Boxoffice - August 2017

$6.95 

AUGUST 2017 

ROBERT PATTINSON STARS 

IN THE A24 RELEASE GOOD TIME 

FEVER 

DREAM 

IN THE 

BIG APPLE 

DIRECTORS JOSH AND BENNY SAFDIE 

SHOW AUDIENCES A GOOD TIME 

SHOWSOUTH 

2017 

INTERVIEW WITH 

PHOENIX THEATRES’ 

PHIL ZACHERETTI, 

STATESMAN OF THE YEAR 

BIG SCREENS 

& CAPTIVE 

AUDIENCES 

CINEMA ADVERTISING 

CONTINUES TO EVOLVE 

FROM EUROPE 

TO THE WORLD 

WOMEN TAKE CENTER STAGE 

AT THIS YEAR’S CINEEUROPE 

CINESHOW 


INTERVIEW WITH TOMA’S 

TODD HALSTEAD 

The Official Magazine of the National Association of Theatre Owners

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EVENT CINEMA CALENDAR 

FATHOM EVENTS fathomevents.com 855-473-4612 

GRATEFUL DEAD MEET-UP AT THE MOVIES 2017 Tues, 8/1/17 Concert 

TCM BIG SCREEN CLASSICS: FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH 35TH ANNIVERSARY (1982) Wed, 8/2/17 Classic Film 

DISNEY’S NEWSIES: THE BROADWAY MUSICAL! Sat, 8/5/17 and Wed, 8/9/17 Musical 

DIXIE CHICKS - DCX MMXVI - IN CONCERT Mon, 8/7/17 Concert 

DCI BIG, LOUD & LIVE 14 Thurs, 8/10/17 Sports 

MUNE: GUARDIAN OF THE MOON Sat, 8/12/17 Anime 

TCM BIG SCREEN CLASSICS: BONNIE AND CLYDE 50TH ANNIVERSARY (1967) Sun, 8/13/17 and Wed, 8/16/17 Classic Film 

BATMAN AND HARLEY QUINN Mon, 8/14/17 Animation 

RIFFTRAX LIVE: DOCTOR WHO- THE FIVE DOCTORS Thurs, 8/17/17 and Thurs, 8/24/17 Comedy 

STARSHIP TROOPERS: TRAITOR OF MARS Mon, 8/21/17 Action 

MAYWEATHER vs. MCGREGOR Sat, 8/26/17 Sports 

CASTLE IN THE SKY Sun, 8/27/17 and Mon, 8/28/17 Anime 

EXTRAORDINARY Thurs, 9/7/17 Inspirational 

THE HEART OF MAN Thurs, 9/14/17 Inspirational 

SPACEPOP: NOT YOUR AVERAGE PRINCESSES Sat, 9/16/17 Family 

TCM BIG SCREEN CLASSICS: E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL 35TH ANNIVERSARY (1982) Sun, 9/17/17 and Wed, 9/20/17 Classic Film 

NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND Sun, 9/24/17 and Mon, 9/25/17 Anime 

STEVE MCQUEEN: AMERICAN ICON Thurs, 9/28/17 Documentary 

MULLY Tues, 10/3/17, Wed, 10/4/17 and Thurs, 10/5/17 Documentary 

TCM BIG SCREEN CLASSICS: THE PRINCESS BRIDE 30TH ANNIVERSARY (1987) Sun, 10/15/17 and Wed, 10/18/17 Classic Film 

BOLSHOI BALLET: LE CORSAIRE Sun, 10/22/17 Ballet 

SPIRITED AWAY Sun, 10/29/17 and Mon, 10/30/17 Anime 

TCM BIG SCREEN CLASSICS: CASABLANCA 75TH ANNIVERSARY (1942) Sun, 11/12/17 and Wed, 11/15/17 Classic Film 

BOLSHOI BALLET: THE TAMING OF THE SHREW Sun, 11/19/17 Ballet 

HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE Sun, 11/26/17 and Mon, 11/27/17 Anime 

TCM BIG SCREEN CLASSICS: GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER 50TH ANNIVERSARY (1967) Sun, 12/10/17 and Wed, 12/13/17 Classic Film 

BOLSHOI BALLET: THE NUTCRACKER Sun, 12/17/17 Ballet 

BOLSHOI BALLET: ROMEO AND JULIET Sun, 1/21/18 Ballet 

BOLSHOI BALLET: THE LADY OF THE CAMELLIAS Sun, 2/4/18 Ballet 

BOLSHOI BALLET: THE FLAMES OF PARIS Sun, 3/4/18 Ballet 

BOLSHOI BALLET: GISELLE Sun, 4/8/18 Ballet 

BOLSHOI BALLET: COPPÉLIA Sun, 6/10/18 Ballet 

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

JEWELS Mon, 8/14/17 and Tues, 8/15/17 Ballet 

DIE ZAUBERFLOTE Wed, 9/20/17 Opera 

LA BOHEME Tue, 10/3/17 Opera 

ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND Mon, 10/23/17 Ballet 

THE NUTCRACKER Tue, 12/5/17 Ballet 

RIGOLETTO Tue, 1/16/18 Opera 

TOSCA Wed, 2/7/18 Opera 

THE WINTER'S TALE Wed, 2/28/18 Dance Drama 

CARMEN Tue, 3/6/18 Opera 

NEW WAYNE MCGREGOR /THE AGE OF ANXIETY / NEW CHRISTOPHER WHEELDON Tue, 3/27/18 Ballet 

MACBETH Wed, 4/4/18 Opera 

MANON Thu, 5/3/18 Ballet 

SWAN LAKE Tue, 6/12/18 Ballet 

OSCILLOSCOPE LABORATORIES www.oscilloscope.net info@oscilloscope.net 

MAY IT LAST: A PORTRAIT OF THE AVETT BROTHERS Tue, 9/12/17 Documentary 

2 BOXOFFICE ® AUGUST 2017

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2017 VOL. 153 NO. 8 

>> August in New York City is an uncomfortable experience. This isn’t a novel 

thing to say by any means—it’s been especially well-documented. That same 

sweltering heat that made tensions boil over in Do the Right Thing makes 

its presence felt first thing in the morning and continues through the night. 

Open windows offer little reprieve, which is why I’ve always found a cinema’s 

air-conditioning the ideal solution for these hot days. During the production 

of this issue, my afternoons were marked by routine trips to Film Forum, where 

their repertory series, “Ford to City: Drop Dead” – New York in the ’70s, a cross 

section of the shot-on-location films that came out of the city in the Son of Sam 

decade, reacquainted me with some of my favorite movies on the big screen. The city has changed 

radically since those days, but some things remain the same; the aforementioned heat (Dog Day 

Afternoon), the bad commutes (The Taking of Pelham One Two Three), and having to negotiate the 

raucous bridge and tunnel crowds on the weekends (Saturday Night Fever). The films that came out 

of that decade are distinguished not only by their grittiness and willingness to take risks—both stylistic 

and narrative—but also their diversity in tone. It’s amazing to me, for example, that Taxi Driver 

(1976) and Annie Hall (1977), movies set a year and some 20 city blocks apart, take place in the same 

universe, let alone neighboring zip codes. 

Our feature story this month focuses on one of the most impressive films I’ve seen this year, a movie 

that shares its DNA with the titles from the era mentioned above, the Safdie Brothers’ Good Time. The 

movie made a splash when it premiered to a standing ovation at Cannes earlier this year, but those 

familiar with their work have been keeping a close eye on these filmmakers since their feature debut, 

2009’s Daddy Longlegs. The siblings’ work expanded in both scope and ambition with their two follow-up 

projects, the 2013 documentary Lenny Cooke and the gritty drama Heaven Knows What, one 

of the best films of 2015. Their latest title, Good Time, is their first with a major star attached (Robert 

Pattinson who, with his performance in James Gray’s The Lost City of Z, is having a terrific year), and 

it continues to show the exciting direction their career is taking. A24 will be distributing the title this 

month, proving it’s not that “they don’t make them like they used to,” it’s just that you have to make 

time to see them. 

As the summer winds down, major festivals like Toronto, Telluride, and New York are beginning to 

announce their lineups, films that will undoubtedly take part in the awards season conversation in 

the coming months. We’re looking at a great second half of the year from this vantage point, with a 

calendar full of new discoveries from the festival circuit and exciting tentpoles from major studios. 

Personally, I’m looking forward to catching them at your movie theaters—regardless of the day’s 

humidity index. 

Daniel Loria 

Editorial Director 

Boxoffice Media 

daniel@boxoffice.com 

FEATURES 

BIG SCREENS & CAPTIVE 

AUDIENCES 

Cinema advertising continues to evolve 

following the record heights of 2016 

by Daniel Loria 

46 

CINESHOW 


An interview with Todd Halstead, executive 

director, Theatre Owners of Mid-America 


50 

STATESMAN 

OF THE YEAR 

ShowSouth celebrates Phil Zacheretti, president 

and CEO of Phoenix Theatres 


52 

FROM EUROPE TO 

THE WORLD 

Global collaboration, more opportunities for 

women take center stage at CineEurope 


58 

FEVER DREAM IN THE 

BIG APPLE 

Directors Josh and Benny Safdie show 

audiences a Good Time 


62 

comingsoon synopses of upcoming releases 

THE DARK TOWER / DETROIT / STEP / WIND RIVER / ANNABELLE: CREATION / THE GLASS CASTLE / GOOD TIME / INGRID GOES WEST / THE NUT JOB 2: 

NUTTY BY NATURE / THE ONLY LIVING BOY IN NEW YORK / THE HITMAN’S BODYGUARD / LOGAN LUCKY / PATTI CAKE$ / ALL SAINTS / BEACH RATS / 

BIRTH OF THE DRAGON / CADAVER / POLAROID / TULIP FEVER / LEAP! / HAZLO COMO HOMBRE / CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND / 


BOXOFFICE MEDIA 

CEO 

Julien Marcel 

VP CREATIVE SERVICES 

Kenneth James Bacon 

VP CONTENT STRATEGY 

regularfeatures 

2 EVENT CINEMA 

4 HELLO 

8 EXHIBITION BRIEFS 

16 GOVERNMENT RELATIONS 

20 CHARITY SPOTLIGHT 

22 YOUNG TURKS 

24 OUTSIDE THE BOX 

28 LEVERAGING INNOVATION brought to you by Atom Tickets 

34 INDIE FOCUS brought to you by Spotlight Cinema Networks 

38 SOCIAL MEDIA 

42 TECHNOLOGY 

68 3D CALENDAR brought to you by RealD 

82 BOOKING GUIDE 

88 MARKETPLACE 

BOXOFFICE ® (ISSN 0006-8527), Volume 153, Number 8, August 2017. BOXOFFICE ® is published 

monthly by BoxOffice Media, LLC, 63 Copps Hill Road, Ridgefield, CT USA 06877, 

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BOXOFFICE ® 

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AUGUST 2017 BOXOFFICE ® 5

ORLDWIDE 

SUCCESS 

D-BOX IS MAKING A WORLD OF 

DIFFERENCE ALL OVER THE WORLD.

Whether it’s single seats or recliners, D-BOX has been 

creating unparalleled immersive motion cinema seating 

experiences for moviegoers since 2009. 

1-450-442-3003 theatrical@d-box.com d-box.com 

Photo : Bénédicte Brocard

EXHIBITION BRIEFS 

>> Samsung Electronics has installed its first-ever commercial Cinema 

LED Screen at Lotte Cinema World Tower in Korea. Designed as 

a high-dynamic-range LED theater display, the cinema LED screen 

is a collaboration between HARMAN Professional Solutions and 

Samsung Audio Lab. 

“Through sharper and more realistic colors, complementary 

audio, and an elevated presentation, our Cinema LED Screen 

makes viewers feel as if they are part of the picture,” said H.S. Kim, 

president of visual display business at Samsung Electronics. “We are 

excited to partner with Lotte Cinema to bring this technology to 

theater-goers and look forward to continuing to shape the cinema 

of the future.” 

Stretching nearly 10.3 meters (33.8 feet) wide, the Cinema LED 

Screen accommodates a variety of theater configurations. The 

SAMSUNG DEBUTS CINEMA LED 

display maintains its advanced presentation capabilities in a range 

of dark and ambient lighting conditions. This flexibility allows the 

Cinema LED Screen to be used for corporate events, concerts, 

sports event viewing, and gaming competitions. At Lotte Cinema’s 

SUPER S theater, Samsung has paired its Cinema LED Screen with 

audio technologies from JBL by HARMAN. 

Prior to its commercial debut, Samsung ran the Cinema LED 

Screen through a series of tests to validate its performance and 

presentation. In May 2017, the Cinema LED Screen became the 

first product to achieve full compliance with the theater technology 

standards of the Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI) prior 

to its commercial release. This certification acknowledges the 

display’s ability to showcase the complete color spectrum with 

unaltered accuracy. 

CINEMARK ANNOUNCES CALI 

REMODELS 

>> Cinemark Holdings Inc. plans to 

renovate its Century RiverPark and XD 

theater by adding reclining seats to all 

auditoriums. Cinemark Luxury Loungers 

are electric-powered, plush, oversize 

lounge chairs with footrests and cup 

holders. The seating conversion at this 

theater, located in Oxnard, California, is 

scheduled to begin later this year. Guests 

can purchase tickets at Cinemark.com. 

“Though Cinemark opened this 

theater less than five years ago, we are 

always looking for new ways to enhance 

the guest experience,” said James Meredith, 

Cinemark’s senior vice president, 

marketing and communications. “By 

adding the new Luxury Lounger recliners 

at the Century RiverPark and XD, 

we will be providing our guests the best 

possible entertainment experience. The 

new seats will be a welcome addition to 

the numerous amenities already offered at 

this Cinemark location.” 

The theater will remain open during 

the remodeling project. 

MARCUS BRINGS AMENITIES TO 

WISCONSIN 

>> Marcus Theatres is investing in its 

theaters in southeastern Wisconsin. The 

most recent changes include the addition 

of DreamLounger recliner seating in 

every auditorium at North Shore Cinema 

in Mequon and Ridge Cinema in New 

Berlin; the opening of BistroPlex, a new 

dining and entertainment concept in 

Greendale; and the transitioning of the 

company’s Franklin theater to Showtime 

Value Cinema. Plus, the Majestic Cinema 

of Brookfield also has started adding 

DreamLoungers to 13 of its auditoriums. 

BistroPlex is a brand-new concept 

that opened June 30 at Southridge Mall 

in Greendale. Dubbed “the restaurant 

that serves movies,” the in-theater dining 

experience is offered in all eight auditoriums. 

Two of the eight auditoriums also 

feature the SuperScreen DLX experience 

with new heated DreamLounger reclin- 


MIT 1


ers. In every auditorium, DreamLoungers 

are equipped with side tables, special 

lighting, and server call buttons. 

“BistroPlex provides the ultimate 

dinner and a movie experience,” said 

Rolando Rodriguez, chairman, president, 

and CEO of Marcus Theatres. “Since 

its opening, moviegoers have had fun 

experimenting with a variety of exciting 

menu options with a local flair, including 

build-your-own gourmet smash burgers 

and Zaffiro’s pizzas, plus specialty cocktails. 

Guests have also opted to dine or 

enjoy a drink, dessert, or appetizer in the 

separate bar and lounge space that can be 

frequented without purchasing a movie 

ticket,” said Rodriguez. 

Rounding out the latest Marcus 

Theatres updates is the transition of 

Showtime Cinema in Franklin from a 

first-run theater to a value cinema. Showtime 

Value Cinema offers movies as they 

become available for $2.50, with a special 

Tuesday admission of $1.50. Traditional 

concessions including soda, popcorn, 

and candy will continue to be offered at 

regular/existing prices. 

YMAGIS GROUP ANNOUNCES DEAL 

WITH CINESTAR 

>> Ymagis Group recently signed an 

agreement with German cinema chain 

CineStar to oversee all projection and 

audio installations, field services, and 

technical customer service for CineStar’s 

network of 52 locations in Germany, 

representing a total of 409 screens. 

For Karl-Joachim Lohkamp, general 

manager of Ymagis’s Düsseldorf-based 

subsidiary CinemaNext Deutschland, 

“CineStar is looking to manage their 

technical requirements effectively and 

it’s a privilege for us to work with them. 

We aim to offer the 52 CineStar cinemas 

across Germany the highest level of customer 

service, monitoring, and support, 

thanks to our customer service (network 

operations center) out of our main office 

in Düsseldorf and with assistance from 

our field technicians in Berlin, Düsseldorf, 

Frankfurt, Munich, and Hamburg.” 

“We found in CinemaNext the right 

partner to handle our needs from a technology 

standpoint,” said Oliver Fock and 

Stephan Lehmann, managing directors of 

the CineStar Group, in a joint statement. 

“Our industry is changing at a fast 

pace and this is the ideal time for us to 

develop with CinemaNext a cost-effective 

approach to carrying out services such as 

equipment installation, training, procurement, 

24-hour monitoring, maintenance, 

year-round customer service, and spare 

parts inventory.” 

Ymagis Group’s CinemaNext business 

unit sells cinema exhibition 

equipment and services in 

Europe, from projection 

equipment and audio 

systems to design and 

project management, 

online monitoring, 

and supply 

chain and 

logistics. 

AMC THEATRES TO 

OPEN 10 SCREEN IN 

AUSTIN, TEX. 

>> AMC’s newest 

theater in Austin, 

Texas, will be AMC 

Tech Ridge 10, which 

is scheduled to begin 

construction later this 

year and is anticipated 

to open in 2019. 

The 

45,000-squarefoot, 

10-screen 

movie theater 

is expected 

to feature 

more than 

1,000 AMC Signature Recliners, 

a MacGuffins adult beverage concept, 

AMC’s expanded food and beverage offerings, 

and premium sight and sound 

technology. 

“Through AMC’s greater comfort 

and convenience like our AMC Signature 

Recliners and reserved seating, 

enhanced food and drinks, and the best 

in sight and sound presentation, we’re 

excited to deliver an amazing moviegoing 

experience to our guests as the entertainment 

anchor at Tech Ridge,” said Mark 

McDonald, executive vice president, 

development, AMC. 

“We are pleased to expand our relationship 

with AMC and bring a state-ofthe-art 

theater to our Tech Ridge property,” 

said Benjamin Schall, president 

and CEO of Seritage. “We look forward 

to delivering a multitenant retail destination 

that provides customers 

with great shopping and 

first-rate entertainment 

and creates enduring value 

for our shareholders.” 

CRETORS INTRODUCES 

POPPI XL 

>> Cretors & Co. 

is currently rolling 

out its newest 

product, the Poppi XL 

(shown), a compact industrial 

counter model 

that air-pops popcorn. 

Since no oil is used in 

the process, Cretors 

claims food costs are 

reduced as the finished 

product shelf life is 

increased. This gives 

consumers a healthier 

alternative and leaves 

concessions staff with 

less mess and minimal 

cleanup. 

Compact, easy 

to use, versatile, 

and powerful, Poppi 

XL has a 24-ounce hotair 

popping capacity (twice 

the capacity of the original 

Poppi) with an approximate three-minute 

pop cycle. The easy access motor with 

adjustable speed and digital temperature 

control creates optimal airflow for popping 

a variety of hybrid popcorn. 

(more Briefs on page 12) 



METROPOLITAN THEATRES 

LAUNCHES THE HITCHCOCK CINEMA 

& PUBLIC HOUSE 

>> Metropolitan Theatres (MTC) has 

completed renovation of the formerly 

named Plaza De Oro Theatre in Santa 

Barbara. The theater has been renamed 

The Hitchcock Cinema & Public House 

and now offers an English pub–themed 

bar with an expanded food and beverage 

menu featuring craft beer and wine. 

Additionally, the theater’s lobby and 

common areas received new flooring, wall 

coverings, and lighting. 

Along with the name change and 

bar introduction, MTC will program a 

variety of films to appeal to a broader audience. 

David Corwin, president of Metropolitan, 

said, “We are excited about the 

theater upgrades and addition of more expansive 

food and beverage offerings that 

we hope the community will embrace in 

a new environment at The Hitchcock. We 

felt it was an appropriate time to rebrand 

the theater to reflect the street on which 

it has resided for 40 years.” The company 

is considering additional amenities such 

as reserved seating, recliners, and further 

improvements to the interior. 

To accompany its expanded food 

menu, The Hitchcock plans to take 

advantage of the wealth of local wineries 

and craft beer. The pub will initially 

offer a selection of five wines, 11 beers, 

including draft and craft beer selections, 

and two ciders as part of its beverage expansion. 

And in honor of The Hitchcock 

launch, a special Hitchcock Happy Hour 

has gone into effect. Happy hour will be 

Monday through Friday from 4:30 to 

6:30 p.m. with special food and beverage 

pricing for select menu items. 

CINEMARK REMODELS SC THEATER 

>> Cinemark Holdings Inc. will remodel 

its Bluffton, South Carolina, theater at 

Berkeley Place by adding reclining seats 

to all 12 auditoriums. The seating conversion 

and enhancements to the theater are 

scheduled to begin in January 2018. 

“Providing the best entertainment experience 

is Cinemark’s number one priority,” 

said James Meredith, Cinemark’s senior 

vice president of marketing and communications. 

“By adding Luxury Lounger 

recliners to the Cinemark Bluffton, our 

guests soon get to experience all the best 

blockbuster films in an enhanced and comfortable 

movie-watching environment.” 

Josh Dinstein, managing director of 

the Garrison Investment Group, added, 

“We are excited about Cinemark’s 

initiative to further upgrade the Bluffton 

complex with Luxury Loungers and other 

upgrades which will make the theater a 

state-of-the-art complex. This will complement 

our strong efforts in attracting 

new tenants to Berkeley Place.” 

Mayor Lisa Sulka of Bluffton said, 

“We are very pleased that Cinemark is 

reinvesting in their facility to provide 

a modernized moviegoing experience 

in Bluffton and for our neighboring 

communities.” 

The theater will remain open during 

the remodeling project. 

