING TIME 105 MIN. 


ON SCREEN 

THE 

CHILDREN ACT 

SEPT 14 / A24 / LIMITED 

>> As her marriage to Jack 

flounders, eminent High 

Court judge Fiona Maye has 

a life-changing decision to 

make at work—should she 

force a teenage boy, Adam, 

to have the blood transfusion 

that will save his life? 

Her unorthodox visit to his 

hospital bedside has a profound 

impact on them both, 

stirring strong new emotions 

in the boy and long-buried 

feelings in her. 

EMMA THOMPSON AND STANLEY TUCCI 

CAST EMMA THOMPSON, STANLEY 

TUCCI, FIONN WHITEHEAD DIREC- 

TOR RICHARD EYRE WRITER IAN 

MCEWAN GENRE DRAMA RATING 

R FOR A SEXUAL REFERENCE RUN- 

NING TIME 105 MIN. 

DON’T LEAVE HOME 

SEPT 14 / CRANKED UP FILMS / LIMITED 

An American artist’s obsession with a disturbing 

urban legend leads her to an investigation 

of the story’s origins at the crumbling 

estate of a reclusive painter in Ireland. 

CAST MARK LAWRENCE, HELENA BEREEN, KARRIE 

COX DIRECTOR MICHAEL TULLY WRITER MICHAEL 

TULLY GENRE THRILLER RATING TBD RUNNING 

TIME 86 MIN. 

HELENA BEREEN 


OPERATION 

FINALE 

SEPT 14 / MGM / WIDE 

>> The thrilling true story 

follows the 1960 covert 

mission of legendary Mossad 

agent Peter Malkin as he infiltrates 

Argentina and captures 

Adolf Eichmann, the Nazi 

officer who masterminded 

the transportation logistics 

that brought millions of 

innocent Jews to their deaths 

in concentration camps. 

BEN KINGSLEY 

CAST JOE ALWYN, OSCAR ISAAC, 

MÉLANIE LAURENT DIRECTOR 

CHRIS WEITZ WRITER MATTHEW 

ORTON GENRE BIOGRAPHY, DRA- 

MA, HISTORY RATING PG-13 FOR 

DISTURBING THEMATIC CONTENT 

AND RELATED VIOLENT IMAGES, 

AND FOR SOME LANGUAGE RUN- 

NING TIME TBD 


ON SCREEN 

BLAKE LIVELY AND ANNA KENDRICK 

A SIMPLE FAVOR 

SEPT 14 / LIONSGATE / WIDE 

>> A Simple Favor centers on Stephanie, a 

mommy vlogger who seeks to uncover the 

truth behind her best friend Emily’s sudden 

disappearance from their small town. Stephanie 

is joined by Emily’s husband, Seanin. 

This stylish thriller is filled with twists and 

betrayals, secrets and revelations, love and 

loyalty, murder and revenge. 

CAST LINDA CARDELLINI, BLAKE LIVELY, ANNA 

KENDRICK DIRECTOR PAUL FEIG WRITERS JESSICA 

SHARZER GENRE CRIME, DRAMA, MYSTERY RATING 

TBD RUNNING TIME TBD 


MERRITT PATTERSON AND SAMUEL HUNT 

KEEGAN-MICHAEL KEY 

UNBROKEN: PATH TO REDEMPTION 

SEPT 14 / PURE FLIX / WIDE 

>> Haunted by nightmares of his torment, Olympian and World 

War II vet Louis Zamperini sees himself as anything but a hero. 

Then, he meets Cynthia, a young woman who captures his heart. 

Louie’s quest for revenge drives him deeper into despair, putting 

the couple on the brink of divorce. Until Cynthia experiences Billy 

Graham’s 1949 Los Angeles Crusade, where she finds faith in God 

and a renewed commitment to her marriage and her husband. 

CAST SAMUEL HUNT, MERRITT PATTERSON, WILL GRAHAM DIRECTOR 

HAROLD CRONK WRITER RICHARD FRIEDENBERG, KEN HIXON GENRE 

BIOGRAPHY, DRAMA RATING PG-13 FOR THEMATIC CONTENT AND RELATED 

DISTURBING IMAGES RUNNING TIME TBD 

THE PREDATOR 

SEPT 14 / FOX / WIDE 

>> From the outer reaches of space to the small-town streets 

of suburbia, the hunt comes home in Shane Black’s explosive reinvention 

of the Predator series. Now, the universe’s most lethal 

hunters are stronger, smarter, and deadlier than ever before, 

having genetically upgraded themselves with DNA from other 

species. When a young boy accidentally triggers their return to 

Earth, only a ragtag crew of ex-soldiers and a disgruntled science 

teacher can prevent the end of the human race. 

