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$6.95 /August/September <strong>2024</strong><br />
®<br />
GIANTS<br />
OF<br />
EXHIBITION<br />
<strong>2024</strong><br />
The Official Magazine of the National Association of Theatre Owners<br />
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August/September <strong>2024</strong><br />
CONTENTS<br />
08<br />
In Memoriam:<br />
George Rouman<br />
Celebrating the Life<br />
of a Champion<br />
of Independent Exhibition<br />
20<br />
CineEurope <strong>2024</strong> Recap<br />
Scatisti ssectecto dusda<br />
es velestor am vel est,<br />
excerum faccum consedis<br />
acestiusam, eat odia<br />
24<br />
Cinema Advertising<br />
How the Preshow<br />
is Helping Exhibitors<br />
Through a Tumultuous<br />
Post-Strike Recovery<br />
33<br />
Giants of Exhibition<br />
Our Annual Ranking<br />
of the Top 50 Circuits<br />
in North America<br />
50<br />
Canadian Colossus<br />
Interview with Cineplex<br />
CEO Ellis Jacob<br />
54<br />
A Midwest Major<br />
Interview with Marcus<br />
Corp. CEO Greg Marcus<br />
August/September <strong>2024</strong> 1<br />
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CONTENTS<br />
INDUSTRY<br />
8 In Memoriam<br />
Remembering George Rouman,<br />
a Champion of Independent<br />
Exhibition<br />
10 Trade Talk<br />
16 Charity Spotlight<br />
A Recap of Industry-Wide<br />
Charity Initiatives<br />
20 CineEurope <strong>2024</strong><br />
Europe’s Largest Exhibition<br />
Conference Takes<br />
Center Stage in Barcelona<br />
24 Cinema Advertising<br />
How the Preshow is Helping<br />
Exhibitors Perservere Through the<br />
Tumultuous Post-Strike Recovery<br />
THEATER<br />
33 Giants of Exhibition<br />
Our Annual Ranking<br />
of the 50 Largest Circuits<br />
in North America<br />
50 Canadian Colossus<br />
Interview with Cineplex<br />
CEO Ellis Jabob<br />
54 A Midwest Major<br />
Interview with Marcus Corp.<br />
CEO Greg Marcus<br />
ON SCREEN<br />
60 Event Cinema Calendar<br />
A Sampling of Event Cinema<br />
Programming Hitting<br />
the Big Screen in <strong>2024</strong><br />
62 Booking Guide<br />
116<br />
122<br />
128<br />
135<br />
136<br />
2 August/September <strong>2024</strong><br />
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BOXOFFICE PRO<br />
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Julien Marcel<br />
PRESIDENT<br />
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Daniel Loría<br />
VP ADVERTISING<br />
Patricia Martin<br />
DEPUTY EDITOR<br />
Rebecca Pahle<br />
CREATIVE DIRECTION<br />
Olivier Robert<br />
COPY EDITOR<br />
Heidi Bollich<br />
STAFF WRITER<br />
Chad Kennerk<br />
ADVERTISING<br />
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Box Office Media LLC. (XXX–XXX <strong>2024</strong>) 2,566 / Print - 2,101 / Digital - 465<br />
4 August/September <strong>2024</strong><br />
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EXECUTIVE LETTER<br />
BACK ON TRACK<br />
“With the toughest months<br />
of the year now behind<br />
us, we look forward with<br />
anticipation to a <strong>pro</strong>mising<br />
future—and new records<br />
to celebrate with all of our<br />
colleagues in the industry.”<br />
After months of grappling with the<br />
aftermath of Hollywood’s 2023 labor<br />
strikes, exhibitors braced themselves for a<br />
challenging <strong>2024</strong>. Early forecasts hinted<br />
at a downturn from 2023’s $9 billion, a<br />
fact any filmbooker could confirm with a<br />
cursory glance at the release schedule.<br />
Cinema operators had to bide their time<br />
until March to witness tentpoles like<br />
Warner Bros.’ Dune: Part Two and Sony’s<br />
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire—titles<br />
originally slated for Q4 2023—finally<br />
grace the screen. Production delays<br />
wreaked havoc in April and May, leading<br />
to inconsistent or disappointing results<br />
for the handful of titles that weren’t<br />
pushed deeper into the summer.<br />
Yet, amidst these challenges, the industry<br />
stood tall, a testament to its resilience<br />
and determination.<br />
June finally saw a return to a consistent<br />
and competitive release schedule with a<br />
steady flow of films that appeal to<br />
audiences. The month kicked off a<br />
strike-delayed summer movie season, with<br />
several blockbuster releases meeting and<br />
exceeding expectations. Sony’s Bad Boys<br />
Ride or Die, Paramount’s A Quiet Place:<br />
Day One, and Universal’s Despicable Me 4<br />
all delivered on their <strong>pro</strong>mise, but Disney’s<br />
Inside Out 2 reminded us what a mega-hit<br />
looks like. The first film to cross the $1<br />
billion benchmark at the global box office<br />
since Warner Bros.’ Barbie achieved that<br />
feat in the summer of 2023, Inside Out 2<br />
outperformed every expectation and<br />
breathed new life into the theatrical<br />
market. It also created a runway for<br />
Disney’s other box office behemoth of the<br />
summer, July’s Deadpool & Wolverine.<br />
Following a 2023 where Disney saw<br />
disappointing returns on its Pixar and<br />
Marvel releases, Inside Out 2 and Deadpool<br />
& Wolverine were precisely the films the<br />
industry needed to exceed expectations. It<br />
felt like we had finally turned a corner,<br />
returning to the positive momentum and<br />
excitement we last felt in the early weeks of<br />
last year’s Barbenheimer craze.<br />
The success of these films is more than<br />
just a financial victory; it’s a powerful<br />
affirmation of the communal experience<br />
that movie theaters <strong>pro</strong>vide. In this issue,<br />
we celebrate this resurgence with our<br />
Giants of Exhibition feature story, our<br />
annual ranking of the top 50 circuits in the<br />
domestic market by screen count.<br />
The circuits included in this year’s list<br />
have all persevered through the challenges<br />
that the Covid recovery—and subsequent<br />
labor strikes—have dealt to the moviegoing<br />
experience. Their efforts are a<br />
testament to the industry’s resilience in<br />
the face of adversity. Moreover, these<br />
chains have been instrumental in<br />
reimagining the moviegoing experience.<br />
Through initiatives such as premium large<br />
format auditoriums, cinema entertainment<br />
centers, expanded food and<br />
beverage concepts, and event cinema<br />
<strong>pro</strong>gramming, exhibitors have redefined<br />
the idea of cinemas for today’s public.<br />
With the toughest months of the year<br />
now behind us, we look forward with<br />
anticipation to a <strong>pro</strong>mising future—and<br />
new records to celebrate with all of our<br />
colleagues in the industry. Thank you for<br />
your unwavering support and passion for<br />
cinema. Here’s to many more shared<br />
experiences and unforgettable moments in<br />
theaters and to the exciting journey that<br />
lies ahead.<br />
DANIEL LORIA<br />
SVP Content Strategy and Editorial Director,<br />
Boxoffice Pro<br />
August/September <strong>2024</strong> 5<br />
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NATO 8 | Trade Talk 10 | Charity Spotlight 16 | CineEurope 20 | Cinema Advertising 24<br />
INDUSTRY<br />
“European cinema admissions increased by an estimated 21.6 percent in 2023,<br />
with 986 million visits across the region, nearing the one-billion mark. The box office<br />
reached 7.2 billion euros, an increase of 23.7 percent from the previous year.”<br />
CineEurope <strong>2024</strong> Takes the Stage, p. 20<br />
August/September <strong>2024</strong> 7<br />
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INDUSTRY | NATO<br />
From Left to Right:<br />
Geneva Convention<br />
co-chair<br />
John Scaletta, then-<br />
Will Rogers Motion<br />
Picture Pioneer<br />
Foundation<br />
Todd Vradenburg,<br />
and then-Marcus<br />
Theatres CEO<br />
Rolando Rodriguez,<br />
with George Rouman<br />
IN MEMORIAM:<br />
GEORGE ROUMAN<br />
George Rouman, 51, was born to Michael Rouman and Evdokia<br />
(Manolakos) Rouman on July 3, 1972, in Rhinelander, Wisconsin.<br />
He died on June 9, <strong>2024</strong>, in a tragic car accident.<br />
George grew up working at the State<br />
Theater in Downtown Rhinelander<br />
with his father, Michael, his mother,<br />
Evdokia, and sister, Patti. He did everything<br />
from selling tickets and concessions to<br />
operating the <strong>pro</strong>jectors. George graduated<br />
from Rhinelander High School (RHS) in<br />
1990, serving leadership positions for the<br />
senior class. He was cast in every play at RHS<br />
and two <strong>pro</strong>ductions at Nicolet College in<br />
Rhinelander. He also participated in<br />
forensics for four years.<br />
He then attended the University of<br />
Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where he began<br />
studying film and earned a degree in<br />
marketing. While at UW-Milwaukee,<br />
George was the school mascot for two<br />
seasons, challenging him not to talk while<br />
in character. Shortly after college, he<br />
worked as a college recruiter for Great<br />
America in Gurnee, Illinois. He traveled to<br />
job fairs and universities, talking to<br />
everybody who would listen about the<br />
opportunities at Great America. George<br />
loved the role of meeting people in new<br />
settings and was looking forward to doing<br />
international recruiting. The theater<br />
industry was changing then, and his<br />
family committed to building a new<br />
cinema in Rhinelander in early 2000.<br />
George chose the family business and<br />
decided to return to Rhinelander.<br />
For over 30 years, he followed in his<br />
father’s footsteps and channeled his<br />
dedication and hospitality—working hard<br />
and rarely taking a day off. He appreciated<br />
the business his family had created and<br />
was always looking for ways to build on<br />
new ideas. He was at the forefront of<br />
modernizing and installing cutting-edge<br />
technologies to im<strong>pro</strong>ve the moviegoing<br />
experience. Im<strong>pro</strong>ving the concessions<br />
options and experience was essential to<br />
George. He often called on his sister, Patti,<br />
for her thoughts and advice. George was<br />
the consummate showman, always<br />
thinking outside the box.<br />
In July 2005, he purchased the Fun<br />
Factory Sweet Shoppe. He relied on his<br />
mother, Evdokia, for her advice on making<br />
chocolates and im<strong>pro</strong>ving the customer<br />
experience. Christmas is a hectic time for<br />
the Fun Factory as they ship gift boxes and<br />
chocolates nationwide.<br />
Several years ago, he brought his own<br />
idea to the table: a gelato catering business.<br />
The business quickly grew from a few local<br />
weddings to weekends packed with events<br />
across the state. He would travel around<br />
the state with his gelato carts, <strong>pro</strong>viding<br />
specialty desserts at wedding receptions<br />
and special events. George was back doing<br />
what he fell in love with years ago—<br />
meeting new people, seeing new places,<br />
and sharing stories.<br />
Most people in Rhinelander knew<br />
George because he grew up there and was<br />
so involved in giving back to the community<br />
he loved. For over 20 years, George<br />
coordinated the donations and delivery of<br />
hundreds of Thanksgiving meals to<br />
families in need in Rhinelander and across<br />
Oneida County. He offered free summer<br />
movies; Christmas Day showings; and<br />
8 August/September <strong>2024</strong><br />
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Easter, New Year's, and after-<strong>pro</strong>m parties<br />
for the community at the cinema. He was<br />
involved in many organizations and<br />
committees that benefited the community,<br />
including the Nicolet College Foundation.<br />
George was always someone you could<br />
count on when you needed help with an<br />
event, a charitable donation, or advice. His<br />
positive attitude always shined through<br />
his personality.<br />
George was a natural leader and wanted<br />
to get involved in the motion picture industry.<br />
He served on the advisory board of the<br />
National Association of Theatre Owners<br />
for over 20 years and on the board of<br />
directors for the regional association of<br />
NATO of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan<br />
since 2002, becoming its president in 2016.<br />
He was loved and respected by leaders of<br />
exhibition, movie studios, and the vendor<br />
community. For nearly two decades, he<br />
served as co-chairman for the regional<br />
movie theater convention in Lake Geneva,<br />
<strong>pro</strong>viding educational seminars, panel<br />
discussions, movie screenings, and<br />
networking opportunities for fellow<br />
independent theater owners and others in<br />
the cinema industry. Giving back was always<br />
top of mind in everything George did in life.<br />
In the early days of Covid, George<br />
organized video calls with members of<br />
NATO of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan to<br />
discuss ideas and ways to get through the<br />
pandemic. He was the first regional leader<br />
to convince state lawmakers that movie<br />
theaters were the heart of many small<br />
towns across Wisconsin and would need<br />
“For nearly two decades he<br />
served as co-chairman for the<br />
regional movie theater<br />
convention in Lake Geneva,<br />
<strong>pro</strong>viding educational<br />
seminars, panel discussions,<br />
movie screenings, and<br />
networking opportunities for<br />
other independent theater<br />
owners. Giving back was<br />
always top of mind in<br />
everything George did in life.”<br />
financial assistance to stay afloat. The grant<br />
<strong>pro</strong>gram he initiated was modeled across<br />
the country. The board of directors of NATO<br />
of WI & UP honored George at their annual<br />
convention in 2022 with the Save Our<br />
Screens Award for his tireless advocacy on<br />
their behalf. George’s leadership skills,<br />
business acumen, and experience were<br />
invaluable to the support he offered others<br />
in his community and nationwide. He was a<br />
mentor to so many and happily <strong>pro</strong>vided<br />
advice and knowledge. He was humble and<br />
never sought the limelight; because of his<br />
selfless demeanor, it always found him.<br />
George was an avid runner and loved to<br />
travel, traveling around the world and<br />
always looking for a great adventure.<br />
He visited family in Greece and explored<br />
Southeast Asia with his sister. He climbed<br />
to the base camp of Mount Everest.<br />
He was a sports enthusiast and enjoyed<br />
going to Brewers and Packer games,<br />
including an epic road trip to Super Bowl<br />
XXXI. He loved life and made the most<br />
of every day, spreading his optimistic<br />
attitude to family and friends. So many<br />
will miss his passion for the motion picture<br />
industry, <strong>pro</strong>fessionalism, and selfless<br />
leadership. His legacy will live on for<br />
decades to come.<br />
He is survived by his mother, Evdokia;<br />
his sister, Patti; and his niece, Mikaela.<br />
George always had a sparkle in his eye<br />
when talking about Mikaela and was<br />
looking forward to many summers on the<br />
water with her. He was preceded in death<br />
by his father, Michael Rouman.<br />
To know George was to love<br />
George. He greeted everyone with<br />
the same warmth and hospitality,<br />
and his enthusiasm for the industry<br />
he loved so much was contagious.<br />
When word of George’s passing<br />
got out, the community in<br />
Rhinelander rallied to set up a<br />
memorial at the Rouman Cinema<br />
in his honor. George was a shining<br />
example of an exhibitor’s impact in<br />
a small town: He knew and loved<br />
his customers, who felt the same<br />
way about him.<br />
While running his theater—as<br />
well as a popular gelato and<br />
chocolate business—kept George<br />
very busy, he always found time to<br />
REMEMBERING GEORGE ROUMAN<br />
BY NATO STAFF<br />
volunteer on behalf of exhibition.<br />
He served on NATO’s advisory<br />
board for over 20 years, bringing<br />
awareness to issues important to<br />
independent exhibitors.<br />
Locally, George served as the<br />
president of NATO of Wisconsin<br />
and Upper Michigan since 2016<br />
and was a member of the board<br />
of directors since 2002. Along with<br />
his co-chairman, John Scaletta,<br />
George helped run the Geneva<br />
Convention, an annual event held<br />
in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.<br />
The gathering became one<br />
of NATO’s most well-attended<br />
regional events, with major<br />
screenings, important panels, and<br />
great networking opportunities.<br />
“I had the pleasure and<br />
honor of working with George on<br />
the regional and national NATOs,”<br />
says Rolando Rodriguez, former<br />
chair of NATO. “George was an<br />
amazing, supportive, caring, and<br />
kind human being. A leader<br />
and champion of our industry who<br />
will long be remembered.<br />
He was a great friend and will be<br />
sorely missed by our industry.<br />
I know his legacy will live on.”<br />
“George was just a good<br />
person,” says B&B Theatres’ Bob<br />
Bagby, NATO’s current chair.<br />
“He was friendly, upbeat, and fun<br />
to be with. I always enjoyed<br />
spending time with him. He loved<br />
this industry, and I will miss him.”<br />
August/September <strong>2024</strong> 9<br />
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INDUSTRY | TRADE TALK<br />
TRADE TALK<br />
SONY PICTURES<br />
ENTERTAINMENT ACQUIRES<br />
ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE CINEMA<br />
Sony Pictures Entertainment<br />
announced the acquisition of dine-in<br />
cinema chain Alamo Drafthouse, making<br />
the only major studio that hasn’t invested<br />
in a <strong>pro</strong>prietary streaming service the first<br />
major studio to acquire an exhibition<br />
circuit since the repeal of the Paramount<br />
Decrees. The decrees were enacted in 1948<br />
to forestall a handful of studios (not<br />
including Sony, which didn’t exist in its<br />
present form at the time) from gaining an<br />
unfair business advantage by also owning<br />
theaters. Following a motion from the U.S.<br />
Department of Justice, the Paramount<br />
Decrees were phased out over two years<br />
starting in mid-2020, leading to rampant<br />
speculation in the years since that a major<br />
studio may acquire a cinema chain.<br />
That has now happened. Since its<br />
1997 founding, Alamo Drafthouse has<br />
grown from a mom-and-pop repertory<br />
theater to a well-established brand with a<br />
loyal following and 35 cinemas across<br />
nine states. The acquisition comes after<br />
Sony ultimately stepped down from its<br />
bid to acquire rival studio Paramount<br />
earlier this year.<br />
The chain, the thirteenth largest in<br />
North America per our <strong>2024</strong> ranking, will<br />
exist under the umbrella of Sony Pictures<br />
Experiences (SPE). That division of the<br />
company also runs Wonderland, a<br />
Chicago-based entertainment destination<br />
that <strong>pro</strong>motes Sony <strong>pro</strong>perties through<br />
immersive technology and experiences.<br />
Sony’s investment into the theatrical,<br />
immersive side of the cinema experience<br />
continues with their acquisition of<br />
Fantastic Fest, a popular genre film<br />
festival that will continue to be run by<br />
Alamo Drafthouse.<br />
“We believe strongly in engaging<br />
entertainment fans outside the home in<br />
fun and distinctive ways as seen most<br />
recently with our Wheel of Fortune LIVE!<br />
10 August/September <strong>2024</strong><br />
traveling tour [a traveling staged experience<br />
based off the game show Wheel of<br />
Fortune] and the opening of Wonderverse<br />
in Chicago,” said Ravi Ahuja, president and<br />
COO of SPE. “Alamo Drafthouse’s<br />
differentiated moviegoing experience and<br />
devoted community fit well with this<br />
vision. Our Crunchyroll business also<br />
aligns well with the audience’s interests.<br />
We look forward to building upon the<br />
innovations that have made Alamo<br />
Drafthouse successful and will, of course,<br />
continue to welcome content from all<br />
studios and distributors.”<br />