IT’S SHOWTIME FOR COMPESO 

>> COMPESO, the Munich-based 

cinema software company known for its 

WinTICKET cinema POS system, will 

partner with Showtime Analytics. Showtime’s 

Insights platform is a cloud-based 

solution that works 

on a standard web 

browser or mobile 

device through real-time, 

user-friendly 

visual analytics. 

With their 

collaboration, 

COMPESO and 

Showtime Analytics have integrated their 

products to allow COMPESO customers 

to use Insights software. “WinTICKET 

collects a huge amount of data that now 

can be used to gain profitable insights 

in the cinema exhibition business by 

providing these data to Showtime’s 

analytics software,” said Michael Halevy 

(above), director of product design at 

COMPESO. “Since Showtime’s system 

is cloud based and can be accessed from 

any web browser via any device, you just 

need the current version of COMPESO 

WinTICKET.” 

Showtime will release a number of 

other data-related offerings in the coming 

months, including the integration of 

Showtime Analytics’ Engage software 

with WinTICKET. 

GQT TO BRING IMAX TO 

LAFAYETTE, IND. 

>> Goodrich Quality Theaters (GQT) 

Inc. of Grand Rapids, Michigan, is bringing 

an IMAX theater to Lafayette, Indiana, 

to be built on the site of the existing 

Eastside 9. The IMAX will be custom designed 

for use in a new 11-screen theater. 

The Eastside 9 will be demolished in early 

January to make way for the construction 

of Quality 11 IMAX. Groundbreaking 

for the 40,000-square-foot multiplex will 

start soon thereafter, and the opening will 

take place in December 2018, in time for 

the holiday slate 

Quality 11 IMAX will feature a 

75-foot-wide screen, nearly 300 powered 

recliners—the first ground-up-constructed 

all-recliner IMAX auditorium in Indiana—and 

GQT’s premium large-format 

auditorium, called GDX (Giant Digital 

Experience). The 55-foot-wide GDX 

screen features floor-to-ceiling viewing 

powered by Dolby Atmos multidimensional 

sound. In addition, all 11 auditoriums 

will feature state-of-the-art digital 

projection and sound with reserved 

ticketing for over 1,200 recliners. 

The new theater will also feature a 

Screen Taps belly-up bar. Moviegoers 

(21+) can order beer, wine, and select 

mixed drinks to take into their movie. 

An expanded concessions menu will 

include new hot food offerings at the 

concessions stand. Moviegoers will also 

be able to refill their own sodas at a selfserve 

refill station. 

Also this fall, the Lafayette 7 will get 

a seating upgrade with recliner seating 

starting in September. Lafayette 7 will be 

closed for six to eight weeks to reseat all 



auditoriums with powered recliners and 

will re-open by Thanksgiving. 

GQT also owns Wabash Landing 

9 in West Lafayette, which underwent 

all new seating and a lobby remodel in 

November 2016. 

4DX AND NORDISK STRIKE DEAL 

>> At CineEurope this past June, CJ 

4DPLEX announced the expansion of a 

partnership with Nordisk Film Cinemas. 

Nordisk Film Cinemas will bring nine 

additional screens to Scandinavia by the 

end of 2021. This agreement 

comes on the heels of a successful 

run at Nordisk’s first 4DX 

theater in Oslo (Nordisk Ringen 

Theatre). During full-time 

screenings of eight Hollywood 

titles since its opening on March 

10, the theater has seen an overall 

occupancy rate of 72 percent. 

“With many sellouts to 

date, our 4DX auditorium has 

become the main attraction in 

our Nordisk Ringen Theatre,” 

said Jannicke Haugen, CEO 

of Nordisk Film Kino. “With 

the powerful success we’ve seen at the 

box office in Oslo, we are excited to 

partner with CJ 4DPLEX to expand 

this immersive experience to additional 

Nordisk Film Cinemas in Norway, 

Denmark, and Sweden.” 

“We are extremely pleased to be in 

partnership with excellent exhibitor 

Nordisk as 4DX continues to expand its 

footprints deeper into Northern Europe,” 

said Byung-Hwan Choi, CEO of CJ 

4DPLEX. “Furthermore, we will pioneer 

the newest trends of the movie industry 

by not only expanding 4DX’s footprint, 

but bringing new additions to the immersive 

cinema experience with technologies 

such as ScreenX.” 

VISTA PARTNERS WITH AUSTRIA’S 

CINEPLEXX 

>> Vista Entertainment Solutions 

announced it has signed a major new 

customer, Austria’s biggest cinema chain, 

Cineplexx. This is the first signing for 

Vista Cinema in Austria and the southeastern 

Europe market. 

Cineplexx is the winner of last year’s 

Exhibitor of the Year honor at CineEurope. 

Cineplexx has 41 multiplex and 

seven traditional locations in Austria, 

Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, Bosnia and 

Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia, 

Albania, Greece, and Italy, totaling 322 

screens. The company has over 1,350 

employees and more than 12.5 million 

visitors annually. 

“Many months of hard work have 

come to fruition with this agreement with 

Cineplexx, our first Austrian customer,” 

said Kimbal Riley, CEO of Vista Entertainment 

Solutions. “We’re thrilled to be 

working with such a leader in the region. 

This agreement with Cineplexx adds a significant 

number of new territories to our 

customer reach, highlights our increasing 

presence in Europe, and reflects our ability 

to work across borders and cultures.” 

“I am very excited about this new 

chapter for Cineplexx,” said Christof 

Papousek, Cineplexx CFO. “This new 

partnership will allow us to leverage 

greater technology to benefit many areas 

of our business including, but not limited 

to, operations, marketing, and business 

analysis. We have got an exciting few 

months ahead working with Mischa Kay 

and the Vista Cinema team as we roll out 

many of their modules across the whole 

Cineplexx circuit.” 

Cineplexx’s formal owner and distributor 

arm, the Austrian Constantin 

Film-Holding GmbH, continues to 

partner with MACCS, a Vista Group 

company, for its distributor software. 

ECLAIR, DIAGONAL ANNOUNCE SWISS 

DEAL 

>> Eclair, a content services provider 

for the motion picture and television 

industries, has announced a theatrical 

delivery agreement with Zurich-based 

Diagonal to offer service solutions to 

film studios, distributors, and 

cinema exhibitors. 

The three-year contract covers 

Diagonal’s home base in Switzerland 

and Eclair’s key markets, 

including France, Benelux, 

Germany, Spain, Portugal, Italy, 

and the UK. 

“We are delighted by 

this new partnership, which 

combines Eclair’s truly pan-European 

network for theatrical 

delivery with Diagonal’s 

Filmservice.net, a fast-growing 

electronic digital delivery service 

in Switzerland for feature DCPs and 

trailers,” said Ymagis group president 

and chief executive officer Jean Mizrahi. 

“Strong synergies are expected from 

this agreement, which allows Eclair to 

service, through Diagonal, distributors 

in the Swiss market as well as strengthen 

our position in Europe for a cumulative 

total of 3,350 cinemas connected to our 

network to date.” 

“It’s a great business opportunity to 

be associated with Eclair while providing 

a turnkey solution in our own territory 

through Filmservice.net, our fully 

automated DCP e-delivery solution,” 

said Thomas Jörg, managing director of 

Diagonal. “The reliability and versatility 

of our technology, proven by our capacity 

to deliver film content to over 70 percent 

of all Swiss cinema sites, combined with 

our deep knowledge of the market will 

ensure a successful partnership for years 

to come.” n 


GOVERNMENT RELATIONS 

LIGHTS, CAMERA, 

LEGISLATION 

AN UPDATE ON WASHINGTON 

AND EXHIBITION 

by Esther Baruh, Director, 

Government Relations, NATO 

From payment cards to employment policies Durbin Amendment 

to disabilities access, movie theater owners 

This spring, motion 

picture theater 

and operators face numerous federal policy issues 

that affect their bottom line. Here’s a look merchants won a sig- 

operators and other 

at some of the current legislative and regulatory 

matters impacting exhibitors. 

nificant victory when 

bill language threatening 

to raise fees on 

debit transactions was 

dropped from underlying legislation. 

In April, the House Financial Services Committee 

passed H.R. 10, the Financial CHOICE Act, a 

bill replacing the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform 

and Consumer Protection Act. Dodd-Frank 

contained the Durbin Amendment, a provision 

capping the fees that card processors charge merchants 

when a customer uses a debit card to make 

ESTHER BARUH 

a purchase. Prior to the enactment of the Durbin 

Amendment, debit swipe fees averaged about 44 

cents per transaction. The amendment required the 

Federal Reserve to set new fee limits. In its subsequent 

regulation on this amendment, the Fed proposed 

to cap fees at 12 cents per transaction, but 

ultimately voted to cap debit card interchange fees 

at 21 cents per transaction plus additional charges. 

The lower fees went into effect in 2011. 

Section 735 of H.R. 10 eliminated the Durbin 

Amendment. This measure was supported by 

House Financial Services Chairman Jeb Hensarling, 

a Republican from Texas. Hensarling 

viewed the Durbin Amendment as a government 

“price-fixing scheme” that led banks to do away 

with customer perks like free checking accounts. 

Merchants, by contrast, considered the Durbin 

Amendment to be a necessary measure that would 

bring competition to the market. Prior to the 

enactment of the Durbin Amendment, merchants 

had spent years at the mercy of the major card processors, 

unable to negotiate lower interchange fees 

due to the heavy monopoly exerted by Visa and 

MasterCard on the debit routing market. 

Repeal of the Durbin Amendment would have 

hit theater owners particularly hard, since exhibitors 

typically process more than one transaction 

for an individual customer, once at the box office 

and again at the concessions stand. For some 

exhibitors, debit transactions represent nearly 70 

percent of their overall transactions. Without the 

Durbin Amendment keeping debit swipe fees low, 

exhibitors who were able to keep their prices stable 

since the amendment went into force might have 

been forced to raise prices in order to address the 

additional cost of higher fees. 

This legislation pitted the card processors 

against the merchants, a difficult political position 

for Republicans, who are typically allied with 

banks and business alike. Exhibitors and others 

in the merchant community mobilized against 

Section 735, urging Congress to drop the provision 

from the Financial CHOICE Act before 

it came to the House floor, thus preventing a 

potentially divisive vote that could have derailed 

the bill from moving forward. NATO went into 

action, coordinating a strong grassroots effort 

and holding meetings with House offices. Letters 

from exhibitors urging their members of Congress 

to ask House leadership to remove this language 

reached over 310 House offices. NATO met with 

members of Congress who were undecided on the 

provision to press home the challenges faced by 

theater owners. 

Ultimately, the strong and coordinated effort 

by movie theaters and other retailers succeeded. 

After polling their rank and file, Republican House 

leadership decided to remove this language before 

H.R. 10 came to the floor. In June, the Financial 

CHOICE Act passed the House largely along 

party lines by a vote of 233–186 (one Republican, 

Walter Jones of North Carolina, voted against the 

bill)—without repealing the Durbin Amendment. 

The Senate may not take up this legislation, but 

theater owners and merchants sent a firm and 


GOVERNMENT RELATIONS 

unequivocal message to Congress: The Durbin 

Amendment is one fight they don’t want to have. 

Overtime 

Litigation surrounding the overtime rule released 

in May 2016 by the Obama administration 

continues. At the time of this writing, the injunction 

against the rule remains in effect. 

In May 2016, the Department of Labor 

released a final rule revising overtime regulations, 

per an executive order issued by President Barack 

Obama in 2014. The rule raised the exempt salary 

threshold to $47,476, more than double from its 

current level of $23,660, and included triennial 

automatic increases. The rule also allowed employers 

to count nondiscretionary bonuses, incentives, 

and commissions as up to 10 percent of the salary 

level, so long as employers pay those amounts on 

a quarterly or more frequent basis. The rule was 

scheduled to take effect on December 1, 2016. 

On November 22, 2016, Judge Amos Mazzant 

of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District 

of Texas issued a temporary injunction against the 

overtime rule in response to a lawsuit filed against 

the rule by 21 states. As a result, the rule did not 

go into effect on December 1 and remains in 

abeyance. In his injunction against the rule, Judge 

Mazzant reasoned that the Department of Labor 

did not possess the authority to raise the salary 

threshold, but could only modify overtime exemptions 

based on the duties test. 

Initially, the Trump administration was 

thought unlikely to appeal this injunction at all. 

The Department of Labor decided to appeal the 

injunction, however, in order to retain its authority 

to raise the salary threshold. In June 2017, the Department 

of Labor filed a brief in appellate court 

defending its jurisdiction over all aspects of the 

overtime rule. The Department’s appeal performed 

some complicated legal gymnastics: While the Department 

wishes the court to uphold its authority 

over the salary threshold, they do not want the 

court to address the validity of the salary level set 

by the Obama administration. It is possible that 

should the appellate court reverse the lower court’s 

decision and reinstate the rule, the Trump administration 

could issue a new rule raising the salary 

threshold, albeit to a lower level than the one set 

by the Obama administration. Secretary of Labor 

Andrew Acosta has indicated that he may support 

an adjusted salary threshold of $33,000. 

Exhibitors should be aware that while the Fair 

Labor Standards Act exempts employees at movie 

theaters from overtime, at least 21 states and the 

District of Columbia do not exempt movie theater 

employees from earning overtime pay. 

Compensatory Time 

While employers and employees wait to see 

how the courts adjudicate the overtime rule, the 

House of Representatives has moved forward on 

legislation that could potentially change the way 

overtime pay is structured. 

In May, the House passed a bill giving employers 

the option to offer their employees paid 

time off in lieu of receiving overtime pay. H.R. 

1180, the Working Families Flexibility Act, would 

allow employees in the private sector to earn 1.5 

hours of compensatory time at their regular rate 

for every hour of overtime worked. Employees 

would be able to earn up to 160 hours of “comp” 

time. Employers who offer this option would be 

required to compensate their employees by January 

31 for any unused comp time from the previous 

year. Employees must work at least 1,000 hours for 

the employer in the 12 months prior to receiving 

this option. Employees could not be coerced into 

receiving comp time instead of overtime pay. Employers 

could discontinue this program, but only 

with 30 days’ notice to their employees. 

The legislation was supported by business 

groups but opposed by unions and workers’ rights 

groups. The bill passed the House 229–197, with 

six Republicans joining Democrats in voting 

against the legislation. The Senate has not yet 

taken steps to pass this legislation. A companion 

bill sponsored by Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) awaits 

action by the Senate Health, Education, Labor, 

and Pensions Committee. 

As noted earlier in this article, many states 

do not exempt movie theater employees from 

overtime, and so theater owners in those states may 

be able to institute compensatory time programs, 

should this legislation pass Congress. As with any 

employment practice, exhibitors may want to seek 

the advice of local counsel. 

ADA Drive-By Lawsuits 

NATO and other business groups continue to 

press Congress to support legislation mitigating 

the effect of so-called “drive-by” lawsuits. The 

past few years have seen dramatic growth in the 


number of lawsuits alleging violations under Title 

III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). 

Often, these lawsuits are filed by firms or individuals 

notorious for their litigious approach and who 

have created a cottage industry of suing businesses 

for minor or technical violations of the ADA 

that could be easily remedied. In some cases, the 

lawsuits misapply the ADA standards and allege 

violations where there are none, causing business 

owners to spend precious resources responding to a 

suit that has little to no standing. 

Then there is the egregious practice of demand 

letters: Attorneys who send letters to business owners 

alleging that their client suffered an unstipulated 

barrier to access. The letter’s lack of specificity 

means that the business owner often does not 

know what ADA violation, if any, must be fixed, 

resulting in frustration, confusion, and perhaps 

mostly importantly, no change to the status quo, 

because the letter does not tell business owners 

what barriers to remove. In these demand letters, 

the attorney promises not to sue, if the business 

pays their client some amount of money, often 

thousands of dollars—effectively amounting to 

extortion, and certainly not yielding any improvements 

to access. 

H.R. 620, the ADA Education and Reform 

Act, would preempt these issues by creating a 

“notice-and-cure” period allowing business owners 

to remedy alleged ADA violations within a 

specified time frame. Should business owners fail 

to meet the deadlines of this time frame—60 days 

to respond in writing to the complaint and a further 

120 days to make substantial progress—then 

an individual could take further legal action and 

file suit against the business. The bill also directs 

the Department of Justice to provide increased 

resources toward educating business owners on 

the rules and standards of the ADA. Both in this 

Congress and when the bill was being considered 

by the previous Congress, NATO has worked assiduously 

with other coalition partners to increase 

bill co-sponsorship and to move the legislation 

forward in the House and Senate. This legislation 

is supported by Democrats and Republicans, who 

recognize that this legislation would stop abusive 

practices and ensure that both the letter and the 

spirit of the ADA are protected. n 


CHARITY SPOTLIGHT 

Compiled by Erica Lopez, Executive Director, Variety – The Children’s Charity of the United States 

RANDY HESTER RETIRES 

Randy Hester officially retired from his position as President/ 

CEO of Variety – the Children’s Charity of Texas on July 15, his 

65th birthday. 

A longtime veteran in the exhibition business, Hester joined 

Variety of Texas in February 2011. Since that time, Variety’s 

annual revenue has increased from $1.2 million in 2011 to $2.6 

million in 2016. He guided the merger with Peaceable Kingdom 

Retreat for Children in January 2012. Last year Variety of Texas 

helped over 26,000 Texas kids with special needs. 

Hester has served Variety in many capacities for over 15 

years, from volunteer, committee member, board member, Chief 

Barker of Texas (chairman), U.S. Variety board member, Variety 

International board member, and Variety International North 

American regional council delegate. 

“I’ve been around and involved with Variety at every possible 

level for so long it’s just part of my soul,” said Hester. “I’ve been 

incredibly blessed to be a small part of this fabulous organization, 

especially because I’ve seen countless kids benefit from the 

generosity from an industry that I’ve been a part of for a very 

long time.” 

“As I said when I was hired, when I leave I’ll feel like Oskar 

Schindler in Schindler’s List, glad that I helped many, many kids, 

but sad that I didn’t help more,” he added. 

VARIETY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA GOLD HEART 

CLASSIC GOLF TOURNAMENT, LUNCHEON & 

CHARITY AUCTION 

September 15 

Peacock Gap Golf Club 

San Rafael, Calif. 

on the web: goo.gl/yRtlOy 

CONTACT: Ayesha Williamson, Executive Director 

415-781-3894 / ayesha@varietync.org 

The Variety Gold Heart Classic is an annual golf tournament, luncheon, and 

charity auction to benefit Variety – the Children’s Charity of Northern California’s 

Freedom Program, providing independence and mobility to disabled and disadvantaged 

children. This is a fun no-experience-necessary event that encourages 

everyone to play a round for Variety kids. 

LEINENKUGEL GOLF 

INVITATIONAL BENEFITING 

VARIETY OF IOWA 

August 15 

Elmcrest Country Club 

Cedar Rapids, Ia. 

www.varietyiowa.com/calendar/events/event-63/ 

Join us for a great day of golf to support the children of Eastern Iowa! Morning and 

afternoon tee times are available. Shotgun start at 7:30 a.m. or 1:00 p.m. You will 

enjoy a best shot Invitational with four red tees and four mulligans per group. The 

morning groups will enjoy a light breakfast and lunch while our afternoon groups 

will enjoy lunch and dinner. The day also features a silent auction and specialized 

bike presentation. 


VARIETY’S 70TH ANNUAL 

TEXAN OF THE YEAR GALA AND 

GOLF TOURNAMENT 

August 30 and 31 

Intercontinental Dallas and 

Maridoe Golf Club 

Dallas, Tex. 

www.varietytexas.org/gala 

Variety of Texas will host its 70th Annual 

Texan of the Year Gala and Golf Tournament 

celebrating and raising money for the lives 

of Texas children with special needs and 

honoring the 2017 Texans of the Year, Gena 

and Chuck Norris (left). The evening will be 

filled with live music, cocktails, and dinner 

followed by an exciting, not-to-be-missed 

live auction. The gala will be followed by a 

golf tournament the next morning at the 

newly opened Maridoe Golf Club. 

GET IN TOUCH WITH US TO ADD AN EVENT TO OUR MONTHLY LISTING: NUMBERS@BOXOFFICE.COM 


YOUNG TURKS 

NATO’S YOUNG 

MEMBERS 

COMMITTEE ONE 

YEAR AFTER 

LAUNCH 

by Phil Contrino, 

Data and Research Manager, NATO 

It’s been one year since we first made 

the sign-up page for NATO’s Young 

Members Committee (YMC) live on our 

website. In the committee’s first year 

we’ve accomplished a lot, but we’re 

only getting started. 

CINESHOW AUG. 29: 

AND MILLENNIALS 

G E N E R A T I O N 

PHIL CONTRINO 

>> More than 300 cinema employees have signed 

up to take part in the committee since launch, and 

we are adding new members every week. Cineplex’s 

Gubarni Marwah has volunteered to help with 

another marketing push to gain more members. 

All YMC members receive NATO’s daily newsletter. 

It’s very easy to get caught in the weeds when 

working your way up the ranks of an organization, 

so we hope that the newsletter will continue to give 

the future leaders of this industry a better understanding 

of the events that impact their jobs. 

The YMC developed and fielded a survey 

about millennial moviegoing earlier this year, 

and key results from that survey were used 

during John Fithian’s State of the Industry 

speech at CinemaCon in order to help tell a 

strong story about how millennials are embracing 

innovation in the theatrical space. Many 

reporters who cover this industry like to use an 

easy—and completely untrue—narrative that 

millennials can’t be bothered to go to theaters 

because they are addicted to streaming services 

and mobile content. The YMC will continue to 

find ways to combat this thinking. 

During the formation of the YMC we set a 

goal of getting more young employees featured 

on panels at industry events. We accomplished 

that goal early on by securing a spot for Alamo 

Drafthouse’s Jenny Jacobi on the NAC panel 

at CinemaCon. Going forward, the team at 

CinemaCon has committed to finding new ways 

to get the YMC involved in the show. We are excited 

to use our industry’s biggest convention as a 

way to gather in person and recruit new voices. 