CAST YVONNE STRAHOVSKI, OLIVIA MUNN, JACOB TREMBLAY DIRECTOR 

SHANE BLACK WRITERS FRED DEKKER, SHANE BLACK GENRE ACTION, 

ADVENTURE, HORROR RATING TBD RUNNING TIME TBD 


BOOKING GUIDE 

TITLE RELEASE DATE STARS DIRECTOR(S) RATING GENRE SPECS 

A24 646-568-6015 

THE CHILDREN ACT Fri, 9/14/18 NY/LA Emma Thompson, Stanley Tucci Richard Eyre R Dra 

MID90S Fri, 10/19/18 LTD Sunny Suljic, Lucas Hedges Jonah Hill NR Com 

UNDER THE SILVER LAKE Fri, 12/7/18 LTD. Andrew Garfield, Riley Keough David Robert Mitchell R Thr/Cri 

ANNAPURNA PICTURES 

WHERE’D YOU GO BERNADETTE? Fri, 10/19/18 LTD. Cate Blanchett, Troian Bellisario Richard Linklater PG-13 Com/Dra 

MISSING LINK 

Fri, 4/19/19 WIDE 

Zach Galifianakis, Hugh 

Jackman 

Chris Butler NR Ani 

DISNEY 818-560-1000 Ask for Distribution 

THE NUTCRACKER AND THE FOUR 

REALMS 

Fri, 11/2/18 WIDE Keira Knightley, Mackenzie Foy Lasse Hallström NR Mus/Fan 3D 

RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET Fri, 11/21/18 WIDE John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman 

Phil Johnston, Rich 

Moore 

NR Ani/Adv/Fam 3D/IMAX 

MARY POPPINS RETURNS 

Fri, 12/19/18 WIDE 

Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel 

Miranda 

Rob Marshall NR Fam/Fan 

CAPTAIN MARVEL Fri, 3/8/19 WIDE Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson 

Anna Boden, Ryan 

Fleck 

NR Act/Adv/SF 3D/IMAX 

DUMBO Fri, 3/29/19 WIDE Colin Farrell, Michael Keaton Tim Burton NR Fan/Fam 3D 

PENGUINS Fri, 4/19/19 WIDE NR Doc 

UNTITLED AVENGERS Fri, 5/3/19 WIDE NR 

Act/Adv/ 

Fan/SF 

ALADDIN Fri, 5/24/19 WIDE Will Smith, Mena Massoud Guy Ritchie NR Act/Adv/Com 

TOY STORY 4 Fri, 6/21/19 WIDE NR Ani 3D/IMAX 

THE LION KING Fri, 7/19/19 WIDE Donald Glover, Beyoncé Jon Favreau NR Fan 

ARTEMIS FOWL Fri, 8/9/19 WIDE Ferdia Shaw, Josh Gad Kenneth Branagh NR Fan 3D 

JUNGLE CRUISE Fri, 10/11/19 WIDE NR 

FROZEN 2 Wed, 11/27/19 WIDE NR Ani 3D 

STAR WARS: EPISODE IX Fri, 12/20/19 WIDE NR Act/Adv/SF 3D/IMAX/Dolby Dig 

FOCUS FEATURES 424-214-6360 3D 

THE LITTLE STRANGER Fri, 8/31/18 WIDE Domhnall Gleeson, Ruth Wilson Lenny Abrahamson R Hor/Thr 

BOY ERASED Fri, 11/2/18 LTD Lucas Hedges, Nicole Kidman Joel Edgerton NR Dra 

MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS Fri, 12/7/18 LTD Saoirse Ronan, Margot Robbie Josie Rourke NR Dra/His 

ON THE BASIS OF SEX Tue, 12/25/18 LTD Felicity Jones, Mimi Leder NR Dra/Bio 

CAPTIVE STATE Wed, 3/29/19 WIDE John Goodman, Ashton Sanders Rupert Wyatt PG-13 SF 

FOX 310-369-1000 212-556-2400 

THE PREDATOR Fri, 9/14/18 WIDE Boyd Holbrook, Jacob Tremblay Shane Black NR Act/SF/Hor IMAX 