The last few years have been eventful<br />
for Alamo, as they have been for the<br />
industry at large. The chain brought in a<br />
new CEO, Shelli Taylor, in April 2020, filed<br />
for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March 2021,<br />
emerged from bankruptcy in June 2021,<br />
and elevated Michael Kustermann,<br />
previously the president at Drafthouse, to<br />
the CEO role in July 2023. Kustermann will<br />
remain Alamo’s CEO and lead SPE,<br />
reporting to Ahuja. Per a statement<br />
<strong>pro</strong>vided by Sony, the last year has been a<br />
good one for the chain, which saw a 30<br />
percent jump in box office, overindexing<br />
when compared to the industry at large.<br />
“We are beyond thrilled to join forces<br />
with Sony Pictures Entertainment to<br />
expand our company vision to be the best<br />
damn cinema that has ever or will ever<br />
exist, now in ways we could only ever<br />
dream of,” said Tim League, who founded<br />
the chain with Karrie League. “They have<br />
a deep respect and understanding of<br />
cinema’s ability to both drive growth and<br />
create lasting cultural impact, which<br />
aligns perfectly with everything Alamo<br />
Drafthouse stands for.”<br />
“Alamo Drafthouse has always held the<br />
craft of filmmaking and the theatrical<br />
experience in high esteem, which are<br />
fundamental shared values between our<br />
companies. I’m jazzed that our company is<br />
doing this,” said Tom Rothman, chairman<br />
and CEO of Sony Pictures Motion Picture<br />
Group.<br />
Since its 1997 founding,<br />
Alamo Drafthouse has grown<br />
from a mom-and-pop<br />
repertory theater to a wellestablished<br />
brand with a loyal<br />
following and 35 cinemas<br />
across nine states.<br />
box_24_july.indd 10 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:23:32
“We are excited to make history with<br />
Sony Pictures Entertainment and have<br />
found the right home and partner for<br />
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema,” said Kustermann.<br />
“We were created by film lovers<br />
for film lovers. We know how important<br />
this is to Sony, and it serves as further<br />
evidence of their commitment to the theatrical<br />
experience. Together we will continue<br />
to innovate and bring exciting new<br />
opportunities for our teammates and<br />
moviegoers alike.”<br />
SPE acquired Alamo Drafthouse from<br />
its owners, Altamont Capital Partners,<br />
Fortress Investment Group, and founder<br />
Tim League. Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC<br />
acted as Alamo Drafthouse›s exclusive<br />
financial adviser in the transaction.<br />
VISTA GROUP<br />
ANNOUNCES COMPLETE U.K.<br />
BOX OFFICE DATA COVERAGE<br />
IN NUMERO PLATFORM<br />
Vista Group has announced that its<br />
box office reporting platform,<br />
Numero, now <strong>pro</strong>vides 100 percent<br />
coverage of the U.K. market. Distributors<br />
and exhibitors using Numero’s mobile<br />
apps and desktop platform now have<br />
complete, real-time, and accurate box<br />
office grosses for the U.K. market and can<br />
use Numero for all film, circuit, and<br />
market performance analyses.<br />
In addition to having full flash-gross<br />
coverage, Numero also <strong>pro</strong>vides presale<br />
and hourly data comparisons to assist<br />
users in forecasting any upcoming movie›s<br />
opening day and weekend, a vast repository<br />
of historical data, and a comprehensive<br />
release calendar.<br />
“We are delighted to apply Numero’s<br />
powerful analytics and intelligence to<br />
comprehensive box office data for what is<br />
one of the global industry’s most consequential<br />
markets,” said Simon Burton, the<br />
chief film officer at Vista Group.<br />
Vista Group CEO Stuart Dickinson says<br />
this achievement offers value not only for<br />
Numero users but also enhances the value<br />
of other Vista Group solutions surfacing<br />
this data. “Our connected suite of solutions<br />
cross-utilizes data to <strong>pro</strong>vide performance<br />
insights and support data-driven decision-making,”<br />
says Stuart. “In this case,<br />
Numero’s achievement will have positive<br />
run-on effects for U.K. exhibitors who<br />
embrace <strong>pro</strong>ducts such as Oneview, our<br />
cinema executive app found in Vista<br />
Cloud’s Data Empowerment capability.<br />
These solutions leverage Numero data to<br />
<strong>pro</strong>vide users with data to compare their<br />
own performance to that of the overall<br />
market.”<br />
August/September <strong>2024</strong> 11<br />
box_24_july.indd 11 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:23:38
INDUSTRY | TRADE TALK<br />
SPOTLIGHT CINEMA<br />
NETWORKS AND<br />
FLIX BREWHOUSE INK<br />
CONTRACT EXTENSION<br />
Spotlight Cinema Networks, the<br />
only cinema advertising company<br />
dedicated to serving U.S. art houses,<br />
dine-in, and luxury cinema exhibitors,<br />
and Flix Brewhouse, the only first-run<br />
movie theater in the world to incorporate<br />
a fully functioning microbrewery, are<br />
extending their long-term partnership to<br />
exclusively remain Flix Brewhouse’s<br />
cinema advertising partner.<br />
Flix Brewhouse delivers craft beer<br />
and great food via stadium seating dining<br />
rooms across eleven theaters and<br />
ninety-five screens in key locations,<br />
including Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, and<br />
Albuquerque.<br />
“We’re thrilled to continue our<br />
long-term partnership with Flix Brewhouse,<br />
one of the most unique exhibitors<br />
in the film business,” said Spotlight’s<br />
Bernadette McCabe, executive vice<br />
president of event cinema and exhibitor<br />
relations. “Flix Brewhouse has been, and<br />
continues to be, a key exhibitor within the<br />
dine-in and luxury cinema segment of<br />
Spotlight’s Exhibitor Partner network<br />
offering urbane moviegoers’ distinctive<br />
environments that emphasize experiential<br />
out-of-home entertainment.”<br />
“We could not be happier to extend our<br />
long-term relationship with Spotlight,”<br />
said Chris Randelman, Flix Brewhouse’s<br />
chief revenue officer. “As a leader in the<br />
cinema advertising space, we can think of<br />
no better partner to help Flix deliver the<br />
best possible theatrical experience to our<br />
customers. We look forward to our<br />
partnership for many years to come.”<br />
DIGITAL CINEMA UNITED’S DCU CONNECT REACHES<br />
80 PERCENT OF SCREENS IN BALKAN REGION<br />
Digital Cinema United has announced that the company’s<br />
DCU Connect electronic delivery network has reached nearly<br />
3,000 locations across EMEA, North America, and the Caribbean.<br />
The company has focused aggressively on the rollout of DCU<br />
Connect since its official launch at CinemaCon 2022 across<br />
arthouses, cinema chains, drive-in locations, and independent<br />
cinemas. DCU Connect is a cloud-based electronic delivery platform<br />
designed to download feature, trailer, and cinema advertising DCPs<br />
directly to cinemas, which only requires software installation. It<br />
fully integrates with TMS systems, including Cinema ACE, Eikona,<br />
GDC, Rosetta Bridge, and Screenwriter.<br />
In the Balkans, the company recently installed DCU Connect in<br />
over 200 locations, including the Cineplex, Cine Grand, and<br />
Cinemarine cinema chains, making DCU Connect the most<br />
widely deployed electronic delivery network in the region.<br />
“With the fast and easy deployment of DCU Connect in over<br />
80 percent of cinemas in the Balkans, Con Film’s partnership<br />
with Digital Cinema United is one of our most important <strong>pro</strong>jects<br />
since the end of the pandemic,” said Mario Ljubic, the head of<br />
theatrical at Con Film. “By eliminating hard drives to deliver<br />
feature DCPs of Hollywood content, we were able to save time<br />
and increase delivery efficiencies.”<br />
“What Digital Cinema United and Con Film were able to<br />
accomplish in a very short period was an impressive endeavor,”<br />
said Ronnie Ycong, executive vice president and general manager<br />
of the Americas at Digital Cinema United. “It not only <strong>pro</strong>ved<br />
DCU Connect is fast to deploy and helps drive efficiencies but<br />
also enabled cinemas to receive DCPs more reliably without<br />
additional hardware.”<br />
12 August/September <strong>2024</strong><br />
box_24_july.indd 12 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:23:39
NATIONAL FILM AUTHORITY<br />
OF GHANA SETS DATE,<br />
THEME, AND EXECUTIVE<br />
TEAM FOR AFRICA CINEMA<br />
SUMMIT <strong>2024</strong> EDITION<br />
The National Film Authority of<br />
Ghana, in partnership with<br />
Silverbird Cinemas, has announced the<br />
second edition of the Africa Cinema<br />
Summit. The event’s theme is “The<br />
Relevance of Cinema in African Communities.”<br />
It will take place from October 7-10,<br />
<strong>2024</strong>, at the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel<br />
in Accra.<br />
Last year, the in<strong>aug</strong>ural<br />
Africa Cinema Summit<br />
convened representatives<br />
from 20 African countries to<br />
facilitate critical discussions<br />
on the cinema landscape in<br />
Africa. The summit focused<br />
on exploring and tailoring<br />
opportunities to suit the unique characteristics<br />
of each geographic location across<br />
the continent.<br />
The 2023 edition’s highlight was the<br />
ap<strong>pro</strong>val of a government film tax<br />
incentive by Nana Addo Dankwah<br />
Akufo-Addo, Ghana’s president. Collaborative<br />
ventures were successfully<br />
established among African countries, with<br />
the Filmhouse Group committing to<br />
distribute Ghanaian films across Nigeria<br />
and other partner nations. Silverbird<br />
Ghana pledged to incorporate local snacks<br />
into their cinema foods, and Ster-Kinekor,<br />
the leading cinema chain in Southern<br />
Africa, committed to exploring e-sports in<br />
their cinemas.<br />
This year’s edition of the summit aims<br />
to consolidate the <strong>pro</strong>gress made in the<br />
African cinema industry, fostering<br />
collaboration, innovation, and sustainable<br />
growth. The <strong>2024</strong> summit will focus, per a<br />
statement from organizers, on “growth in<br />
quality of local content <strong>pro</strong>duction and<br />
consumption driving the case for<br />
increased cinema investment.” and will<br />
reimagine and rethink cinema for Africa’s<br />
mass market segment The Africa Cinema<br />
Summit <strong>2024</strong> will bring together cinema<br />
exhibitors, builders and investors,<br />
industry leaders, filmmakers, <strong>pro</strong>ducers,<br />
distributors, studios, policymakers, and<br />
stakeholders from across the continent<br />
and the globe.<br />
In addition to the theme and date<br />
announcement, the National Film<br />
Authority of Ghana also named its<br />
executive steering committee, consisting<br />
of executives from the global cinema,<br />
content, and creative communities. These<br />
executives will spearhead the<br />
summit alongside Juliet Yaa<br />
Asantewa Asante, CEO of the<br />
National Film Authority of<br />
Ghana, and her team.<br />
In line with Akufo-Addo’s<br />
assertion that “both the<br />
cinema world and Africa<br />
need each other,” Africa<br />
represents an underserved market.<br />
Currently, with less than 2,000 cinema<br />
screens catering to over 1.4 billion people<br />
and less than 20 percent of the population<br />
having experienced a cinema visit,<br />
significant potential exists for growth.<br />
Moreover, considering the rapid population<br />
growth across Africa, the demand<br />
“Africa’s cinematic <strong>pro</strong>wess<br />
is undeniable, yet remains<br />
largely untapped. Through<br />
the biggest cinema event<br />
in Africa, the Africa Cinema<br />
Summit, we envision a<br />
transformative journey<br />
that can create over twenty<br />
million jobs and contribute an<br />
impressive $20 billion to the<br />
continent’s combined GDP."<br />
for cinematic experiences is poised to<br />
increase substantially.<br />
Andrew Egyapa Mercer, minister of<br />
Tourism, Arts and Culture for Ghana,<br />
commented: “Funding the film industry is<br />
a wise investment. Opportunities for<br />
investment in the sector are wide, and we<br />
call on all those interested in investments<br />
in Africa and especially Ghana to consider<br />
investing in the infrastructure that<br />
supports the ecosystem, especially in<br />
studios and cinemas. This can only yield<br />
great returns on investments, considering<br />
that the future of cinema is this continent.<br />
Ghana is also committed to working on the<br />
policy changes needed to help <strong>pro</strong>pel a<br />
thriving film ecosystem.”<br />
Asante commented: “Africa’s cinematic<br />
<strong>pro</strong>wess is undeniable, yet remains largely<br />
untapped. Through the biggest cinema<br />
event in Africa, the Africa Cinema<br />
Summit, we envision a transformative<br />
journey that can create over twenty<br />
million jobs and contribute an impressive<br />
$20 billion to the continent’s combined<br />
GDP, as <strong>pro</strong>jected by the 2021 UNESCO<br />
Report. I am also delighted to welcome<br />
back key executives from the global<br />
cinema, content, and creative communities<br />
to collaborate with me on this new<br />
edition and beyond.<br />
“This year’s focus on the growth in<br />
quality local content and reimagining<br />
ways of introducing the cinema culture to<br />
Africa’s largely youth population who have<br />
never been to a cinema is exciting because<br />
we are diving into the deep end of some<br />
core issues. Over 80 percent of Africans on<br />
the continent have never been to a cinema,<br />
as the lack of cinema infrastructure has<br />
meant the eroding of the cinema culture in<br />
African communities. This is a big<br />
opportunity, and we have the mindset that<br />
it is possible to drive Africa’s 1 billion youth<br />
population to think about cinema as a<br />
viable entertainment option. The entire<br />
cinema world must join us on this journey<br />
that holds the future sustainability of<br />
African cinema and world cinema.”<br />
August/September <strong>2024</strong> 13<br />
box_24_july.indd 13 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:23:39
INDUSTRY | TRADE TALK<br />
CINETRAIN AND ICTA JOIN FORCES<br />
FOR AN ONLINE CINEMA TECHNICAL<br />
EDUCATION TRAINING PROGRAM<br />
Online educational solutions <strong>pro</strong>vider CineTRAIN has<br />
announced a partnership with the International Cinema<br />
Technology Association (ICTA) to launch a new and engaging<br />
online technical training <strong>pro</strong>gram.<br />
The collaboration between CineTRAIN and ICTA aims to<br />
address the growing need for accessible and comprehensive<br />
education within the cinema technology sector. The first<br />
certification <strong>pro</strong>gram, “Fundamentals of Presentation Technology,”<br />
will give users insights into cinema technology›s latest<br />
advancements and best practices. Users will engage with content,<br />
complete assessments, and ultimately earn a certification.<br />
This partnership will allow for accessibility to educational<br />
content, particularly for those unable to attend in-person<br />
seminars. This first online training <strong>pro</strong>gram will be modeled after<br />
the traveling educational seminar the ICTA has hosted at<br />
numerous trade events in partnership with the Cinema Foundation<br />
over the past year. Plans are in place to develop a full<br />
cinema technological certification path. The <strong>pro</strong>gram is set to<br />
launch in October <strong>2024</strong> at ShowEast.<br />
Brett King, CineTRAIN›s chief executive officer, expressed<br />
excitement about the partnership, stating, “At CineTRAIN, we are<br />
committed to empowering beginners and <strong>pro</strong>fessionals in the<br />
cinema industry with the knowledge and skills they need to<br />
succeed. Our collaboration with ICTA represents a significant step<br />
forward in achieving this mission. Through our online training<br />
<strong>pro</strong>gram, we aim to bridge the gap between traditional learning<br />
methods, accessibility, and the evolving needs of the industry.”<br />
Frank Tees, president of the ICTA, shared his perspective on the<br />
initiative, noting, “The partnership between CineTRAIN and ICTA<br />
reflects our shared dedication to advancing education and<br />
<strong>pro</strong>fessional development within the cinema technology community.<br />
By leveraging the expertise and resources of both organizations,<br />
we can <strong>pro</strong>vide participants with unparalleled access to<br />
cutting-edge content and practical training opportunities.”<br />
LARRY H. MILLER<br />
MEGAPLEX THEATRES TO<br />
ACQUIRE AND RENOVATE<br />
WATER GARDENS THEATRES<br />
IN PLEASANT GROVE, UTAH<br />
Megaplex Theatres and Larry H.<br />
Miller Real Estate will begin<br />
converting the Water Gardens Theatres in<br />
Pleasant Grove into a Megaplex location<br />
with 100 percent luxury seating. Construction<br />
is scheduled to start in August,<br />
with a grand opening celebration slated<br />
before the upcoming holiday season.<br />
The extensive renovation will temporarily<br />
close the six-screen cinema. During<br />
construction, movie fans can visit nearby<br />
Megaplex locations in Lehi (Larry H. Miller<br />
Megaplex Theatres at Thanksgiving Point)<br />
and Vineyard (Larry H. Miller Megaplex<br />
Theatres at Geneva).<br />
“We love the Water Gardens location in<br />
Pleasant Grove and are excited to upgrade<br />
the seating to luxury recliners. This<br />
location is conveniently located on State<br />
Street in Pleasant Grove and is a great<br />
location to service guests in Utah County<br />
who live on the east side of the valley,” said<br />
Britten M<strong>aug</strong>han, Megaplex Theatres<br />
president. “We expect to have 187<br />
auditoriums across 17 Megaplex locations<br />
entertaining movie fans by the end of<br />
<strong>2024</strong>, with even more exciting <strong>pro</strong>jects on<br />
the horizon.”<br />
Since the renovation <strong>pro</strong>ject will involve<br />
a substantial technical makeover, existing<br />
payment and redemption systems will be<br />
removed and replaced. Guests with current<br />
Water Gardens vouchers or gift cards are<br />
encouraged to use them at the Pleasant<br />
Grove location before July 27, <strong>2024</strong>.<br />
“We are delighted that Megaplex<br />
Theatres will be remodeling the Pleasant<br />
Grove theatre and reopening before the<br />
Thanksgiving holiday season,” said Mike<br />
Daniels, Water Gardens coowner. “We love<br />
the quality of <strong>pro</strong>ducts the Miller<br />
organization builds and the services they<br />
<strong>pro</strong>vide to communities they are in. We<br />
would ask all of our patrons to support<br />
them in this endeavor.”<br />
“We thank all of our guests for the<br />
many memories in Pleasant Grove. It has<br />
been such a tremendous experience to<br />
watch families grow. Many employees who<br />
had their first jobs here in 2010 are now<br />
bringing their own kids to the theatre. We<br />
know we leave it in good hands,” said Tyler<br />
Walters, Water Gardens coowner.<br />
Megaplex guests in Pleasant Grove will<br />
have easier access to many Megaplex<br />
benefits, including the MyMegaRewards<br />
loyalty <strong>pro</strong>gram as well as the popular<br />
MegaTub and MegaMug refillable popcorn<br />
and Coca-Cola loyalty <strong>pro</strong>grams. Additional<br />
benefits include the new Megaplex<br />
$5 Reel Deals, special Megaplex events,<br />
movie marathons, film festivals, celebrations,<br />
and exclusive Megaplex <strong>pro</strong>motions.<br />
Located at 912 West Garden Drive in<br />
Pleasant Grove, the newly acquired<br />
Megaplex Theatres will occupy the same<br />
space as the original theater, which was<br />
built in 1997.<br />
O<br />
H<br />
Q<br />
a<br />
C<br />
a<br />
14 August/September <strong>2024</strong><br />
box_24_july.indd 14 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:23:42<br />
Vista_Fu
Once upon a time in<br />
Hollywood...<br />