Jenny Jacobi will also be serving on NATO’s 

Strategic Planning Committee, which will be 

ramping up soon in order to survey members 

and get a member understanding of which topics 

should be given the most attention. We will also 

be developing a specific survey for YMC members 

as part of the strategic planning process. 

Many associations struggle with bringing on new 

members and keeping young members engaged, 

so it’s very important for us to know what the 

YMC expects from NATO. 

Another initial goal of the YMC was to 

get younger cinema employees more involved 

at regional trade shows. To that end, we’ll be 

hosting a panel specifically focused on millennials 

and Generation Z—both as customers and 

employees—at CinéShow this month. We hope 

this is only the beginning of our involvement at 

regional events. Many YMC members are aware 

of how great CinemaCon is, but they may not 

be aware of how regional shows can deal with 

specific topics in a less frenzied setting. 


Speaking of Generation Z, it should come as 

no surprise that they are being discussed more often 

at trade shows from CinemaCon to the NAC 

Hospitality Expo that took place last month. I 

applaud the teams behind both shows for finding 

excellent speakers to help gain a better understanding 

of what makes that generation tick. 

In the months to come, we’ll be using some of 

our space in Boxoffice to spotlight enthusiastic 

YMC members. It’s important to tell the stories of 

the people who are just coming up in this industry, 

because no two people in a generation are exactly 

the same. Some YMC members were born into the 

industry, some started working at a theater in high 

school and found that they wanted to turn their 

part-time job into a career, and some majored in 

business, marketing, and other disciplines and find 

the ability to be creative in exhibition incredibly 

rewarding. I’ve had many discussions with YMC 

members who work on the concessions side and 

they are excited by the opportunities that come 

with more diverse food options. It allows them to 

be on the ground floor of a major shift, and that’s 

the kind of opportunity to make an immediate 

impact that both millennials and Gen Zers aggressively 

seek out. 

One of the main takeaways that came out of 

the NAC Concession and Hospitality Expo is 

that millennials and Gen Zers have very strong 

ideas when it comes to food. We’ve done our 

research on what the best craft beers are. We care 

a lot about the ingredients that go into our food. 

A lot of us are aware of how important it is to 

support local business, and we make spending 

decisions based on that. Gen Z is bringing on 

a wave of vegans. Chains such as Alamo show 

that vegan doesn’t have to mean unenjoyable—a 

common misconception among the meat-loving 

set—with specific choices tailored to this growing 

segment of the population. 

Our industry is going through a lot of changes 

right now in every part of the business, and those 

changes are being put into place by YMC members 

all around the world. I’m excited to keep 

building up the YMC, and I welcome feedback 

from all members. n 

It’s important to tell 

the stories of the 

people who are just 

coming up in this 

industry, because 

no two people in a 

generation are exactly 

the same. 


OUTSIDE THE BOX 

GLEAMING THE CUBE 

NIGERIA’S FILMHOUSE CINEMAS BRINGS THE HOME 

BACK TO THE CINEMA 

by David Binet, Director of Membership, NATO 

An emerging trend of private screening facilities, 

where guests can relax in an intimate space and 

watch movies when they want, already exists in 

some Asian markets. And no, we’re not talking 

about the Cardboard Theater fad in Japan a 

few years ago. One enterprising company has brought 

the private luxury cinema concept all the way to Nigeria. 

Filmhouse Cinemas, the largest cinema circuit in West 

Africa, opened The Cube in September 2016 as a private 

screening room within their flagship location in Lagos. 

The Cube offers a venue for greater personalization and 

privacy, something moviegoers increasingly indicate is a 

desired amenity, especially among millennials. Although 

the majority of the private screening rooms in Asia (aka 

micro cinemas) operate independently, The Cube is part of 

a successful and growing cinema circuit in Africa. 

There’s an arms race to offer luxury experiences beyond 

the typical amenities. Sports stadiums, airlines, cruise 

ships: they all want to provide a higher-end event for the 

customer. If someone only attends a single football game 


during the season, they may want to augment the occasion 

with a few extravagancies at the tailgate party. Several 

companies already exist that will gladly accommodate 

them. The cinema industry—not to be outflanked—has 

quickly adapted to these trends. As recliner seats replace 

traditional cinema chairs, the movement to satisfy customer 

demand requires even more first-class options. 

In designing their private room, Filmhouse installed 

contemporary home decor to merge with an intimate 

modern cinema. The Cube is a 269-square-foot 

(25-square-meter) boothless room equipped with a Barco 

projector, a 13-by-10-foot screen, and 7.1 Dolby digital 

surround system. There’s even a specifically designed 

control panel where guests can start the movie and adjust 

lighting, sound levels, and the temperature. In addition 

to the latest technology, guests at The Cube are provided 

with all the creature comforts found in a living room at 

home. Some couch seats extend into beds, while pillows 

and blankets ensure everyone is warm and cozy. The menu 

includes a buffet of gourmet food, alcoholic and non-alco- 


OUTSIDE THE BOX 

FILMHOUSE CINEMA’S LUXURY 

SCREENING ROOM—THE 

CUBE—ACCOMMODATES 

UP TO EIGHT GUESTS AND 

INCLUDES A PRIVATE 

BATHROOM, INTERCOM, AND 

BUFFET SERVICE. THE PRICE? 

NGD120,000 , OR ABOUT $380 

FOR THREE HOURS OF COZY 

CINEMA COMFORT. 

holic beverages, popcorn, candy, and champagne. 

There’s even a private bathroom. It’s the home 

environment brought to the cinema. 

Similar facilities exist in China, Japan, and 

Korea, but only the private cinemas in Korea have 

comparable features to The Cube. CJ CGV operates 

a luxurious private room on the 11th floor of 

their Cheongdam Cine City building. This building 

also houses an auditorium with love seats for 

romantic couples, one with individual headsets for 

enhanced sound, and one with 4DX seats. The Private 

Cinema at Cheongdam features sofas, a dining 

table, bookshelves, and wood flooring, giving it the 

feel of a luxury penthouse apartment. 

In China, the private cinemas are operated 

more by small-scale digital operations, according 

to a May 2015 article by Patrick Von Sychowski of 

Celluloid Junkie. It’s a business model that allows 

people to choose from classic titles and watch them 

in the comfort and privacy of an intimate room. 

As China’s market continues to expand to meet 

customer demand, these operations are sure to develop 

the experience further. Von Sychowski notes 

that since the first private room appeared in August 

2012, many more rooms have had to open up to 

satisfy eager customers. The opportunity to recline 

on a couch and watch a movie appeals to several 

segments of the Chinese population. 

At The Cube, however, one feature separates 

what Filmhouse does from other private cinemas. 

Any guest can reserve the room for a three-hour 

block during normal business hours. This is not 

unique for private cinemas. What is unique is that 

guests may select any movie title currently in theatrical 

release, or even request an older title within 

a studio’s library. That’s right: the customer can not 

only choose the time slot, but he or she can also 

select any first-run or classic movie. If someone 

wants to watch Top Gun at noon on a Wednesday 

with a few friends, Filmhouse can offer that 

experience. It’s like Morgan Freeman’s character in 

Shawshank Redemption, but for movies. 

As private first-run cinemas emerge around the 

world, the concern over copyright infringement 

also deepens. Von Sychowski described a business 

in China that was shut down because they did not 

have the proper licenses or certificates. Another 

report indicated that some private cinemas showed 

new films shortly after their initial release, and obtained 

copies through illicit channels, according to 

Von Sychowski’s article. Filmhouse and CJ CGV, 

having established relationships with the content 

providers, can use those contacts to properly 

exhibit authorized films. It’s a positive aspect of 

the industry, and one that continues to highlight 

exhibition’s commitment to protect copyright. n 


LEVERAGING INNOVATION 

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

>> In this monthly column, Atom Tickets 

will feature conversations with studios 

and exhibitors about their different 

innovative approaches to marketing 

movies and the moviegoing experience. 

This month, Nikolas Alyn Smith (below), 

marketing and social media manager 

at Kerasotes Theatres, talks about how 

the intersection between technology 

and marketing has revolutionized the 

customer experience at the movies. 

INTERVIEW BEGINS ON PAGE 30 



b r o u g h t t o y o u b y A t o m T i c k e t s 

Interview by 

Ameesh Paleja, CEO, 

and Matthew Bakal, 

Chairman, 

Atom Tickets 

Interview with 

Nikolas Alyn Smith, 

Marketing & Social 

Media Manager, 

Kerasotes Theatres 

What have you found to be the most successful 

way to engage with your customers? 

The most successful and powerful engagement 

tools that we have at our disposal are our social 

media platforms. Our presence on Instagram, 

Twitter, Facebook, Yelp, and Google+ has allowed 

us to recruit new loyalty members to our free 

EXTRAS Program, reach a more diverse moviegoer 

population by targeting specific interests 

and behaviors, and boost brand awareness with 

guests becoming vocal brand advocates. It has 

also afforded us an opportunity to boost advance 

ticket preorders (as well as titles that are already 

on-screen) through on-demand posting based on 

real-time data from Vista’s suite of software tools. 

We’re excited to see how Atom’s socially driven 

ticketing platform will fold into this engagement 

with our current and future EXTRAS Program 

loyalty members and prospective new customers. 

This will be critical to our growth and demand as 

we head into new markets such as Boston and the 

Bay Area. 

Looking back over the last year, have you 

changed your marketing approach to connecting 

with customers and new patrons? 

We have aggressively drilled down into how we 

present amenities, offerings, and features to our 

current guests—as well as how we are connecting 

to new guests so that we can stay on top of trends 

and service expectations. Our size and scale allow 

us to be a far more nimble force. Because of this, 

our marketing team is able to adapt and refine 

our loyalty marketing outreach to our EXTRAS 

Program members almost weekly through precision 

targeting through Vista. We also court new 

patrons almost instantaneously through all our 

social media channels. The capabilities of enhancing 

our guests’ experiences and going beyond 

their expectations is practically limitless—and a 

smart execution with timely offerings makes it all 

possible. 

Have you made any notable upgrades to your 

theaters over the last year? How have the 

changes been received? 

ShowPlace ICON Theatres has always moved 

the mission forward in redefining how movies are 

enjoyed in each of our markets with a multisensory 

experience of digital wide-screen picture and sound, 

the Lobby Lounge where you can enjoy cocktails 

and food, and VIP reserved seating. In several of 

our markets we were actually the first to offer reserved 

seating, all-digital projection, and one of the 

first globally to offer the pilot of Dolby Atmos. We 

started out over 108 years ago as a tiny storefront 

nickelodeon in Springfield, Illinois, and we’ve come 

a very, very long way since then. As we evolve, the 

ICON continues to lead the way with advancements 

such as the premium large format (PLF) 

ICON•X, the ICON enhanced Xperience featuring 

Dolby Atmos, and our luxurious Red Carpet 

Recliners. Recently, we completed all-new laser 

projection upgrades to our ICON•X screens, doing 



b r o u g h t t o y o u b y A t o m T i c k e t s 

our guests to skip the line by preordering 

tickets and choosing their seats in 

advance, so it just makes sense in the natural 

progression to build concessions into 

this experience as well. Why skip a line 

to wait in another line when everything 

can be ready when you are? We’re working 

with Vista and Atom to implement 

an incredible solution that will take our 

guest experience to the next level. 

the most to make guests feel like they are 

in the middle of the action through the 

addition of the latest in this new projection 

technology. Combined with our 

cutting-edge digital sound, our goal is to 

provide a sensory experience surpassing 

anything else that is currently out there. 

We are constantly refining and upgrading 

our systems from new moviegoing experiences, 

concession offerings, expanded 

taste profiles in our Lobby Lounge, and 

advancement in ticketing experiences such 

as our partnership with Atom. 

Any notable trends from a concessions 

perspective or in ticket-purchase 

behavior? 

We’re becoming more and more of 

an on-demand and convenience society, 

and we are adapting our business needs 

to what our guests are seeking—all while 

keeping some traditional aspects in play. 

One of our most exciting additions to 

our home office support team was the 

hiring of corporate chef Shiloh Schrock 

to reimagine our menu offerings and 

take our food quality to the next level 

above guest expectations. Having a fromscratch 

menu with fast, efficient service 

and gourmet plates featuring a select 

degree of customization really brings 

home the convenience and appeal of an 

all-in-one experience and resonates with 

how incredibly nimble we can be in this 

court as well with ever-evolving dining 

experiences. Reading into guest desires, 

we also moved to serve beer and wine at 

our concession stands. When you look 

at the behaviors and actions our current 

and potential guests are taking and the 

decisions they are making with their purchasing 

habits, you can clearly see that 

guests are seeking precision, efficiency, 

and convenience in ordering and menu 

selections. We’ve already made it easy for 

Every year there seems to be a new 

marketing channel that everyone 

gravitates toward using. Which are the 

current platforms that are most exciting 

to you? 

Apple is leading the way in phoneto-phone 

Apple Pay and other enhanced 

wallet features in the new iOS 11. 

Additionally, their messages platform is 

becoming far more robust with being able 

to choose seats and pay for concert tickets 

on a group text and even send a coffee to 

a friend or coworker. Plus, Wi-Fi, NFC, 

and Bluetooth networks are more advanced 

with every revision. I believe we’re 

headed down the road into real-time live 

decision making through FaceTime or text 

messages for building out the entire night 

at the movies and elsewhere. Atom has the 

jump-start on this, and I see the platform 

evolving into this realm. Additionally, 

as the smartphone and digital assistants 

continue to further integrate into our 

daily lives, I could see content providers 

syncing with your personal device and 

using your own earbuds and phone as an 

ALD or DVS device—greatly reducing 

industry overhead costs and unleashing 

a whole new era of accessibility for those 

who need it most. Marketing channels are 

moving into the Internet of things with 

lifestyle and educational enhancements 

for all ages, experience levels, and income 

levels. Marketing channels are shifting toward 

experience and enhancements based 

on the massive amount of data available 

from user feedback and behaviors, which I 

believe is the most exciting potential that 

we’re only just approaching the tip of the 

iceberg for. n 


INDIE FOCUS 

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

TOP TITLES LAST 12 MONTHS 

La La Land 

Manchester by the Sea 

Hidden Figures 

Florence Foster Jenkins 

Lion 

Eight Days a Week 

SCREENS 

The County Theater was 

originally a single-screen 

theater with around 700 

seats, but it was divided 

up in the 1980s. Half of 

the building was turned 

into apartments and the 

remaining portion was 

twinned. Our two auditoriums 

currently seat 150 

and 120. 

THE COUNTY THEATER 

DOYLESTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA 

Contributor: Chris Collier, Co-Director, Renew Theaters 

HISTORY 

The County Theater is a late Art Deco movie house, built in 1938. It was a typical downtown 

Main Street movie theater for decades, but after hardships in the late ’80s and early ’90s, the theater 

shuttered its doors in late 1992. A local film society led by John Toner started conversations with 

leaders of the community to save the County Theater from the wrecking ball, at a time when revitalization 

was just beginning and local retail and restaurants were struggling. 

A new community-based 501(c)(3) was formed and the County Theater was leased to us. In 

February 1993, with a great deal of community support and sweat equity, we opened our doors as 

the new County Theater, a nonprofit art house. 

Over the past two decades, the theater has led a revitalization of the town of Doylestown, which 

is now chock-full of restaurants, shops, and connections. The County now has over 5,000 members—an 

energetic, cinema-loving group that forms the backbone of our organization and growth. 

We have invested heavily in the theater, restoring it to its classic 1938 charm, making it one of 

the most distinctive icons of Doylestown. Over the years we have: 

1996: Purchased and renovated the theater; 

1998–2000: Replaced the aging neon tower and marquee with exact replicas and added a handicap-accessible 

restroom; 


INDIE FOCUS 

b r o u g h t t o y o u b y S p o t l i g h t C i n e m a N e t w o r k s 

2009: Renovated theater lobby 

with a new concession stand and 

soundproof vestibules to improve 

the film-watching experience; 

2013: Upgraded to digital 

cinema through the support of our 

loyal members and donors; 

2016: Purchased a neighboring 

property to begin the process of 

expansion to add a third screen 

and larger lobby (projected to open 

in 2019!) 

COMMUNITY 

Doylestown is located in central 

Bucks County, a suburb of Philadelphia. 

Our audience is one that 

appreciates the opportunity to see 

art house and foreign films locally 

rather than having to travel into 

the city. The theater is open to all in the 

community, but we depend on our over 

5,000 active supporting members to make 

our nonprofit model successful. 

Our audiences generally skew older, a 

trend that is seen in art house communities. 

They understand the value of the theater 

to the soul of the town and appreciate 

being part of the extended family that we 

call “the County Theater.” 

The continued and growing success 

of the County Theater has benefitted the 

entire community, proving to be a catalyst 

for new and existing restaurants, extended 

hours for local “shop local” retailers, and 

an impetus for many people to move into 

“the Borough.” 

CONCESSIONS 

Popcorn and bottled water are the 

biggest sellers, but patrons love the locally 

baked cookies and biscotti. We also sell 

locally roasted Small World coffee. People 

will actually come in just to buy our cookies 

and coffee without seeing a movie. 

PROGRAMMING 

The County Theater is an alternative 

to local multiplexes. When people in our 

community think “indie film,” “classic 

movie,” or “foreign film,” they think of the 

County. Our special-event programming 

provides unique viewing opportunities. 

Along with a strong mix of first-run independent 

and art titles, we share National 

Theatre Live productions and Exhibition 

on Screen documentaries as part of our 

Lively Arts series. In the winter, we have a 

Family Events series, which runs films appropriate 

for younger viewers on Saturday 

mornings. In the summer, our Hollywood 

Summer Nights series brings golden age 

classics and fan favorites to the big screen. 

And the annual Monty Python Fest 

provides a chance for those who appreciate 

silly walks and something completely 

different to celebrate the comedy troupe. 

As a small town, we are incredibly 

lucky to have a number of notable film 

professionals who have called Doylestown 

home. The Big Sick executive producer 

Jeremy Kipp Walker, The Lost City of Z 

assistant director Doug Torres, Manchester 

by the Sea cinematographer Jody Lee 

Lipes, and The First Girl I Loved executive 

producer Ross Putman have presented 

their films at the County and answered 

questions with our audience. 

SHOWMANSHIP 

One of the most fulfilling aspects 

of working in an independent theater 

is the ability to reach out and 

partner with community groups. 

Doylestown is an arts-loving town 

with a host of fantastic organizations 

eager to partner and collaborate. 

Over the years we have 

worked with local businesses and 

organizations on several memorable 

events. Some of our favorites 

include our Dinner and a Movie 

Nights with Vine & Fig Tree Bistro 

(sadly, now closed), in which 

we showed classic food films like 

Babette’s Feast and Big Night and 

had the exact meals re-created at 

the restaurant afterwards; or the 

Zombie Walk and screening of 28 

Days Later we co-hosted with our 

local comic shop Cyborg One; 

or the wonderful partnerships 

we have held with the Michener Art 

Museum presenting films to complement 

their Jim Henson, Grace Kelly, and 

Hollywood Costume exhibits. We also 

routinely partner with the Doylestown 

Food Market, Doylestown Bookshop, 

Sociedad Hispana Doylestown, and 

Alliance Française de Doylestown. These 

joint events are the cornerstone of our 

identity as a community meeting place 

and one of the key features that sets us 

apart from the “big box store” theaters in 

the region. 


Our partnership with Spotlight Cinema 

Networks has been a welcome addition 

to the County Theater’s pre-film routine. 

The additional cash flow is valuable for 

our nonprofit theater and our patrons 

appreciate the opportunity to learn about 

other artistic offerings. It’s the perfect 

balance between sharing Spotlight Cinema 

Networks’ content, while also respecting 

our audience and not having exceedingly 

long trailers—patrons regularly thank us 

for that! The artful content and ability 

to curate the ads to match the mood of 

the theater are key reasons that led us to 

start and continue working with Spotlight 

Cinema Networks. n 


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SOCIAL MEDIA 

WHAT SOCIAL MEDIA TRACKING TELLS US ABOUT 2017 (SO FAR) 

by Alex Edghill 

OPENING WEEKENDS 

>> Let’s take a look back at the second 

quarter of 2017 with a focus on social 

media insights for the biggest hits at the 

box office. Traditionally the home of the 

blockbuster, May and June have birthed 

some of the biggest openers ever over the 

years, and while April has often been a 

dumping ground for languishing projects 

in the past, studios have recently used it as 

an early springboard for their tentpoles. 

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 proved 

to be the cream of the crop for second 

quarter openers, driven by a huge opening 

weekend of $146 million. It represented 

a big bump over the first film’s $94 

million debut back in 2014. It also did 

very well on Twitter, where its 380,754 

tweets during its release week proved to 

be the seventh biggest on the entire year 

and third biggest of the second quarter. 

Beauty and the Beast still holds the year’s 

opening weekend record with $175 million 

back in March, a mark which may 

very well stand until Justice League or Star 

Wars: The Last Jedi roll out in the fourth 

quarter. Guardians’ performance was 

hardly a surprise since it was universally 

expected to stand out, the latest feather 

in the cap of Marvel and Disney, who 

continue to rack up hits and profits alike. 

The film now ranks as the fifth biggest of 

the 16 Marvel Cinematic Universe films, 

second highest among first sequels after 

Avengers: Age of Ultron. 

$174,750,616 

$146,510,104 

$103,251,471 

$98,786,705 

$88,411,916 

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the 

second quarter was just how well Wonder 

Woman was received by critics and 

audiences alike. Its $103 million opening 

was the second highest in the quarter and 

third biggest for the year up to the end of 

June. The fourth film in the DC Extended 

Universe, it has surpassed all previous films 

in total domestic gross, despite having the 

smallest budget and opening weekend of 

the bunch. The hugely positive word of 

mouth has propelled it to nearly $400 

million domestically. If it manages to end 

its theatrical run with more than $413 

million it will be the second film to ever 

open above $100 million and have its 

domestic total be four times its opening 

weekend (a feat only Shrek 2 has managed 

to date). This is especially noteworthy 

since modern box office marketing is 

geared toward having audiences turn out 

as early as possible to maximize the return 

on investment. “Leggy” runs such as this 

are rare for blockbuster releases. Wonder 

Woman was the most talked-about film 

during its release week on Twitter with 

over 1.75 million tweets, beating out 

Beauty and the Beast’s 1.38 million tally. In 

addition, it is one of only two titles tracked 

to open above $100 million that had more 

tweets on its first Sunday than its opening 

Friday (Jurassic World was the other), another 

indication of the film’s stellar run. 