BAD TIMES AT THE EL ROYALE Fri, 10/12/18 WIDE Jeff Bridges, Cynthia Erivo Drew Goddard NR Thr 

THE HATE U GIVE 

Fri, 10/19/18 WIDE 

Amandla Stenberg, Russell 

Hornsby 

George Tillman Jr. PG-13 Dra 

BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY Fri, 11/2/18 WIDE Rami Malek, Ben Hardy 

Bryan Singer, Dexter 

Fletcher 

NR 

Bio/Mus 

WIDOWS Fri, 11/16/18 WIDE Michelle Rodriguez, Viola Davis Steve McQueen R Dra 

ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL Fri, 12/21/18 WIDE Rosa Salazar, Christoph Waltz Robert Rodriguez NR Act/Adv/Rom 3D/IMAX 

AD ASTRA Fri, 1/11/19 WIDE Brad Pitt James Gray NR SF/Thr 



DARK PHOENIX 

Fri, 2/14/19 WIDE 

Sophie Turner, Jennifer 

Lawrence 

Simon Kinberg NR Act/Adv/SF 

THE KID WHO WOULD BE KING Fri, 3/1/19 WIDE Joe Cornish NR 

BREAKTHROUGH Fri, 4/12/19 WIDE Chrissy Metz Roxann Dawson NR 

Fan/Fam/Act/ 

Adv 

STUBER Fri, 5/24/19 WIDE Dave Bautista, Kumail Nanjiani NR Act/Com 

GAMBIT Fri, 6/7/19 WIDE Channing Tatum, Lizzy Caplan NR Act/Adv/SF 

UNTITLED JAMES MANGOLD Fri, 6/28/19 WIDE Matt Damon, Christian Bale James Mangold NR Dra 

THE NEW MUTANTS Fri, 8/2/19 WIDE Anya Taylor-Joy, Maisie Williams Josh Boone NR Act/Hor/SF 

SPIES IN DISGUISE Fri, 9/13/19 WIDE Will Smith, Tom Holland 

Nick Bruno & Troy 

Quane 

NR 

Ani 

THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW Fri, 10/4/19 WIDE Amy Adams Joe Wright NR Cri/Dra/Mys 

DEATH ON THE NILE Fri, 12/20/19 WIDE Sir Kenneth Branagh NR Dra 

THE CALL OF THE WILD Wed, 12/25/19 WIDE Chris Sanders NR Dra 

FOX SEARCHLIGHT 212-556-2400 

THE OLD MAN & THE GUN Fri, 9/28/18 LTD. Robert Redford, Casey Affleck David Lowery PG-13 Cri/Com/Dra 

CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME? 

Fri, 10/19/18 LTD. 

Melissa McCarthy, Richard E. 

Grant 

Marielle Heller R Bio/Com/Dra 

THE FAVOURITE Fri, 11/23/18 LTD. Olivia Colman, Emma Stone Yorgos Lanthimos R Dra 

THE AFTERMATH 

Fri, 4/26/19 WIDE 

Keira Knightley, Alexander 

Skarsgård 

James Kent R Dra/War 

GLOBAL ROAD FILMS 310-696-7504 

THE SILENCE Fri, 12/7/18 LTD Stanley Tucci, Kiernan Shipka John R. Leonetti NR Hor 

PLAYMOBILE UNCHARTED Fri, 1/18/19 WIDE NR Ani 

LIONSGATE 310-309-8400 

KIN Fri, 8/31/18 WIDE Myles Truitt, Jack Reynor 

Jonathan Baker, Josh 

Baker 

NR 

Act/SF 

YA VEREMOS 

Fri, 8/31/18 MOD 

Mauricio Ochmann, Fernanda 

Castillo 

Pitipol Ybarra NR Dra, Com 

A SIMPLE FAVOR Fri, 9/14/18 WIDE Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively Paul Feig NR Sus 