Quentin Tarantino and his team reached out to Proctor Companies to design<br />
and build his dream theatre. The result? The Vista Theatre, Hollywood,<br />
California. Renovated with an eye for retro styling, this 100 year old cinema<br />
absolutley oozes eclectic coolness, just like its owner. Groovy!<br />
www.<strong>pro</strong>ctorco.com | | sales@<strong>pro</strong>ctorco.com<br />
800-221-3699<br />
box_24_july.indd 15 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:23:44<br />
Vista_Full BO.indd 1<br />
4/15/24 2:41 PM
INDUSTRY | CHARITY SPOTLIGHT<br />
CHARITY SPOTLIGHT<br />
EMAGINE ENTERTAINMENT<br />
JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION<br />
BENEFITS UNITED NEGRO<br />
COLLEGE FUND<br />
This June, Emagine Entertainment<br />
partnered with the United Negro<br />
College Fund (UNCF) for a special film<br />
series in honor of Juneteenth. Two of<br />
Emagine’s Michigan locations—Emagine<br />
Royal Oak and The Rivieria Powered by<br />
Emagine—screened Spike Lee’s School<br />
Daze daily for one week, starting on<br />
Wednesday, June 19. Tickets to all<br />
screenings, including the opening night<br />
meet and greet with singer, songwriter,<br />
and actress Dawnn Lewis, were $5, with<br />
net <strong>pro</strong>ceeds benefiting various UNCF<br />
initiatives, including the 36th Annual<br />
UNCF Detroit Walk for Education.<br />
This is the fourth year Emagine<br />
Entertainment has partnered with UNCF,<br />
whose mission it is to create a nation where<br />
all Americans have equal access to a<br />
college education that will prepare them<br />
for rich intellectual lives, competitive and<br />
fulfilling careers, engaged citizenship, and<br />
service to our nation.<br />
“Since 1944, UNCF has fueled historically<br />
black colleges and universities with<br />
vital resources to educate generations of<br />
African American and other minority<br />
students. We are excited to once again<br />
partner with Emagine Entertainment as<br />
we continue our yearlong 80th anniversary<br />
celebration as the nation’s largest<br />
and most effective minority education<br />
organization,” said Patrice M. Neal,<br />
Michigan’s area development director for<br />
UNCF. “This Juneteenth event will help<br />
<strong>pro</strong>vide additional exposure for the great<br />
work UNCF continues to do to help<br />
underrepresented students not only go to<br />
college, but get through college.”<br />
ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE<br />
SUPPORTS NONPROFITS<br />
THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER<br />
While Alamo Drafthouse firmly<br />
believes in flying the rainbow flag<br />
year-round, it raised it a little higher for<br />
Pride at Alamo Drafthouse. Throughout<br />
June the Texas-based dine-in chain<br />
celebrated the LGBTQ+ community by<br />
screening essential queer cinema, helping<br />
guests show their pride with branded<br />
apparel, and matching up to $5,000 of<br />
guest donations to Point Foundation, the<br />
nation’s largest LGBTQ scholarship fund.<br />
Guests to all screenings in June were<br />
invited to add a $1, $3, or $5 donation to<br />
their online ticket purchases.<br />
“Alamo Drafthouse has been and always<br />
will be a safe place for people, including the<br />
LGBTQ+ community, to share in their love<br />
of cinema,” shared Alamo Drafthouse CEO<br />
Michael Kustermann. “We could not be<br />
more <strong>pro</strong>ud to champion these films and<br />
support the vital work of organizations like<br />
Point Foundation.”<br />
On June 12-13, the New<br />
York–based Motion Picture<br />
Club hosted the 28th<br />
Annual Max Fried Cocktail<br />
Reception and Golf<br />
Tournament—this year in<br />
honor of Kyle Davies,<br />
president of distribution at<br />
Bleecker Street. Proceeds<br />
from the event went to a<br />
number of local charities,<br />
among them the Will<br />
Rogers Motion Picture<br />
Pioneers Foundation,<br />
Variety Boys and Girls Club<br />
of Queens, Rising Ground,<br />
Variety – the Children’s<br />
Charity, and Ronald<br />
McDonald House Charities.<br />
16 August/September <strong>2024</strong><br />
box_24_july.indd 16 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:23:47
In June, Cinemark employees once<br />
again gave back to their community<br />
through Cinemark Cares Day,<br />
partnering with the North Texas Food<br />
Bank and putting together book bags for<br />
Variety Children’s Charity of Texas for<br />
kids attending summer camps.<br />
August/September <strong>2024</strong> 17<br />
box_24_july.indd 17 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:23:53
INDUSTRY | CHARITY SPOTLIGHT<br />
UPCOMING EVENTS<br />
JULY 22<br />
Monday, July 22, sees Variety of<br />
Wisconsin host their annual Ben<br />
Marcus Variety Golf Classic at the<br />
Grand Geneva Resort and Spa in<br />
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. The<br />
previous day, a winning bidder will<br />
be golfing with top Marcus Theatres<br />
executives; bidding closes on July 1.<br />
varietywi.org<br />
JULY 24<br />
Join Variety’s Southern California<br />
chapter for their 12th Annual Poker<br />
& Casino Night, held at the<br />
Paramount Pictures lot in<br />
Hollywood. Variety’s Charity Poker<br />
& Casino Night has become one of<br />
the most anticipated fundraising<br />
events in the industry, as<br />
entertainment execs and<br />
celebrities go all in for a great<br />
cause. To date, Variety SoCal’s<br />
poker events have raised over $1<br />
million to <strong>pro</strong>vide lifesaving support<br />
for disabled, abused, physically<br />
challenged, and underprivileged<br />
children in Southern California.<br />
varietysocal.org<br />
JULY 27<br />
Polo on the Green is back and<br />
better than ever in Des Moines,<br />
Iowa. Join Variety’s Iowa chapter<br />
at Powder River Ranch for an<br />
air-conditioned evening of dinner,<br />
an all-inclusive hosted bar, live and<br />
silent auctions, and, of course, a<br />
polo match complete with divot<br />
stomping.<br />
varietyiowa.com<br />
JULY 27<br />
Variety KC is hosting its first Variety<br />
KC Family Bowl-a-Thon on July 27.<br />
Families, friends, and volunteers<br />
are invited to hit the lanes to show<br />
off their skills and, more important,<br />
to have fun with the theme of<br />
inclusion and accessibility.<br />
varietykc.org<br />
18 August/September <strong>2024</strong><br />
JULY 29<br />
The 21st Annual Paul W. Smith<br />
Golf Classic to benefit children’s<br />
charities will be held on Monday,<br />
July 29, at the Country Club of<br />
Detroit.u This event benefits four<br />
charities: Variety - the Children’s<br />
Charity, Detroit PAL, The Children’s<br />
Center, and the Children’s<br />
Foundation. Since the tournament’s<br />
inception in 2004, it has<br />
raised more than $8.7 million to<br />
support children in need.<br />
variety-detroit.com<br />
AUGUST 12<br />
At the 36th Annual Leinenkugel<br />
Golf Invitational, golfers will<br />
participate in a four-person<br />
best-shot event at one of Iowa’s<br />
top-rated golf courses, located in<br />
Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Participants<br />
will enjoy lunch, games on the<br />
course, a raffle, a Hy-Vee shopping<br />
spree opportunity, a chance to win<br />
a vehicle on a hole-in-one shot, a<br />
silent auction, and a specialized<br />
bike presentation to a local child.<br />
Proceeds from this event benefit<br />
Variety - the Children’s Charity and<br />
children in eastern Iowa.<br />
varietyiowa.com<br />
AUGUST 22<br />
Gather your friends, colleagues,<br />
and clients for Variety’s annual<br />
men’s-only stag event, held on<br />
August 22 at the Powder River<br />
Ranch in Cumming, Iowa. The<br />
evening includes beverage<br />
sampling, a steak dinner, an<br />
auction, raffles, and a swag bag<br />
for each guest.<br />
varietyiowa.com<br />
AUGUST 25<br />
Variety Detroit’s Shine Fashion Show<br />
returns this summer at the Somerset<br />
Collection South Rotunda in Troy,<br />
Michigan. This beautiful fashion<br />
show, featuring the children of<br />
Variety and friends from Far<br />
Therapeutic Arts & Recreation, will<br />
capture the hearts of all in<br />
attendance as models rock the<br />
runway in the latest back-to-school<br />
fashions from Somerset Collection<br />
retailers. The afternoon will benefit<br />
two therapeutic <strong>pro</strong>grams for those<br />
with special needs: Far’s Making<br />
Music with Friends and the Variety<br />
4-H Horseback Riding <strong>pro</strong>gram.<br />
variety-detroit.com<br />
AUGUST 28-29<br />
Variety of Texas closes out<br />
CinéShow in Dallas with two days<br />
of events: First, on Wednesday,<br />
June 28, the non<strong>pro</strong>fit’s annual<br />
gala will be held at Grandscape in<br />
The Colony, Texas. The following<br />
day will see attendees golf at the<br />
Dallas Cowboys Golf Club in<br />
Grapevine, Texas.<br />
varietytexas.org<br />
SEPTEMBER 3<br />
Variety Manitoba is excited to once<br />
again bring Variety’s Drive Fore the<br />
Kids Golf Classic to the Glendale<br />
Golf & Country Club. The<br />
tournament <strong>pro</strong>mises to deliver a<br />
unique experience with an exciting<br />
$1 million hole-in-one shoot-out!<br />
varietymanitoba.com<br />
SEPTEMBER 5<br />
Supervillain Golf hosts its Third<br />
Annual Canmore Supervillain<br />
Charity Golf Classic, held at the<br />
Silvertip Golf Resort in Canmore,<br />
Alberta, and benefiting the children<br />
of Variety of Alberta. The 18-hole,<br />
four-player scramble event will<br />
include <strong>pro</strong>ximity and length prizes,<br />
prizes for best dressed and team<br />
uniforms, and more.<br />
varietyalberta.ca<br />
SEPTEMBER 17<br />
Attendees at the Miller Lite Golf<br />
Invitational will compete in a<br />
four-person best-shot tournament<br />
at the award-winning Legacy<br />
Golf Course in Norwalk, Iowa.<br />
Participants will enjoy lunch and<br />
dinner, games on the course,<br />
complimentary gifts, flight prizes,<br />
and hole-in-one opportunities.<br />
After the tournament, a specialized<br />
piece of mobility equipment will be<br />
presented to a local child with<br />
special needs.<br />
varietyiowa.com<br />
SEPTEMBER 18<br />
Gather friends, colleagues, and<br />
clients for eastern Iowa’s men’s-only<br />
stag event, held in support of<br />
Variety - the Children’s Charity’s<br />
Iowa chapter. The evening includes<br />
beverage sampling, a steak dinner,<br />
a silent auction, a raffle, entertainment,<br />
and a gift for each guest.<br />
All <strong>pro</strong>ceeds stay in eastern Iowa<br />
and support Variety’s mission of<br />
im<strong>pro</strong>ving the lives of children who<br />
are underprivileged, at-risk,<br />
critically ill, or living with special<br />
needs.<br />
varietyiowa.com<br />
SEPTEMBER 19<br />
This autumn sees Variety of<br />
Southern California host their 52nd<br />
Annual Golf Classic, held at<br />
Moorpark Country Club in<br />
Moorpark, California.<br />
varietysocal.org<br />
SEPTEMBER 24<br />
Those who purchase entry<br />
to the drawing party, held on<br />
Tuesday, September 24, at<br />
Variety Club Headquarters in<br />
Lancaster, New York, will have a<br />
chance to win a 1955 Chevy Bel Air.<br />
varietybuffalo.org<br />
SEPTEMBER 26<br />
Variety the Children's Charity of<br />
Detroit has announced that the<br />
Variety Mental Health Luncheon will<br />
be held on Thursday, September 26,<br />
<strong>2024</strong>, at Pine Lake Country Club.<br />
The special afternoon will benefit<br />
Variety Detroit’s newest core<br />
<strong>pro</strong>gram—Variety Being You Being<br />
Strong—which <strong>pro</strong>vides mental<br />
health awareness support for<br />
children in elementary school.<br />
variety-detroit.com<br />
OCTOBER 10<br />
Proceeds from the men’s-only stag<br />
event held at the Sundown<br />
Mountain Resort on October 10 in<br />
Dubuque, Iowa, will go towards<br />
supporting Variety’s mission of<br />
im<strong>pro</strong>ving the lives of children who<br />
are underprivileged, at-risk,<br />
critically ill, or living with special<br />
needs. The evening includes<br />
beverage sampling, a steak dinner,<br />
a silent auction, a raffle, entertainment,<br />
and a gift for each guest.<br />
The event will be emceed by the<br />
iconic voice of the Iowa Hawkeyes,<br />
Gary Dolphin.<br />
varietyiowa.com<br />
OCTOBER 20<br />
Think you've got what it takes<br />
to be crowned a chili champion?<br />
Join Variety’s Iowa chapter at its<br />
Fourth Annual Chili Cookoff, hosted<br />
with local networking group<br />
The Loop DSM at the Iowa Tap<br />
Room in Des Moines, Iowa.<br />
varietyiowa.com<br />
W<br />
box_24_july.indd 18 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:23:54
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box_24_july.indd 19 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:23:55
INDUSTRY | CINEEUROPE <strong>2024</strong><br />
Film Expo Group President Andrew Sunshine<br />
CINEEUROPE <strong>2024</strong><br />
TAKES THE STAGE<br />
Local Titles Come to the Rescue Across Europe, Mitigating<br />
the Damage from Hollywood’s Labor Disruption<br />
BY DANIEL LORIA<br />
The European cinema industry once<br />
again convened in Barcelona for<br />
UNIC’s annual convention, bringing<br />
together the region’s top circuits, the<br />
world’s leading vendors, and Hollywood’s<br />
major studios. The breakthrough<br />
performance of Disney’s Inside Out 2,<br />
released over the weekend leading into the<br />
event, <strong>pro</strong>vided a rush of excitement and<br />
optimism for a week full of panels, studio<br />
presentations, and meetings.<br />
2023 <strong>pro</strong>ved to be a successful year for<br />
cinemas across Europe, largely thanks to<br />
the success of titles like Barbie, Oppenheimer,<br />
The Super Mario Bros. Movie,<br />
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part<br />
20 August/September <strong>2024</strong><br />
One, and Wonka. In terms of a recovery<br />
since the cinema closures of 2020, a large<br />
number of European markets—including<br />
the Netherlands, Belgium, Bulgaria,<br />
Romania, Croatia, Albania, Bosnia and<br />
Herzegovina, Estonia, Hungary, Serbia<br />
and Montenegro—ended 2023 with box<br />
office revenues above their 2017-2019<br />
average. Countries like Austria, the Czech<br />
Republic, Finland, and Slovakia finished<br />
the year on par with their pre-pandemic<br />
box office results. European cinema<br />
admissions increased by an estimated 21.6<br />
percent in 2023, with 986 million visits<br />
across the region, nearing the one-billion<br />
mark. The box office reached 7.2 billion<br />
euros, an increase of 23.7 percent from the<br />
previous year. At the EU level, over 662<br />
million tickets were sold in cinemas, worth<br />
an estimated 5.1 billion euros at the box<br />
office—increases of 22.5 percent and 26.7<br />
percent, respectively.<br />
Hollywood’s labor strikes hurt grosses<br />
in the second half of the year through the<br />
first two quarters of <strong>2024</strong>, but European<br />
territories could turn to their national film<br />
industries to fill the gaps in the release<br />
schedule. Local titles mitigated the<br />
decreased output from Hollywood imports<br />
in 2023, contributing sizable shares to<br />
markets like France (36.7 percent), Albania<br />
(31 percent), Turkey (42.7 percent), Italy<br />
box_24_july.indd 20 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:23:57
From Left to Right: Julien Marcel (CEO, The Boxoffice Company),<br />
Laura Houlgatte (CEO, UNIC), Phil Clapp (President, UNIC & CEO,<br />
UK Cinema Association)<br />
From Left to Right: Daniel Loria (SVP Content Strategy & Editorial<br />
Director, Boxoffice Pro), Malcolm MacMillan (EVP Exhibitor Relations,<br />
The Boxoffice Company), Sunil Suri (Director, Reel Cinemas)<br />
From Left to Right: Sonia Ragone (Industry Relations & Research<br />
Manager, UNIC), Shaun Jones (Vice President & Company Director,<br />
Cineworld Cinemas), Daniel Loria (SVP Content Strategy & Editorial<br />
Director, Boxoffice Pro)<br />
From Left to Right: Tim Richards (Founder & CEO, VUE Entertainement),<br />
Nicolas Seydoux (Chairman, ALPA & Chairman of the<br />
Supervisory Board, Gaumont), Julien Marcel (CEO, The Boxoffice<br />
Company)<br />
From Left to Right: Giovanni Dolci, (Global Chief Sales Officer, Imax), Kadri Kaldma (Business Development Manager, Apollo Cinema<br />
Baltics) Steven O’Dell (President, International Distribution, Sony Pictures Releasing), Tim Richards (Founder & CEO, VUE Entertainment),<br />
Mark Viane (President, International Theatrical Distribution, Paramount Pictures), Julien Marcel (CEO, The Boxoffice Company)<br />
August/September <strong>2024</strong> 21<br />
box_24_july.indd 21 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:24:03
INDUSTRY | CINEEUROPE <strong>2024</strong><br />
(24.3 percent), and Norway (23.5 percent).<br />
Italy, in particular, saw a massive boost<br />
thanks mainly to the success of C’è ancora<br />
domani, which helped push the box office<br />
to an astounding 62 percent im<strong>pro</strong>vement<br />
over the prior year. “In Norway, during the<br />
Christmas holiday, Norwegian films<br />
accounted for three out of four cinema<br />
tickets sold in that country,” said UNIC<br />
CEO Laura Houlgatte during her keynote<br />
address at CineEurope. “Meanwhile, four<br />
domestic releases in Romania made [the<br />
country’s] top ten [in annual box office] for<br />
the first time.”<br />
Local titles have also continued to<br />
impact Europe in <strong>2024</strong>. In Germany,<br />
Chantal im Märchenland registered an<br />
opening day box office 40 percent higher<br />
than Barbie. In France, the comedy<br />
Un p’tit truc en plus registered 4.8 million<br />
admissions in May only, more than the<br />
lifetime admissions for Oppenheimer in<br />
the country.<br />
The impact of local titles on an<br />
inconsistent release schedule has led major<br />
circuits like AMC (parent company of<br />
Odeon, the largest exhibition circuit in<br />
Europe) and Vue International to begin<br />
distributing their own films. “It’s something<br />
that we’ve always liked and believed<br />
in,” shared Vue CEO Tim Richards at a<br />
CineEurope executive panel moderated by<br />
Boxoffice Pro CEO Julien Marcel. “We had<br />
a large distribution company in Poland, so<br />
Warner Bros. Studios president<br />
of international distribution Andrew Cripps<br />
“In Norway, during the<br />
Christmas holiday, Norwegian<br />
films accounted for three<br />
out of four cinema tickets sold<br />
in that country. Meanwhile,<br />
four domestic releases in<br />
Romania made [the country’s]<br />
top ten [in annual box office]<br />
for the first time.”<br />
we have experience in it. Once we settled<br />
down [after the pandemic], we started<br />
looking at this year as a foundation year,<br />
where we’re investing heavily in converting<br />
our sites with recliner seats, laser<br />
<strong>pro</strong>jection, and Dolby Atmos. We opened<br />
up a few new sites and started thinking<br />
about what else we could do—and that’s<br />
how we found ourselves setting up our own<br />
distribution company.”<br />
On the vendor side, CineEurope saw a<br />
<strong>pro</strong>liferation of PLF concepts dominating<br />
the tradeshow floor—a reflection of one of<br />
the biggest global exhibition trends.<br />
Projection technologies like Barco’s Barco<br />
HDR, Christie’s Cinity, and Dolby’s Dolby<br />
Vision and Dolby Atmos showcased the<br />
potential of high-contrast resolution using<br />
today’s flagship <strong>pro</strong>jector technology.<br />
Complementing those concepts were<br />
impressive demos from Timewaying’s<br />
(<strong>pro</strong>jector-free) HeyLED screens and ICE<br />
Theaters’ panoramic screen format.<br />
CineEurope also saw updated announcements<br />
on UNIC’s current activities<br />
across the European cinema industry.<br />
The trade group formally launched the<br />
eighth edition of its popular Women’s<br />
Cinema Leadership Programme, which<br />
pairs upcoming executives with influential<br />
veterans from across the industry.<br />
The <strong>pro</strong>gram was launched in the 2017 to<br />
address the gender imbalance in the<br />