(continued on page 40) 


SOCIAL MEDIA 

BIGGEST OPENING WEEKENDS OF 2017 

DATE 

TITLE 

OPENING 

WEEKEND 

RELEASE WEEK TWEETS 

(MON-SUN) 

TWITTER 

RANK 

BOX OFFICE 

RANK 

3/17/17 Beauty and the Beast $174,750,616 1,381,673 2 1 

5/5/2017 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 $146,510,104 380,754 7 2 

2/6/2017 Wonder Woman $103,251,471 1,772,916 1 3 

4/14/17 The Fate of the Furious $98,786,705 416,627 6 4 

3/3/2017 Logan $88,411,916 534,146 3 5 

6/30/17 Despicable Me 3 $72,434,025 69,344 23 6 

5/26/17 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales $62,983,253 185,240 15 7 

10/3/2017 Kong: Skull Island $61,025,472 201,989 12 8 

6/16/17 Cars 3 $53,688,680 100,490 20 9 

10/2/2017 The LEGO Batman Movie $53,003,468 132,547 19 10 

3/31/17 The Boss Baby $50,198,902 83,994 22 11 

10/2/2017 Fifty Shades Darker $46,607,250 515,502 4 12 

6/23/17 Transformers: The Last Knight $44,680,073 262,132 9 13 

3/24/17 Power Rangers $40,300,288 482,409 5 14 

1/20/17 Split $40,010,975 66,746 24 15 

5/19/17 Alien: Covenant $36,160,621 191,706 13 16 

2/24/17 Get Out $33,377,060 186,392 14 17 

9/6/2017 The Mummy $31,688,375 183,878 17 18 

10/2/2017 John Wick: Chapter Two $30,436,123 226,091 11 19 

6/16/17 All Eyez On Me $26,435,354 229,586 10 20 

6/1/2017 Underworld: Blood Wars $13,688,751 11,689 48 31 

1/27/17 Resident Evil: The Final Chapter $13,601,682 30,475 31 32 

1/13/17 The Bye Bye Man $13,501,349 43,718 29 33 

7/4/2017 Smurfs: The Lost Village $13,210,449 62,769 25 34 

3/2/2017 Rings $13,002,632 21,021 40 35 

3/24/17 Life $12,501,936 26,106 34 36 

The Fate of the Furious just missed out on the magic $100 million 

mark, with its $99 million start making it the third biggest 

opener of the quarter and fourth highest for the year. Its opening 

was down significantly from Furious 7’s $147 million, which 

achieved a record-setting opening and theatrical total for the franchise 

in what many fans thought would be the conclusion of the 

series due to the untimely death of star Paul Walker. Its 250,841 

release week tweets were the sixth highest for the year so far, down 

sharply from the 853,308 that Furious 7 accounted for. The film 

performed comparably to the fifth and sixth entries in the series 

in both its opening and total domestic growth. With ninth and 

tenth installments coming over the next few years, it would appear 

that this $100 million opening and $225 million total might 

represent a useful benchmark for their domestic potential. 

Despicable Me 3 was the fourth highest second quarter opener 

with $72 million, and sixth biggest for the year. Despite having 

the widest opening on record, its start fell short of Despicable Me 

2’s $90 million debut and the $116 million bow secured by its 

spin-off, Minions. The writing (or tweet) was on the wall from 

early on; Despicable Me 3 ranked 23rd for the year with just 

69,344 tweets during its release week. Despite its downturn on 

the domestic front, Gru and company continue raking in admissions 

at the overseas box office. 

Lastly, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales rounds 

out the top five second quarter openers with its $63 million 

start, the seventh best for the year. It was the lowest start for 

the franchise since the first film opened to $47 million back in 

2003. Twitter was similarly stingy as its 86,869 tweets ranked it 

15th for the year. The Jolly Roger appears not to be catching as 

much wind as it did in prior years, but it is still raking in massive 

revenue internationally. 

No surprise here that sequels dominated the second quarter, 

as is often the case. The quarter’s biggest winners were comic 

adaptations Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Wonder Woman, 

which combined strong runs with positive reviews that boost 

expectations for future sequels. n 


TECHNOLOGY 

PREMIUM 

FORMAT 

DOLBY CINEMA HITS A 

MILESTONE IN ITS GLOBAL 

EXPANSION 


>> Dolby Cinema hit a major milestone 

in its young history with this summer’s 

inauguration of its 100th location at the 

AMC South Bay Galleria 16 in Redondo 

Beach, California. The Dolby Cinema 

concept has grown gradually in recent 

years, expanding its presence in key markets 

in Europe and Asia as its U.S. presence, 

through a partnership with AMC, 

has simultaneously expanded. AMC has 

been the early driver in open locations, 

representing 77 of the concept’s 100 active sites. 

The U.S. circuit is scheduled to reach a total of 160 

Dolby Cinema locations by the end of 2018. 

A steady content pipeline is crucial for any 

new premium concept, an area the company has 

focused to grow as more Dolby Cinema locations 

pop up around the world. More than 100 titles 

have already been announced or released for Dolby 

Cinema, including upcoming high-profile releases 

like IT, Kingsman: The Golden Circle, Flatliners, 

Granite Mountain Hotshots, Darkest Hour, and 

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. 

Dolby Cinema’s journey began in Barcelona, at 

Cinesa’s La Maquinista location. “That was actually 

kind of our proving ground,” says Stuart Bowling, 

Dolby’s director of content and creative relations. 

“When we started this program, we wanted to do 

this in a commercial environment where we wanted 

to be way off the radar. So we actually started 

fleshing out the concept in Maquinista. That 

theater has actually changed several times since we 

started, because we started the concept even before 

the projection technology was ready. So originally 

that theater had a specific design with special projectors 

to help make the picture brighter. Then we 

were able to finalize the look and feel of the overall 

concept of a Dolby Cinema, which is the faceted 

ceiling. We then went back into Maquinista and 

finished out that design, with a swap once the 

Dolby digital projectors became available.” 

A big part of the concept’s success is precisely 

the exhibitor’s ability to customize different aspects 

of Dolby Cinema according to each venue’s specifications. 

“There is give and take in what we do. 

In some instances, we change some of the aesthetic 

of the theater to help fit within what works for 

the exhibitor,” says Bowling. “There are the main 

principles of Dolby Cinema, which are across every 

theater around the world, and then there are some 

design elements that we allow change in, depending 

on the exhibitor.” 

Dolby’s partnership with AMC in the United 

States is a prime example of that approach. The Dol- 


TECHNOLOGY 

by Cinema auditorium in AMC’s Empire 25 location in New York City’s Times Square 

has undergone several changes since becoming one of the first Dolby Cinema locales in 

the country. “If you look at that room, the design aesthetic of what we did there, AMC 

has actually morphed over time,” Bowling says. “The red lighting on the speakers has 

gone away—there have been design-change elements like that. We have flexibility with 

the exhibitor as to what they want to do. Another unique example with AMC is that 

they have transducers inside the seats. We haven’t seen that anywhere else yet. That’s 

something AMC wanted and we were able to accommodate that.” 

French exhibitor Gaumont Pathé is the latest to join the bandwagon, announcing 

10 Dolby Cinema locations to open in the coming months in select sites in France 

and the Netherlands. Reel Cinemas has also emerged as a close partner in the Middle 

East, with plans to open two locations in Dubai this year. In Asia, the Chinese exhibition 

boom has already brought 19 Dolby Cinema locations through Wanda Cinema 

Group—with plans to reach the century mark in the coming years. 

One of the biggest turning points for the Dolby Cinema concept came with Dolby’s 

acquisition of SLS Audio in 2014. It gave Dolby the ability to incorporate speakers 

and amplifiers into the system from the start. “We bought SLS for that reason,” 

admits Bowling. “We wanted to redefine how amplification works in a movie theater. 

Traditionally, amplifiers are either stereo or maybe four channels. But we said, ‘No, we 

have Dolby Atmos. We’re now amplifying all of these surround speakers. How can we 

do it differently?’ The team were fantastic to come up with a Dolby amplifier. You’re 

saving money; you don’t have to have all these racks to put the amps in. You’re cutting 

down on installation time, since it’s all plug and play. That adds more value back to 

the theater operator.” 

Improving the technology while reducing exhibitors’ investment has been part of the 

magic formula for Dolby Cinema’s proliferation around the world. The timing couldn’t 

be better, stresses Bowling. “There’s a big investment cycle happening. New screens? Obviously, 

in Europe there’s not a lot of new screen activity compared to China, which is 

still prolific. A lot of the investment here is all about refreshing and renovating theaters, 

providing newer technologies. Especially as we’re coming out of our cycle of VPF as 

well. They’re looking at ‘What is the next thing I should invest in?’” n 


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BIG SCREENS 

& CAPTIVE 

AUDIENCES 

CINEMA ADVERTISING CONTINUES 

TO EVOLVE FOLLOWING THE RECORD 

HEIGHTS OF 2016 


2016 was another marquee year for cinema advertising. 

The industry grew 5.8 percent above 2015’s 

$716.4 million record, crossing the $750 million 

mark for the first time in history and setting a new 

benchmark of $758.3 million. That performance 

put cinema advertising on a hot streak of six consecutive 

years with over $600 million in revenue, 

seizing the opportunity that presented itself with 

a record year at the box office. 

>> With that lofty summit conquered, the country’s two largest players in 

the sector, National Cinemedia (NCM) and Screenvision, presented their 

latest pitches to advertisers at their annual upfront events in New York City 

this May. Although competitors, their messages were similar in their appeal: 

as home-entertainment audiences continue to fragment across platforms— 

broadcast, cable, and OTT providers like Hulu and Netflix—cinema continues 

to offer unparalleled value with a consistent, captive audience year-round. 

Another emphasis of their respective messages was addressing the misconception 

that cinema advertising is limited to the pre-show. NCM’s presentation, 

for example, focused mainly on their “Noovie” concept, an integrated consumer 

experience that encompasses original content, consumer data, and new gaming 

initiatives. “When we began to reimagine the pre-show, we knew that we wanted 

to build Noovie into an entertainment brand that develops engagement through 

content that is relevant to today’s movie audiences,” explained NCM president, 

Cliff Marks, at the event. “But we also knew we needed to expand Noovie 

beyond the four walls of the theater by creating new digital properties including 

a Noovie app and social media channels that will allow us to consistently drive 

people from the pre-show to mobile and back again—engaging movie audiences 

wherever they may be. We’re building it all to be a great consumer experience, 

which will of course make it a great opportunity for brands as well.” 

Part of that drive toward further engagement includes NCM’s acquisition 

of Fantasy Movie League, the box office predictions game co-created 


y Matthew Barry, one of the leading figures in 

the fantasy sports world. It positions NCM’s future 

beyond the screen, as the company explores 

additional platforms to reach moviegoers—and 

not all of them are purely digital. NCM also 

announced plans to roll out an in-theater magazine 

for audiences, Moviebill, slated to launch at 

Regal locations. 

Screenvision bolstered the case for cinema in 

its own presentation, stressing the impact that 

only a silver screen can provide for advertisers. 

“We firmly believe that not all impressions are 

equal. It’s great that you’ve got the numbers and 

the scale; that’s the point. But your impression 

has to make an impact,” John McCauley, Screenvision’s 

chief strategic development officer, told 

Boxoffice. “There needs to be a qualitative evaluation 

of the impact that each of those impressions 

is truly having on your target.” It’s not just 

talk. Screenvision commissioned a research study 

on the subject by neuroscientist Duane Varan. 

Moreover, the company is making an investment 

in audience tracking measures such as its proprietary 

targeting tool Cintel, a service that allows 

brands to target consumers based on behavioral 

and psychographic data to complement already 

established metrics in the industry like film genres 

and ratings. The company is also committed to 

expanding the reach of cinema advertising beyond 

the pre-show with its Connected Cinema service, 

which follows a consumer’s engagement before, 

during, and after a trip to the movies. 

Just as there are differences among impressions 

and audience demographics, cinemas themselves are 

also part of a diverse ecosystem. Spotlight Cinema 

Networks has been able to establish itself as a leader 

specializing in art house cinema advertising—tailoring 

its offerings for the specific audiences that 

patronize those institutions. “We have the unique 

ability to reach an upscale, educated, and highly 

desirable audience,” said Michael Sakin, president 

of Spotlight Cinema Networks. “This is a defining 

characteristic of Spotlight, and it enhances our 

ability to develop partnerships with cutting-edge 

content providers. This allows our exhibitors to 

offer visually distinctive and highly engaging short 

films to their sophisticated moviegoing audiences.” 

(continued on next page) 

800.838.7446 | www.ushio.com 



THE SALT LAKE FILM 

SOCIETY’S PUBLIC SERVICE 

ANNOUNCEMENTS ABOUT 

THE IMPORTANCE OF 

INDEPENDENT CINEMAS CAN 

BE VIEWED ON VIMEO AT: 

BIT.LY/2TEWUOO 

That focus on content is reflected in Spotlight’s 

partners, such as Vimeo, which provides access to 

an extensive pipeline of material, and its collaboration 

with WME/IMG’s Made to Measure 

(M2M), which brings unique art, fashion, and 

design content to theater audiences. Spotlight has 

kept pace with the evolution of cinema technology 

as well, most recently evidenced by the debut 

of a pre-show spot mixed and screened in Dolby 

Atmos—the first of its kind—for luxury car manufacturer 

Lexus. 

Spotlight’s ties to the independent community 

extend to its lead sponsorship of Art House 

Convergence, where they host an annual legacy 

award for industry leaders, and this year’s launch 

of the Art House Public Service Announcement 

Project with the Salt Lake Film Society, a series of 

PSAs highlighting the importance of independent 

cinemas that currently screens in 150 theaters. 

Earlier this year, Spotlight partnered with Boxoffice 

to bring the stories of art house theaters 

to readers nationwide in this magazine’s monthly 

Indie Focus column. 

“Each art house is the lifeline of culture in its 

community,” added Sakin. “Owners are passionate, 

dedicated to independent film, and take pride 

in treating their moviegoers as family. This is the 

uniqueness of art houses and we are proud to 

share their stories.” 

The importance of art house audiences in 

this sector has not gone unnoticed; Screenvision 

announced its entry into the market in 2017 with 

the launch of Screenvision Select, designed to offer 

a customized pre-show experience to that very 

sector. “We’re really excited about Screenvision 

Select,” said Darryl Schaffer, EVP of operations 

and exhibitor relations. “The pre-show that will 

run there is really tailor-made for that audience, 

who’s there to enjoy independent film and celebrate 

art.” 

While national and regional sales composed 

78.5 percent of all cinema advertising revenue in 

2016, companies have also seen a surge in interest 

from local sales. The Cinema Advertising Council 

reports that local spots represented more than 

$162 million in 2016, a solid sign of support on 

behalf of Main Street. 1 Better has been selling 

and producing full motion on-screen commercials 

for local business owners in 28 states over the past 

16 years. According to the company’s CEO, John 

Engel, 2016 was the best year in company history—with 

2017 sales already outpacing last year. 

1 Better is one of the few companies that work 

with local advertisers to produce custom-built 

commercials, making them a hands-on presence 

in those communities. 

“A top priority of our theater partners is 

receiving a good monthly advertising paycheck 

combined with positive feedback from their 

movie patrons regarding the pre-show. Our goal 

at 1 Better is to present a very enjoyable preshow 

for the local community by showcasing— 

in full video motion—business owners, their 

staff, and their place of business. The audience 

loves it because they are often familiar with the 

participants.” 

Before the Movie has also benefitted from the 

industry-wide success of 2016. The company’s 

chief executive, Corey Tocchini, cites double-digit 

sales growth for the first half of 2017, with an expectation 

of continued growth through the strong 

slate of films scheduled for Q4. Before the Movie 

is also focused on providing a local, customized 

experience for exhibitors. “We are launching our 

“personals” segment,” said Tocchini. “Moviegoers 

in local markets can wish their friends and family 

a happy birthday, anniversary, a get well soon, 

and so on. This will not only further tie the theater 

to its local community; it will generate even 

more income as well.” 

While record revenue at the box office has 

certainly helped the rise of cinema advertising, 

advertisers are also turning to the silver screen as 

viewer erosion continues to affect the size of the 

audience at home. “We’re seeing more and more 


TV dollars come our direction as advertisers 

continue to look for those impressions that are 

harder and harder to find in the TV marketplace. 

Especially amongst millennials and cord cutters, 

a hard-to-reach demographic,” said Screenvision’s 

Schaffer. And while the threat of a shorter theatrical 

window or the introduction of an at-home 

PVOD offer could cause further ripple effects 

on cinema advertising, Before the Movie’s Corey 

Tocchini believes the sector would nevertheless 

prove to be resilient and remain competitive. 

“There are things that will always hold true 

in the cinema landscape; consumers will always 

have the appetite to see a blockbuster opening 

weekend, be the first in their social group to see 

a film or be part of the conversation on social 

media,” agrees Spotlight’s Sakin. “For the indie 

film enthusiast, they will always want to be a part 

of their art house community—support it, socialize 

in it, and discuss thought-provoking movies 

with fellow enthusiasts right there at their local 

art house.” 

“I grew up in the theater business and remember 

my dad always worrying about home theater 

and how it would hurt our business. In the end, I 

have always believed that people want to get out 

of the house, and as long as Hollywood delivers 

good movies and theater owners deliver good 

experiences, the business will thrive,” he said. 

“Everyone has a kitchen, but people still go out 

to dinner. Theater owners have had to evolve and 

they have done that. Our ad sales are up and I 

believe that is because marketers understand the 

power of the big screen and a captive audience. I 

believe that cinema ad sales will continue to grow 

over the coming years, and it is our job to make 

sure our content is compelling.” n 

SPOTLIGHT CINEMA NET- 

WORKS AND THE ART HOUSE 

CONVERGENCE PRESENTED 

THE FIRST SPOTLIGHT LIFE- 

TIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD 

TO THE RENOWNED FILM 

DISTRIBUTOR AND PRODUCER 

IRA DEUTCHMAN. AS PART 

OF THE AWARD, SPOTLIGHT 

CINEMA NETWORKS MADE A 

CHARITABLE DONATION OF 

$2,500 TO FILM PRESERVATION 

ORGANIZATION INDIECOLLECT, 

THE RECIPIENT CHOSEN BY THE 

HONOREE. 


CINESHOW 2017 

A LOOK AT THIS YEAR’S REGIONAL CONVENTION FROM THE 

THEATRE OWNERS OF MID-AMERICA 

AN INTERVIEW WITH TODD HALSTEAD, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 


TODD HALSTEAD 

How is 2017 shaping 

up for exhibition in 

the region, and what 

are some of the bigger 

issues concerning 

theaters in the area? 

When you look 

at the six states that 

Theatre Owners of 

Mid-America represent 

on advocacy issues, we 

are very fortunate to 

operate in a pro-business 

region. That’s not 

to say we don’t have 

our challenges. This 

year we tracked hundreds 

of bills dealing 

with alcohol regulation, 

who can use what 

bathroom, minimum 

wage, tax policy, local 

regulations, and many 

other issues. 

That said, TOMA 

had a very successful 

legislative cycle working 

with lawmakers, 

stakeholders, and coalition partners on efforts to 

protect the industry from harmful policies and to 

pass bills benefiting movie theaters. These efforts 

ranged from supporting the enactment of a new 

law that prevents local governments in Missouri 

from setting their own, onerous minimum wage 

rates to a significant reduction in a decades-long 

tax on soft drink syrup in Arkansas. 

With the new ADA regulations around the corner, 

how is CineShow addressing the topic at this 

year’s convention? 

Movie theater owners will have heard us discuss 

the historic agreement struck between NATO and 

deaf and hard-of-hearing advocates. Last December, 

the DOJ published a final rule effective in 

June 2018 that largely accepted the agreement’s 

recommendations on closed captioning and audio 

description. To that end, we are fortunate to have 

NATO’s Esther Baruh leading a panel discussion 

on the ins and outs of the new rule as exhibitors 

consider how to implement staff training, marketing, 

and guest interaction requirements. 

While movie theaters have made significant 

strides in providing captioning and audio description 

access, we will discuss how the integrity of the 

ADA’s mission is threatened by a small handful of 

plaintiff’s attorneys targeting businesses with predatory 

litigation alleging ADA violations. Esther will 

discuss federal legislation that would give movie 

theaters and other businesses hit with drive-by 

lawsuits 120 days to fix any problems. 

Alcohol service continues to expand in cinemas 

across the country, and Texas is home to many 

of the leading players who have helped expand 

the concept. How has the growth of alcohol 

service impacted the exhibition community in 

the region? 

Alcohol service is one of the fastest growing 

trends in cinemas across the region, but it certainly 

is not a new concept. Movie theaters that got their 

start in Texas, such as Studio Movie Grill and Movie 

Tavern, turned the American pastime of dinner and 

a movie on its head, and alcohol service certainly 

was an important component to their successes. But 

what started out as a concept has become a standard 

reality throughout the country, from Main Street 

movie theaters to national circuits. 

This past legislative session, Oklahoma joined 

the other states in the region in allowing alcohol 

service after exhibitors of all sizes banded together 

to pass a bill to allow the sale of beer, wine, and 

liquor in the state’s cinemas. While alcohol service 

accounts for a small percentage of theater revenues, 

it drives increased attendance and overall concessions 

sales. As such, being able to serve alcohol will 

help Oklahoma’s movie theaters invest in upgraded 

cinema experiences and bring new economic development 

to local communities. 


During CinéShow, Greg Johnson, director of 

sales and marketing for Flix Brewhouse, will give 

a presentation that will help TOMA members 

navigate the waters of running bar promotions and 

leveraging social media while balancing a family-friendly 

environment. 