HELL FEST 

Fri, 9/28/18 WIDE 

Amy Forsyth, Reign Edwards, 

Bex Taylor-Klaus 

Gregory Plotkin NR Hor 

HUNTER KILLER Fri, 10/26/18 WIDE Gerard Butler, Gary Oldman Donovan Marsh NR 

ROBIN HOOD Fri, 11/21/18 WIDE Taron Egerton, Jamie Foxx Otto Bathurst PG-13 Adv 

HELLBOY Fri, 1/11/19 WIDE David Harbour, Milla Jovovich Neil Marshall NR Act 

FLARSKY Fri, 2/8/19 WIDE Seth Rogen, Charlize Theron Jonathan Levine NR Com 

CHAOS WALKING Fri, 3/1/19 WIDE Tom Holland, Daisy Ridley Doug Liman NR Adv/SF 

TYLER PERRY’S A MADEA FAMILY 

FUNERAL 

Fri, 3/1/19 WIDE Tyler Perry, Cassi Davis Tyler Perry PG-13 Com 

FIVE FEET APART 

Fri, 3/22/19 WIDE 

Haley Lu Richardson, Cole 

Sprouse 

Justin Baldoni NR Dra/Rom 

JOHN WICK: CHAPTER THREE Fri, 5/17/19 WIDE Keanu Reeves NR Act 

MGM 

OPERATION FINALE Fri, 9/21/18 WIDE Oscar Isaac, Ben Kingsley Chris Weitz PG-13 Dra 


BOOKING GUIDE 


CREED II 

FIGHTING WITH MY FAMILY 

Fri, 12/21/18 LTD. 

Fri, 3/1/19 LTD. 

Sylvester Stallone, Michael B. 

Jordan 

Florence Pugh, Vince Vaughn, 

Dwayne Johnson 

Steven Caple Jr. NR Dra/Act 

Stephen Merchant NR Dra/Bio 

THE ADDAMS FAMILY Fri, 10/11/19 WIDE Oscar Isaac, Charlize Theron Conrad Vernon NR Ani 

UNTITLED JAMES BOND 25 Fri, 11/8/19 WIDE Daniel Craig Danny Boyle NR Act/Thr 

NEON 

ASSASSINATION NATION Fri, 9/21/18 LTD. Odessa Young, Hari Nef Sam Levinson NR Thr 

MONSTERS AND MEN 

Fri, 10/5/18 LTD. 

Anthony Ramos, John David 

Washington 

Reinaldo Marcus Green NR Dra 

THIS ONE’S FOR THE LADIES Fri, 12/7/18 LTD. New Jersey Nasty Boyz Eugene Graham NR Doc/Com 

OSCILLOSCOPE LABORATORIES 

JOHN MCENROE: IN THE REALM 

OF PERFECTION 

Fri, 8/22/18 NY Mathieu Amalric Julien Faraut NR Doc 

HAL Fri, 9/7/18 NY Amy Scott NR Doc 

PARAMOUNT 323-956-5000 

OVERLORD Fri, 11/9/18 WIDE Wyatt Russell and Jovan Adepo Julius Avery R War/Thr 

NOBODY’S FOOL Fri, 11/2/18 WIDE Tiffany Haddish, Tika Sumpter Tyler Perry NR 

BUMBLEBEE Wed, 12/21/18 WIDE Hailee Steinfeld, Pamela Adlon Travis Knight NR Act/Adv/SF 3D 

ELI Fri, 1/4/19 WIDE Ciaran Foy NR Hor 

WHAT MEN WANT Fri, 1/11/19 WIDE Taraji P. Henson NR Com 

INSTANT FAMILY Fri, 2/15/19 WIDE Mark Wahlberg, Rose Byrne Sean Anders NR Com 

RHYTHM SECTION Fri, 2/22/19 WIDE Blake Lively Reed Morano NR Thr 

WONDER PARK Fri, 3/15/19 WIDE Mila Junis, Jennifer Garner Dylan Brown PG Ani/Adv/Com 

PET SEMATARY 

Fri, 4/5/19 WIDE 

Kevin Kolsch and 

Dennis Widmyer 

NR 

Hor 

ROCKETMAN Fri, 5/17/19 WIDE Taron Egerton Dexter Fletcher NR Bio/Dra 

LIMITED PARTNERS Fri, 6/28/19 WIDE Tiffany Haddish NR Com 

TOP GUN Fri, 7/12/19 WIDE Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer Joseph Kosinski NR Act/Adv 

DORA THE EXLPORER Fri, 8/2/19 WIDE Isabela Moner James Bobin NR Adv 

GEMINI MAN 

Fri, 10/4/19 WIDE 

Will Smith, Mary Elizabeth 

Winstead 

Ang Lee NR Act/Thr 

ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DARK? Fri, 10/19/19 WIDE NR Hor 