exhibition business. UNIC also updated<br />
members on its People Programme<br />
initiative, shifting its focus this year to<br />
address leadership skills.<br />
Finally, UNIC took the occasion<br />
to announce its newly elected board of<br />
directors, who will serve two-year terms<br />
expiring in June 2026. Phil Clapp, the chief<br />
executive officer of the UK Cinema<br />
Association, was reappointed as president.<br />
He is joined by Jaime Tarrazón, delegate<br />
of the Federación de Cines de España, as<br />
SVP and treasurer, and a group of vice<br />
presidents that includes Richard Patry,<br />
president of the Fédération Nationale des<br />
Cinémas Français; Edna Epelbaum,<br />
president of the Association Cinématographique<br />
Suisse; Mario Lorini, president<br />
of the Associazione Nazionale Esercenti<br />
Cinema; Tomasz Jagiełło, CEO of<br />
exhibition chain Helios and member of the<br />
Polish Cinema Association; and Christine<br />
Berg, head of Germany’s HDF Kino.<br />
Thierry Laermans, general secretary of the<br />
Fédération des Cinémas de Belgique,<br />
will serve as observer.<br />
22 August/September <strong>2024</strong><br />
box_24_july.indd 22 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:24:07
ox_24_july.indd 23 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:24:08
INDUSTRY | CINEMA ADVERTISING<br />
CINEMA<br />
ADVERTISING:<br />
A CATALYST<br />
TO RECOVERY<br />
The Preshow Comes to the Rescue as Exhibitors Wrangle<br />
with Fewer Titles and an Inconsistent Release Schedule<br />
BY DANIEL LORIA<br />
Aximporerum ut hicturiorem eum<br />
velloreped ulparup tatusan dandita<br />
pernatem eos et occus et omnis ma cus, il<br />
maionse rruptate et eius, coratur sit<br />
quatiorem que latur mos adio bearitaepel<br />
mi, con expe odis aut harum raest, quist<br />
volor accus quuntinis eiusdan iminciene<br />
con remped mini sectiis as ut ipit, quas aut<br />
voluptatia consequi dolest, que plam,<br />
omnietur?<br />
Anto cor apidunt, coriste consed et<br />
aborio. Dundae. Ihillab orupturis as<br />
doloresci sectora venit, iminctae re lam,<br />
qui reicitatem fugiae nonse nis voluptae.<br />
Estem quo voluptatiis eaquiam et odi<br />
dipsuntur, sit, omni dolessi nullabo.<br />
Itatatur andi dero mint as verum quam et<br />
24 August/September <strong>2024</strong><br />
maiorporit quis ut qui omnimusaped et<br />
aut que int, cus expligent.<br />
Em nimet ut <strong>pro</strong> que debistiis rehenitis<br />
mo et quaeria tiunt.Fugias is dunt. Usdam<br />
int earunt aut odi illa voluptur?<br />
Obis sandis cor aciur aut eum utem<br />
dolore voluptur?<br />
Ro dolorep tatquamusdae <strong>pro</strong>vit<br />
fugiam harumque dio mossed ut parumqu<br />
isciminctur, volorro omniet eossitia nime<br />
sit alignihitio inusa vendia senient, tem<br />
aut ratus dolupta tusciundae seque est aut<br />
odi andit volorit, voloreria sunte vellam<br />
aut es dolupic temporeritas aut vellectotae<br />
inctaquis esequia corersped es dit vel id<br />
maios iuntio tem<br />
“Obita dolore conesed qui<br />
cupiduciat aspe voluptatus as<br />
simil es rem repernatibus et ut<br />
aliciis eum nobitibus non core<br />
velit eum ime parit velit<br />
laboremque sa volorio.”<br />
box_24_july.indd 24 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:24:11
While annual box office returns<br />
remain billions of dollars away from<br />
prepandemic levels, cinema<br />
advertising’s value <strong>pro</strong>position in<br />
recent years has increased<br />
because of the structural changes<br />
across the media ecosystem.<br />
It’s been a long road to recovery for<br />
theater owners since reopening their<br />
screens following the Covid pandemic.<br />
Shorter exclusivity windows and fewer theatrical<br />
releases have contributed to an<br />
overall box office decline, putting pressure<br />
on operators to find revenue from every<br />
possible area. Cinema advertising has<br />
been an invaluable partner in this effort,<br />
connecting brands with moviegoing<br />
audiences at a benefit for all parties<br />
involved. While annual box office returns<br />
remain billions of dollars away from<br />
prepandemic levels, cinema advertising’s<br />
value <strong>pro</strong>position in recent years has<br />
increased because of the structural<br />
changes across the media ecosystem.<br />
According to Nielsen, “traditional” TV<br />
viewership, a metric comprised of<br />
broadcast and cable television <strong>pro</strong>viders,<br />
accounts for around half of television<br />
usage across all platforms in May <strong>2024</strong>.<br />
Meanwhile, streaming represented nearly<br />
40 percent of viewership during that same<br />
period. Advertising remains the sector<br />
most affected by this trend, with<br />
streaming unable to <strong>pro</strong>vide the attention,<br />
viewership, or recall brands used to rely<br />
upon. The decline of traditional TV<br />
advertising has helped emphasize cinema<br />
advertising as the ideal home for video<br />
advertising. In the streaming business,<br />
brands often have less than 15 seconds to<br />
capture viewers’ attention before they can<br />
skip an ad. At the cinema, brands can be<br />
reassured of a highly engaged captive<br />
audience they can target by title, genre,<br />
region, and even showtime, <strong>pro</strong>viding a<br />
unique and effective platform for their<br />
advertising needs.<br />
“If you look at significant cultural<br />
moments driven by media, they don’t exist<br />
as they used to,” says Mike Rosen, CRO of<br />
National CineMedia (NCM). “You don’t see<br />
linear television delivering those moments,<br />
outside a handful of live sporting<br />
events. We no longer have that Thursday<br />
night sitcom everyone talks about on<br />
Friday morning. Cinema is the only place<br />
where that exists today. Marketers know<br />
that when Deadpool & Wolverine comes<br />
out, tens of millions of people will share<br />
that experience over 72 hours in its<br />
opening weekend.”<br />
Viewers’ emotional connection with a<br />
highly anticipated new film has <strong>pro</strong>ven to<br />
be one of the most appealing factors for<br />
brands to buy into cinema advertising in<br />
recent years. According to Amy Tunick,<br />
CMO of NCM, her firm sold out its ad<br />
inventory for the first four weeks of the<br />
theatrical run of Taylor Swift: The Eras<br />
Tour within weeks of the film’s announcement.<br />
NCM “Taylor-ized” (Tunick’s<br />
pun, not ours) its own specialized preshow<br />
for The Eras Tour, recognizing the title’s<br />
central role in the brand’s decision to<br />
advertise. The entire preshow experience<br />
was designed to deliver specific marketing<br />
messages tied to that particular film, an<br />
increasingly common trend for major<br />
releases.<br />
“The best [preshow] content is the one<br />
that talks to the audience in the way that<br />
they want to be talked to while being<br />
reflective of the brand,” says Kathryn<br />
Jacob, CEO of UK cinema advertising<br />
leader Pearl & Dean. “You instinctively<br />
know, for example, when you see a Chanel<br />
or Rolex ad. Brand markers, whether sonic<br />
logos or visual iconography, are key to this<br />
association. The role of a cinema sales<br />
house is to act as the conduit for putting<br />
the right ad with the right content so that it<br />
feels resonant … if you want memorable,<br />
brand-building, and emotionally-resonant<br />
advertising, you need to be in cinema.”<br />
Luxury brands like those mentioned by<br />
August/September <strong>2024</strong> 25<br />
box_24_july.indd 25 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:24:13
INDUSTRY | CINEMA ADVERTISING<br />
Jacob are particularly adept at identifying<br />
the most suitable cinema advertising<br />
platforms for their ad spend. Spotlight<br />
Cinema Networks—which specializes in<br />
advertising with art house, luxury, and<br />
dine-in cinema circuits in the United<br />
States—offers distinctive preshows<br />
appealing to different audience segments.<br />
“We listen to our partners and know the<br />
importance of <strong>pro</strong>viding a quality,<br />
cinematic preshow that enhances, and<br />
reflects, the cinema environment it<br />
appears in,” says Michael Sakin, president<br />
of Spotlight Cinema Networks. “Our art<br />
house preshow includes exclusive indie<br />
short films, relevant trivia, and eclectic<br />
music. The mainstream preshow features<br />
exclusive red carpets, press junkets, cast<br />
interviews from the most talked about<br />
movies, relatable trivia, and more.<br />
Additionally, we work with our exhibitor<br />
partners to customize the length of the<br />
“We listen to our partners<br />
and know the importance<br />
of <strong>pro</strong>viding a quality,<br />
cinematic preshow that<br />
enhances, and reflects, the<br />
cinema environment it<br />
appears in.”<br />
preshow to meet their needs and review all<br />
advertising campaigns before appearing<br />
onscreen.” Spotlight’s boutique ap<strong>pro</strong>ach<br />
to cinema advertising is concentrated<br />
around theaters in urban, upscale zip<br />
codes with a national footprint. “The best<br />
theaters in top markets,” explains Sakin<br />
succinctly, “<strong>pro</strong>viding the ideal advertising<br />
platform to reach urbane, educated,<br />
influential adults within the top DMAs in<br />
the country.”<br />
A successful preshow must also keep<br />
the advertisers’ priorities at the forefront.<br />
Screenvision Media, which has grown its<br />
national network to 14,300 screens in<br />
2,300 locations across all 50 states,<br />
announced it would be “guaranteeing<br />
campaigns on any measurable business<br />
outcome” in an address by its CRO,<br />
Christine Martino, at its upfront in New<br />
York City earlier this summer. “We want<br />
the advertisers to feel like their brands are<br />
center stage,” says Screenvision CEO John<br />
Partilla. “They are front and center. They<br />
are the heroes of that preshow. We don’t<br />
want to take too much of a focus away from<br />
the brands themselves.”<br />
Delivering on advertisers’ expectations<br />
has been central to Screenvision’s success.<br />
Jeremy Morgante, SVP of data and<br />
<strong>pro</strong>grammatic at Screenvision, singles out<br />
an increased demand for outcome-based<br />
measurement as the most <strong>pro</strong>minent trend<br />
he’s observed in the cinema advertising<br />
sector. “While we advise all clients to<br />
measure brand lift and reach, which are<br />
the most important measures of our<br />
medium, other types of attribution<br />
studies—foot traffic lift, web visits,<br />
purchase lift, tune-in—are increasingly<br />
important to <strong>pro</strong>ve ROI,” says Morgante.<br />
Programmatic advertising has also<br />
emerged as an important innovation to<br />
better address advertisers’ needs. “For the<br />
past 20-plus years, there was only one way<br />
to buy cinema advertising: a direct sale,”<br />
says NCM’s Mike Rosen. “Starting this<br />
year, we are offering a fully automated way<br />
to purchase, whether it’s our full network<br />
of over 18,000 screens, a single theater,<br />
market, region—or any combination that<br />
an advertiser prefers. Advertisers can now<br />
bid and run an ad on the same day. Now<br />
that they can buy ads <strong>pro</strong>grammatically,<br />
we’re seeing clients who had not previously<br />
purchased with us.”<br />
Despite these innovations, the decline<br />
in box office performance has paused some<br />
advertisers’ media plans regarding cinema.<br />
C<br />
M<br />
Y<br />
CM<br />
MY<br />
CY<br />
CMY<br />
K<br />
26 August/September <strong>2024</strong><br />
box_24_july.indd 26 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 23:14:49
C<br />
M<br />
Y<br />
CM<br />
MY<br />
CY<br />
CMY<br />
K<br />
August/September <strong>2024</strong> 27<br />
box_24_july.indd 27 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:24:21
INDUSTRY | CINEMA ADVERTISING<br />
“Actual theater attendance is down<br />
compared with the period before the<br />
pandemic. Since advertisers are paying for<br />
impressions, the number of impressions<br />
available through cinema advertising<br />
networks is also down, and so is the overall<br />
spending by advertisers and the revenue of<br />
both theaters and ad networks,” explains<br />
Thaddeus Bouchard, president of cinema<br />
advertising company Screendollars.<br />
“On the other hand, cinema advertisers<br />
have expanded their offerings to counteract<br />
this by introducing premium ad<br />
placements that play immediately before<br />
the feature and introducing entertainment<br />
and advertising screens in the lobbies and<br />
other common areas of the theater.<br />
The net is that as attendance rebounds in<br />
what is expected to be a strong period over<br />
the next two years, beginning with the<br />
second half of <strong>2024</strong>, revenue should<br />
eventually recover to a level ap<strong>pro</strong>aching<br />
the prepandemic highs. From an<br />
exhibitor’s point of view, that’s great news<br />
since it’s essential to maximize all<br />
available revenue opportunities to have<br />
the resources to operate theaters and<br />
invest in the future.”<br />
28 August/September <strong>2024</strong><br />
Ultimately, the real value<br />
of cinema advertising comes<br />
from the benefits it <strong>pro</strong>vides<br />
brands and exhibitors alike.<br />
In this era of media<br />
fragmentation, cinema<br />
remains the sole video venue<br />
that can bring together<br />
a mass audience and claim<br />
its undivided attention.<br />
Screenvision Media, which partners<br />
with Screendollars as part of its advertising<br />
network, has introduced its Marquee<br />
Position ad spot in response to this trend.<br />
Marquee Position runs one ad after the<br />
trailers and before the start of the feature<br />
film, touting an ad recall rate of 88 percent,<br />
according to Screenvision. While that<br />
solution has helped mitigate the perception<br />
caused by postpandemic box office<br />
figures, Screenvision’s John Partilla<br />
remains confident that theatrical returns<br />
have finally turned a corner from the<br />
postpandemic challenges. “From the back<br />
half of this year onward, I think we’re<br />
finally all well positioned for the skies to<br />
clear and fully enjoy this exciting,<br />
rewarding business again,” he says.<br />
Competitive pricing is another way for<br />
cinema advertising and exhibitors to<br />
compete. Parrot Film has been <strong>pro</strong>viding<br />
cinema advertising solutions to exhibitors<br />
since 1924. Its CEO, John Adams, believes<br />
competitively priced local ads can<br />
compound to make a real difference for<br />
independent exhibitors’ preshow. “We<br />
believe [ads] should be priced low enough<br />
where everybody in town has an opportunity<br />
to buy. In the towns we service, we<br />
have clients who don’t care about their<br />
placement in the preshow. They want to be<br />
involved; they want to be part of the<br />
experience. When we have an advertiser<br />
who makes it a point to be the last spot<br />
before a film starts, we can make that<br />
happen at a price that makes sense for<br />
everyone involved.”<br />
Ultimately, the real value of cinema<br />
advertising comes from the benefits it<br />
<strong>pro</strong>vides brands and exhibitors alike. In<br />
this era of media fragmentation, cinema<br />
remains the sole video venue that can<br />
bring together a mass audience and claim<br />
its undivided attention. “Our entire<br />
sector’s focus is on <strong>pro</strong>viding marketers<br />
and advertisers the opportunity to reach<br />
one of the most desirable demographics:<br />
millennials and Gen Z,” says NCM’s Mike<br />
Rosen. “The broader video landscape is<br />
going through significant challenges in<br />
reach, scale, and relevancy to those<br />
audiences. When people are at home, they<br />
can easily avoid ads through subscription<br />
streaming services. Cinema advertising<br />
allows brands to reach the hardest-toreach<br />
audiences with the most spending<br />
power through a platform that can deliver<br />
the highest attention scores. It is the best<br />
value <strong>pro</strong>position in advertising today.”<br />
box_24_july.indd 28 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:24:26
Congratulations to the<br />
Giants of Exhibition<br />
NCM, the leading cinema video ad platform,<br />
delivers The Noovie Show to moviegoing audiences<br />
nationwide. Our premium content experience is paired with<br />
better customer service, leading to increased revenue.<br />
Partner with NCM – the perfect best friend<br />
for the exhibition community.<br />
box_24_july.indd 29 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:24:27
CINEMA TECHNOLOGY & MARKETING<br />
Websites<br />
Mobile Apps<br />
Online Ticketing<br />
Targeted Emailing<br />
and more...<br />
Scan the QR code to find out more.<br />
box_24_july.indd 30 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:24:27
Giants of Exhibition 33 | Cineplex 50 | Marcus Theatres 54<br />
THEATER<br />
"Bowling is always going to be bowling, but going to the movies<br />
gives you a new experience each week."<br />
Marcus Theatres, p. 54<br />
August/September <strong>2024</strong> 31<br />
box_24_july.indd 31 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:24:29
Congratulations to the<br />
<strong>2024</strong> Giants of Exhibition<br />
Your dedication and resilience are the backbone<br />
of our industry. It is a privilege to partner with<br />
many of you, <strong>pro</strong>viding innovative solutions that<br />
empower your exceptional cinematic experiences.<br />
Reassuringly familiar and radically superior, Vista Cloud is designed<br />
to <strong>pro</strong>pel Giants of Exhibition into the future.<br />
Learn more at vista.co<br />
box_24_july.indd 32 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:24:30
THEATER | GIANTS OF EXHIBITION<br />
GIANTS<br />
BOXOFFICE PRO’S ANNUAL RANKING<br />
OF THE LARGEST EXHIBITION CIRCUITS<br />
IN NORTH AMERICA BY SCREEN COUNT<br />
OF EXHIBITION<br />
Presented by<br />
August/September <strong>2024</strong> 33<br />
box_24_july.indd 33 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:24:31
THEATER | GIANTS OF EXHIBITION<br />
SPONSOR<br />
PROFILE<br />
Jerramy Hainline<br />
EVP, Fandango<br />
Fandango wishes the Giants of<br />
Exhibition a huge congratulations!<br />
Your continued dedication to<br />
<strong>pro</strong>viding the best theatrical<br />
experiences and bringing the<br />
magical world of cinema closer to<br />
the hearts of movie lovers is<br />
unmatched. We are <strong>pro</strong>ud to be<br />
your partner.<br />
01<br />
AMC THEATRES<br />
Headquarters: Leawood, KS<br />
Founded: 1920<br />
Screens: 7,325<br />
Locations: 558<br />
A mix of creativity and tenacity<br />
helped AMC Theatres steer its way<br />
through the turbulent waters that followed<br />
Hollywood’s labor strikes in 2023. Faced<br />
with <strong>pro</strong>gramming gaps in the release<br />
calendar, AMC surprised the film industry<br />
with an unexpected incursion into<br />
theatrical distribution. Instead of dipping<br />
its toes in the water, AMC dived right in<br />
with a pair of blockbuster concert films<br />
released in Q4 2023, working directly with<br />
music megastars Taylor Swift and Beyoncé<br />
to bring Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour and<br />
Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé to movie<br />
theaters worldwide. Those two titles<br />
injected much-needed life into a moribund<br />
box office reeling from rescheduled studio<br />
releases. The Eras Tour finished its<br />
theatrical run with $180 million from North<br />
America, while Renaissance contributed an<br />
additional $33 million to the domestic<br />
market. Globally, AMC’s two concert films<br />
brought in a combined total of $310 million<br />
worldwide in box office revenue.<br />
The world’s top cinema chain hasn’t yet<br />
announced additional titles for <strong>2024</strong>, but,<br />
in a recent interview with Boxoffice Pro,<br />
CEO Adam Aron confirmed plans to have<br />
AMC Distribution play an important role<br />
in the circuit’s future. “Given what we just<br />