What are some of the other emerging trends 

you’ve noticed across the region? 

If you look at the number of seating manufacturers 

exhibiting at our trade show, there is no 

doubt that luxury seating continues to be the hot 

ticket for creating a great moviegoing experience 

and improving theater attendance. 

Beyond that, exhibitors operating around the 

region are proven innovators and industry trendsetters. 

I’d say the newest emerging trend that is 

quite exciting for our industry is the family entertainment 

center concept. A number of Texas-based 

exhibitors are spearheading this new market, which 

adds entertainment components such as bowling, 

laser tag, expanded arcades and other amusements. 

I was talking with a cab driver in Dallas the other 

day and he talked about how he’ll drive more than 

25 miles out of his way to go to the Showbiz in 

Waxahachie for the FEC experience. 

Are there other programming highlights from the 

event that you can share? 

I’m excited to return to Studio Movie Grill 

where John Fithian will kick off CinéShow 2017 

with a keynote address. Brian Schultz and his 

fantastic team at SMG have been great partners 

and host an amazing opening-night event. For 

the first time, Bill Campbell, CBG managing 

director, will join CinéShow to highlight new 

partnerships and discuss leveraging the buying 

power of exhibitors to create new opportunities. 

As far as educational programming is concerned, 

I’m looking forward to SurveyMe’s presentation, 

which will use data to show how exhibitors 

can use the latest mobile feedback technology 

to increase concession sales. And NATO’s Phil 

Contrino is going to lead a discussion with 

high-ranking millennials from companies of 

different sizes to discuss not only the moviegoing 

habits of that generation, but what issues are 

important to millennial employees. n 

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SHOWSOUTH 

Your career in exhibition had very humble 

beginnings. 

I became a movie buff at age eight. I saw a Laurel 

and Hardy movie and just absolutely thought it 

was the greatest thing 

I’d ever seen in my life. 

STATESMAN OF 

THE YEAR 

PHIL ZACHERETTI, FOUNDER, 

PRESIDENT, CEO, PHOENIX THEATRES 

ENTERTAINMENT 


A 

cinephile since childhood and an 

exhibition professional since the age 

of 15, Phil Zacheretti has spent the last five 

decades working to bring moviegoers the 

best experience possible. From a small-town 

single-screen to tenures as an executive in 

some of the nation’s biggest theater chains, 

and to his current role as the founder and 

leader of his own circuit, Zacheretti’s career 

is a testament to the passion and resiliency 

that drive the exhibition industry. Boxoffice 

spoke with Zacheretti ahead of ShowSouth, 

where the executive will be named Statesman 

of the Year. 

PHIL ZACHERETTI 

I had posters on my 

wall, pictures of the 

old silent comedians 

from back in the day. 

And this was in the 

early ’70s! I just loved 

the business. 

I was doing a 

school function at 

the high school; my 

mom actually tracked 

me down and said, 

“I just read in the 

paper they’re hiring 

ushers for the local 

single-screen theater.” 

I couldn’t drive, so I 

talked one of my best 

friends into giving me 

a ride over. We both 

applied. Luckily, they 

hired me. Otherwise, 

what would my life 

have been? The theater 

was called the Cine 

Central—happiest day 

of my life when they 

hired me. I was 15 

years old, making the 

huge payday of $1.15 

an hour. 

I’ve been friends 

with that theater manager, John Hopkins, ever 

since, going on more than 40 years. About 10 years 

ago, he called me and said, “I’ve got something for 

you.” He pulled out my original application that 

I had given at the time. The first thing I said was, 

“Why are you keeping paperwork from 30 years 

ago?” He said it was in a box behind the screen and 

they were cleaning it out. On that application from 

1975, when I was 15, he wrote, “He has long hair, 

but OK.” I had a huge Afro at the time. 

Had he written “Not OK,” then I could be 

selling insurance or something for a living. I have 

that framed in my office. 

Did you take any lasting lessons about the 

industry from that first experience as an usher? 

The first movie I ever worked was Benji. I was 

hired and I worked that Saturday night at eight. 

After the movie was over on that single screen, I 

thought I was seeing the biggest mess I’d ever seen 

in my life—but one of the theater’s three principles 

was cleanliness. We couldn’t leave that theater 

dirty. My boss taught us that at every performance 

it should be as clean as when we opened the door 

in the morning. 

I’ve kept that philosophy. We still clean between 

every show. If I’m at the theater, I’ll walk through 

and inspect—I actually still help sometimes. The 

ushers are there working, but if there’s another 

show time, I’ll go pick up trash, sweep the floor, 

whatever to help them out. Expect a clean experience. 

That was probably the first lesson I learned. 

In the ’80s and ’90s we saw a shift in the industry 

from a local, family-owned model toward a 

national or regional corporate structure. You’ve 

witnessed that transition first-hand, from 

working at a small-town single-screen to some 

of the biggest circuits in the country. Was that 

change palpable during that time? 

Absolutely. The ’70s were pretty cool, all the 

way around. From a film perspective, from the late 

’60s through the ’70s, you had a lot of great films. 

The second movie I was ever paid to watch was at 

a single screen, and we had a little stool in the back 

of the theater. I sat there and watched the movie, 

made sure nobody lit up a cigarette, nobody put 

their feet up on the chair, nobody was too loud. 

That second movie was One Flew over the Cuckoo’s 

Nest, one of my all-time favorite films. My wife— 

who I hired when I became an assistant manager 

years later—our first date was seeing One Flew over 

the Cuckoo’s Nest. 

From there I went to work with AMC. I 

remember something that affected me in that 

corporate culture, which I still carry to this day. 

Computers were very new—all you could really 

do was type something out and then they would 

fax it. We used to get so many faxes of how to do 

things—one minute you get one, the next minute 

somebody else will send you something different. I 

thought, “If I ever run a company, I’m not going to 

make my people crazy with paperwork and memos. 

Let them run the theater!” We still hold that true 

today, as best we can. (continued on page 54) 


SHOWSOUTH 

After working at 

national circuits, your 

next step was going out 

on your own, founding 

Phoenix Theatres in 

2000. What was that 

experience like? 

As a young kid my 

goal was always to have 

my own theater. If I had 

a single-screen theater 

somewhere, I would 

have thought my life 

was done; I’d met my 

ultimate goal. It took me 

25 years in the industry 

to get there. I tell people 

it doesn’t happen overnight, 

unless you come 

from a culture where 

your grandfather started 

the business as a nickelodeon. I learned a lot from 

AMC. I worked for CineMark for seven years. I 

worked for Regal for three and a half years. It was 

just a goal of mine. 

It was one of those things where a young bird 

was pushed out of the nest. I was age 40 when I 

was let go from Regal for no particular reason. I 

decided, “It’s time. I’m 40 years old. I want to start 

my own company.” Many 14-hour days later, we 

are now going into our 17th year. We use a lot 

of the philosophies that the big guys had, but we 

wanted to keep that focus where we can operate 

like an independent. We can make quick decisions. 

We can take more risks than the corporate people 

do, as long as they’re calculated risks. We’ve done 

OK over the years. 

Did it ever feel like going out on your own was a 

bigger risk than you had anticipated? 

We named our company Phoenix, based on 

the mythical bird rising from the ashes, because 

we started the company right as many chains were 

starting to go through bankruptcy. They were just 

going to get rid of some of their lesser theaters. 

Within 60 days, we were selling our first ticket. 

My wife and I drove to Herndon, Virginia, for 

about two months and literally worked seven days 

a week, from open to close, to get that theater rolling. 

We never really had time to think too much 

about what the future would hold. We opened 

doors and two months later we were running a theater. 

All we did was make sure employees showed 

up and the popcorn was being delivered. 

There were a lot of changes. Digital was one. 

We had a couple of theaters that were marginal, 

where we didn’t want to make the investment, that 

we sold to Carmike. We tried to make a calculated 

risk. We didn’t just back ourselves into a corner 

and stay where we were. We survived, but there 

were a couple of failures. I believe it might have 

been ’05 or ’04 that was just a terrible year. But we 

weathered the storm. One year is a bad year, but 

the next year is going to be good. We’re still family 

owned. We have to go at our own pace. We’ve seen 

a lot of people who started about the same time we 

did and only lasted a couple of years. They were 

too anxious to grow fast. We want to grow and 

continue to grow, but at a comfortable pace. 

We just opened our first luxury theater two 

months ago. Completely remodeled it—there’s a 

new kitchen, a bar in the lobby. We saw what was 

coming a couple of years ago and waited for the 

right position. That’s our future; we’ve got to go 

with the recliner seats and alcohol. Keeping our 

core values of good customer service and cleanliness, 

that’s not going anywhere, but now we’re 

going to that next level. We’ve never been a leader 

in the industry, the first one to do this or that, but 

we sure can’t stay too far behind. 

What goes into a new site assessment today, 

the decision to either renovate or open a new 

location? Are there any new or unique factors 

that maybe didn’t exist 5 or 10 years ago? 

What’s changed most is VOD. Both when I 

started out in the ’70s, and when I started Phoenix 

in 2000, you couldn’t stream anything live or 

watch anything on demand. Now you can watch 

a movie on your phone! When you’re making an 

investment of a 10-year lease or a bank loan, you’ve 

got to be pretty sure you’re going to be there for a 

long time to come. 

Consolidation has changed the industry, too. 

We still look at competition very strongly. We’re not 

afraid of competition. In Scranton, Pennsylvania, 

there’s a 20-screen Cinemark four miles away and a 

14-screen Regal about 10 miles away—but we know 

we’re offering a different product than they are. There 

are fewer of us mom-and-pops. Today it can feel like 

the supermarket business, with the top three or four 

circuits in the country. (continued on page 56) 


SHOWSOUTH 

You touched briefly on staying ahead 

of the curve. One of the projects that 

you pioneered is finding and fostering 

diverse and international audiences 

through programming. What was that 

experience like in hindsight? 

To us, it was business. We were going 

to do something a bit different and make 

some money on it. If you talk about 

2008, I had 33 years of experience. But 

you want to talk about looking down 

the path and make a complete 90-degree 

turn? That’s what happened when we 

partnered with Reliance. If someone had 

told me the year before, “You’re going to 

be working with Mumbai, India, with 

one of the Ambani brothers, you’re going 

to take over 12 theaters in 13 weeks, and 

you’re going to be a leader in the Indian 

film market,” I would have said, “Who 

are you talking to? Why 

would you even say 

something like that?” 

Years before, that 

was my goal, to do 

something international. 

Because we work 

hard and have got some 

recognition out there, it 

just kind of came to us 

and we embraced it. I 

will say, in my 42 years 

in the industry, it was 

the single hardest deal 

I’ve ever done in my life. 

It changed a couple hundred 

times in the months 

that we were working on 

it, but we held in there. 

My wife, who’s been 

my business partner and 

38 years married come 

this December, she still 

owns a piece of the company—it 

was tough for 

her. She was working 10 

or 12 hour days, and because 

of the time change, 

she would work until two 

or three in the morning 

with them. Then get up 

the next day and start all over again. It was 

very exciting but it was a lot of hard work, 

because you’re just not familiar with the 

culture and the language. 

It really legitimized Indian moviegoing 

in America, because we were one of 

the very first to report true and accurate 

box office numbers. There were some 

other circuits that showed, in very small 

numbers, a couple of films in certain 

markets. There were a couple of majors 

that would show an Indian movie in 

New Jersey or Seattle, some of the high 

Indian markets, but not on a widespread 

basis. It was a great experience. It was 

hard, very hard, but we learned a lot. It 

took us out of our comfort zone. Our 

staff did a great job of learning and 

working hard to make it work. I’m glad 

it’s part of our history. 

These legacies aren’t built alone. Is there 

anyone you’d like to highlight as you 

accept this honor? 

I mentioned John Hopkins, the gentleman 

who first hired me. I learned a lot 

from him. We’re still friends; we still talk 

regularly. Mike Campbell, who founded 

Regal, actually hired me twice. I worked for 

Mike when he first bought a small circuit 

that I was working at. Then he brought me 

to the corporate office. I left for Cinemark, 

but when he built his company up to about 

800 screens, he hired me back. In three 

years, we took it to 3,000 screens. I learned 

a lot from Mike Campbell. 

I want to draw out my family, starting 

with my wife, first and foremost. When a 

theater manager gets the call to move to another 

city for a $25 a week raise, you load 

up the U-Haul and bring the kids to that 

city. She knew my goal 

in life and she supported 

it. She didn’t say, “You’re 

not making enough 

money. You’re working 

every weekend and every 

holiday, while I’m by 

myself.” Every spouse of 

every theater manager 

in the country knows 

exactly what I’m talking 

about. To stick with it for 

so many years until we 

were finally able to do it 

ourselves, I couldn’t have 

done it without her. 

All the employees 

at my company, the 

corporate staff. Sometimes 

they don’t have the 

security of the big guy 

or all the benefits, but 

I’ve got a lot of managers 

who have been with me 

now for over 10 years. 

They run the business 

for us; we just guide 

them and help them do 

it. The corporate staff 

does whatever we need to 

make things happen. n 


CONVENTION RECAP 

LAURA HOULGATTE ABBOTT, CEO, UNIC; DIANA STRATAN, EVENTS AND MARKETING OFFICER, 

UNIC; LAURIANE BERTRAND, POLICY OFFICER, CREATIVE EUROPE; JULIEN MARCEL, CEO, 

WEBEDIA MOVIES PRO; GUILLAUME BRANDERS, INDUSTRY RELATIONS AND RESEARCH 

MANAGER, UNIC 

FROM EUROPE 

TO THE WORLD 

GLOBAL COLLABORATION, MORE 

OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN TAKE 

CENTER STAGE AT CINEEUROPE 2017 


PICTURED: BENNY SAFDIE AND ROBERT PATTINSON / PHOTO COURTESY OF A24 

>> The biggest 

story coming out of 

CineEurope 2017 had 

a significantly wider 

scope than anyone anticipated. 

The annual 

exhibition convention 

hosted by UNIC, the 

international trade 

association representing 

exhibition in 36 

European countries, is no stranger to welcoming 

its share of high-profile industry names. This year, 

however, attendees were understandably surprised 

to find high-ranking executives from some of the 

United States’ largest exhibition circuits. That 

week’s official announcement by NATO and 

UNIC of the creation of a new Global Cinema 

Federation confirmed attendees’ feeling that big 

news was afoot. The new global trade body brings 

together 11 founding members—including AMC, 

Cinemark, Cineplex, Cinépolis, Cineworld, CJ- 

CGV, Event Cinemas, Les Cinemas Gaumont 

Pathé, Regal Entertainment Group, Vue International, 

and Wanda Cinemas—to address industry 

concerns across a combined 90 territories around 

the world. Membership of the group isn’t limited 

to the companies listed above; any exhibition 

circuit above 250 screens is welcome to join, as are 

interested operators below that screen count. 

Exhibition’s continued growth as a global 

business creates natural synergies for leading 

national and multinational chains, as evidenced 

by the increased visibility of industry summits 

such as CineAsia, ExpoCine, and the annual 

International Day programming at CinemaCon. 

The week’s panels and seminars at CineEurope are 

yet another reflection of exhibition’s global shift, 

with topics ranging from how to appeal to youth 

audiences, investment in cinema technology, the 

allure of VR, and renewed piracy concerns in 

today’s digital world. 


Of all the issues discussed, however, increasing 

the presence of women in executive roles in European 

exhibition emerged as perhaps the week’s 

most pressing. A panel on the topic opened the 

convention, moderated by Clare Turner, client 

services director at Pearl and Dean in the UK, 

and featuring panelists Eddy Duquenne, CEO 

of Kinepolis; Jill Jones, EVP of international 

marketing and distribution at Mister Smith Entertainment; 

Anna Marsh, EVP of international 

distribution at Studiocanal; and Dertje Meijer, 

CEO of Pathé Netherlands. 

The conversation reverberated throughout 

CineEurope’s opening keynote address, delivered 

by UNIC president, Phil Clapp. “The profile of 

those making decisions on [exhibition’s] future 

differs in a number of ways from that of our audiences. 

Nowhere is that more apparent than when it 

comes to gender. A snapshot of audiences across a 

number of UNIC territories shows an at least equal 

split of male and female cinema-goers, but more 

commonly a slight majority of females. Yet spend 

any time at this convention—or at most industry 

events—and you will see that senior executives in 

our sector are overwhelmingly male. 

“The reasons for this are many and often 

historic, but we can have no excuses,” Clapp 

continued. “If we are to be as efficient, as diverse, 

and as innovative as our audiences demand, then 

we need to pull on the widest possible range of 

talent. Basic arguments of fairness of course apply, 

but those present at this morning’s excellent seminar 

on these issues will know that the business 

case for change is overwhelming.” 

UNIC is following up on that argument with 

the launch of the Women’s Cinema Leadership 

Scheme, a one-year pilot program that pairs six 

rising women with a group of senior female executives 

to benefit from networking and mentorship. 

Among those mentors include names like Edna 

Epelbaum (president, Swiss Cinema Association), 

Montse Gil (VP and GM, Paramount Pictures 

THE 26TH EDITION OF 

CINEEUROPE WILL BE HELD 

FROM JUNE 11 TO JUNE 14, 

2018 IN BARCELONA, SPAIN 


CONVENTION RECAP 

TOP 5 UNIC TERRITORIES 2016 

ADMISSIONS 

FRANCE 

213 million / +3.8% 

RUSSIA 

195 million / +11.6% 

UNITED KINGDOM 

168 million / -2.1% 

GERMANY 

121 Million / -13% 

ITALY 

105 Million / +6.1% 

SOURCE: UNIC ANNUAL REPORT 2017 

Spain), Veronica Lindholm (managing director, 

Finnkino), Corinne Thibaut (international director 

of cinema and leisure, Coca-Cola), Dee Vassili (executive 

director, group HR, VUE Entertainment), 

and Michelle Walsh (COO, VOX Cinemas). 

The mentoring program coincides with the 

start of Laura Houlgatte Abbott’s tenure as the 

new CEO of UNIC, a role she is scheduled to 

begin in August. “I’m thrilled that UNIC’s board 

has given me this wonderful opportunity to promote 

the cultural, social, and economic strengths 

of the thriving cinema 

sector,” said Abbott in 

a statement ahead of 

CineEurope. “Together 

with our talented 

team in Brussels, I 

look forward to working 

closely with our 

members, industry 

partners, and policy 

makers to ensure that 

the views of cinema 

operators are heard 

and understood at EU 

and national level.” 

Abbott enters the 

role as Europe comes 

off an €8.4 billion 

year in 2016, down 

4.5 percent from the 

previous year but 

representing nearly a quarter (24%) of the worldwide 

box office. Admissions on the continent 

trended upward to 1.28 billion in 2016, however, 

a 2.8 year-over-year increase. Key markets 

with important gains include France (+4.2% 

box office, +3.8% admissions), Italy (+3.9% box 

office, +6.1% admissions), Russia (+7.4% box 

office, +11.6% admissions), and Spain (+5.9% 

box office, +7.2% admissions). Balancing those 

results were a down year in Germany, which saw a 

double-digit decline (-12.4% box office, -13% admissions), 

and mixed fortunes in the UK (+0.5% 

box office, -2.1% admissions). 

The top individual territories in Europe 

distinguish themselves by the prominence their 

respective national cinemas hold at the box office. 

A bad year for domestic titles can have an adverse 

effect on the market as a whole, as demonstrated 

by Germany in 2016. A rebound from local titles, 

however, can make all the difference; Italy, for example, 

saw its growth driven by two national titles 

that topped the year’s box office. 

Forecasting the hits and misses in any 

European market proves difficult for this very 

reason. But that isn’t to say efforts haven’t begun 

to better determine how audience profiles can 

influence a market’s future performance. Julien 

Marcel, CEO of Boxoffice and Webedia Entertainment, 

moderated a panel on the subject 

on the final day of the convention, “Meeting 

the Audience Demand of Tomorrow.” Among 

the remarks shared during the conversation, 

UniFrance Deputy Director Frederic Bereyziat 

singled out several additional factors that he believes 

have contributed to France’s recent success 

at the box office. “Content is the key element,” 

he said, while also highlighting the role that 

investment in theaters themselves has played in 

the market’s success. 

Bereyziat nevertheless noted that those two 

elements alone aren’t enough to ensure continued 

growth. “We’ve had a long-term, consistent investment 

on diversified programming,” he said. “It’s 

almost a pillar of both public and private policy for 

cinema in France. It really matters because it helps 

bring additional people into our movie houses. Of 

course, people will go see the big blockbusters— 

but you also need to account for different tastes 

among that audience. 

“I would add yet another element: an investment 

in tomorrow’s viewers. We have a strong film 

interest policy in France that starts at school-age 

and continues through university. That helps build 

a base for future consuming habits and patterns,” 

Bereyziat noted. “It helps build a taste not only for 

blockbusters, but for that diverse programming I 

mentioned. They go hand in hand.” Bereyziat added 

a final factor, pricing policy, as another determining 

factor in making cinema-going accessible 

to all audiences. 

Admissions will always have a direct relationship 

with the content pipeline coming from the 

studios. But Bereyziat’s words carry a strong echo 

as exhibition—not only in Europe, but around the 

world—continues to address the potential impact 

of a shift to traditional theatrical distribution models. 

Regardless of what’s on the screen, CineEurope 

once again made it clear that exhibition, working 

together across global borders, has a central role in 

determining its own future. n 


FRANCE 

Zootopia 

TOP 5 TITLES IN KEY UNIC MARKETS: 2016 

Les Tuche 2: 

Le Reve Américain 

Moana The Revenant Deadpool 

RUSSIA Zootopia The Secret Life of Pets Deadpool Suicide Squad Ekipazh 

UK 

ZOOTOPIA 

Rogue One: 

A Star Wars Story 

Fantastic Beasts and 

Where to Find Them 

ROGUE ONE 

GERMANY Zootopia The Secret Life of Pets Finding Dory 

ITALY Quo Vado? Perfetti Sconosciuti Finding Dory 

SOURCE: UNIC ANNUAL REPORT 2017 

QUO VADO? 