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG Fri, 11/15/19 WIDE James Marsden Jeff Fowler NR Ani/Adv/Com 

UNTITLED TERMINATOR PROJECT Fri, 11/22/19 WIDE NR Act/SF 

ROADSIDE ATTRACTIONS 

JULIET, NAKED Fri, 8/17/18 LTD Rose Byrne, Ethan Hawke Jesse Peretz R Rom/Com 

LIZZIE Fri, 9/14/18 LTD Chloë Sevigny, Kristen Stewart Craig William Macneill R Bio/Dra/Cri 

BEN IS BACK Fri, 12/7/18 WIDE Julia Roberts, Lucas Hedges Peter Hedges NR Dra 

SONY 212-833-8500 

ALPHA 

Fri, 8/17/18 WIDE 

Kodi Smit-McPhee, Leonor 

Varela 

Albert Hughes PG-13 Act/Dra/Thr IMAX/3D 

WHITE BOY RICK 

Fri, 9/14/18 WIDE 

Matthew McConaughey, Richie 

Merritt 

Yann Demange NR Dra/thr 



VENOM Fri, 10/5/18 WIDE Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams Ruben Fleischer NR SF/Act 

GOOSEBUMPS 2: HAUNTED 

HALLOWEEN 

Fri, 10/12/18 WIDE Madison Iseman, Ben O’Brien Rob Letterman NR Com/Fam/Hor 

THE FRONT RUNNER Wed, 11/7/18 LTD Jason Reitman NR Dra/Bio 

THE GIRL IN THE SPIDER’S WEB Fri, 11/9/18 WIDE Claire Foy, Sverrir Gudnason Fede Alvarez NR Dra/Thr 

UNTITLED JAMES GUNN HORROR 

MOVIE 

Fri, 11/30/18 WIDE NR Hor 

SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPI- 

DER-VERSE 

Fri, 12/14/18 WIDE 

Shameik Moore 

Bob Persichetti, 

Peter Ramsey, Rodney 

Rothman 

NR 

Ani/Act/Fam 

HOLMES AND WATSON Fri, 12/21/18 WIDE Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly Ethan Cohen NR Act/Thr 

A DOG’S WAY HOME 

Fri, 1/11/19 WIDE 

Ashley Judd, Edward James 

Olmos 

NR 

Dra 

MISS BALA Fri, 1/25/19 WIDE Gina Rodriguez Catherine Hardwicke NR Act/Dra/Thr 

ESCAPE ROOM Fri, 2/1/19 WIDE NR 

GREYHOUND Fri, 3/22/19 WIDE Tom Hanks Aaron Schneider NR Dra/War 

THE ROSIE PROJECT Fri, 5/10/19 WIDE NR Rom/Com 

MEN IN BLACK SPINOFF 

Fri, 6/14/19 WIDE 

Chris Hemsworth, Tessa 

Thompson 

F. Gary Gray NR SF/Act/Com 

SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME Fri, 7/5/19 WIDE Tom Holland, Michael Keaton NR 

Act/Adv/SF/ 

Com 

ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLY- 

WOOD 

Fri, 7/26/19 WIDE Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt Quentin Tarantino NR Dra 

GRUDGE Fri, 8/16/19 WIDE Nicolas Pesce NR Hor 

OVERCOMER Fri, 8/23/19 WIDE NR Dra/Rel 

ANGRY BIRDS 2 Fri, 9/6/19 WIDE NR Ani 

CHARLIE’S ANGELS Fri, 9/27/19 WIDE Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott Elizabeth Banks NR Act/Com 

ZOMBIELAND 2 Fri, 10/11/19 WIDE Emma Stone, Woody Harrelson Ruben Fleischer NR Act/Hor/Com 

YOU ARE MY FRIEND Fri, 10/18/19 WIDE Tom Hanks Marielle Heller NR Dra 

JUMANJI: WELCOME TO THE 

JUNGLE SEQUEL 

Fri, 12/13/19 WIDE Dwayne Johnson NR Com/Act/Adv 

MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE Fri, 12/18/19 WIDE NR Act/Adv/Fan 

LITTLE WOMEN Fri, 12/25/19 WIDE Greta Gerwig NR Dra 

SONY PICTURES CLASSICS Tom Prassis 212-833-4981 

THE WIFE Fri, 8/17/18 NY/LA Glenn Close, Jonathan Pryce Björn Runge R Dra 

AMERICAN CHAOS Fri, 9/14/19 LTD Jim Stern R Doc 

THE HAPPY PRINCE Fri, 10/5/18 NY/LA Rupert Everett, Colin Firth Rupert Everett NR Dra/Bio 