pulled off, the obvious thing to first<br />
consider is whether there are other concert<br />
movies that would be right in our<br />
wheelhouse,” Aron shared in the interview.<br />
“We’re talking to other world-class artists<br />
to see if we can get more concert films into<br />
theaters worldwide.”<br />
Aron joked that AMC’s mantra since the<br />
Hollywood labor strikes has been “survive<br />
until ‘25,” when he expects the box office to<br />
experience a big rebound. Until then, the<br />
circuit has launched a series of initiatives<br />
to diversify revenue. Some initiatives have<br />
been obvious (a streaming app) and some<br />
surprising (a goldmine), but the combined<br />
efforts have begun to affect the company’s<br />
bottom line. AMC launched its own<br />
branded retail popcorn line last year.<br />
Initially available at 550 locations, it is now<br />
sold at over 6,500 points of distribution in<br />
the United States—a twelve-fold increase<br />
over its first year on the market. The circuit<br />
also launched its own line of candy sold at<br />
its theaters to avoid supply-chain<br />
disruptions and increase food and<br />
beverage margins.<br />
While AMC’s overall screen and<br />
location counts have been gradually<br />
decreasing since the onset of the pan-<br />
demic, Aron explains that this is a strategy<br />
devised to optimize margins from their<br />
fleet of U.S. theaters. The circuit closed<br />
four underperforming locations in the first<br />
quarter of <strong>2024</strong> while adding one new site.<br />
In total, AMC has closed 169 underper-<br />
forming theaters since the pandemic—<br />
replacing them with 60 new locations.<br />
Over the past 20-plus years we<br />
built a network of direct-to-consumer<br />
digital brands that serve<br />
fans throughout their entertainment<br />
journey from discovery to<br />
moviegoing and beyond, and we<br />
remain dedicated to innovating<br />
and eventizing the theatrical<br />
experience with our partners.<br />
At Fandango, we continue to<br />
leverage our e-commerce<br />
expertise, <strong>pro</strong>motional know-how,<br />
and massive audience reach to<br />
drive more theater attendance,<br />
sell more tickets and concessions,<br />
and build happy and loyal<br />
audiences. Whether it’s through<br />
our new preorder concessions<br />
feature, ticket gifting and gift with<br />
purchase <strong>pro</strong>grams, supporting<br />
movie holidays like National<br />
Cinema and Popcorn Days,<br />
working with third-party <strong>pro</strong>motional<br />
partners, or helping bring<br />
new types of content to the big<br />
screen like concerts and the <strong>2024</strong><br />
Paris Olympics—we’re driving fans<br />
into theaters like never before.<br />
With <strong>2024</strong> already welcoming<br />
back cherished franchises and<br />
beloved characters to the cinema,<br />
we’re excited about this year and<br />
beyond. We look forward to<br />
working with you, our valued<br />
exhibition partners, to drive more<br />
movie fans into theaters to enjoy<br />
the best entertainment experience<br />
in the world.<br />
Grab a seat: It’s showtime!<br />
34 August/September <strong>2024</strong><br />
box_24_july.indd 34 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:24:35
ox_24_july.indd 35 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:24:37
THEATER | GIANTS OF EXHIBITION<br />
SPONSOR<br />
PROFILE<br />
Ronnie Ycong<br />
EVP and GM, Americas<br />
Digital Cinema United<br />
Congratulations, Giants<br />
of Exhibition! It’s great to see the<br />
many stalwarts of exhibition<br />
on the list and to welcome the<br />
newly tapped Giants.<br />
02<br />
REGAL CINEMAS<br />
Headquarters: Knoxville, TN<br />
Founded: 1989<br />
Screens: 5,774<br />
Locations: 425<br />
Regal Cinemas emerged from last<br />
year’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing<br />
by its parent circuit, U.K.-based multina-<br />
tional Cineworld, with an aggressive<br />
recovery plan. After renegotiating leases in<br />
key locations—including top-performing<br />
sites like New York City’s Times Square<br />
and Union Square—the chain began<br />
renovating and updating select theaters<br />
across the country. Updated design details,<br />
new bar areas, luxury seating, and<br />
additional premium large format (PLF)<br />
auditoriums have all been part of Regal’s<br />
new look in the United States. The chain<br />
has also been busy taking over new leases<br />
across the country. Its latest pickup—a<br />
former Kerasotes location in Secaucus,<br />
New Jersey—opened in late June.<br />
Regal maintains a diversified fleet of<br />
PLF concepts, including their <strong>pro</strong>prietary<br />
RPX screens, select Imax locations, and CJ<br />
4DPlex's 4DX immersive seating and<br />
ScreenX panoramic screens, of which they<br />
are the country's leading <strong>pro</strong>vider.<br />
In total, Regal operates 49 4DX audito-<br />
riums and 52 ScreenX venues across the<br />
United States. For context, the rest of<br />
Cineworld’s global circuit operates an<br />
additional 62 4DX auditoriums and 29<br />
ScreenX locations across Europe and<br />
Israel. Regal’s newly remodeled Times<br />
Square location in New York City recently<br />
added its second 4DX auditorium, the first<br />
site in North America to devote two<br />
separate auditoriums to the immersive<br />
seating experience. The newly installed<br />
4DX screen in Times Square features a<br />
60-foot-wide screen, four fog machines,<br />
and eight shaker amplifiers, <strong>pro</strong>viding<br />
extra motion for patrons.<br />
It is also the first 4DX auditorium in the<br />
United States to feature 30 rainstorm fans,<br />
including 14 directly above the audience.<br />
Cineworld expanded investment into<br />
its U.S. circuit beyond its physical<br />
locations. In February of this year, the<br />
cinema chain launched its online<br />
merchandise store, the Regal Store, where<br />
patrons can buy movie memorabilia like<br />
collectible cups and popcorn buckets.<br />
Moviegoers tied to the Regal Crown Club<br />
loyalty <strong>pro</strong>gram receive 20 percent off<br />
their first purchase at the store. The Regal<br />
Store has <strong>pro</strong>ven to be a valuable way to<br />
reach family audiences, with exclusive<br />
popcorn buckets for titles like Disney/<br />
Pixar’s Inside Out 2 <strong>pro</strong>minently featured<br />
on the e-commerce site.<br />
While <strong>2024</strong> started off slow for<br />
our industry, the box office finally<br />
bloomed with the record-breaking<br />
release of Inside Out 2 and other<br />
strong releases that followed.<br />
With the robust upcoming film<br />
slate, the <strong>2024</strong> box office is<br />
certainly going to close better<br />
than it started.<br />
Through Digital Cinema United’s<br />
theatrical services of DCP<br />
mastering, DCP delivery, and KDM<br />
management, we are doing our<br />
part to get movies on the big<br />
screen across North America and<br />
EMEA. Today, the rollout of our<br />
DCU Connect electronic delivery<br />
platform has reached 3,000<br />
locations. The installation of DCU<br />
Connect will allow theaters to<br />
receive DCPs faster and more<br />
reliably, with fewer delays caused<br />
by weather or mechanical issues.<br />
DCU Connect also contributes to<br />
Digital Cinema United’s personal<br />
goal of a cleaner planet through<br />
the reduction of fuel emissions.<br />
From the entire Digital Cinema<br />
United team, thank you to all our<br />
exhibition and distribution<br />
partners. There is a lot of theatrical<br />
content coming out in the next<br />
12 months, and Digital Cinema<br />
United is <strong>pro</strong>ud to play<br />
a significant role in the theatrical<br />
exhibition ecosystem.<br />
36 August/September <strong>2024</strong><br />
box_24_july.indd 36 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:24:40<br />
dcu-box
®<br />
The most reliable,<br />
efficient, and affordable<br />
way to receive DCPs<br />
Free digital delivery service for exhibitors<br />
Only 10 minutes to install<br />
3,000 cinemas and growing<br />
JOIN THE INDUSTRY’S FASTEST GROWING E-DELIVERY NETWORK<br />
DigitalCinemaUnited.com/BoxOffice<br />
dcu-<strong>boxoffice</strong>-print-fullpage.indd 1<br />
<strong>2024</strong>-05-09 5:00 PM<br />
box_24_july.indd 37 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:24:41
THEATER | GIANTS OF EXHIBITION<br />
03<br />
CINEMARK<br />
Headquarters: Plano, TX<br />
Founded: 1984<br />
Screens: 4,303<br />
Locations: 308<br />
Third in our Giants of Exhibition<br />
ranking, Texas-based Cinemark<br />
continues under the leadership of CEO<br />
Sean Gamble, who took over from former<br />
CEO Mark Zoradi at the end of 2021.<br />
Under Gamble, Cinemark has continued<br />
technological upgrades at existing theatres<br />
while exercising caution on the mergers<br />
and acquisitions front. Per Gamble, in the<br />
chain’s Q1 <strong>2024</strong> earnings call, “We’re going<br />
to continue to be very disciplined and<br />
balanced in our ap<strong>pro</strong>ach” to adding<br />
locations to Cinemark’s existing foot-<br />
print—though he also notes that, following<br />
an industry-wide pause in the devel-<br />
opment of new sites due to the pandemic,<br />
“we have reactivated that development<br />
pipeline <strong>pro</strong>cess” and have been looking<br />
for opportunities to expand with<br />
“investments that have a high <strong>pro</strong>bability<br />
of success.”<br />
Among those opportunities being<br />
explored by Cinemark are the integration<br />
into their circuit of family entertainment<br />
centers, combining cinema auditoriums<br />
with other entertainment amenities and<br />
expanded food and beverage options<br />
38 August/September <strong>2024</strong><br />
under one roof. “We’ve seen how well these<br />
types of concepts have performed both<br />
during the pandemic and since,” said<br />
Gamble in a February <strong>2024</strong> earnings call,<br />
adding that there are plans in place at<br />
Cinemark to open two family enter-<br />
tainment center complexes within the<br />
year.<br />
On the subject of existing theaters,<br />
Cinemark continues their work with Barco<br />
to transition the chain to laser <strong>pro</strong>jection<br />
technology, following a deal inked in 2019.<br />
The chain boasts recliner seating across<br />
nearly 70 percent of their domestic<br />
screens, the market’s largest footprint of<br />
D-Box motion seating, and their PLF<br />
brand, Cinemark XD. Other custom-<br />
er-centric enhancements have been<br />
implemented of late, including intro-<br />
ducing branded Cinemark merchandise,<br />
expanding third-party concessions<br />
delivery, and rolling out a new brand<br />
identity throughout 2023. Part of the latter<br />
has been the adoption of social and digital<br />
marketing platforms that have expanded<br />
Cinemark’s addressable customer base to<br />
nearly 30 million.<br />
Finally, in February of 2023,<br />
Cinemark founder Lee Roy Mitchell<br />
stepped down from the company’s board<br />
of directors, following a lengthy tenure<br />
with the company—first as CEO, then<br />
executive chairman of the board, and<br />
finally as a board member.<br />
SPONSOR<br />
PROFILE<br />
Gerwin Damberg<br />
EVP Cinema, Barco<br />
To this year’s Giants of<br />
Exhibition, congratulations from<br />
the entire Barco Cinema family<br />
around the world. It is our privilege<br />
to serve you and illuminate the<br />
power of stories that can only be<br />
told on the big screen. Your<br />
unwavering dedication to the film<br />
industry, commitment to <strong>pro</strong>viding<br />
exceptional cinematic experiences,<br />
and leadership in exhibition<br />
have not only entertained<br />
countless audiences but also<br />
elevated the standards of movie<br />
theaters everywhere. Through your<br />
innovation, passion, and resilience,<br />
you are bright beacons of<br />
excellence.<br />
Your efforts in curating diverse<br />
and high-quality film selections,<br />
creating immersive viewing<br />
environments, and embracing the<br />
latest technological advancements<br />
have set you apart.<br />
Each of your theaters offers a<br />
unique blend of the traditional and<br />
the modern, honoring the rich<br />
history of cinema while pushing<br />
the boundaries of what a<br />
moviegoing experience can be.<br />
No matter the landscape and<br />
environment, your ability to adapt<br />
and thrive ensures the ability to<br />
continue bringing joy, excitement,<br />
and wonder to audiences around<br />
the world. Your role in fostering a<br />
love of cinema and supporting<br />
filmmakers in realizing their vision<br />
preserves the legacy of cinema for<br />
this generation and many to come.<br />
Your impact on the industry is<br />
<strong>pro</strong>found, and we look forward to<br />
many more years of extraordinary<br />
cinematic experiences delivered<br />
together. The Barco Cinema team<br />
salutes you.<br />
box_24_july.indd 38 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:24:45
Feel the difference<br />
of precision<br />
Laser by Barco is today’s leading technology for tomorrow.<br />
Outstandingly beautiful image quality in an easy-to-operate<br />
system. Efficient, effective, and eco-friendly. Made for delivering<br />
an incredible cinema experience on every screen.<br />
Discover more at barco.com/cinema<br />
box_24_july.indd 39 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:24:46
THEATER | GIANTS OF EXHIBITION<br />
SPONSOR<br />
PROFILE<br />
John Fennell<br />
EVP, Sales<br />
Adam Peterson<br />
VP, Cinema Sales<br />
VIP Luxury Seating<br />
04<br />
CINEPLEX<br />
Headquarters: Toronto, ON<br />
Founded: 1912<br />
Screens: 1,618<br />
Locations: 156<br />
With a 74 percent share of the<br />
Canadian market, Cineplex is the<br />
largest cinema chain in Canada and the<br />
fourth largest in North America overall.<br />
Cineplex has continued to reap the benefits<br />
of a diversified business strategy: In<br />
addition to its cinemas, Cineplex has been<br />
a major and early player in location-based<br />
entertainment, with 13 locations across the<br />
Rec Room and Playdium brands in<br />
operation as of Q1 <strong>2024</strong> with three more<br />
planned through the end of the year.<br />
2023 also saw Cineplex open the second<br />
location of their Junxion concept, which<br />
combines cinema auditoriums with<br />
additional gaming, entertainment, and<br />
food and beverage facilities.<br />
In November of 2023, Cineplex sold its<br />
amusement solutions division Player One<br />
Entertainment Group, which <strong>pro</strong>vided<br />
amusement and vending equipment to<br />
both Cineplex’s own facilities and other<br />
operators across North America. The<br />
circuit continues to operate in-theater<br />
advertising (Cineplex Media) and digital<br />
media (Cineplex Digital Media) divisions<br />
in addition to acting as a film distributor,<br />
40 August/September <strong>2024</strong><br />
having extended their contract with<br />
Lionsgate to release that studio’s films in<br />
Canada. The chain overindexes on<br />
international content compared to other<br />
North American exhibitors, with ap<strong>pro</strong>xi-<br />
mately 13 percent of its Q1 <strong>2024</strong> box office<br />
coming from international content,<br />
compared to 6 percent for the North<br />
American industry as a whole. This can be<br />
attributed largely to a robust loyalty<br />
<strong>pro</strong>gram—owned by Cineplex, Scotiabank,<br />
and Empire Company Limited—that<br />
gathers data from a user base that, as of the<br />
end of March <strong>2024</strong>, numbered over 15<br />
million, representing one-third of the<br />
Canadian population. Cineplex’s own<br />
CineClub subscription <strong>pro</strong>gram, launched<br />
in the summer of 2021, exceeded 140,000<br />
members at the end of Q1 <strong>2024</strong>.<br />
At Cineplex, as with other North<br />
American exhibitors, premium formats<br />
remain a substantial pull; in the first<br />
quarter of <strong>2024</strong>, premium formats—in-<br />
cluding Imax screens, ScreenX panoramic<br />
screens, 4DX and D-Box immersive<br />
seating, and Cineplex’s own UltraAVX and<br />
Cineplex VIP brands—represented 41.3<br />
percent of the box office. Box office per<br />
patron continues upward for the chain, as<br />
does concession per patron spend.<br />
Congratulations to the Giants of<br />
Exhibition! At VIP Luxury Seating,<br />
we are thrilled to celebrate our<br />
exhibitor partners, and we are<br />
honored to be a part of your<br />
success story.<br />
Our mission at VIP Luxury<br />
Seating is to deliver innovations<br />
that elevate the comfort and<br />
luxury of exceptional moviegoing<br />
experiences. It’s no secret that the<br />
right seating can transform a good<br />
theater into a great one.<br />
By choosing VIP Luxury Seating,<br />
theaters signal their dedication to<br />
<strong>pro</strong>viding a premium experience,<br />
one that prioritizes the comfort<br />
and satisfaction of every guest.<br />
We are incredibly <strong>pro</strong>ud<br />
to support the Giants of Exhibition<br />
and look forward to continuing<br />
our partnerships in pushing the<br />
boundaries of what a movie<br />
theater can offer. Here’s to more<br />
innovations, more satisfied<br />
moviegoers, and many more years<br />
of cinematic excellence.<br />
Cheers to another billion VIP<br />
Luxury Seating patrons!<br />
box_24_july.indd 40 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:24:48
Contact us to find out more! +1 662.598.1989 • vipluxuryseating.com<br />
101 Industrial Drive • New Albany, MS 38652<br />
box_24_july.indd 41 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:24:49
ox_24_july.indd 42 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:24:49
THEATER | GIANTS OF EXHIBITION<br />
05<br />
MARCUS THEATRES<br />
Headquarters: Milwaukee, WI<br />
Founded: 1935<br />
Screens: 981<br />
Locations: 78<br />
06<br />
B&B THEATRES<br />
Headquarters: Liberty, MO<br />
Founded: 1924<br />
Screens: 550<br />
Locations: 57<br />
Marcus Theatres added<br />
veteran leadership to its<br />
executive ranks over the last<br />
year, announcing the inclusion<br />
of Steve Bunnell as executive<br />
vice president of content<br />
strategy and Ken Thewes as<br />
senior vice president and head<br />
of marketing. The two<br />
experienced hires join Marcus<br />
Theatres president Mark<br />
Gramz, who was <strong>pro</strong>moted to<br />
the role in late 2022. Gramz has<br />
been part of Marcus Theatres<br />
since first joining the company<br />
over 50 years ago, back in 1971,<br />
while still in high school.<br />
The Midwest-based circuit<br />
hit a major milestone in its<br />
loyalty <strong>pro</strong>gram in May of this<br />
year. Marcus Magical Rewards<br />
was launched in 2014 and has<br />
since amassed over 6 million<br />
subscribers. The <strong>pro</strong>gram is<br />
known to consumers for its<br />
perks, including complimentary<br />
popcorn on Tues-<br />
days—a circuit-wide discount<br />
day known as Value Tuesdays<br />
that offers reduced prices<br />
across all titles.<br />
Family-owned and<br />
operated B&B Theatres<br />
is celebrating its centennial<br />
anniversary this year, a<br />
historic milestone for the<br />
Missouri-based circuit.<br />
B&B commemorated the<br />
anniversary with the opening<br />
of an expansive new Cinema<br />
Entertainment Center site<br />
in Red Oak, Texas, a 12-screen<br />
complex with several<br />
premium auditoriums,<br />
an arcade, full-service<br />
restaurant, bowling alley,<br />
rock climbing wall, and<br />
outdoor pickleball courts.<br />
The site is 20 miles outside of<br />
Dallas, making it an enter-<br />
tainment destination<br />
for communities around the<br />
metropolitan area.<br />
The circuit’s centennial also<br />
ushers in a new era for B&B<br />
Theatres. Earlier this year, the<br />
company announced the<br />
<strong>pro</strong>motion of siblings Bobbie<br />
Bagby Ford, Brittanie Bagby<br />
Baker, and Brock Bagby to<br />
serve as co-presidents of the<br />
circuit. CEO Bob Bagby, who<br />
also acts as NATO chairman,<br />
will continue to play a pivotal<br />
role in the company as its CEO,<br />