Bridget Jones’s Baby The Jungle Book Finding Dory 

Star Wars: Episode VII 

The Force Awakens 

Fantastic Beasts and 

Where to Find Them 

Rogue One: A Star Wars 

Story 

The Revenant 


COVER STORY 

DIRECTORS JOSH AND BENNY SAFDIE SHOW AUDIENCES A GOOD TIME 


>> Brothers Josh and Benny Safdie made a big impression with 

their 2010 feature film debut, Daddy Longlegs, a look at the 

misadventures of an absent-minded divorced father in New York 

City. The film was typical of the deeply personal style they have 

hewed to since: an immersive, character-driven story shaped 

by a close attention to detail that immerses the viewer in an 

authentic, real-life New York far removed from the path of a tour 

bus. Their next two films were equally personal: the 2013 sports 

documentary Lenny Cooke, about a basketball-star-to-be who 

was never able to live up to his potential, and Heaven Knows 

What—based on the unpublished memoir of star Arielle Holmes, 

documenting her life as a homeless heroin addict. These previous 

films set the stage for their latest feature, Good Time, which 

will be released this August by A24 following raves at this year’s 

Cannes Film Festival. 

Good Time stars Robert Pattinson as Constantine “Connie” Nikas, 

a Queens native who stages an ill-fated bank robbery with his 

mentally disabled younger brother, Nick (played by Ben Safdie). 

Their getaway is botched, however, leaving Nick alone and 

without any protection behind bars. On the run and unable to 

come up with the bail money to free his brother, Connie hatches 

an unlikely plot to break his brother from prison. Complications 

arise, and few things go Connie’s way in his desperate attempt 

to reunite with Nick. Boxoffice spoke with the siblings ahead of 

the film’s release. 

PICTURED: BENNY SAFDIE AND ROBERT PATTINSON / PHOTO COURTESY OF A24 


DIRECTORS JOSH AND BENNY SAFDIE 

ON THE SET OF GOOD TIME / PHOTO COURTESY OF A24 

Research plays a central role in how you 

set up your films. It shows a commitment 

to verisimilitude, to making sure every 

detail feels authentic. What role did that 

kind of research play in Good Time? 

Benny Safdie: When you look at 

Heaven Knows What or Lenny Cooke, 

those were both based on reality. The 

importance of that research is reflected in 

real people, so that taught us a lot about 

narrative: you have to be true to certain 

things in order to understand what’s going 

on. Narrative films can be a bit weird 

because you can describe what happens in 

one sentence without necessarily having 

to describe the characters. 

Josh Safdie: The project wouldn’t have 

happened if Robert [Pattinson] hadn’t 

reached out to us and told us he wanted 

to do something together. He wasn’t quite 

right for the project we’re currently working 

on with Jonah Hill (Uncut Gems). 

I was reading a couple of books at the 

time, The Executioner’s Song about Gary 

Gilmore and In the Belly of the Beast by 

Jack Abbott, and that’s the same period 

when the David Sweat and Richard Matt 

prison break happened. Around that time 

I had a good friend in prison and I asked 

him to keep a journal—a day-to-day 

blotter on what was happening inside. I 

asked him to do that as a friend. A big 

part about doing time in prison is just 

passing the time. Having a purpose makes 

time go by much quicker, so he started 

sending me these journals and I got very 

interested in prison culture in America. 

I’ve always been into the TV show 

Cops, and I found a way to watch every 

single episode. I would look for specific 

characters whose story could be told. Our 

movies are a little like “termite art”—people 

watch them and are entertained, but 

the meaning creeps up on them later. I 

approach work the same way; when I 

get interested in something, I go very far 

down that path. 

Benny: If the logic of the characters or 

the logic of the narrative feels bogus, you 

need to find a way around it—and that’s 

where all the research comes in. With the 

character of Connie [Robert Pattinson] 

in Good Time, you have to understand 

what it’s like to be in jail, understand the 


COVER STORY 

MOVIE MEMORY 

JOSH SAFDIE 

“A very specific 

memory I have 

is from when 

I was 10 years 

old and our dad 

took us to see 

Pulp Fiction. The 

lights came up 

and all these theatergoers 

were 

so offended that 

this man took his 

young children 

to go see this 

movie that they 

started throwing 

popcorn at him. 

How dare you 

bring children to 

this movie?” 

TALIAH WEBSTER IN GOOD TIME / PHOTO COURTESY OF A24 

current state of America. The character 

of Nick is one we developed a long time 

ago—right after Daddy Longlegs. Due to 

the nature of the project, it became clear 

it would have been too difficult to cast 

someone with a disability to play the role, 

and that’s when I stepped into the part. 

Josh: I ended up getting involved in 

this milieu in a way I wasn’t expecting. 

Through one of my friends, I ended up 

meeting the commissioner of jails in 

New York City and we became friends; I 

started going on tours of jails with wardens 

and running into people I knew inside, 

pretending I didn’t know them so as to not 

put them into an uncomfortable situation. 

The commissioner of jails is actually in the 

movie; we cast him after he stepped down 

from the job. The correctional officers and 

inmates in the film are people that I know 

who were recently incarcerated. One of the 

police officers is the lead sketch artist of 

the NYPD. The warden of the Manhattan 

Detention Center is the voice of Elmhurst 

Hospital in the movie. We originally cast 

Eric Roberts as the bail bondsman at the 

beginning of the movie. We shot it, and 

when we went into editing we realized 

that the movie was operating on such a 

realistic vibe that we went back and reshot 

it with the actual bail bondsman from that 

location. 

You mentioned having to go back and 

recast Eric Roberts in a supporting role. 

Did you ever feel the authenticity you 

strive for was at risk in casting a major 

star like Robert Pattinson in the lead? 

Benny: Rob gave us a lot of time to prepare 

his character. We would go to garages 

in Yonkers and hang out in character. He 

gave us the freedom to build his character’s 

backstory; Josh wrote a biography for him 

tracking that character from the beginning 

of his life to the first minute of the film. 

When you work with somebody that 

comes from that world, they can pull from 

those experiences at any moment—but 

Rob didn’t have that, so we had to create it. 

Directing-wise, nothing really changed for 

us, but we were very aware that he’s very 

famous and we didn’t want anybody to 

interrupt us filming, so we tried to stay one 

step ahead of that chatter. 

The movie gets off to a fast start. It 

reminded me a bit of Mad Max: Fury 

Road, working efficiently to give the 

audience the necessary exposition, 

setting up the principal characters, 

and then launching into a story where 

you never really know what’s going to 

happen next. 

Josh: I always try to remember that 

the origins of filmmaking started at a 

campfire. It’s very, very important that 

you can arrest people’s attention almost 

immediately. The very opening of the 

movie takes place in a psychiatrist’s office, 

which we use to establish this Frederick 

Wiseman, super-realistic feel for the movie. 

That scene, like much of the movie 

itself, is about breaking free. We have this 

obsessive desire to catapult people into 

a new world, to the point where—like 

Connie in the movie—you can’t see the 

exit anymore. 

Benny: We knew we had to crank 

the movie up and let it go. When we got 

to the editing process it was all about 

the pacing. You have the slow burn [at 

the psychiatrist’s office], and then we 


MOVIE MEMORY 

BENNY SAFDIE 

ROBERT PATTINSON IN GOOD TIME / PHOTO COURTESY OF A24 

“I’ll go to the 

opposite end of 

the spectrum. 

I was seeing 

Milestones for the 

first time at the 

Directors’ Fortnight—the 

first 

big festival I went 

to. I remember 

thinking after the 

movie was over, 

Oh my God, you 

can make people 

have emotions 

that they’ve never 

had. That was 

really powerful 

and beautiful for 

me.” 


COVER STORY 

BUDDY DURESS IN GOOD TIME / PHOTO COURTESY OF A24 

speed up until we get to the bank robbery, 

which feels like the slowest bank 

robbery ever. But that’s actually how 

you rob banks if you’re trying to get 

away with it—using gestures, so nobody 

else knows it’s happening. We wanted 

to turn it up and watch it unfold. That 

pace helped us establish the characters; 

you could tell there was something with 

the characters once the pace started 

dwindling. Those first 20 minutes set up 

the entire narrative, setting the story up 

to the point where the audience can step 

back, breathe, and move to wherever 

the story takes them. There can’t be 

any questions left open regarding the 

narrative in those 20 minutes. You can 

learn more about the character as the 

film unfolds, but the narrative has to be 

set in stone. 

Josh: There’s a moment in the chase 

following the bank robbery where we cut 

to a spectator, and that was really important 

for me. I wanted the audience to see 

themselves in this frazzled spectator, even 

if it’s for half a second. The movie opens 

with a guy like Connie who jolts people 

into a story, into an experience. That’s 

what we wanted the movie to feel like. 

The film consistently moves forward in 

the first half, maintaining a pace that 

keeps the viewer guessing. But then, 

around the halfway mark, you insert 

this monologue-driven flashback that 

breaks with that rhythm. Formally, 

it reminded me of the way Jean-Luc 

Godard plays with the pacing in 

Breathless, and it’s a big risk. 

Josh: That was one of the moments 

where we knew that we were taking a 

risk. I believe in showing and not telling. 

Buddy [Duress] is an incredible actor and 

he did that whole monologue in one take. 

We shot it and at one point even contemplated 

showing everything that we shot. 

It’s so important to understand who this 

guy is and where he comes from, and how 

the cyclical nature of his life might reflect 

on Connie as well. To show a guy get out 

of the way and almost immediately find 

himself back in jail is such an American 

story. That flashback is actually a very early 

version of this movie; the original intent 

was to open with the flashback and have 

the story evolve from there. It’s a story that 

is pulled from real life, based on things 

that actually happened. There are things 

about that monologue that the audience 

needs to see; you can’t just talk about a 

Sprite bottle laced with acid, about the 

amusement park—you need to see it. On 

a formal level, it’s the moment where the 

movie shifts to a comedy of errors. 

Benny: It was always a question about 

pulling it off. What’s the most that we 

can learn about this guy in the minimum 

amount of time? We need the audience 

to know who he is, where he came from, 

and how he ended up in the story. That 

flashback is necessary for those narrative 

reasons but it’s also a jolt of adrenaline in 

the middle of the story. It’s telling the audience 

who the character is in a style they 

haven’t seen up to this point in the movie. 

We were always balancing things 

very carefully; if it was an ounce over on 

either side, the edit wouldn’t work. While 

editing it, it felt like we were the ones 

robbing the bank. We had to be razor 

sharp with everything. We were trying to 


put across a lot of information through voice-over and imagery, 

getting our point across in half a second. It definitely was a risk, 

and we were conscious of it when incorporating it into the film 

so it wouldn’t wear off its welcome. When the sequence ends, 

I found myself wanting to see more of it. And that’s what we 

wanted to accomplish. 

There’s an edge to your movies—a gritty feel that has brought 

inevitable comparisons to New York City filmmakers from 

the ’60s and ’70s. And while yes, New York City provides the 

texture for your work, I’m not sure it’s fair to categorize you 

guys as “New York City” filmmakers. These stories have a 

strong urban connection; I can see versions of Heaven Knows 

What and Good Time taking place in Miami or Mexico City, for 

example. 

Benny: It’s not like we’re showing the Empire State Building 

in all our movies. We’re going to the banks and stores that people 

go to in each of the neighborhoods we show. There are some 

cities that are alive and others that are dead; cities that are alive 

aren’t ones you can explore with a postcard. We like to explore 

what it means to live in a city. We made films in Boston in college, 

but I don’t look at them as “Boston films.” 

Josh: I’ve never lived outside of New York, and every time I 

leave the city, I start to feel very foreign. That being said, there 

are stories that we want to tell on our horizon that aren’t urban. 

Our production company is releasing a nonfiction series about 

the future of cities, and I think we’ll see a growth in people 

flocking back to cities. Being in a city, you’re forced to remind 

yourself that we’re all human and we’re all stuck in this thing 

together. Our movies are hyper-American, and I think that’s how 

this movie plays in foreign countries—as a snapshot of America 

in 2017, of the current state of entropy and isolation. 

Good Time stands out from everything else being released 

in theaters this season. How do you think the theatrical 

experience will impact the film’s reception among audiences? 

Josh: I have a hard time seeing things at home, and I prefer going 

out to the theater as much as possible because it’s one of two places 

on the planet where you don’t have to answer your phone. The only 

other place is the bathroom. We’re so inundated by stimuli today, 

and I love the experience of sitting in a dark room with strangers to 

collectively experience something. I can see that movie theaters are 

following a more bespoke aesthetic lately, and I really love that. Our 

office is in Times Square and I love going down to the AMC there. 

When I went to Japan, there are movie theaters that are open 24 

hours. They can do an entire retrospective in one night. I love that. 

I’ll always love the multiplex because I believe that film is the most 

important low art there has ever been. I’m proud to say that it’s a 

low art. Good Time is meant to be an entertaining movie, that’s what 

people are coming to the theaters for. It’s a movie that has a message, 

that has something to say—but it’s entertaining first and foremost. n 


COMING SOON IN 3D 

THE NUT JOB 2: NUTTY BY NATURE 

AUG 11 · OPEN ROAD 

VOICE CAST Will Arnett, Maya Rudolph 

DIR Cal Brunker 

GENRE Ani/Adv/Com 

THE LEGO NINJAGO MOVIE 

SEPTEMBER 22 · WARNER BROS. 

VOICE CAST Dave Franco, Jackie Chan 

DIR Charlie Bean 

GENRE Ani/Act/Adv 

BLADE RUNNER 2049 

OCTOBER 6 · WARNER BROS. 

CAST Harrison Ford, Ryan Gosling 

DIR Denis Villeneuve 

GENRE SciFi/Thr 

GEOSTORM 

OCTOBER 20 · WARNER BROS. 

CAST Gerard Butler, Jim Sturgess 

DIR Dean Devlin 

GENRE Act/SciFi/Thr 

THOR: RAGNAROK 

NOVEMBER 3 · DISNEY 

CAST Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston 

DIR Taika Waititi 

GENRE Act/Adv/Fan 

JUSTICE LEAGUE 

NOVEMBER 17 · WARNER BROS. 

CAST Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot 

DIR Zach Snyder 

GENRE Act/Adv/Fant 

COCO 

NOVEMBER 22 · DISNEY 

VOICE CAST Alanna Ubach, Gael García Bernal 

DIR Adrian Molina, Lee Unkrich 

GENRE Ani/Adv/Com 

STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI 

DECEMBER 15 · DISNEY 

CAST Mark Hamill, Daisy Ridley 

DIR Rian Johnson 

GENRE Act/Adv/Fan 

FERDINAND 

DECEMBER 15 · FOX 

VOICE CAST John Cena, Kate McKinnon 

DIR Carlos Saldanha 

GENRE Ani/Adv/Com

ALSO UPCOMING IN 3D 

JUMANJI: WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE 

December 20 – Columbia 

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 3 

May 18, 2018 – Fox 

BLACK PANTHER 

February 16, 2018 – Disney 

UNTITLED HAN SOLO FILM 

May 25, 2018 – Disney 

LARRIKINS 

February 16, 2018 – Universal 

RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET: 

WRECK-IT RALPH 2 

March 9, 2018 – Disney 

A WRINKLE IN TIME 

March 9, 2018 – Disney 

TOMB RAIDER 

March 16, 2018 – Warner Bros. 

RAMPAGE 

April 20, 2018 – Warner Bros. 

AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR 

May 4, 2018 – Disney 

TRANSFORMERS 6 

June 8, 2018 – Paramount 

THE INCREDIBLES 2 

June 15, 2018 – Disney 

ANT-MAN AND THE WASP 

July 6, 2018 – Disney 

HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 3 

June 13, 2018 – Sony/Columbia 

JUNGLE BOOK 

October 19, 2018 – Warner Bros. 

THE NUTCRACKER AND THE 

FOUR REALMS 

November 2, 2018 – Disney 

REALD.COM

COMING SOON 

SYNOPSES COURTESY QUICKLOOKFILMS.COM 

THE DARK TOWER 

AUGUST 4 (WIDE) 

>> There are other worlds than these. 

Stephen King’s The Dark Tower, the 

ambitious and expansive story from one 

of the world’s most celebrated authors, 

makes its launch to the big screen. The last 

Gunslinger, Roland Deschain, has been 

locked in an eternal battle with Walter 

O’Dim, also known as the Man in Black, 

determined to prevent him from toppling 

the Dark Tower, which holds the universe 

together. With the fate of the worlds at 

stake, good and evil will collide in the 

ultimate battle as only Roland can defend 

the Tower from the Man in Black. 

DISTRIBUTOR SONY/COLUMBIA CAST IDRIS 

ELBA, MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY, TOM TAYLOR, 

CLAUDIA KIM, FRAN KRANZ, ABBEY LEE, JACKIE 

EARLE HALEY, KATHERYN WINNICK DIRECTOR 

NIKOLAJ ARCEL WRITERS STEPHEN KING, 

NIKOLAJ ARCEL, ANDERS THOMAS JENSEN, 

AKIVA GOLDSMAN, JEFF PINKNER GENRE 

ACTION, ADVENTURE, FANTASY RATING 

PG-13 FOR THEMATIC MATERIAL INCLUDING 

SEQUENCES OF GUN VIOLENCE AND ACTION 

RUNNING TIME 95 MIN. 

PICTURED: IDRIS ELBA 


WIND RIVER 

AUGUST 4 (LIMITED) 

>> Wind River is a chilling thriller that 

follows a rookie FBI agent who teams 

up with a local game tracker with deep 

community ties and a haunted past. 

Together they investigate the murder of 

a local girl on a remote Native American 

reservation in the hopes of solving her 

mysterious death. 

DISTRIBUTOR THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY CAST 

JON BERNTHAL, ELIZABETH OLSEN, JEREMY 

RENNER DIRECTOR TAYLOR SHERIDAN WRITER 

TAYLOR SHERIDAN GENRE ACTION, CRIME, 

MYSTERY RATING R FOR STRONG VIOLENCE, A 

RAPE, DISTURBING IMAGES, AND LANGUAGE 


JEREMY RENNER 

STEP 


>> Step documents the senior year of a girls’ high school step 

dance team against the backdrop of inner-city Baltimore. As each 

one tries to become the first in her family to attend college, the 

girls strive to make their dancing a success despite social unrest in 

the troubled city. 

DISTRIBUTOR FOX SEARCLIGHT CAST PAULA DOFAT, CORI GRAINGER, 

TAYLA SOLOMON DIRECTOR AMANDA LIPITZ GENRE DOCUMENTARY 

RATING PG FOR THEMATIC ELEMENTS AND SOME LANGUAGE RUNNING 

TIME 83 MIN. 


COMING SOON 

DETROIT 


>> From the Academy Award– 

winning director of The Hurt 

Locker and Zero Dark Thirty, 

Detroit tells the gripping story 

of one of the most terrifying 

moments during the civil unrest 

that rocked Detroit in the 

summer of ’67. 

DISTRIBUTOR ANNAPURNA 

CAST JOHN BOYEGA, WILL 

POULTER, ALGEE SMITH, JACOB 

LATIMORE, ANTHONY MACKIE 

DIRECTOR KATHRYN BIGELOW 

WRITER MARK BOAL GENRE 

CRIME, DRAMA, HISTORY RATING 

R FOR STRONG VIOLENCE AND 

PERVASIVE LANGUAGE RUNNING 

TIME 143 MIN. 

PICTURED: ANTHONY MACKIE 

THE GLASS CASTLE 


>> Based on one of the longest-running New York Times best sellers, 

The Glass Castle tells the story of Jeannette Walls’s unconventional 

upbringing at the hands of her deeply dysfunctional and 

uniquely vibrant parents, and her journey toward acceptance 

and fulfillment. 

DISTRIBUTOR LIONSGATE CAST NAOMI WATTS, BRIE LARSON, 

WOODY HARRELSON DIRECTOR DESTIN CRETTON WRITER DESTIN 

CRETTON GENRE BIOGRAPHY, DRAMA RATING PG-13 FOR MATURE 

THEMATIC CONTENT INVOLVING FAMILY DYSFUNCTION, AND FOR 

SOME LANGUAGE AND SMOKING RUNNING TIME TBD 

PICTURED: ELLA ANDERSON 


ANNABELLE: CREATION 


>> Several years after the tragic death of their little girl, a doll maker and his wife 

welcome a nun and several girls from a shuttered orphanage into their home, 

soon becoming the target of the doll maker’s possessed creation, Annabelle. 

DISTRIBUTOR WARNER BROS./NEW LINE CAST STEPHANIE SIGMAN, MIRANDA OTTO, 

ALICIA VELA-BAILEY DIRECTOR DAVID F. SANDBERG WRITER GARY DAUBERMAN GENRE 

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

TIME 109 MIN. 

PICTURED: TALITHA BATEMAN 


COMING SOON 

ROBERT PATTINSON 

GOOD TIME 


>> After a botched bank robbery lands 

his younger brother in prison, Constantine 

Nikas embarks on a twisted odyssey 

through New York City’s underworld in 

an increasingly desperate—and dangerous—attempt 

to get his brother out of 

jail. Over the course of one adrenalized 

night, Constantine finds himself on a mad 

descent into violence and mayhem as he 

races against the clock to save his brother 

and himself, knowing their lives hang in 

the balance. 

DISTRIBUTOR A24 CAST ROBERT PATTINSON, 

JENNIFER JASON LEIGH DIRECTORS BEN SAFDIE, 

JOSHUA SAFDIE WRITERS RONALD BRONSTEIN, 

JOSHUA SAFDIE GENRE CRIME, DRAMA RATING 

R FOR LANGUAGE THROUGHOUT, VIOLENCE, 

DRUG USE, AND SEXUAL CONTENT RUNNING 

TIME 100 MIN. 

THE NUT JOB 2: 

NUTTY BY NATURE 


>> Surly Squirrel and the gang are 

back. We are once again in Oakton, 

where the evil mayor has decided 

to bulldoze Liberty Park and build 

a dangerous amusement park in its 

place. Surly and his ragtag group of 

animal friends band together to save 

their home, defeat the mayor, and 

take back the park. 