MARIA BY CALLAS Fri, 10/26/18 NY/LA Tom Volf PG Doc 

CAPERNAUM Fri, 12/14/18 NY/LA Zain Alrafeea, Yordanos Shifera Nadine Labaki NR Dra 

STX ENTERTAINMENT 310-742-2300 

MILE 22 Fri, 8/17/18 WIDE Mark Wahlberg, John Malkovich Peter Berg NR Act IMAX 

THE HAPPYTIME MURDERS Fri, 8/24/18 WIDE Melissa McCarthy Brian Henson R Com 

PEPPERMINT Fri, 9/7/18 WIDE Jennifer Garner Pierre Morel R Act 

SECOND ACT Fri, 11/21/18 WIDE Jennifer Lopez, Milo Ventimiglia Peter Segal NR Rom/Com 

UNTITLED STX ACTION/THRILLER Fri, 1/25/19 WIDE NR Act/Thr 


BOOKING GUIDE 


UGLYDOLLS Fri, 5/10/19 WIDE Robert Rodriguez NR Ani 

UNIVERSAL 818-777-1000 

THE HOUSE WITH A CLOCK IN ITS 

WALLS 

Fri, 9/21/18 WIDE Jack Black, Cate Blanchett Eli Roth PG Fan/Hor/Mys 

NIGHT SCHOOL Fri, 9/28/18 WIDE Kevin Hart, Tiffany Haddish Malcolm D. Lee PG-13 Com 

FIRST MAN Fri, 10/12/18 WIDE Ryan Gosling, Kyle Chandler Damien Chazelle PG-13 Dra/Bio IMAX 

HALLOWEEN Fri, 10/19/18 WIDE Jamie Lee Curtis David Gordon Green NR Hor 

JOHNNY ENGLISH STRIKES AGAIN Fri, 10/26/18 WIDE Rowan Atkinson, Ben Miller, David Kerr PG Act/Com 

DR. SEUSS’ THE GRINCH Fri, 11/9/18 WIDE Benedict Cumberbatch 

Peter Candeland, 

Yarrow Cheney 

GREEN BOOK Wed, 11/21/18 WIDE Viggo Mortensen, Mahershala Ali Peter Farrelly NR 

NR Ani/Com/Fam 3D 

MORTAL ENGINES Fri, 12/14/18 WIDE Hera Hilmar, Robert Sheehan Christian Rivers NR SF 3D/IMAX 

WELCOME TO MARWEN Fri, 12/21/18 WIDE Steve Carell Robert Zemeckis NR Dra 

GLASS Fri, 1/18/19 WIDE James McAvoy, Bruce Willis M. Night Shyamalan NR Thr 

UNTITLED BLUMHOUSE HORROR 

PROJECT 

Thu, 2/14/19 WIDE NR Hor 

THE TURNING Thu, 2/22/19 WIDE Floria Sigismondi NR Hor/Thr 

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: 

THE HIDDEN WORLD 

Fri, 3/1/19 WIDE Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler Dean DeBlois NR Ani/Com/Fam 

US Fri, 3/15/19 WIDE Jordan Peele NR Thr 

THE VOYAGE OF DOCTOR DOLITTLE Fri, 4/12/19 WIDE 

Robert Downy, Jr., Ralph 

Fiennes 

Stephen Gaghan NR Com 

A DOG’S JOURNEY Fri, 5/17/19 WIDE Gail Mancuso NR Fam 

UNTITLED BLUMHOUSE PRODUC- 

TIONS PROJECT 


THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS 2 Fri, 6/7/19 WIDE Chris Renaud NR Ani 