focusing company financial<br />
strategies and growth as B&B<br />
continues to expand across the<br />
nation.<br />
August/September <strong>2024</strong> 43<br />
box_24_july.indd 43 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:24:50
THEATER | GIANTS OF EXHIBITION<br />
07<br />
HARKINS THEATRES<br />
Headquarters: Scottsdale, AZ<br />
Founded: 1933<br />
Screens: 475<br />
Locations: 32<br />
08<br />
SANTIKOS ENTERTAINMENT<br />
Headquarters: San Antonio, TX<br />
Founded: 1911<br />
Screens: 377<br />
Locations: 27<br />
2023 was a big year<br />
for Harkins Theatres,<br />
marking 90 years in oper-<br />
ation for the Arizona-based<br />
chain, which celebrated with<br />
various special screenings,<br />
giveaways, donations, and<br />
special offers for loyalty club<br />
members. The year also saw<br />
Harkins join the Screenvision<br />
Media network for their<br />
preshow advertising needs.<br />
Harkins also built up its retail<br />
popcorn line, which was<br />
established in 2017, by adding<br />
new <strong>pro</strong>ducts and expanding<br />
distribution.<br />
Finally, in September of<br />
2023, the chain launched its<br />
flagship Harkins Ciné Grill<br />
location, with an outdoor<br />
cocktail bar, laser <strong>pro</strong>jection,<br />
and dine-in service,<br />
in Peoria, Arizona. Behind<br />
the scenes, Mike Bowers,<br />
Harkins president and CEO,<br />
was elected vice chair of<br />
the board of NATO.<br />
A new addition to<br />
the top 10 in this year’s<br />
Giants of Exhibition Ranking<br />
is Santikos Entertainment,<br />
based in San Antonio, Texas.<br />
In the summer of 2023,<br />
Santikos more than doubled its<br />
location and screen count—<br />
and expanded from one state,<br />
Texas, to eight total—with<br />
their acquisition of AmStar<br />
Cinemas and The Grand<br />
Theatres from VSS-Southern<br />
Theatres.<br />
Following the acquisition, CEO<br />
Tim Handren said in an<br />
interview with Boxoffice Pro<br />
that major priorities for the<br />
chain after the acquisition<br />
have been integrating<br />
Grand and AmStar employees<br />
into Santikos and reaffirming<br />
the company’s culture.<br />
In addition, Santikos signed<br />
a deal in early <strong>2024</strong> to upgrade<br />
their 17 acquired cinemas<br />
with Christie <strong>pro</strong>jection<br />
technology.<br />
44 August/September <strong>2024</strong><br />
box_24_july.indd 44 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:24:54
09<br />
MALCO THEATRES 1<br />
Headquarters: Memphis, TN<br />
Founded: 1915<br />
Screens: 345<br />
Locations: 33<br />
10<br />
EMAGINE ENTERTAINMENT<br />
Headquarters: Troy, MI<br />
Founded: 1997<br />
Screens: 330<br />
Locations: 27<br />
In April 2023,<br />
Memphis-based Malco<br />
Theatres became one of the<br />
latest chains to embark on a<br />
large-scale adoption of laser<br />
technology. The chain inked a<br />
deal with Barco to upgrade<br />
the chain’s Barco Series 2<br />
<strong>pro</strong>jectors via the company’s<br />
Laser Light solution, which<br />
calls for replacing a legacy<br />
xenon <strong>pro</strong>jector’s light source<br />
engine with laser technology.<br />
That same month, Malco<br />
announced plans to launch<br />
an online food and beverage<br />
ordering system, scheduled to<br />
debut over the summer.<br />
Emagine Entertainment<br />
made big moves in 2022,<br />
becoming one of the first<br />
cinema chains to open a sports<br />
betting lounge following the<br />
legalization of sports betting in<br />
Michigan. In 2023, Emagine<br />
continued to diversify,<br />
launching a Quickserve<br />
window at their Birmingham 8<br />
theater in Birmingham,<br />
Michigan, allowing customers<br />
to buy concessions more easily<br />
without attending a movie.<br />
They also revamped their<br />
Emagine Rewards Program by<br />
introducting a new points<br />
system. In the summer of 2023,<br />
Emagine opened their new<br />
Batavia, Illinois, location—<br />
then, a month later, opened a<br />
Super EMX PLF auditorium<br />
there, giving the chain the<br />
largest movie screen in Illinois.<br />
August/September <strong>2024</strong> 45<br />
box_24_july.indd 45 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:24:58
THEATER | GIANTS OF EXHIBITION<br />
11 - 30<br />
11<br />
CMX CINEMAS 1<br />
Headquarters : Miami, FL<br />
Founded : 2016<br />
Screens : 327<br />
Locations : 29<br />
12<br />
CARIBBEAN CINEMAS 2<br />
Headquarters : San Juan, PR<br />
Founded : 1968<br />
Screens : 302<br />
Locations : 34<br />
13 (TIE)<br />
ALAMO<br />
DRAFTHOUSE 1<br />
Headquarters : Austin, TX<br />
Founded : 1997<br />
Screens : 299<br />
Locations : 35<br />
13 (TIE)<br />
LANDMARK<br />
CINEMAS OF CANADA 2<br />
Headquarters : Calgary, AB<br />
Founded : 1965<br />
Screens : 299<br />
Locations : 36<br />
15<br />
NCG - NEIGHBORHOOD<br />
CINEMAS GROUP 2<br />
Headquarters : Owosso, MI<br />
Founded : 1983<br />
Screens : 263<br />
Locations : 27<br />
16<br />
CINÉPOLIS USA<br />
Headquarters : Dallas, TX<br />
Founded : 2011<br />
Screens : 262<br />
Locations : 26<br />
17<br />
PREMIERE CINEMAS 2<br />
Headquarters : Big Spring, TX<br />
Founded : 1993<br />
Screens : 245<br />
Locations : 22<br />
18<br />
GEORGIA THEATRE<br />
COMPANY 1<br />
Headquarters : Saint Simon<br />
Island, GA<br />
Founded : 1992<br />
Screens : 238<br />
Locations : 22<br />
19<br />
NATIONAL AMUSEMENTS<br />
(SHOWCASE CINEMAS) 6<br />
Headquarters : Norwood, MA<br />
Founded : 1936<br />
Screens : 233<br />
Locations : 18<br />
20<br />
ELEVATE ENTERTAINMENT<br />
GROUP 6<br />
Headquarters : Austin, TX<br />
Founded : 2014<br />
Screens : 230<br />
Locations : 24<br />
21<br />
STUDIO MOVIE GRILL<br />
Headquarters : Dallas, TX<br />
Founded : 2000<br />
Screens : 205<br />
Locations : 19<br />
22<br />
READING CINEMAS USA 1<br />
Headquarters : Culver City, CA<br />
Founded : 2000<br />
Screens : 198<br />
Locations : 20<br />
23<br />
UNITED ENTERTAINMENT<br />
(UEC THEATRES)<br />
Headquarters :<br />
Maple Grove, MN<br />
Founded : 1993<br />
Screens : 191<br />
Locations : 22<br />
24<br />
CINEMA WEST 4<br />
Headquarters : Petaluma, CA<br />
Founded : 1984<br />
Screens : 178<br />
Locations : 18<br />
25<br />
GALAXY THEATRES 1<br />
Headquarters :<br />
Sherman Oaks, CA<br />
Founded : 1998<br />
Screens : 176<br />
Locations : 15<br />
26<br />
LARRY H. MILLER<br />
MEGAPLEX THEATRES 1<br />
Headquarters : Sandy, UT<br />
Founded : 1999<br />
Screens : 173<br />
Locations : 15<br />
27<br />
LANDMARK THEATRES<br />
Headquarters :<br />
West Hollywood, CA<br />
Founded : 1974<br />
Screens : 172<br />
Locations : 31<br />
28<br />
MJR THEATRES<br />
Headquarters : Bloomfield<br />
Hills, MI<br />
Founded : 1980<br />
Screens : 164<br />
Locations : 10<br />
29<br />
REGENCY THEATRES 1<br />
Headquarters : Agoura Hills, CA<br />
Founded : 1996<br />
Screens : 159<br />
Locations : 23<br />
30 (TIE)<br />
CINEMA ENTERTAINMENT<br />
CORP (CEC THEATRES) 1<br />
Headquarters : Waite Park, MN<br />
Founded : 1964<br />
Screens : 154<br />
Locations : 19<br />
46 August/September <strong>2024</strong><br />
box_24_july.indd 46 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:24:59
CRETORS<br />
INVENTED THE<br />
POPCORN<br />
MACHINE<br />
THEN JUST KEPT GOING!<br />
When it comes to concessions,<br />
it comes from Cretors.<br />
SINCE 1885<br />
Contact Shelly Olesen at 847.616.6901 or visit www.cretors.com<br />
box_24_july.indd 47 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:25:00
THEATER | GIANTS OF EXHIBITION<br />
30-50<br />
30 (TIE)<br />
GQT MOVIES 10<br />
Headquarters : Grand Rapids, MI<br />
Founded : 1930<br />
Screens : 154<br />
Locations : 22<br />
32 (TIE)<br />
CELEBRATION CINEMA<br />
BY STUDIO C<br />
Headquarters : Grand Rapids, MI<br />
Founded : 1944<br />
Screens : 150<br />
Locations : 11<br />
32 (TIE)<br />
MARQUEE CINEMAS<br />
Headquarters : Beckley, WV<br />
Founded : 1979<br />
Screens : 150<br />
Locations : 14<br />
35 (TIE)<br />
LOOK CINEMAS 10<br />
Headquarters : Dallas, TX<br />
Founded : 2021<br />
Screens : 145<br />
Locations : 14<br />
37<br />
CLASSIC CINEMAS 1<br />
Headquarters :<br />
Downers Grove, IL<br />
Founded : 1978<br />
Screens : 141<br />
Locations : 16<br />
38<br />
COMING ATTRACTIONS<br />
THEATRES 2<br />
Headquarters : Ashland, OR<br />
Founded : 1985<br />
Screens : 137<br />
Locations : 16<br />
41<br />
GOLDEN TICKET<br />
CINEMAS 1<br />
Headquarters : Durham, NC<br />
Founded : 2016<br />
Screens : 121<br />
Locations : 18<br />
42<br />
PHOENIX THEATRES 1<br />
Headquarters : Knoxville, TN<br />
Founded : 2001<br />
Screens : 118<br />
Locations : 11<br />
43 (TIE)<br />
ALLEN THEATRES 1<br />
Headquarters : Las Cruces, NM<br />
Founded : 1912<br />
Screens : 112<br />
Locations : 16<br />
46<br />
IPIC THEATERS 1<br />
Headquarters : Boca Raton, FL<br />
Founded : 2010<br />
Screens : 100<br />
Locations : 13<br />
47<br />
R.L. FRIDLEY THEATRES 2<br />
Headquarters : Des Moines, IA<br />
Founded : 1974<br />
Screens : 97<br />
Locations : 17<br />
48<br />
PICTURE SHOW<br />
ENTERTAINMENT NEW<br />
Headquarters :<br />
Colorado Springs, CO<br />
Founded : 2003<br />
Screens : 89<br />
Locations : 11<br />
34<br />
EPIC THEATRES 1<br />
Headquarters : Deltona, FL<br />
Founded : 2003<br />
Screens : 146<br />
Locations : 12<br />
35 (TIE)<br />
CINÉMAS GUZZO 1<br />
Headquarters :<br />
Terrebonne, QC<br />
Founded : 1974<br />
Screens : 145<br />
Locations : 10<br />
39<br />
APPLE CINEMAS<br />
Headquarters : East Walpole, MA<br />
Founded : 2013<br />
Screens : 136<br />
Locations : 12<br />
40<br />
FLAGSHIP PREMIUM<br />
CINEMAS<br />
Headquarters : Baltimore, MD<br />
Founded : 1995<br />
Screens : 131<br />
Locations : 18<br />
43 (TIE)<br />
STAR CINEMA GRILL 4<br />
Headquarters :<br />
Missouri City, TX<br />
Founded : 2009<br />
Screens : 112<br />
Locations : 13<br />
45<br />
MITCHELL THEATRES 1<br />
Headquarters : Elkhart, KS<br />
Founded : 2005<br />
Screens : 107<br />
Locations : 15<br />
49 (TIE)<br />
FLIX<br />
ENTERTAINMENT NEW<br />
Headquarters :<br />
Round Rock, TX<br />
Founded : 2011<br />
Screens : 88<br />
Locations : 10<br />
49 (TIE)<br />
MAYA CINEMAS NEW<br />
Headquarters : Pasadena, CA<br />
Founded : 2000<br />
Screens : 88<br />
Locations : 6<br />
48 August/September <strong>2024</strong><br />
box_24_july.indd 48 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:25:01
1. Offers luxurious comfort with deep-cushioned back and seat upholstery. 2. Features plush, tailored<br />
seat modules. 3. Includes attractive chaise lounge footrests. 4. Drives down construction costs while<br />
advancing <strong>pro</strong>ject timelines. 5. Maximizes all renovation budgets. 6. Enhanced patron experience by<br />
maximizing comfort and convenience. 7. Reduced noise levels for an uninterrupted viewing experience.<br />
8. Effortless cleaning ensures efficient maintenance routines. 9. Cost-effective upkeep with modular<br />
construction. 10. Uses fabricated foam cushions for additional comfort. 11. Provides quiet, reliable power<br />
operation for reclining. 12. Balances capacity with a high-end aesthetic. 13. Includes built-in cupholders<br />
for convenience. 14. Enclosed mechanism ensures quiet reclining & enhanced durability. 15. Available in<br />
high-quality materials. 16. Features two-pillow or three-pillow back construction for superior comfort.<br />
17. Designed with a heavy-duty recliner mechanism for enhanced durability. 18. Comes with optional<br />
heated back feature for added warmth. 19. Equipped with battery backup for uninterrupted operation.<br />
20. Intuitive hand controls for limitless seating positions. 21. Fully upholstered ends and center casings.<br />
22. Available with replacement covers for easy maintenance. 23. Supports mass open-close operation<br />
for synchronized movements. 24. Incorporates back-lit buttons for visibility in dark environments.<br />
25. High-quality finishes for premium looks. 26. Vinyl wrap arm caps for enhanced tailoring.<br />
27. Fits dozens of riser sizes and depths – more than any other solution on the market. 28. Provides<br />
vinyl wraps for easy cleaning and maintenance. 29. Battery backup for uninterrupted operation.<br />
30. Substantial space beneath the seat reduces cleaning time. 31. Offers ergonomic design for enhanced<br />
comfort. 32. Designed to fit different auditorium layouts. 33. Features attractive designs that enhances<br />
the venue’s appearance. 34. Available with a range of accessories for customization to support specific<br />
cinema needs. 35. Obstacle free space under seat. 36. Utilizing existing backs and seats <strong>pro</strong>vide<br />
ease of maintenance. 37. Installation that’s efficient and cost effective. 38. Provides installation<br />
support for easy setup. 39. Supports food and beverage tables for convenience. 40. Ensures long-term<br />
reliability with high-quality construction. 41. Innovative patented design. 42. Designed to keep patrons<br />
comfortable and returning. 43. Seamless support during construction. 44. Made by a trusted brand<br />
with a 117 year history of quality. 45. Suitable for retrofitting existing venues. 46. Provides<br />
easy integration with existing infrastructure. 47. Supports food and beverage<br />
tables for convenience. 48. Ergonomic design for enhanced comfort.<br />
49. Supports a wide range of diverse installation environments.<br />
50. Backed by strong customer support and service.<br />
Just 1 of 50 benefits standard with our Recliner Over Riser.<br />
irwinseating.com<br />
box_24_july.indd 49 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:25:02
THEATER | CINEPLEX<br />
CANADIAN<br />
COLOSSUS<br />
Cineplex CEO Ellis Jacob on Becoming<br />
Canada’s Entertainment Destination<br />
BY REBECCA PAHLE<br />
50 August/September <strong>2024</strong><br />
box_24_july.indd 50 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:25:05
Boasting ap<strong>pro</strong>ximately 74 percent of<br />
the market share of Canadian<br />
cinemas, there’s no doubt that Cineplex is<br />
practically synonymous with cinema in<br />
Canada. But cinemas aren’t the stopping<br />
point for the fourth largest chain in North<br />
America by screen count (as determined<br />
by this year’s Giants of Exhibition<br />
ranking). Cineplex also has a diversified<br />
business portfolio, including in-cinema<br />
advertising, digital signage, location-based<br />
entertainment, and more. Boxoffice Pro<br />
spoke with CEO Ellis Jacob about just a few<br />
of the ways Cineplex dominates the<br />
entertainment space in Canada.<br />
In Q4 of 2023, Cineplex sold its Player<br />
One Entertainment Group division,<br />
which <strong>pro</strong>vided amusement and<br />
vending equipment. Why was it the right<br />
time to sell?<br />
We have grown the business nicely.<br />
Basically, it’s not the sweet spot of what we<br />
do. We are a retail business, whereas P1AG<br />
was a business-to-business concept. We<br />
thought it was good to divest, pay down our<br />
debt, and put our balance sheet in a much<br />
stronger position as we move forward.<br />
Really, our long-term focus is to be the<br />
leader in entertainment for Canadians, so<br />
when you think about entertainment, you<br />
think about us—whether it’s in a Rec<br />
Room or Palladium [location], or a movie<br />
theater. We’ll continue to look at premium<br />
experiences in theaters. We will continue<br />
to invest in our UltraAVX, our VIP [auditoriums],<br />
our Imax, D-Box, ScreenX, 4DX.<br />
That will all be part of what we have going<br />
forward. A significant amount of our<br />
revenue is coming from premium<br />
experiences. Guests love them.<br />
You do have a lot of variety in the<br />
premium formats you offer.<br />
This is something we’ve done for quite<br />
some time. We started off with 3D, and<br />
we’ve continued to widen the appeal for<br />
our guests. You can see a movie close to<br />
eight different ways today.<br />
You’ve also experienced growth in your<br />
audiences for international films.<br />
Before Covid, we were at two to four<br />
percent [of box office coming from<br />
international film], and now we are at 13<br />
percent. One thing we’ve been able to<br />
use—and it’s been very helpful—is our data.<br />
Our loyalty <strong>pro</strong>gram has given us great<br />
information about our guests and allowed<br />
us to communicate [with the right people<br />
about the right films]. We’re also using AI,<br />
so we can pinpoint where a movie should<br />
play and what the showtime should be. It<br />
helps us tremendously because it allows us<br />
to <strong>pro</strong>gram <strong>pro</strong>perly and staff adequately.<br />
We want it to be a seamless experience. We<br />
now [give customers] the ability to purchase<br />
concessions online before they get to the<br />
theater. You just pick up [your order] and go<br />
to your seat. You don’t have to line up like<br />
you would in the old days.<br />
Cineplex was an early player<br />
in the concept of location-based<br />
entertainment, and you have plans to<br />
open three more through the end of this<br />
year. What do you think is the potential<br />
for location-based entertainment across<br />
Canada? What can the market sustain?<br />
We will have 16 [location-based<br />
entertainment complexes] at the end of<br />
this year. Across the country, we could<br />
<strong>pro</strong>bably go to a number like 30. But it’s<br />
not going to happen overnight. It’s got to<br />
be the right location, the right size, and [it<br />
has to fit] our ability to get the most<br />
synergies from the theater business.<br />
August/September <strong>2024</strong> 51<br />
box_24_july.indd 51 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:25:07
THEATER | CINEPLEX<br />
theaters. They have done very well for us.<br />
It’s about giving [guests] an offering that<br />
they couldn’t replicate at home and having<br />
them enjoy that social experience.<br />
Can you talk a bit more about how you<br />
ap<strong>pro</strong>ach the discovery <strong>pro</strong>cess at<br />
Cineplex? Data from your loyalty<br />
<strong>pro</strong>gram allows you to target your<br />
marketing with great precision, and an<br />
industry initiative like National Cinema<br />
Day gets people out to the cinema<br />
where they see trailers and marketing<br />
and such for upcoming films. Is there<br />
potential in an event like you see in<br />
some other countries, something<br />
designed specifically around showcasing<br />
upcoming content?<br />
We are very careful—in Canada, we<br />
don’t run an unlimited amount of trailers<br />
or advertising, because you want the<br />
guests to come in and have a great<br />
experience. We are very focused on the<br />
overall offering that we give.<br />
How has the response been on the<br />
rollout for mobile ordering?<br />
It’s still relatively new, but the positive<br />
effect is that guests are actually consuming<br />
more [by using online ordering],<br />
from an overall purchase perspective.<br />
You’re very strong with premium<br />
formats and very strong with international<br />
titles—is there much crossover<br />
between those two audiences? Have<br />
you had success playing international<br />
films on some of your premium formats?<br />
We do. A lot of times we end up playing<br />
them in Imax. We play them in UltraAVX<br />
and even put them into certain VIP<br />
52 August/September <strong>2024</strong><br />
"In a recent study, it was<br />
found that cinema advertising<br />
has the most retention<br />
of anything. You’ve got so<br />
many distractions with phones<br />
and computers and<br />
everything—[in the cinema,<br />
guests] are totally engrossed<br />
in the screen."<br />
With the digital signage side of your<br />
business, I imagine you have a lot of<br />
insight into what works for your<br />
consumers, in terms of advertising.<br />
With our digital media business, we<br />
signed [real estate developer, owner, and<br />
operator] Cadillac Fairview and [real<br />
estate investment fund] Cominar, which<br />
is in Quebec. We control [digital signage<br />
in] basically nine of the most trafficked<br />
malls in Canada, and we bought a<br />
significant number of screens. So we are a<br />
huge touch point. And one other differentiator<br />
is the cinema media side of the<br />
business. Because, unlike our peers in the<br />