DISTRIBUTOR OPEN ROAD VOICE CAST 

WILL ARNETT, KATHERINE HEIGL, MAYA 

RUDOLPH DIRECTOR CAL BRUNKER 

WRITERS BOB BARLEN, CAL BRUNKER, 

SCOTT BINDLEY GENRE ANIMATION, 

ADVENTURE, COMEDY RATING PG 

FOR ACTION AND SOME RUDE HUMOR 


INGRID GOES WEST 


>> Ingrid is an unhinged social media stalker 

with a history of confusing “likes” for meaningful 

relationships. Taylor Sloane is an Instagram-famous 

“influencer” whose perfectly curated, boho-chic 

lifestyle becomes Ingrid’s latest obsession. When 

Ingrid moves to LA and manages to insinuate 

herself into the social media star’s life, their 

relationship quickly goes from #BFF to #WTF. Built 

upon a brilliantly disarming performance from 

Aubrey Plaza, Ingrid Goes West (winner of the Waldo 

Salt Screenwriting Award at Sundance) is a savagely 

hilarious dark comedy that satirizes the modern 

world of social media and proves that being 

#perfect isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. 

DISTRIBUTOR NEON CAST AUBREY PLAZA, ELIZABETH 

OLSEN, O’SHEA JACKSON JR. DIRECTOR MATT SPICER 

WRITERS DAVID BRANSON SMITH, MATT SPICER 

GENRE COMEDY, DRAMA RATING R FOR LANGUAGE 

THROUGHOUT, DRUG USE, SOME SEXUAL CONTENT AND 

DISTURBING BEHAVIOR RUNNING TIME 97 MIN. 


THE ONLY LIVING BOY 

IN NEW YORK 


>> Adrift in New York City, a recent college graduate seeks the 

guidance of an eccentric neighbor as his life is upended by his 

father’s mistress. –RoadsideAttractions.com 

DISTRIBUTOR ROADSIDE ATTRACTIONS/AMAZON CAST KATE 

BECKINSALE, PIERCE BROSNAN, JEFF BRIDGES DIRECTOR MARC WEBB 

WRITER ALLAN LOEB GENRE DRAMA RATING R RUNNING TIME TBD 

PICTURED: KATE BECKINSALE AND CALLUM TURNER / PHOTO: NIKO TAVERNISE 


COMING SOON 

THE HITMAN’S 

BODYGUARD 


>> The world’s top protection agent gets 

a new client: a hit man who came in from 

the cold. They’ve been on the opposite 

ends of a bullet for years. Now they must 

team up and have only 24 hours to get 

to The Hague to bring down a murderous 

dictator. 

DISTRIBUTOR LIONSGATE/SUMMIT 

ENTERTAINMENT CAST RYAN REYNOLDS, 

SALMA HAYEK, SAMUEL L. JACKSON 

DIRECTOR PATRICK HUGHES WRITER 

TOM O’CONNOR GENRE ACTION, COMEDY 

RATING R FOR STRONG VIOLENCE AND 

LANGUAGE THROUGHOUT RUNNING TIME 

118 MIN. 

PICTURED: SAMUEL L. JACKSON AND RYAN REYNOLDS 


LOGAN LUCKY 


>> Trying to reverse a family curse, brothers Jimmy 

and Clyde Logan set out to execute an elaborate 

robbery during the legendary Coca-Cola 600 race at 

the Charlotte Motor Speedway. 

DISTRIBUTOR BLEECKER STREET CAST CHANNING 

TATUM, ADAM DRIVER, DANIEL CRAIG DIRECTOR STEVEN 

SODERBERGH WRITER REBECCA BLUNT GENRE COMEDY, 

CRIME, DRAMA RATING PG-13 FOR LANGUAGE AND 

SOME CRUDE COMMENTS RUNNING TIME 119 MIN. 

PICTURED: RILEY KEOUGH 


COMING SOON 

BIRTH OF THE DRAGON 


>> An affectionate nod to the classic Kung Fu films of 

the 1970s, Birth of the Dragon is a dramatization of the 

true-life but much disputed fight between Kung Fu 

greats Bruce Lee and Shaolin master Wong Jack Man in 

San Francisco’s Chinatown in 1964. Based on Michael 

Dorgan’s magazine article “Bruce Lee’s Toughest Fight,” 

the film is written by Chris Wilkinson and Stephen J. 

Rivele, the Oscar-nominated screenwriters of Ali and 

Nixon. They wove together many conflicting accounts 

of the actual fight and added fictional characters Steve 

McKee and female lead Xiulan, whose fates become 

entwined in the outcome of the fight. 

PATTI CAKE$ 


>> In an unlikely quest for glory in her downtrodden hometown in Jersey, 

where her life is falling apart, Patti tries to reach the big time in the hip 

hop scene with her original and affecting music. Cheered on by her 

grandmother and only friends, Jheri and Basterd, Patti also shoulders her 

mother’s heartaches and misfortunes. 

DISTRIBUTOR FOX SEARCHLIGHT CAST DANIELLE MACDONALD, BRIDGET EVERETT, 

SIDDHARTH DHANANJAY DIRECTOR GEREMY JASPER WRITER GEREMY JASPER GENRE 

DRAMA RATING R FOR LANGUAGE THROUGHOUT, CRUDE SEXUAL REFERENCES, SOME 

DRUG USE, AND A BRIEF NUDE IMAGE RUNNING TIME 108 MIN. 

ALL SAINTS 


>> Based on the inspiring true story of a 

salesman-turned-pastor, the tiny church he 

was ordered to shut down, and a group of 

refugees from Southeast Asia. Together, they 

risked everything to plant seeds for a future 

that might just save them all. 

DANIELLE MACDONALD 

DISTRIBUTOR OTL RELEASING CAST BILLY MAGNUSSEN, TERRY 

CHEN, TERESA NAVARRO DIRECTOR GEORGE NOLFI WRITERS 

STEPHEN J. RIVELE, CHRISTOPHER WILKINSON GENRE ACTION, 

BIOGRAPHY, DRAMA RATING PG-13 FOR MARTIAL ARTS 

VIOLENCE, LANGUAGE, AND THEMATIC ELEMENTS RUNNING 

TIME 103 MIN. 

BEACH RATS 


>> An aimless teenager on the outer edges of Brooklyn 

struggles to escape his bleak home life and navigate 

questions of self-identity, as he balances his time 

between his delinquent friends, a potential new 

girlfriend, and older men he meets online. –IMDB 

DISTRIBUTOR NEON CAST HARRIS DICKINSON, MADELINE 

WEINSTEIN, KATE HODGE DIRECTOR ELIZA HITTMAN WRITER 

ELIZA HITTMAN GENRE DRAMA RATING R FOR STRONG SEXUAL 

CONTENT, GRAPHIC NUDITY, DRUG USE, AND LANGUAGE 


POLAROID 


>> High school loner Bird Fitcher has no 

idea what dark secrets are tied to the 

mysterious Polaroid vintage camera she 

stumbles upon, but it doesn’t take long to 

discover that those who have their picture 

taken meet a tragic end. –IMDB 

DISTRIBUTOR SONY PICTURES CAST CARA BUONO, 

JOHN CORBETT DIRECTOR STEVE GOMER WRITER 

STEVE ARMOUR GENRE DRAMA RATING PG FOR 

THEMATIC ELEMENTS RUNNING TIME 108 MIN. 

JOHN CORBETT 

DISTRIBUTOR THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY/ 

DIMENSION CAST MADELAINE PETSCH, 

KATHRYN PRESCOTT, KATIE STEVENS DIRECTOR 

LARS KLEVBERG WRITER BLAIR BUTLER GENRE 

HORROR RATING TBD RUNNING TIME TBD 


TULIP FEVER 


>> Tulip Fever is set in 17th century Amsterdam 

and follows a married woman 

who begins a passionate affair with an 

artist hired to paint her portrait during the 

height of “tulip mania.” The lovers gamble 

on the booming market for tulip bulbs as a 

way to raise money to run away together. 

DISTRIBUTOR THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY 

CAST CARA DELEVINGNE, ALICIA VIKANDER, 

DANE DEHAAN, CHRISTOPH WALTZ DIRECTOR 

JUSTIN CHADWICK WRITER TOM STOPPARD 

GENRE DRAMA, ROMANCE RATING R 


PICTURED: ALICIA VIKANDER 


COMING SOON 

LEAP! 


>> Paris, 1884: A orphaned girl arrives in Paris 

from Brittany. Félicie Milliner is 11 and has no 

money but one big, passionate dream: to become 

a dancer. With nothing left to lose, Félicie takes a 

big risk: she “borrows” a spoiled brat’s identity and 

enters the Opera Ballet School. But how long can 

she be someone else? Mentored by the tough and 

mysterious cleaner, Odette, Félicie learns that talent 

is not enough—it takes hard work to be better 

than her ruthless, conniving fellow students. That 

and friendship. Felicie’s inventive, exhausting, and 

charismatic best friend Victor also has a dream: to 

be a famous inventor. Together, they encourage 

each other to reach for the stars. 

DISTRIBUTOR THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY VOICE CAST ELLE 

FANNING, DANE DEHAAN, CARLY RAE JEPSEN DIRECTORS 

ÉRIC SUMMER, ÉRIC WARIN WRITERS CAROL NOBLE, 

LAURENT ZEITOUN, ÉRIC SUMMER GENRE ANIMATION, 

ADVENTURE, COMEDY RATING PG FOR SOME IMPOLITE 

HUMOR, AND ACTION RUNNING TIME 89 MIN. 

HAZLO COMO HOMBRE 

SEPTEMBER 1 (LIMITED) 

>> Hazlo Como Hombre (Do It Like an Hombre) is a comedy that follows the lives 

of two young couples who are not only in love—but best friends. One couple 

is married with a baby on the way, and the other is engaged. Their happy lives 

are turned upside down when the guy who is about to marry his best friend’s 

sister discovers he’s gay. Not only does his fiancée have trouble accepting the 

news, but his best friend refuses to believe it is true. Hilarity ensues as both men 

attempt to accept their new and very confusing lives. 

DISTRIBUTOR LIONSGATE/PANTELION CAST HUMBERTO BUSTO, AISLINN DERBEZ, 

MAURICIO OCHMANN DIRECTOR NICOLÁS LÓPEZ WRITERS GUILLERMO AMOEDO, 

NICOLÁS LÓPEZ GENRE COMEDY RATING TBD RUNNING TIME 109 MIN. 


CLOSE 

ENCOUNTERS 

OF THE THIRD 

KIND 40TH 

ANNIVERSARY 

RELEASE 

SEPTEMBER 1 (LIMITED) 

>> After an encounter 

with U.F.O.s, a line worker 

feels undeniably drawn 

to an isolated area in the 

wilderness where something 

spectacular is about to 

happen. 

DISTRIBUTOR SONY CAST 

RICHARD DREYFUSS, FRANÇOIS 

TRUFFAUT, TERI GARR, MELINDA 

DILLON, BOB BALABAN 

DIRECTOR STEVEN SPIELBERG 

WRITER STEVEN SPIELBERG 

GENRE DRAMA, SCI-FI RATING 

PG RUNNING TIME 137 MIN. 

MELINDA DILLON AND CARY GUFFEY 


BOOKING GUIDE 

TITLE RELEASE DATE STARS DIRECTOR(S) RATING GENRE SPECS 

A24 646-568-6015 

GOOD TIME 

Fri, 8/11/17 LTD. 

Robert Pattinson, 

Jennifer Jason Leigh 

Ben Safdie, Joshua Safdie R Cri/Dra 

WOODSHOCK Fri, 9/15/17 LTD. Kirsten Dunst, Joe Cole 

Kate Mulleavy, Laura 

Mulleavy 

R 

Dra/Thr 

THE FLORIDA PROJECT Fri, 10/6/17 LTD. Willem Dafoe, Brooklynn Prince Sean Baker PG-13 Dra 

THE KILLING OF THE SACRED DEER Fri, 11/3/17 LTD. Nicole Kidman, Colin Farrell Yorgos Lanthimos NR Dra 

THE DISASTER ARTIST Fri, 12/1/17 LTD. James Franco, Dave Franco James Franco NR Com 

DISNEY 818-560-1000 Ask for Distribution 

THOR: RAGNAROK 

Fri, 11/3/17 WIDE 

Tom Hiddleston, Chris Hemsworth, 

Idris Elba 

Taika Waititi NR Act/Adv/Fan 3D/IMAX 

COCO Fri, 11/22/17 WIDE Benjamin Bratt Lee Unkrich NR Ani 3D 

STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI 

Fri, 12/15/17 WIDE 

Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, 

Oscar Isaac 

Rian Johnson NR Act/Adv/SF 

3D/IMAX/Dolby 

Dig 

BLACK PANTHER Fri, 2/16/18 WIDE Chadwick Boseman, Lupita Nyong’o Ryan Coogler NR Act/Adv/SF 3D/IMAX 

A WRINKLE IN TIME Fri, 3/9/18 WIDE Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon Ava DuVernay NR Fan 3D/IMAX 

MAGIC CAMP Fri, 4/6/18 WIDE Gillian Jacobs , Adam Devine Mark Waters PG Com/Fam/Fan 

DOLPHINS 

Fri, 4/20/18 WIDE 

Alastair Fothergill, Keith 

Scholey 

NR 

Doc/Fam 

AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR Fri, 5/4/18 WIDE Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans 

Anthony Russo & Joe 

Russo 

NR Act/Adv/SF 3D/IMAX 

UNTITLED HAN SOLO STAR WARS ANTHOLOGY FILM Fri, 5/25/18 WIDE Alden Ehrenreich, Donald Glover Ron Howard NR Act/Adv/SF 

3D/IMAX/Dolby 

Dig 

THE INCREDIBLES 2 Fri, 6/15/18 WIDE Brad Bird NR Ani/Adv/Fam 3D/IMAX 

ANT-MAN AND THE WASP Fri, 7/6/18 WIDE Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly Peyton Reed NR Act/Adv/SF 3D/IMAX 

UNTITLED DISNEY LIVE ACTION FAIRY TALE 1 Fri, 8/3/18 WIDE NR Fan 3D 

THE NUTCRACKER AND THE FOUR REALMS Fri, 11/2/18 WIDE Keira Knightley, Mackenzie Foy Lasse Hallström NR Mus/Fan 

MULAN Fri, 11/2/18 WIDE Niki Caro NR Act/Adv 3D/IMAX 

RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET: WRECK-IT RALPH 2 Fri, 11/21/18 WIDE John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman Phil Johnston, Rich Moore NR Ani/Adv/Fam 3D/IMAX 

MARY POPPINS RETURNS Fri, 12/25/18 WIDE Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda Rob Marshall NR Fam/Fan 

FOCUS FEATURES 424-214-6360 

VICTORIA AND ABDUL Fri, 9/22/17 NY/LA Judi Dench, Ali Fazal Stephen Frears PG-13 Dra 

DARKEST HOUR Fri, 11/22/17 LTD. Gary Oldman, Lily James Joe Wright NR Bio 

UNTITLED PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON FILM Mon, 12/25/17 LTD. Paul Thomas Anderson NR 

UNTITLED ENTEBBE PROJECT Fri, 3/16/18 WIDE NR 

TULLY Fri, 4/20/18 WIDE Charlize Theron, Mackenzie Davis Jason Reitman NR Com 

UNTITILED LAIKA FILM Fri, 5/18/18 WIDE NR 

CAPTIVE STATE Wed, 8/17/18 WIDE John Goodman, Ashton Sanders Rupert Wyatt NR SF 

FOX 310-369-1000 / 212-556-2400 

KINGSMAN: THE GOLDEN CIRCLE Fri, 9/22/17 WIDE Taron Egerton, Julianne Moore Matthew Vaughn NR Act/Thr 

THE MOUNTAIN BETWEEN US Fri, 10/6/17 WIDE Kate Winslet, Idris Elba Hany Abu-Assad NR Dra/Rom 

MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS Fri, 11/10/17 WIDE Johnny Depp, Daisy Ridley Kenneth Branagh NR Dra/Mys 

FERDINAND Fri, 12/15/17 WIDE John Cena, Kate McKinnon Carlos Saldanha NR Ani/Fam 3D 

UNTITLED STEVEN SPIELBERG FILM Fri, 12/22/17 PLAT. Steven Spielberg NR 

THE GREATEST SHOWMAN Mon, 12/25/17 WIDE Hugh Jackman Michael Gracey NR Mus/Dra 

MAZE RUNNER: THE DEATH CURE Fri, 2/9/18 WIDE Dylan O’Brien, Kaya Scodelario Wes Ball NR SF/Thr IMAX 



RED SPARROW Fri, 3/2/18 WIDE Jennifer Lawrence Francis Lawrence NR Thr 

UNTITLED GREG BERLANTI FILM Fri, 3/16/18 WIDE NR 

ANUBIS Fri, 3/23/18 WIDE Chris Wedge NR Ani 3D 

NEW MUTANTS Fri, 4/13/18 WIDE Anya Taylor-Joy, Maisie Williams Josh Boone NR Act/Adv/SF 

DEADPOOL 2 Fri, 6/1/18 WIDE Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin David Leitch NR Act/Adv/SF 

ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL Fri, 7/20/18 WIDE Rosa Salazar, Christoph Waltz Robert Rodriguez NR Act/Adv/Rom 

THE PREDATOR Fri, 8/3/18 WIDE Boyd Holbrook, Jacob Tremblay Shane Black NR Act/SF/Hor 

THE DARKEST MINDS Fri, 9/14/18 WIDE Amandla Stenberg, Mandy Moore Jennifer Yuh Nelson NR SF/Thr 

THE KID WHO WOULD BE KING Fri, 9/28/18 WIDE Joe Cornish NR 

BAD TIMES AT THE EL ROYALE Fri, 10/5/18 WIDE Drew Goddard NR 

Fan/Fam/Act/ 

Adv 

DARK PHOENIX Fri, 11/2/18 WIDE Sophie Turner, Jennifer Lawrence Simon Kinberg NR Act/Adv/SF 

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

BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY Fri, 12/25/18 WIDE Rami Malek Bryan Singer NR Bio/Mus 

PIGEON IMPOSSIBLE 

FOX SEARCHLIGHT 212-556-2400 

STEP Fri, 8/4/17 LTD. Blessin Giraldo, Cori Grainger Amanda Lipitz PG Doc 

PATTI CAKE$ Fri, 8/18/17 LTD. Danielle Macdonald, Bridget Everett Geremy Jasper R Dra 

BATTLE OF THE SEXES Fri, 9/22/17 LTD. Emma Stone, Steve Carell 

Jonathan Dayton and 

Valerie Faris 

PG-13 

Bio/Com 

GOODBYE CHRISTOPHER ROBIN Fri, 10/13/17 LTD. Domhnall Gleeson, Margot Robbie Simon Curtis NR Bio/Fam/His 

THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI Fri, 11/10/17 LTD. Abbie Cornish, Woody Harrelson Martin McDonagh R Dra 

THE SHAPE OF WATER Fri, 12/8/17 LTD. Michael Shannon, Octavia Spencer Guillermo del Toro R Dra/Fan/Rom 

ISLE OF DOGS Fri, 3/23/18 LTD. Scarlett Johansson, Bryan Cranston Wes Anderson NR Ani/Adv/Com 

LIONSGATE 310-309-8400 

THE GLASS CASTLE Fri, 8/11/17 WIDE Brie Larson, Naomi Watts Destin Daniel Cretton PG-13 Dra/Bio 

THE HITMAN’S BODYGUARD Fri, 8/18/17 WIDE Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson Patrick Hughes NR Act/Com 

HAZLO COMO HOMBRE (DO IT LIKE AN HOMBRE) Fri, 9/1/17 MOD. Mauricio Ochmann, Alfonso Dosal Nicolás López NR Com 

AMERICAN ASSASSIN Fri, 9/15/17 WIDE Michael Keaton, Dylan O’Brien Michael Cuesta NR Act/Adv 

STRONGER Fri, 9/22/17 LTD. Jake Gyllenhaal, Tatiana Maslany David Gordon Green NR Dra 

MY LITTLE PONY: THE MOVIE Fri, 10/6/17 WIDE Tara Strong, Emily Blunt Jayson Thiessen NR Ani/Fan/Fam 

TYPER PERRY’S BOO 2! A MADEA HALLOWEEN Fri, 10/20/17 WIDE Tyler Perry Tyler Perry NR Com 

JIGSAW Fri, 10/27/17 WIDE Laura Vandervoort, Tobin Bell 

Michael Spierig, Peter 

Spierig 

R 

Hor 

WONDER Fri, 11/17/17 WIDE Julia Roberts, Jacob Tremblay Stephen Chbosky PG Dra 

THE COMMUTER Fri, 1/12/18 WIDE Liam Neeson, Vera Farmiga Jaume Collet-Serra PG-13 Act 

EARLY MAN Fri, 2/16/18 WIDE Eddie Redmayne, Tom Hiddleston Nick Park NR Ani/Adv/Com 

ROBIN HOOD Fri, 3/23/18 WIDE Taron Egerton, Jamie Foxx Otto Bathurst NR Adv 

TYLER PERRY’S SHE’S LIVING MY LIFE Fri, 3/30/18 WIDE Taraji P. Henson Tyler Perry NR Dra 

OVERBOARD Fri, 4/20/18 WIDE Eugenio Derbez, Anna Faris Bob Fisher, Rob Greenberg NR Rom/Com 

THE SPY WHO DUMPED ME Fri, 7/6/18 WIDE Mila Kunis, Kate McKinnon Susanna Fogel NR Com/Act 

TYLER PERRY’S A MADEA FAMILY FUNERAL Fri, 8/3/18 WIDE Tyler Perry, Cassi Davis Tyler Perry NR Dra 

OPEN ROAD FILMS 310-696-7504 

THE NUT JOB 2: NUTTY BY NATURE Fri, 8/11/17 WIDE Will Arnett, Katherine Heigl Cal Brunker PG Ani/Com/Fam 3D 

HOME AGAIN Fri, 9/8/17 LTD. Reese Witherspoon, Michael Sheen Hallie Meyers-Shyer PG-13 Dra/Com/Rom 


BOOKING GUIDE 


ALL I SEE IS YOU Fri, 9/15/17 WIDE Blake Lively, Yvonne Strahovski Marc Forster NR Dra/Thr 

MARSHALL Fri, 10/13/17 WIDE Chadwick Boseman, Josh Gad Reginald Hudlin PG-13 Dra/Bio 

MIDNIGHT SUN 

Fri, 1/26/18 WIDE 

Bella Thorne, 

Patrick Schwarzenegger 

Scott Speer PG-13 Dra/Rom 

SHOW DOGS Fri, 2/16/18 WIDE Will Arnett, Natasha Lyonne Raja Gosnell NR Com/Fam 

DUCK DUCK GOOSE Fri, 4/20/18 WIDE Jim Gaffigan, Zendaya Christopher Jenkins NR Ani/Com/Fam 

PARAMOUNT 323-956-5000 

MOTHER! 