COWBOY NINJA VIKNIG Fri, 6/28/19 WIDE Chris Pratt NR Act/Adv/Com 

UNTITLED FAST & FURIOUS 

SPIN-OFF 

Fri, 8/2/19 WIDE NR Act/Adv 

GOOD BOYS Fri, 8/16/19 WIDE Jacob Tremblay 

Lee Eisenberg & Gene 

Stupnitsky 

NR 

Com 

UNTITLED DANNY BOYLE/RICH- 

ARD CURTIS COMEDY 

Fri, 9/13/19 WIDE Lily James, Himesh Patel Danny Boyle NR Com/Mus 

LITTLE Fri, 9/20/19 WIDE Marsai Martin Tina Gordon NR Com 

ABOMINABE Fri, 9/27/19 WIDE Tim Johnson NR Ani 

THE HUNT Fri, 9/27/19 WIDE Craig Zobel NR Act/Thr 

UNTITLED BLUMHOUSE PRODUC- 

TIONS 


WILL PACKER COMEDY Fri, 11/15/19 WIDE NR Com 

WARNER BROS. 818-977-1850 

CRAZY RICH ASIANS Wed, 8/15/18 WIDE Constance Wu, Henry Golding Jon M. Chu PG-13 Com 

THE NUN Fri, 9/7/18 WIDE Demian Bichir, Taissa Farmiga Corin Hardy NR Hor 

SMALLFOOT Fri, 9/28/18 WIDE Zendaya, Channing Tatum 

Glenn Ficarra, Ryan 

O’Loughlin, John 

Requa 

NR Ani/Com/Fam 

A STAR IS BORN Fri, 10/5/18 WIDE Bradley Cooper, Lady Gaga Bradley Cooper NR Dra/Mus/Rom 



FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE CRIMES 

OF GRINDELWALD 

Fri, 11/16/18 WIDE Eddie Redmayne, Johnny Depp David Yates NR Act/Adv/Fan 

AQUAMAN Fri, 12/21/18 WIDE Jason Momoa, Amber Heard James Wan NR Act/Adv/SF 3D/IMAX 

THE LEGO MOVIE 2: THE SECOND 

PART 

Fri, 2/8/19 WIDE Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks Mike Mitchell NR Ani 

ISN’T IT ROMANTIC Fri, 2/14/19 WIDE Rebel Wilson, Liam Hemsworth Todd Strauss-Schulson NR Com 

SHAZAM! Fri, 4/5/19 WIDE Zachary Levi, Asher Angel David F. Sandberg NR Act/Adv/Fan IMAX 

THE CURSE OF LA LLORONA Fri, 4/19/19 WIDE NR Hor 

DETECTIVE PIKACHU Fri, 5/10/19 WIDE Ryan Reynolds, Justice Smith Rob Letterman NR Adv 

THE SUN IS ALSO A STAR Fri, 5/17/19 WIDE NR 

MINECRAFT: THE MOVIE Fri, 5/24/19 WIDE NR 

GODZILLA: KING OF THE MON- 

STERS 

Fri, 5/31/19 WIDE NR SF/Act 

SHAFT Fri, 6/14/19 WIDE NR Act 

UNTITLED CONJURING UNIVERSE 

FILM 


UNTITLED WB EVENT FILM Fri, 8/2/19 WIDE NR 

IT SEQUEL Fri, 9/6/19 WIDE NR Hor IMAX 

THE KITCHEN Fri, 9/20/19 WIDE NR Cri/Thr 

JOKER Fri, 10/4/19 WIDE Joaquin Phoenix Todd Phillips NR Act 

THE GOLDFINCH Fri, 10/11/19 WIDE NR Dra 

WONDER WOMAN 1984 Fri, 11/1/19 WIDE Gal Gadot, Kristin Wiig Patty Jenkins NR Act/Adv/Fan IMAX/3D 

OUR SPONSORS 

20TH CENTURY FOX 37 

ATOM TICKETS 

BACK COVER 

BARCO (CINIONIC) 