U.S. and other parts of the world, we own<br />
that business. And we certainly keep a<br />
significant portion, whereas in the U.S.<br />
they only get a small percentage. We run<br />
[our own in-cinema advertising division,<br />
Cineplex Media], and ad agencies come to<br />
us and we can offer them a whole host of<br />
different ways to advertise. In a recent<br />
study, it was found that cinema advertising<br />
has the most retention of anything.<br />
You’ve got so many distractions with<br />
phones and computers and everything—<br />
[in the cinema, guests] are totally<br />
engrossed in the screen. Given Cineplex’s<br />
presence, you can basically send a<br />
message right across the country. A lot of<br />
car companies and telecom companies<br />
want that because it allows them to speak<br />
and engage with their clients.<br />
box_24_july.indd 52 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:25:09
ox_24_july.indd 53 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:25:10
THEATER | MARCUS THEATRES<br />
54 August/September <strong>2024</strong><br />
box_24_july.indd 54 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:25:12
Marcus Theatres has grown from its<br />
origins as a family-owned Mid-<br />
western circuit to a national powerhouse.<br />
Now a publicly traded company operated<br />
by the eponymous family, Marcus enters<br />
the year retaining the number five spot on<br />
our annual Giants of Exhibition ranking.<br />
Boxoffice Pro’s Daniel Loria c<strong>aug</strong>ht up<br />
with Marcus Corporation CEO Greg<br />
Marcus at CinemaCon to discuss the<br />
theater chain’s latest trends, initiatives,<br />
and objectives as it looks to bounce back<br />
from the Hollywood labor strikes of 2023.<br />
A MIDWEST<br />
MAJOR<br />
An Interview with Marcus Corporation CEO<br />
Greg Marcus on Theatrical’s Path to Recovery<br />
BY DANIEL LORIA<br />
Where’s the circuit right now? How did<br />
you finish 2023, and what has <strong>2024</strong> been<br />
like?<br />
2023 was strong. It was an interesting<br />
finish to the year because we were all pretty<br />
nervous, given the lack of a big tentpole.<br />
Still, what it showed—which is great, I think<br />
it’s so important for the business—is that<br />
when you put together a strong slate of<br />
non-IP, non-tentpole films, you can do quite<br />
well. People want to go to the movies, they<br />
want to go to different movies, and they<br />
want to be entertained. It was a heartening<br />
thing and <strong>pro</strong>bably something we were all<br />
very nervous about, especially as we looked<br />
into the end of the year with the strikes, and<br />
that’s what we’re feeling.<br />
How was the start of the year?<br />
It wasn’t my favorite six months in the<br />
movie business. We talk about the business<br />
being a momentum business. You need a<br />
cadence of films to fuel the momentum of<br />
people going to the movies, seeing trailers,<br />
feeling good about being at the theater,<br />
and saying, “You know what? I want to do<br />
this again.” When that halts, it’s more chal-<br />
lenging for us as a business. There was<br />
box_24_july.indd 55 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:25:15
THEATER | MARCUS THEATRES<br />
some discussion about some of the films in<br />
the first quarter underperforming, not the<br />
biggest ones, but some of the more<br />
medium-sized stuff. I attribute some of<br />
those challenges to the lack of traffic going<br />
into our theaters and seeing trailers for<br />
upcoming releases. Moviegoing is a great<br />
driver for people getting into the habit of<br />
going to theaters consistently. It was hard<br />
when week 23 came, and we finally said,<br />
“Okay, we’re on the up; things are good.<br />
People are saying good things.”<br />
One of the biggest trends in exhibition<br />
today are Cinema Entertainment<br />
Centers. What’s your ap<strong>pro</strong>ach to that<br />
concept?<br />
We haven’t done anything with it yet.<br />
We’re looking at all that in the world of<br />
“everything old is new again.” We have an<br />
entertainment center attached to one of<br />
our movie theaters. It’s in central Wisconsin,<br />
and it must be 20 years old. Either<br />
we just have really good foresight, or we’re<br />
back to something that’s already been<br />
done. Now, maybe times are different, and<br />
it’s going to work better, or people get a<br />
better sense of what will work, but there<br />
was no shortage of theater operators trying<br />
this 20 years ago. Maybe everything was<br />
too big, or maybe a smaller version would<br />
work better economically.<br />
56 August/September <strong>2024</strong><br />
"PLF is the big thing.<br />
On a relative basis, we<br />
<strong>pro</strong>bably have the most PLFs<br />
of any circuit in the country.<br />
I will not take the credit<br />
myself, but I will tell you that<br />
Mark Gramz, who runs our<br />
theater business, I give him<br />
credit for inventing PLF."<br />
In this instance, we’re just observing<br />
before making our next move. We’re<br />
expanding games where it seems ap<strong>pro</strong>priate<br />
because we’ve seen some success<br />
with that. We also have this [sports bar]<br />
concept [called] The Wall, which we’ve had<br />
for a few years. We took an auditorium and<br />
turned it into a sports bar. We didn’t take<br />
out the seats, but we’ve reconfigured some<br />
of the seating. We’re just tinkering with it.<br />
It’s a lab; we’re trying to figure it out. We<br />
already have a lot of dine-in and expanded<br />
food and beverage menus. We’ve had them<br />
for a long time, which may relate to us<br />
being in the hospitality business in<br />
general. It’s not extravagant food. You<br />
don’t have to have fork-and-knife steaks<br />
and shrimp scampi, just a great hamburger.<br />
What are the other major trends you’re<br />
seeing in exhibition right now?<br />
PLF is the big thing. On a relative basis,<br />
we <strong>pro</strong>bably have the most PLFs of any<br />
circuit in the country. I will not take the<br />
credit myself, but I will tell you that Mark<br />
Gramz, who runs our theater business, I<br />
give him credit for inventing PLF. Mark’s<br />
been around for over 50 years. He knows<br />
the business. He came up in the big<br />
houses, with 1,000 seats and things like<br />
that, from the middle of our theatrical<br />
box_24_july.indd 56 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:25:16
history. We were trying some other large<br />
format stuff—this was 25 to 30 years<br />
ago—and Mark said, “You know, we<br />
should build a big theater (our theater was<br />
called the Southtown), a big auditorium<br />
like the Southtown and attach it to one of<br />
our current theaters, put in 500 seats, and<br />
it’ll be our presentation house.”<br />
That was the birth of the UltraScreen,<br />
which is what we call our <strong>pro</strong>prietary<br />
PLF format. Nobody had done it, and it<br />
was a huge success. It was so long ago,<br />
that we already tore that theater down.<br />
That whole complex had become obsolete,<br />
and we moved to a different location.<br />
That’s how long we’ve been doing it.<br />
We try to have one to two PLFs in each of<br />
our complexes. We didn’t have to pick<br />
between Barbie and Oppenheimer, for<br />
example. We had enough PLFs to cover<br />
them both.<br />
Marcus Corporation also runs hotels and<br />
restaurants. How have those sectors<br />
recovered in comparison to cinema?<br />
Those other businesses have fully<br />
recovered. We’re back to prepandemic<br />
levels, adjusted for inflation. The reason<br />
we’re not back isn’t because people have<br />
said, “I’m not going anymore, I don’t want<br />
to leave my house.” Last summer was close<br />
to that 2019 level because the number of<br />
releases was close to what we saw in 2019.<br />
We need to get back to the cadence of<br />
prepandemic releases. I don’t know if we’ll<br />
ever get back to the number of movies<br />
being released in 2019, we’ve lost a lot of<br />
films since Fox was absorbed by Disney.<br />
One of the questions raised at CinemaCon<br />
was whether this business could<br />
survive on $8 billion of box office instead<br />
of $10 billion. And if so, who would<br />
survive that contraction?<br />
If you want a business that attracts<br />
capital so that there can be reinvestment<br />
in that sector, we need to get back to $10<br />
billion. $9 billion will not attract the<br />
capital we need to reinvest in our theaters.<br />
I don’t mean to say that we can’t support<br />
the infrastructure that’s already been built<br />
at $9 billion, but we need to get back to $10<br />
billion to continue growing. If our industry<br />
shrinks from 40,000 screens to 30,000, it’s<br />
not like people can just go across the street<br />
to an existing theater. That’s not how the<br />
movie theater business works; what’s<br />
closed, in many cases, is going to be lost.<br />
One of the beauties of our business is<br />
that the <strong>pro</strong>duct is fresh every week. That’s<br />
such a unique thing. Bowling is always<br />
going to be bowling, but going to the movies<br />
gives you a new experience each week. One<br />
week it’s Godzilla; the next it’s Deadpool.<br />
CinemaCon was a great chance to see<br />
that in action, with a large variety of<br />
films heading to theaters in <strong>2024</strong> and<br />
2025. What was your biggest takeaway<br />
from the event?<br />
I was most heartened by the collective<br />
attitude. Nobody was sitting around, and<br />
it’s clear that companies in this space<br />
recognize the value theatrical brings to the<br />
entertainment industry. It is important for<br />
the cultural zeitgeist and builds awareness<br />
of films. All these months later, we were<br />
still talking about “Barbenheimer” as<br />
something that resonated with global<br />
audiences. Meanwhile, I wouldn’t be able<br />
to list the biggest movies from any of the<br />
top streaming companies. Streaming plays<br />
a vital role in our industry as a replacement<br />
for the home entertainment<br />
market. Theatrical is still the place to<br />
launch the biggest and best movies.<br />
August/September <strong>2024</strong> 57<br />
box_24_july.indd 57 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:25:17
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box_24_july.indd 58 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:25:19
Event Cinema Calendar 60 | Booking Guide 62<br />
ON SCREEN<br />
THE CROW<br />
Fri, 8/23/24 WIDE<br />
A look at upcoming releases heading to theaters.<br />
Booking Guide, p. 62<br />
August/September <strong>2024</strong> 59<br />
box_24_july.indd 59 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:25:20
ON SCREEN | EVENT CINEMA CALENDAR<br />
EVENT CINEMA<br />
CALENDAR<br />
Updated through July 26, <strong>2024</strong><br />
Contact distributors for latest listings<br />
FATHOM EVENTS<br />
fathomevents.com<br />
855-473-4612<br />
PONYO - STUDIO<br />
GHIBLI FEST <strong>2024</strong><br />
Aug. 3 - Aug. 7<br />
Genre: Anime<br />
TURANDOT: MET SUMMER<br />
ENCORE <strong>2024</strong><br />
Aug. 7<br />
Genre: Opera<br />
RIFFTRAX LIVE: POINT BREAK<br />
Aug. 8, Aug. 13<br />
Genre: Comedy<br />
LAWRENCE OF ARABIA<br />
Aug. 11, Aug. 12<br />
Genre: Classics<br />
PORGY AND BESS: MET SUMMER<br />
ENCORE <strong>2024</strong><br />
Aug. 14<br />
Genre: Opera<br />
CORALINE 15TH ANNIVERSARY<br />
Aug. 15 - Aug. 22<br />
Genre: Family, Fantasy<br />
WHISPER OF THE HEART - STUDIO<br />
GHIBLI FEST <strong>2024</strong><br />
Aug. 25, Aug. 27<br />
Genre: Anime<br />
REAR WINDOW 70TH ANNI-<br />
VERSARY - FATHOM’S BIG SCREEN<br />
CLASSICS <strong>2024</strong><br />
Aug. 25, Aug. 28<br />
Genre: Classics<br />
THE CAT RETURNS -<br />
STUDIO GHIBLI FEST <strong>2024</strong><br />
Aug. 26, Aug. 28<br />
Genre: Anime<br />
SIGHT & SOUND PRESENTS:<br />
DANIEL LIVE<br />
Aug. 30 - Sept. 2<br />
Genre: Faith/Inspirational<br />
GOD’S NOT DEAD:<br />
IN GOD WE TRUST<br />
Sept. 12 - Sept. 18<br />
Genre: Faith/Inspirational<br />
DANIEL LIVE<br />
Aug. 30 - Sept. 2<br />
60 August/September <strong>2024</strong><br />
box_24_july.indd 60 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:25:21
HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE<br />
20TH ANNIVERSARY<br />
STUDIO GHIBLI FEST <strong>2024</strong><br />
Sept. 26 - Aug. 3<br />
BLAZING SADDLES<br />
50TH ANNIVERSARY - FATHOM’S<br />
BIG SCREEN CLASSICS <strong>2024</strong><br />
Sept. 15, Sept. 18<br />
Genre: Classics<br />
SUPER/MAN:<br />
THE CHRISTOPHER REEVE STORY<br />
Sept. 21, Sept. 25<br />
Genre: Documentary<br />
HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE<br />
20TH ANNIVERSARY -<br />
STUDIO GHIBLI FEST <strong>2024</strong><br />
Sept. 26 - Oct. 3<br />
Genre: Anime<br />
MEAN GIRLS 20TH ANNIVERSARY<br />
- FATHOM’S BIG SCREEN<br />
CLASSICS <strong>2024</strong><br />
Oct. 3, Oct. 6<br />
Genre: Classics<br />
AVERAGE JOE<br />
Oct. 10 - Oct. 17<br />
Genre: Faith/Inspirational<br />
KIKI’S DELIVERY SERVICE -<br />
STUDIO GHIBLI FEST <strong>2024</strong><br />
Oct. 26 - Oct. 30<br />
Genre: Anime<br />
RADIATING JOY:<br />
THE MICHELLE DUPPONG STORY<br />
Nov. 12<br />
Genre: Faith/Inspirational<br />
THE FIFTH ELEMENT - FATHOM’S<br />
BIG SCREEN CLASSICS <strong>2024</strong><br />
Nov. 17, Nov. 20<br />
Genre: Classics<br />
POM POKO 30TH ANNIVERSARY -<br />
STUDIO GHIBLI FEST <strong>2024</strong><br />
Nov. 24, Nov. 26<br />
Genre: Anime<br />
THE TALE OF THE PRINCESS<br />
KAGUYA - STUDIO GHIBLI FEST<br />
<strong>2024</strong><br />
Nov. 25, Nov. 27<br />
Genre: Anime<br />
MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO -<br />
STUDIO GHIBLI FEST <strong>2024</strong><br />
Dec. 7 - Dec. 11<br />
Genre: Classics<br />
WHITE CHRISTMAS 70TH<br />
ANNIVERSARY - FATHOM’S BIG<br />
SCREEN CLASSICS <strong>2024</strong><br />
Dec. 15, Dec. 16<br />
Genre: Classics<br />
ICONIC RELEASING<br />
iconicreleasing.com<br />
UFC 305<br />
Aug. 17<br />
Genre: Live Sports<br />
STREAM<br />
Aug. 21, Aug. 24<br />
Genre: Horror<br />
NINJA SCROLL<br />
Sep. 11 - Sep. 13<br />
Genre: Anime<br />
UFC 306<br />
Sep. 14<br />
Genre: Live Sports<br />
UNTITLED ICONIC HORROR<br />
ANNIVERSARY EVENT<br />
Sep. 19<br />
Genre: Horror<br />
TERRIFIER 3<br />
Oct. 11<br />
Genre: Horror<br />
METROPOLIS<br />
Nov. 4, Nov. 7, Nov. 10<br />
Genre: Anime<br />
BABYMETAL LEGEND -<br />
43 THE MOVIE<br />
Dec. 11, Dec, 15<br />
Genre: Anime<br />
THE BABADOOK<br />
10TH ANNIVERSARY<br />
TBD<br />
Genre: Horror<br />
UFC 308<br />
TBD<br />
Genre: Live Sports<br />
UFC 309<br />
TBD<br />
Genre: Live Sports<br />
UNTITLED ICONIC HORROR EVENT<br />
Jan. 24 2025<br />
Genre: Horror<br />
TRAFALGAR RELEASING<br />
trafalgar-releasing.com<br />
CORALINE 15TH ANNIVERSARY<br />
Aug. 15 (INT’L)<br />
Genre: Family/Fantasy<br />
August/September <strong>2024</strong> 61<br />
box_24_july.indd 61 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:25:22
ON SCREEN | BOOKING GUIDE<br />
BOOKING<br />
GUIDE<br />
Release calendar for theatrical<br />
distribution in North America<br />
Release dates are updated through July 1 <strong>2024</strong>.<br />
Please contact distributors to confirm latest listings.<br />
A24<br />
646-568-6015<br />
A24 X IMAX PRESENT:<br />
EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE<br />
ALL AT ONCE<br />
Fri, 8/28/24 LTD<br />
Stars: Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie<br />
Hsu<br />
Director: Daniel Kwan and Daniel<br />
Scheinert<br />
Rating: R<br />
Genre: Act/Com/SF<br />
Specs: Imax<br />
THE FRONT ROOM<br />
Fri, 9/6/24 WIDE<br />
Stars: Brandy, Andrew Burnap<br />
Director: Max Eggers and Sam<br />
Eggers<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Hor<br />
HERETIC<br />
Fri, 11/15/24 WIDE<br />
Stars: Hugh Grant, Sophie<br />
Thatcher<br />
Director: Scott Beck and Bryan<br />
Woods<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Hor<br />
AMAZON MGM<br />
310-724-5678<br />
Ask for Distribution<br />
BLINK TWICE<br />
Fri, 8/23/24 WIDE<br />
Stars: Channing Tatum, Naomi<br />
Ackie<br />
Director: Zoë Kravitz<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Thr<br />
MY OLD ASS<br />
Fri, 9/13/24 LTD<br />
Stars: Maisy Stella, Percy Hynes<br />
White<br />
Director: Megan Park<br />
Rating: R<br />
Genre: Com/Dra<br />
ELIO<br />
Fri, 6/13/25 WIDE<br />
NICKEL BOYS<br />
Fri, 10/25/24 LTD<br />
Stars: Ethan Herisse, Brandon<br />
Wilson<br />
Director: RaMell Ross<br />
Rating: PG-13<br />
Genre: Dra<br />
RED ONE<br />
Fri, 11/15/24 WIDE<br />
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Chris<br />
Evans<br />
Director: Jake Kasdan<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Act/Adv/Com/Fam<br />
THE FIRE INSIDE<br />
Fri, 12/25/24 WIDE<br />
Stars: Ryan Destiny, Brian Tyree<br />
Henry<br />
Director: Rachel Morrison<br />
Rating: PG-13<br />
Genre: Dra<br />
THREE BAGS FULL:<br />
A SHEEP DETECTIVE MOVIE<br />
Fri, 2/20/26 WIDE<br />
Stars: Hugh Jackman, Emma<br />
Thompson<br />
Director: Kyle Balda<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Act/Com/Mys<br />
PROJECT HAIL MARY<br />
Fri, 3/20/26<br />
Stars: Ryan Gosling<br />
Director: Phil Lord and Christopher<br />
Miller<br />
Genre: Act/Adv/SF<br />
Rating: NR<br />
MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE<br />
Fri, 6/5/26 WIDE<br />
Director: Travis Knight<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Act/Adv/Fan<br />
BRIARCLIFF /<br />
OPEN ROAD FILMS<br />
MY DEAD FRIEND ZOE<br />
Fri, 11/1/24 WIDE<br />
Stars: Sonequa Martin-Green,<br />
Natalie Morales<br />
Director: Kyle Hausmann-Stokes<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Com/Dra/War<br />
WEREWOLVES<br />
Fri, 12/6/24 WIDE<br />
Stars: Frank Grillo<br />
Director: Steven C. Miller<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Hor/Thr<br />
62 August/September <strong>2024</strong><br />
box_24_july.indd 62 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:25:24
DISNEY<br />
818-560-1000<br />
Ask for Distribution<br />
MOANA 2<br />
Wed, 11/27/24 WIDE<br />
Stars: Auli’i Cravalho, Dwayne<br />
Johnson<br />
Director: Dave Derrick Jr.<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Ani<br />
Specs: Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision<br />
MUFASA: THE LION KING<br />
Fri, 12/20/24 WIDE<br />
Stars: Aaron Pierre,<br />
Kelvin Harrison Jr.<br />
Director: Barry Jenkins<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Ani<br />
CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW<br />
WORLD<br />
Fri, 2/14/25 WIDE<br />
Stars: Anthony Mackie, Harrison Ford<br />
Director: Julius Onah<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Act/Adv/SF<br />
UNTITLED DISNEY 2025 1<br />
Fri, 3/7/25 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
DISNEY’S SNOW WHITE<br />
Fri, 3/21/25 WIDE<br />
Stars: Rachel Zegler, Gal Gadot<br />
Director: Marc Webb<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Fan<br />
THUNDERBOLTS<br />
Fri, 5/2/25 WIDE<br />
Stars: David Harbour, Hannah<br />
John-Kamen<br />
Director: Jake Schreier<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Act/Adv/SF<br />
UNTITLED DISNEY 2025 2<br />
Fri, 5/23/25 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
ELIO<br />
Fri, 6/13/25 WIDE<br />
Stars: America Ferrera,<br />
Jameela Jamil<br />
Director: Adrian Molina<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Ani<br />
THE FANTASTIC FOUR<br />
Fri, 7/25/25 WIDE<br />
Stars: Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby<br />
Director: Matt Shakman<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Act/Adv/SF<br />
TRON: ARES<br />
Fri, 10/10/25 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
BLADE<br />
Fri, 11/7/25 WIDE<br />
Director: Mahershala Ali<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Act/Adv/SF<br />
ZOOTOPIA 2<br />
Wed, 11/26/25 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Ani<br />
UNTITLED DISNEY 2026 1<br />
Fri, 1/16/26 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
UNTITLED MARVEL 2026 1<br />
Fri, 2/13/26 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Act/Adv/SF<br />
UNITTLED PIXAR 2026 1<br />
Fri, 3/6/26 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Ani<br />
UNTITLED DISNEY 2026 2<br />
Fri, 3/27/26 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
UNTITLED DISNEY 2026 3<br />