Fri, 9/15/17 WIDE 

Jennifer Lawrence, 

Domhnall Gleeson 

Darren Aronofsky NR Dra/Mys 

SUBURBICON Fri, 10/27/17 WIDE Matt Damon, Oscar Isaac George Clooney R Com/Cri/Mys 

DADDY’S HOME 2 Fri, 11/10/17 WIDE Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg Sean Anders NR Com 

DOWNSIZING Fri, 12/22/17 WIDE Matt Damon, Kristen Wiig Alexander Payne NR Com 

2017 CLOVERFIELD MOVIE Fri, 2/2/18 WIDE NR SF/Thr IMAX 

ACTION POINT Fri, 3/23/18 WIDE Johnny Knoxville, Aidan Whytock Tim Kirkby NR 

SHERLOCK GNOMES Fri, 3/23/18 WIDE James McAvoy, Emily Blunt John Stevenson NR Ani/Com/Fam 

A QUIET PLACE Fri, 4/6/18 WIDE Emily Blunt, John Krasinski John Krasinski NR Hor/Thr 

TRANSFORMERS 6 Fri, 6/8/18 WIDE NR Ani/Com/Adv 

MISSION: IMPOSSILBE 6 Fri, 7/27/18 WIDE Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson Christopher McQuarrie NR Act/Adv 

AMUSEMENT PARK Fri, 8/10/18 WIDE Mila Kunis, Jennifer Garner Dylan Brown NR Ani/Com/Fam 

OVERLORD Fri, 10/26/18 WIDE Wyatt Russell and Jovan Adepo Julius Avery NR War/Thr 

UNTITLED PARAMOUNT EVENT FILM Fri, 11/2/18 WIDE NR 

SONY 212-833-8500 

THE DARK TOWER Fri, 8/4/17 WIDE Idris Elba, Matthew McConaughey Nikolaj Arcel PG-13 Wes/Act/Fan 

ALL SAINTS Fri, 8/25/17 WIDE Cara Buono, John Corbett Steve Gormer PG Dra 

FLATLINERS Fri, 9/29/17 WIDE Nina Dobrev, Kiefer Sutherland Niels Arden Oplev NR Dra/Hor/SF 

ONLY THE BRAVE Fri, 10/20/17 WIDE Jennifer Connelly, Miles Teller Joseph Kosinski PG-13 Dra 

THE STAR Fri, 11/10/17 WIDE Steven Yeun, Kelly Clarkson Timothy Reckart NR Ani 3D 

HE’S OUT THERE Fri, 12/1/17 WIDE Yvonne Strahovski, Justin Bruening Dennis Iliadis NR Hor 

JUMANJI: WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE Fri, 12/22/17 WIDE Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black Jake Kasdan NR Adv/Fan/Fam 

PROUD MARY Fri, 1/12/18 WIDE Taraji P. Henson Babak Najafi NR Thr 

WHITE BOY RICK 

Fri, 1/26/18 WIDE 

Matthew McConaughey, 

Jennifer Jason Leigh 

Yann Demange NR Cri/Dra 

ALPHA Fri, 3/2/18 WIDE Kodi Smit-McPhee, Leonor Varela Albert Hughes NR Act/Dra/Thr 

PETER RABBIT Fri, 3/23/18 WIDE Will Gluck Rose Byrne, James Corden NR Fam/Ani 

SLENDER MAN Fri, 5/18/18 WIDE Joey King, Julia Goldani-Telles Sylvain White NR Hor 

BARBIE Fri, 6/29/18 WIDE Amy Schumer NR Com 

HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 3 Fri, 7/13/18 WIDE Adam Sandler, Selena Gomez Genndy Tartakovsky NR Ani/Com/Fam 

THE NIGHTINGALE Fri, 8/10/18 WIDE Michelle MacLaren NR Dra 

CADAVER Fri, 8/24/18 WIDE Stana Katic, Shay Mitchell Diederik Van Rooijen NR Hor 

THE EQUALIZER 2 Thu, 9/14/18 WIDE Denzel Washington Antoine Fuqua NR Act/Thr 

GOOSEBUMPS: HORRORLAND Fri, 9/21/18 WIDE Rob Letterman NR Com/Fam/Hor 

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

THE GIRL IN THE SPIDER’S WEB Fri, 10/19/18 WIDE Fede Alvarez NR Dra/Thr 

ROMAN ISRAEL, ESQ. Fri, 11/3/18 WIDE Denzel Washington, Colin Farrell Dan Gilroy NR Cri/Dra 

BAD BOYS FOR LIFE Fri, 11/9/18 WIDE Will Smith, Martin Lawrence Joe Carnahan NR Act/Thr 



ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD Fri, 12/8/18 WIDE Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Williams Ridley Scott NR Dra 

UNTITLED ANIMATED SPIDER-MAN FILM Fri, 12/14/18 WIDE Bob Persichetti NR Ani/Act/Fam 

SONY PICTURES CLASSICS Tom Prassis 212-833-4981 

FELT: THE MAN WHO BROUGHT DOWN THE WHITE 

HOUSE 

Fri, 9/29/17 LTD. Liam Neeson, Diane Lane Peter Landesman PG-13 Bio/Dra/His 

NOVITIATE Fri, 10/27/17 LTD. Dianna Agron, Margaret Qualley Margaret Betts R Dra 

CALL ME BY YOUR NAME Fri, 11/24/17 NY/LA Elena Bucci, Vanda Capriolo Luca Guadagnino R Dra/Rom 

HAPPY END 

Fri, 12/22/17 LTD. 

Isabelle Huppert, 

Jean-Louis Trintignant 

Michael Haneke R Dra 

THE LEISURE SEEKER Fri, 1/19/18 LTD. Helen Mirren, Donald Sutherland Paolo Virzì R Dra 

STX ENTERTAINMENT 310-742-2300 

THE FOREIGNER Fri, 10/13/17 WIDE Jackie Chan, Pierce Brosnan Martin Campbell NR Act/Sus 

A BAD MOMS CHRISTMAS Fri, 11/3/17 WIDE Mila Kunis, Kristin Bell Jon Lucas, Scott Moore NR Com 

MOLLY’S GAME Fri, 11/22/17 WIDE Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba Aaron Sorkin NR Dra 

DEN OF THIEVES Fri, 1/19/18 WIDE Gerard Butler, Pablo Schreiber Christian Gudegast NR Dra/Cri 

GRINGO Fri, 3/9/18 WIDE Charlize Theron, Joel Edgerton Nash Edgerton NR Act/Com/Dra 

I FEEL PRETTY Fri, 6/29/18 WIDE Amy Schumer, Michelle Williams 

Abby Kohn, Marc 

Silverstein 

NR 

Com 

THE HAPPYTIME MURDERS Fri, 8/17/18 WIDE Melissa McCarthy Brian Henson NR Com 

UNIVERSAL 818-777-1000 

AMERICAN MADE Fri, 9/29/17 WIDE Tom Cruise, Domhnall Gleeson Doug Liman R Cri/Thr 

HAPPY DEATH DAY Fri, 10/13/17 WIDE Jessica Rothe Christopher Landon PG-13 Hor/Thr/Mys 

THE SNOWMAN 

Fri, 10/20/17 WIDE 

Michael Fassbender, 

Rebecca Ferguson 

Tomas Alfredson NR Cri/Thr 

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE Fri, 10/27/17 WIDE Miles Teller, Haley Bennett Jason Hall R Dra/War 

LET IT SNOW Fri, 11/22/17 WIDE Luke Snellin NR Rom/Com 

PITCH PERFECT 3 Fri, 12/22/17 WIDE Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson Elizabeth Banks PG-13 Com/Mus 

INSIDIOUS: CHAPTER 4 Fri, 1/5/18 WIDE Lin Shaye Adam Robitel NR Hor/Thr 

EXTINCTION Fri, 1/26/18 WIDE Michael Peña, Lizzy Caplan Ben Young NR SF/Thr 

FIFTY SHADES FREED Fri, 2/9/18 WIDE Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan James Foley NR Dra/Rom 

LARRIKINS Fri, 2/16/18 WIDE Margot Robbie, Hugh Jackman NR Ani/Com 3D 

PACIFIC RIM: UPRISING Fri, 2/23/18 WIDE Scott Eastwood, John Boyega Steven S. DeKnight NR SF/Act 3D 

THE PACT Fri, 4/6/18 WIDE Leslie Mann, John Cena Kay Cannon R Com 

JURRASIC WORLD: FALLEN KINGDOM Fri, 6/22/18 WIDE Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard J.A. Bayona NR Act/Adv 

UNTITLED NEXT PURGE CHAPTER Wed, 7/4/18 WIDE NR Hor 

SKYSCRAPER Fri, 7/13/18 WIDE Dwayne Johnson Rawson Marshall Thurber NR Act 

MAMMA MIA: HERE WE GO AGAIN! Fri, 7/20/18 WIDE Amanda Seyfried, Meryl Streep Ol Parker NR Mus/Com 

SCARFACE Fri, 8/10/18 WIDE Diego Luna David Ayer NR Cri/Dra 

NIGHT SCHOOL Fri, 9/28/18 WIDE Kevin Hart NR Com 

FIRST MAN Fri, 10/12/18 WIDE Ryan Gosling, Kyle Chandler Damien Chazelle NR Dra/Bio 

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

Peter Candeland, Yarrow 

Cheney 

NR 

Ani/Com/Fam 

UNTITLED ROBERT ZEMECKIS PROJECT Wed, 11/21/18 WIDE Steve Carell Robert Zemeckis NR Dra 

MORTAL ENGINES Fri, 12/14/18 WIDE Hugo Weaving, Stephen Lang Christian Rivers NR SF 


BOOKING GUIDE 


UNIVERSAL 818-777-1000 

ANNABELLE: CREATION 

Fri, 8/11/17 WIDE 

Stephanie Sigman, 

Alicia Vela-Bailey 

David F. Sandberg R Hor/Thr 

IT Fri, 9/8/17 WIDE Finn Wolfhard, Bill Skarsgård Andrés Muschietti R Hor/Thr 

THE LEGO NINJAGO MOVIE Fri, 9/22/17 WIDE Dave Franco, Michael Peña Charlie Bean NR Ani/Adv/Fam 3D/IMAX 

BLADE RUNNER 2049 Fri, 10/6/17 WIDE Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford Denis Villeneuve NR SF/Thr IMAX 

GEOSTORM Fri, 10/20/17 WIDE Gerard Butler, Abbie Cornish Dean Devlin PG-13 Act/Thr/SF 3D/IMAX 

JUSTICE LEAGUE Fri, 11/17/17 WIDE Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot Zack Snyder NR Act/Adv 3D/IMAX 

BASTARDS Fri, 12/22/17 WIDE Owen Wilson, Ed Helms Lawrence Sher R Com 

HORSE SOLDIERS Fri, 1/19/18 WIDE Chris Hemsworth, Elsa Pataky Nicolai Fuglsig NR Dra/His/War IMAX 

GAME NIGHT Fri, 3/2/18 WIDE Jason Bateman, Rachel McAdams 

John Francis Daley, 

Jonathan Goldstein 

NR 

Com 

TOMB RAIDER Fri, 3/16/18 WIDE Alicia Vikander Roar Uthaug NR Act/Adv 3D 

READY PLAYER ONE Fri, 3/30/18 WIDE Simon Pegg, T.J. Miller Steven Spielburg NR Act/SF/Thr 

RAMPAGE Fri, 4/20/18 WIDE Dwayne Johnson Brad Peyton NR Adv/Fan 

LIFE OF THE PARTY Fri, 5/11/18 WIDE Melissa McCarthy, Julie Bowen Ben Falcone NR Com 

UNTITLED WB ANIMATION FILM Fri, 6/1/18 WIDE NR Ani 

OCEAN’S 8 Fri, 6/8/18 WIDE Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett Gary Ross NR Cri 

TAG Fri, 6/29/18 WIDE Jeremy Renner, Ed Helms Jeff Tomsic NR Com 

THE NUN Fri, 7/13/18 WIDE Taissa Farmiga, Bonnie Aarons Corin Hardy NR Hor 

UNTITLED 2018 DC FILM 2 Fri, 7/27/18 WIDE NR Act/Adv/SF 

MEG Fri, 8/10/18 WIDE Jason Statham, Bingbing Fan Jon Turteltaub NR Act/Hor/SF 

UNTITLED WB COMEDY Fri, 8/17/18 WIDE NR Com 

UNTITLED NEW LINE HORROR FILM Fri, 9/7/18 WIDE NR Hor 

SMALLFOOT Fri, 9/14/18 WIDE Zendaya, Channing Tatum 

Glenn Ficarra, Ryan 

O’Loughlin, John Requa 

NR 

Ani/Com/Fam 

A STAR IS BORN Fri, 9/28/18 WIDE Bradley Cooper, Lady Gaga Bradley Cooper NR Dra/Mus/Rom 

JUNGLE BOOK Fri, 10/19/18 WIDE Rohan Chand, Andy Serkis Andy Serkis NR Adv/Dra 

FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM 2 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 

WEINSTEIN CO./DIMENSION 646-862-3400 

WIND RIVER Fri, 8/4/17 LTD. Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen Taylor Sheridan R Dra 

POLAROID Fri, 8/25/17 WIDE Madelaine Petsch, Javier Botet Lars Klevberg NR Hor/Sus 

TULIP FEVER Fri, 8/25/17 MOD Alicia Vikander, Dane DeHaan Justin Chadwick R Dra/Rom 

LEAP! Fri, 8/25/17 WIDE Elle Fanning, Maggie Ziegler 

Eric Summer and Eric 

Warin 

PG 

Ani 

WAR WITH GRANDPA Fri, 10/20/17 WIDE Robert De Niro Tim Hill NR Fam/Com 

MARY MAGDALENE Fri, 11/24/17 LTD. Rooney Mara, Joaquin Phoenix Garth Davis NR Dra 

THE CURRENT WAR 

Fri, 12/22/17 LTD. 

Benedict Cumberbatch, 

Michael Shannon 

Alfonso Gomez-Rejon NR Dra 

THE SIX BILLION DOLLAR MAN Fri, 12/22/17 WIDE Mark Wahlberg 

Peter Berg, Damián 

Szifrón 

NR 

Act/SF 

PADDINGTON 2 Fri, 1/12/18 WIDE Ben Wishaw, Hugh Grant Paul King NR Fam/Com 

UNTITLED KEVIN HART/ BRYAN CRANSTON Fri, 3/9/18 WIDE Kevin Hart, Bryan Cranston Neil Burger NR Com/Dra 


OUR SPONSORS 

1 Better Advertising 45 

20th Century Fox 41 

Atom Tickets 

Back Cover 

Ballantyne Strong Inc. 11 

Cardinal Sound 87 

Christie 

Inside Front Cover 

C. Cretors & Company 37 

D-BOX 6–7 

Dolphin Seating 55 

Encore By Palliser 29 

Enpar Audio 81 

Entertainment Supply & Technologies 13 

Fandango 15 

Geneva Convention 27 

Harkness Screens 21, 23 

Lightspeed/Depth Q 87 

MOC Insurance 5 

Moving Image Technologies 9 

NCM 19 

Odell’s 56, 67 

Omniterm Data Technology 51 

Promotion in Motion 33 

QSC Audio Products 31 

Ready Theater Systems 61 

RealD 68–69 

Retriever Systems 65 

Screenvision 1, 53 

Sensible Cinema 87 

Sonic Equipment 39 

Spotlight Cinema Networks 35 

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital 57 

Telescopic Seating Systems 

Inside Back Cover 

Tivoli Lighting 17 

Ushio 47 

Ventura Foods 67 

VIP Cinema Seating 3 

White Castle 49 

Will Rogers 43 

Passive Polarization 

for 3D Digital Cinema 

Fast, Bright, Reliable... 

Quality you can Trust. 

Over 2,000 

locations worldwide. 

Now Patented in the USA 

www.depthq3d.com 


MARKETPLACE 

BUYING & SELLING 

MARQUEE LETTERS. Buying and selling. New 

and Used marquee letters all types. We buy 

old. We sell new. All styles. Trade in your old 

letters and get new letters. Turn those old 

letters into cash. Your source for new Pronto, 

Zip-Change, Snap Lok, Slotted. mike@pilut. 

com 800-545-8956 

LOOKING TO PURCHASE 3-8 screen venue 

in California or south western United States. 

Contact: Atul Desai 949-291-5700 

DRIVE-IN CONSTRUCTION 

DRIVE-IN SCREEN TOWERS since 1945. Selby 

Products Inc., P.O. Box 267, Richfield, OH 

44286. Phone: 330-659-6631. 

EQUIPMENT WANTED 

ASTER AUDITORIUM SEATING & AUDIO. We 

offer the best pricing on good used projection 

and sound equipment. Large quantities 

available. Please visit our website, www. 

asterseating.com, or call 888-409-1414. 

AMERICAN ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCTS 

LLC is buying projectors, processors, amplifiers, 

speakers, seating, platters. If you are 

closing, remodeling or have excess equipment 

in your warehouse and want to turn 

equipment into cash, please call 866-653- 

2834 or email aep30@comcast.net. Need 

to move quickly to close a location and 

dismantle equipment? We come to you 

with trucks, crew and equipment, no job 

too small or too large. Call today for a quotation: 

866-653-2834. Vintage equipment 

wanted also! Old speakers like Western 

Electric and Altec, horns, cabinets, woofers, 

etc., and any tube audio equipment. Call or 

email: aep30@comcast.net. 

COLLECTOR WANTS TO BUY: We pay top 

money for any 1920-1980 theater equipment. 

We’ll buy all theater-related equipment, 

working or dead. We remove and 

pick up anywhere in the U.S. or Canada. 

Amplifiers, speakers, horns, drivers, woofers, 

tubes, transformers; Western Electric, 

RCA, Altec, JBL, Jensen, Simplex and more. 

We’ll remove installed equipment if it’s in 

a closing location. We buy projection and 

equipment too. Call today: 773-339-9035; 

cinema-tech.com; email ILG821@aol.com. 

FOR SALE 

FOUR SCREEN, south central Wisconsin theater 

for sale. Digital, newer seating, college 

town. 651-492-9832. 

CLASSIC CINEMAS is looking to sell 616 

slightly used electric 1st edition Bliss 

Loungers to replace with the new Bliss Zero 

Lounger. They are selling 22” wide electric 

reclining loveseats in excellent condition 

with lit aisle and seat tags. If interested, 

please call Jeremy Chupp at 770-823-1330. 

USED DIGITAL PROJECTORS, (5) complete 

booths including sound equipment. 

Three years old. Contact seller at moviescope1000@gmail.com. 

2 BRAND NEW 3000 watts Christie Xenon 

lamps for 35mm projectors. Contact: Atul 

Desai 949-291-5700. 

BARCO 3D/DIGITAL EQUIPMENT FOR SALE: 

Purchase for $55K. Equipment list provided 

upon request. Contact seller at mschwartz@ 

pennprolaw.com. 

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. 

USED DIGITAL PROJECTORS Two NEC 

NC1200 with two-year warranty $23,000. 

Six new NEC NC900 with lens $18,000. Warranty 

starts when installed. Used servers 

and USL hearing-impaired equipment. Call 

Stetson Snell 505-615-2913. Email stetsonsnell@enparaudio.com. 

18 SETS OF USED 35MM AUTOMATED 

PROJECTION 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. 6 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 

AVAILABLE Pacific Northwest Theatre Company. 

Previous management experience 

required. Work weekends, evenings and 

holidays. Send resume and salary history to 

movietheatrejobs@gmail.com 

POSITIONS AVAILABLE 

Paragon Theaters has THEATER MANAGE- 

MENT POSITIONS available at multiple locations. 

If you have previous management 

experience, please send your resume to 

robert.fronckoski@paragontheaters.com. 

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 art-house, independent, 

documentary, and classic cinema. 

The full job description and application 

instructions are found at mdfilmfest.com/ 

about-the-festival/jobs.php. 

SERVICES 

DULL FLAT PICTURE? RESTORE YOUR XE- 

NON REFLECTORS! Ultraflat repolishes and 

recoats xenon reflectors. Many reflectors 

available for immediate exchange. (ORC, 

Strong, Christie, Xetron, others!) Ultraflat, 

20306 Sherman Way, Winnetka, CA 91306; 

818-884-0184. 

THEATER SPACE FOR LEASE 

AN 8,400 SQ. FT. SPACE containing two 

movie theaters is available for lease in 

Frankfort, KY, at a very reasonable lease rate. 

It would be perfect for the new concept of 

eating in the theater. The theaters are located 

in the middle of a major shopping center. 

The center owners would prefer an operating 

movie theater rather than convert 

the space into retail use. Contact Alexa at 

859-221-9921 or email her at alexarkelley@ 

gmail.com for more information. 


MILLENNIALS MAKE UP 57% OF FREQUENT MOVIEGOERS.* 

85% OF ATOM USERS ARE MILLENNIALS. 

MORE MILLENNIALS. MORE TICKETS. MORE FUN. 

partnerships@atomtickets.com 

*Source: MPAA Theatrical Market Statistics 2016

Boxoffice - August 2017

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