INSIDE FRONT COVER 

C. CRETORS & COMPANY 31 

CAMATIC SEATING 23 

CARDINAL SOUND 88 

DOLPHIN SEATING 55 

ENPAR AUDIO 81 

FANDANGO 5 

GENEVA CONVENTION 13 

GOLD MEDAL PRODUCTS 29 

IRWIN SEATING COMPANY 15 

LIGHTSPEED/DEPTH Q12 88 

MOC INSURANCE 3 

MOVIEPASS 47 

MOVING IMAGE TECHNOLOGIES 39 

NATIONAL CINEMEDIA 7 

NEC DISPLAY 9 

ODELL’S 71 

OMNITERM 75 

PROMOTION IN MOTION 21 

QSC 11 

QUEST CINEMA 41 

READY THEATER SYSTEMS 79 

REALD 58–59 

RETRIEVER SYSTEMS 77 

SCREENVISION 1 

SENSIBLE CINEMA 88 

SHOWEAST 67 

SONIC EQUIPMENT 17 

SPOTLIGHT CINEMA NETWORKS 49 

ST. JUDE CHILDREN’S RESEARCH HOSPITAL 69 

TELESCOPIC SEAT SYSTEMS 

INSIDE BACK COVER 

THAILAND FILM OFFICE 53 

TIVOLI LIGHTING 19 

USHIO 27 

VENTURA FOODS 73 

VIP SEATING 45 

WEBEDIA MOVIES PRO 65 

WHITE CASTLE 57 

WILL ROGERS MOTION PICTURE PIONEERS FOUNDATIONS 63 


MARKETPLACE 

HELP WANTED 

SENIOR LEVEL CHANNEL ACCOUNT MAN- 

AGER wanted by NEC Display Solutions for 

expanding Digital Cinema group. Seeking 

minimum 8 years’ experience within hi-tech, 

cinema or Pro A/V industry to drive strategic 

growth. Field-based, travel throughout US & 

Canada required. Apply: www.necdisplay.com/ 

careers 

FOR SALE 

USED DIGITAL PROJECTORS AND SOUND 

EQUIPMENT. 3 Solaria One Plus projectors 

with NAS and projector base. 14 JBL stage 

speakers, 12 JBL surround speakers. Processors 

and monitors. Contact: boothmw@chakerestheatres.com 

or call Mark at (937) 323-6447. 

BISTRO CHAIRS FOR SALE: (392) Red vinyl 

and (328) gray vinyl seven year old Seating 

Concepts Palermo style in-theatre bistro chairs 

to be available in early Spring 2018. All chairs 

equipped with tray tables. Some of the seats 

will require covers/repairs. Please contact 

mhooker@aztcorporation.comor 972-428-2943 

for more information. 

USED DIGITAL PROJECTORS, Five complete 

booths including sound equipment. Three 

years old. Contact seller at moviescope1000@ 

gmail.com. 

TWO BRAND NEW 3000 watts Christie Xenon 

lamps for 35mm projectors. Contact: Atul Desai 

949-291-5700. 

PREFERRED SEATING COMPANY, your source 

for new, used and refurbished theater and stadium 

seating. Buying and selling used seating 

is our specialty. Call toll-free 866-922-0226 or 

visit our website www.‐preferred-seating.com. 

18 SETS OF USED 35MM AUTOMATED PRO- 

JECTION SYSTEM (comes with Projector, Console, 

Automation Unit and Platter) comprising 

of 10 sets of Christie and 8 sets of Strong 

35mm system available on ‘as is where is’ basis 

in Singapore. Contact seller at engthye_lim@ 

cathay.com.sg 

APPROXIMATELY 2,000 SEATS FOR SALE. 

MOBILIARIO high-back rockers with cup holders. 

Located in Connecticut. Contact (203)758- 

2148. 

6 PLEX EQUIPMENT PACKAGE. Six complete 

booths digital projectors/sound, 72 speakers, 

seats, screens/frames, concession equipment, 

computers, led signs/marquees, safe/ 

misc equipment. Serious inquiries only. For 

equipment list email contact@digitalequipmenttechnologies.com 

or call 801-548-0108 or 

fax 801-281-0482. 

HELP WANTED 

TRI STATE THEATRE SUPPLY in Memphis, TN 

has openings for experienced Digital Cinema 

Techs nationwide. Please send your resume to 

include qualifications, certifications and salary 

requirements to fred@tristatetheatre.com 

THEATRE MANAGEMENT POSITIONS AVAIL- 

ABLE Pacific Northwest Theatre Company. 

Previous management experience required. 

Work weekends, evenings and holidays. Send 

resume and salary history to movietheatrejobs@gmail.com 

POSITIONS AVAILABLE 

The three-screen Stavros Niarchos Foundation 

Parkway Film Center in Baltimore is seeking an 

OPERATIONS DIRECTOR to oversee all aspects 

of running the theater and concessions. 

The Film Center, a partnership among the 

Maryland Film Festival, Johns Hopkins University 

and MICA will open in spring of 2017 and 

offer a broad range of the world’s best arthouse, 

independent, documentary, and classic 

cinema. The full job description and application 

instructions are found at mdfilmfest.com/ 

about-the-festival/jobs.php. 

NEXT MONTH GENEVA CONVENTION

Boxoffice - August 2018

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