Fri, 4/17/26 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
AVENGERS: THE KANG DYNASTY<br />
Fri, 5/1/26 WIDE<br />
Director: Destin Daniel Cretton<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Act/Adv/SF<br />
THE MANDALORIAN & GROGU<br />
Fri, 5/22/26 WIDE<br />
Stars: Pedro Pascal<br />
Director: Jon Favreau<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Act/Adv/SF<br />
TOY STORY 5<br />
Fri, 6/19/26 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Ani<br />
August/September <strong>2024</strong> 63<br />
box_24_july.indd 63 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:25:25
ON SCREEN | BOOKING GUIDE<br />
MOANA<br />
Fri, 7/10/26 WIDE<br />
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Catherine<br />
Laga’aia<br />
Director: Thomas Kail<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Adv/Mus<br />
NEVER LET GO<br />
Fri, 9/27/24 WIDE<br />
UNTITLED MARVEL 2026 2<br />
Fri, 7/24/26 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Act/Adv/SF<br />
UNTITLED DISNEY 2026 5<br />
Fri, 8/14/26 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
UNTITLED DISNEY 2026 6<br />
Fri, 9/18/26<br />
WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
UNTITLED MARVEL 2026 3<br />
Fri, 11/6/26 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Act/Adv/SF<br />
UNTITLED DISNEY ANIMATION<br />
2026<br />
Fri, 11/25/26 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Ani<br />
UNTITLED STAR WARS 2026 2<br />
Fri, 12/18/26 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Act/Adv/SF<br />
AVENGERS: SECRET WARS<br />
Fri, 5/7/27 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Act/Adv/SF<br />
UNTITLED STAR WARS 2027<br />
Fri, 12/17/27 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: SF/Fan<br />
20TH CENTURY STUDIOS<br />
310-369-1000<br />
212-556-2400<br />
ALIEN: ROMULUS<br />
Fri, 8/16/24 WIDE<br />
Stars: Cailee Spaeny, David<br />
Jonsson<br />
Director: Fede Álvarez<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: SF/Hor<br />
Specs: Imax<br />
THE AMATEUR<br />
Fri, 4/11/25 WIDE<br />
Stars: Rachel Brosnahan, Caitríona<br />
Balfe<br />
Director: James Hawes<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Act/Thr<br />
AVATAR 3<br />
Fri, 12/19/25 WIDE<br />
Director: James Cameron<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Act/Fan/SF<br />
AVATAR 4<br />
Fri, 12/21/29 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Act/Adv/SF<br />
AVATAR 5<br />
Fri, 12/19/31 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Act/Fan/SF<br />
SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES<br />
212-556-2400<br />
A REAL PAIN<br />
Fri, 10/18/24 WIDE<br />
Stars: Jesse Eisenberg, Kieran Culkin<br />
Director: Jesse Eisenberg<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Com/Dra<br />
NIGHTBITCH<br />
Fri, 12/6/24 WIDE<br />
Stars: Amy Adams,<br />
Scoot McNairy<br />
Director: Marielle Heller<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Com/Hor<br />
FOCUS FEATURES<br />
PIECE BY PIECE<br />
Fri, 10/11/24 LTD<br />
Director: Morgan Neville<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Doc/Ani<br />
CONCLAVE<br />
Fri, 11/8/24 WIDE<br />
Stars: Ralph Fiennes,<br />
Stanley Tucci<br />
Director: Edward Berger<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Dra<br />
NOSFERATU<br />
Fri, 12/25/24 WIDE<br />
Stars: Bill Skarsgård,<br />
Nicholas Hoult<br />
Director: Robert Eggers<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Hor/Com<br />
DOWNTON ABBEY 3<br />
Fri, 9/12/25 WIDE<br />
Stars: Hugh Bonneville,<br />
Elizabeth McGovern<br />
Director: Simon Curtis<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Dra<br />
BUGONIA<br />
Fri, 11/7/25 WIDE<br />
Stars: Emma Stone, J<br />
esse Plemons<br />
Director: Yorgos Lanthimos<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: SF/Com<br />
GKIDS<br />
DAN DA DAN: FIRST ENCOUNTER<br />
Fri, 9/13/24 LTD<br />
Stars: Shion Wakayama,<br />
Natsuki Hanae<br />
Director: Fuga Yamashiro<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Ani<br />
IFC FILMS<br />
bookings@ifcfilms.com<br />
SKINCARE<br />
Fri, 8/16/24 WIDE<br />
Stars: Elizabeth Banks, Lewis<br />
Pullman<br />
Director: Austin Peters<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Thr<br />
UNTITLED IFC CHRISTMAS FILM<br />
Fri, 11/15/24 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
LIONSGATE<br />
310-309-8400<br />
BORDERLANDS<br />
Fri, 8/9/24 WIDE<br />
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart<br />
Director: Eli Roth<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Act/SF<br />
Specs: Imax<br />
THE CROW<br />
Fri, 8/23/24 WIDE<br />
Stars: Bill Skarsgård, FKA twigs<br />
Director: Rupert Sanders<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Act/Thr<br />
Specs: Imax<br />
THE KILLER’S GAME<br />
Fri, 9/13/24 WIDE<br />
Stars: Dave Bautista, Sofia<br />
Boutella<br />
Director: JJ Perry<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Act/Com<br />
64 August/September <strong>2024</strong><br />
box_24_july.indd 64 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:25:27
MEGALOPOLIS<br />
Fri, 9/27/24 WIDE<br />
Stars: Adam Driver, Giancarlo<br />
Esposito<br />
Director: Francis Ford Coppola<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Dra/SF<br />
NEVER LET GO<br />
Fri, 9/27/24 WIDE<br />
Stars: Halle Berry<br />
Director: Alexandre Aja<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Hor/Sus<br />
WHITE BIRD: A WONDER STORY<br />
Fri, 10/4/24 WIDE<br />
Bryce Gheisar, Ariella Glaser<br />
Director: Marc Forster<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Dra/Fam<br />
FLIGHT RISK<br />
Fri, 10/18/24 WIDE<br />
Stars: Mark Wahlberg, Michelle<br />
Dockery<br />
Director: Mel Gibson<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Thr<br />
THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER<br />
Fri, 11/8/24 WIDE<br />
Director: Dallas Jenkins<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Fam/Dra<br />
DEN OF THIEVES: PANTERA<br />
Fri, 1/10/25 WIDE<br />
Stars: Gerard Butler,<br />
O’Shea Jackson Jr<br />
Director: Christian Gudegast<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Act/Thr<br />
UNTITLED GUY RITCHIE MOVIE<br />
Fri, 1/17/25 WIDE<br />
Stars: Henry Cavill,<br />
Jake Gyllenhaal<br />
Director: Guy Ritchie<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Act<br />
THE UNBREAKABLE BOY<br />
Fri, 2/21/25 WIDE<br />
Stars: Zachary Levi, Meghann Fahy<br />
Director: Jon Gunn<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Dra/Fam<br />
MICHAEL<br />
Fri, 4/18/25 WIDE<br />
Stars: Jaafar Jackson Antoine Fuqua<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Dra<br />
BALLERINA<br />
Fri, 6/6/25 WIDE<br />
Stars: Ana de Armas, Anjelica Huston<br />
Director: Len Wiseman<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Act<br />
UNTITLED SAW XI<br />
Fri, 9/25/25 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Hor<br />
THE HUNGER GAMES:<br />
SUNRISE ON THE REAPING<br />
Fri, 11/20/26 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Act/Adv<br />
NEON<br />
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CUCKOO<br />
Fri, 8/9/24 WIDE<br />
Stars: Hunter Schafer,<br />
Jan Bluthardt<br />
Director: Tilman Singer<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Hor<br />
ANORA<br />
Fri, 10/18/24 LTD<br />
Stars: Mikey Madision,<br />
Mark Eydelshteyn<br />
Director: Sean Baker<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Com/Dra/Rom<br />
THE MONKEY<br />
Fri, 2/21/25 LTD<br />
Stars: Theo James,<br />
Tatiana Maslany<br />
Director: Osgood Perkins<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Hor<br />
PARAMOUNT<br />
323-956-5000<br />
TRANSFORMERS ONE<br />
Fri, 9/20/24 WIDE<br />
Stars: Chris Hemsworth,<br />
Scarlett Johansson<br />
Director: Josh Cooley<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Ani<br />
Specs: Imax<br />
INTERSTELLAR (RE-RELEASE)<br />
Fri, 9/27/24 WIDE<br />
Stars: Matthew McCon<strong>aug</strong>hey,<br />
Anne Hathaway<br />
Director: Christopher Nolan<br />
Genre: SF<br />
Imax<br />
SMILE 2<br />
Fri, 10/18/24 WIDE<br />
Stars: Naomi Scott,<br />
Rosemarie DeWitt<br />
Director: Parker Finn<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Hor<br />
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August/September <strong>2024</strong> 65<br />
box_24_july.indd 65 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:25:28
ON SCREEN | BOOKING GUIDE<br />
GLADIATOR II<br />
Fri, 11/22/24 WIDE<br />
Stars: Paul Mescal<br />
Director: Ridley Scott<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Act/Dra<br />
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3<br />
Fri, 12/20/24 WIDE<br />
Stars: Ben Schwartz, Colleen<br />
O’Sh<strong>aug</strong>hnessey<br />
Director: Jeff Fowler<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Act/Adv/Com<br />
BETTER MAN<br />
Fri, 12/25/24 LTD<br />
Director: Michael Gracey<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Mus<br />
THE SMURFS MOVIE<br />
Fri, 2/14/24 WIDE<br />
Stars: Rihanna<br />
Director: Chris Miller<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Ani/Mus<br />
HERE<br />
Fri, 11/15/24 WIDE<br />
NOVOCAINE<br />
Fri, 3/14/25 WIDE<br />
Stars: Robert Olsen, Dan Berk<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Thr/Act<br />
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 8<br />
Fri, 5/23/25 WIDE<br />
Stars: Tom Cruise<br />
Director: Christopher McQuarrie<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Act<br />
Specs: Imax<br />
UNTITLED TREY PARKER/MATT STONE/<br />
KENDRICK LAMAR/DAVE FREE<br />
Fri, 7/4/25 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Com<br />
UNTITLED NAKED GUN<br />
Fri, 7/18/25 WIDE<br />
Stars: Liam Neeson, Pamela<br />
Anderson<br />
Director: Akiva Schaffer<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Com<br />
VICIOUS<br />
Fri, 8/8/25 WIDE<br />
Stars: Dakota Fanning<br />
Director: Bryan Bertino<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Hor<br />
THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SEARCH<br />
FOR SQUAREPANTS<br />
Fri, 10/19/25 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Ani<br />
UNTITLED AANG AVATAR FILM<br />
Fri, 1/30/26 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
PAW PATROL 3<br />
Fri, 7/31/26 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Ani<br />
TMNT 2<br />
Fri, 10/9/26 WIDE<br />
Director: Jeff Rowe<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Ani<br />
ROADSIDE ATTRACTIONS<br />
323.882.8490<br />
MY PENGUIN FRIEND<br />
Fri, 8/16/25 LTD<br />
Stars: Jean Reno, Adriana Barraza<br />
Director: David Schurmann<br />
Rating: PG<br />
Genre: Adv<br />
CITY OF DREAMS<br />
Fri, 8/30/25 WIDE<br />
Stars: Alfredo Castro, Paulina<br />
Gaitan<br />
Director: Mohit Ramchandani<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Thr<br />
LEE<br />
Fri, 9/27/25 LTD<br />
Stars: Kate Winslet, Josh O’Connor<br />
Director: Ellen Kuras<br />
Rating: R<br />
Genre: War<br />
SONY<br />
212-833-8500<br />
HAROLD AND THE PURPLE<br />
CRAYON<br />
Fri, 8/2/24 WIDE<br />
Stars: Zachary Levi, Zooey<br />
Deschanel<br />
Director: Carlos Saldanha<br />
Rating: PG<br />
Genre: Fam<br />
Specs: Dolby Atmos<br />
IT ENDS WITH US<br />
Fri, 8/9/24 WIDE<br />
Stars: Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni<br />
Director: Justin Baldoni<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Rom/Dra<br />
Specs: Dolby Atmos<br />
THE FORGE<br />
Fri, 8/23/24 WIDE<br />
Stars: Cameron Arnett, Priscilla Shirer<br />
Director: Alex Kendrick<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Dra<br />
THEY LISTEN<br />
Fri, 8/30/24 WIDE<br />
Stars: John Cho, Katherine<br />
Waterston<br />
Director: Chris Weitz<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Hor<br />
WOLFS<br />
Fri, 9/20/24 WIDE<br />
Stars: Brad Pitt, George Clooney<br />
Director: Jon Watts<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Thr<br />
Specs: Imax<br />
VENOM: THE LAST DANCE<br />
Fri, 10/25/24 WIDE<br />
Stars: Tom Hardy, Juno Temple<br />
Director: Kelly Marcel<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Act/Adv/Fan<br />
Specs: Imax, Dolby Vis/Atmos<br />
HERE<br />
Fri, 11/15/24 WIDE<br />
Director: Robert Zemeckis<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Com/Dra/Rom<br />
KRAVEN THE HUNTER<br />
Fri, 12/13/24 WIDE<br />
Stars: Aaron Taylor-Johnson,<br />
Russell Crowe<br />
Director: J.C. Chandor<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Act/Adv/SF<br />
Specs: Imax, Dolby Vis/Atmos<br />
PADDINGTON IN PERU<br />
Fri, 1/17/25 WIDE<br />
Stars: Olivia Colman, Antonio<br />
Banderas<br />
Director: Dougal Wilson<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Fam<br />
KARATE KID<br />
Fri, 5/30/25 WIDE<br />
Stars: Jackie Chan, Ralph Macchio<br />
Director: Jonathan Entwistle<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Act<br />
Specs: Dolby Atmos<br />
28 YEARS LATER<br />
Fri, 6/20/25 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Hor<br />
66 August/September <strong>2024</strong><br />
box_24_july.indd 66 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:25:29
UNTITLED SONY/MARVEL LIVE<br />
ACTION 2025<br />
Fri, 6/27/25 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Act/SF<br />
Specs: Imax<br />
I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST<br />
SUMMER<br />
Fri, 7/18/25 WIDE<br />
Stars: Jennifer Kaytin Robinson<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Thr/Hor<br />
ANIMAL FRIENDS<br />
Fri, 8/15/25 WIDE<br />
Stars: Ryan Reynolds, Jason Momoa<br />
Director: Peter Atencio<br />
Rating: R<br />
Genre: Ani<br />
SONY/BLUMHOUSE INSIDIOUS<br />
Fri, 8/29/25 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Hor<br />
GOAT<br />
Fri, 2/13/26 WIDE<br />
Director: Tyree Dillihay<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Ani<br />
STREET FIGHTER<br />
Fri, 3/20/26 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Act<br />
SONY PICTURES CLASSICS<br />
Tom Prassis 212-833-4981<br />
KNEECAP<br />
Fri, 8/2/24 WIDE<br />
Stars: Naoise Ó Cairealláin,<br />
Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh<br />
Director: Rich Peppiatt<br />
Rating: R<br />
Genre: Dra<br />
BETWEEN THE TEMPLES<br />
Fri, 8/23/24 LTD<br />
Stars: Jason Schwartzman, Carol<br />
Kane<br />
Director: Nathan Silver<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Com<br />
UNIVERSAL<br />
818-777-1000<br />
SPEAK NO EVIL<br />
Fri, 9/13/24 WIDE<br />
Stars: James McAvoy,<br />
Mackenzie Davis<br />
Director: James Watkins<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Hor<br />
THE WILD ROBOT<br />
Fri, 9/27/24 WIDE<br />
Director: Chris Sanders<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Ani<br />
Specs: Imax<br />
UNTITLED UNIVERSAL<br />
EVENT FILM <strong>2024</strong><br />
Fri, 11/1/24 WIDE<br />
WICKED PART 1<br />
Fri, 11/22/24 WIDE<br />
Stars: Ariana Grande,<br />
Cynthia Erivo<br />
Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Mus<br />
THE WOMAN IN THE YARD<br />
Fri, 1/10/25 WIDE<br />
Stars: Danielle Deadwyler,<br />
Russell Horsby<br />
Director: Jaume Collet-Serra<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Hor<br />
WOLF MAN<br />
Fri, 1/17/25 WIDE<br />
Stars: Christopher Abbott<br />
Director: Leigh Whannell<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Hor<br />
DOG MAN<br />
Fri, 1/31/25 WIDE<br />
Director: Peter Hastings<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Ani<br />
WITH LOVE<br />
Fri, 2/7/25 WIDE<br />
Stars: Ke Huy Quan<br />
Director: Jonathan Eusebio<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Act<br />
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August/September <strong>2024</strong> 67<br />
box_24_july.indd 67 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:25:30
ON SCREEN | EVENT CINEMA CALENDAR<br />
UNTITLED UNIVERSAL<br />
EVENT FILM 2025 1<br />
Fri, 2/14/25 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
DROP<br />
Fri, 4/11/25 WIDE<br />
Stars: Meghann Fahy,<br />
Brandon Sklenar<br />
Director: Christopher Landon<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Hor<br />
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON<br />
Fri, 6/13/25 WIDE<br />
Director: Dean DeBlois<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Act<br />
M3GAN 2.0<br />
Fri, 6/27/25 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Thr/Hor<br />
ALL-NEW JURASSIC WORLD<br />
EVENT FILM<br />
Wed, 7/2/25 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Act/Adv<br />
THE KILLER’S GAME<br />
Fri, 9/13/24 WIDE<br />
THE BAD GUYS 2<br />
Fri, 8/1/25 WIDE<br />
Stars: Sam Rockwell,<br />
Craig Robinson<br />
Director: Pierre Perifel<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Ani<br />
NOBODY 2<br />
Fri, 8/15/25 WIDE<br />
Stars: Bob Odenkirk<br />
Director: Timo Tjahjanto<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Act<br />
HIM<br />
Fri, 9/19/25 WIDE<br />
Stars: Marlon Wayans,<br />
Tyriq Withers<br />
Director: Justin Tipping<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Hor<br />
GABBY’S DOLLHOUSE: THE MOVIE<br />
Fri, 9/26/25 WIDE<br />
Stars: Laila Lockhart Kraner, Ryan<br />
Crego<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Ani<br />
THE BLACK PHONE 2<br />
Fri, 10/17/25 WIDE<br />
Stars: Ethan Hawke, Mason<br />
Thames<br />
Director: Scott Derrickson<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Hor<br />
WICKED PART 2<br />
Wed, 11/26/25 WIDE<br />
Stars: Ariana Grande,<br />
Cynthia Erivo<br />
Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Mus<br />
FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY’S 2<br />
Fri, 12/5/25 WIDE<br />
Director: Emma Tammi<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Hor<br />
SOULM8TE<br />
Fri, 1/2/26 WIDE<br />
Director: Kate Dolan<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Hor<br />
UNTITLED UNIVERSAL<br />
EVENT FILM 2026 1<br />
Fri, 1/16/26 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
UNTITLED UNIVERSAL<br />
EVENT FILM 2026 2<br />
Fri, 2/13/26 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
UNTITLED EXORCIST FILM<br />
DIRECTED BY MIKE FLANAGAN<br />
Fri, 3/13/26 WIDE<br />
Director: Mike Flanagan<br />
Rating: NR<br />
UNTITLED NEW ANIMATED<br />
FILM BASED ON THE WORLD<br />
OF SUPER MARIO BROS.<br />
Fri, 4/3/26 WIDE<br />
Director: Aaron Horvath,<br />
Michael Jelenic<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Ani<br />
UNTITLED EVENT FILM<br />
DIRECTED BY STEVEN SPIELBERG<br />
Fri, 5/15/26 WIDE<br />
Director: Steven Spielberg<br />
Rating: NR<br />
UNTITLED UNIVERSAL<br />
EVENT FILM 2026 4<br />
Fri, 6/12/26 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
UNTITLED UNIVERSAL<br />
EVENT FILM 2026 5<br />
Wed, 7/1/26 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
UNTITLED UNIVERSAL<br />
ANIMATED EVENT FILM 2026<br />
Fri, 9/25/26 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
UNTITLED BLUMHOUSE<br />
EVENT FILM 2026<br />
Fri, 10/16/26 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
UNTITLED FOURTH FILM<br />
DIRECTED BY JORDAN PEELE<br />
Fri, 10/14/26 WIDE<br />
Jordan Peele<br />
Rating: NR<br />
UNTITLED UNIVERSAL<br />
EVENT FILM 2026 6<br />
Fri, 11/13/26 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
UNTITLED UNIVERSAL<br />
EVENT FILM 2026 7<br />
Wed, 12/23/26 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
VIVA PICTURES<br />
200% WOLF<br />
Fri, 8/23/24 WIDE<br />
Stars: Samara Weaving,<br />
Jai Courtney<br />
Director: Alexs Stadermann<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Ani<br />
SCARYGIRL<br />
Fri, 10/11/24 WIDE<br />
Stars: Anna Torv, Sam Neill<br />
Director: Ricard Russo & Tania<br />
Vincent<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Ani<br />
68 August/September <strong>2024</strong><br />
box_24_july.indd 68 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:25:34
WARNER BROS.<br />
818-977-1850<br />
TRAP<br />
Fri, 8/2/24 WIDE<br />
Stars: Josh Hartnett, Ariel Donoghue<br />
Director: M. Night Shyamalan<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Thr<br />
HORIZON: AN AMERICAN SAGA<br />
CHAPTER 2<br />
Fri, 8/16/24 WIDE<br />
Stars: Kevin Costner<br />
Director: Kevin Costner<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Wes/Dra<br />
BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE<br />
Fri, 9/6/24 WIDE<br />
Stars: Michael Keaton, Jenna<br />
Ortega<br />
Director: Tim Burton<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Com/Fan/Hor<br />
Specs: Imax<br />
JOKER: FOLIE À DEUX<br />
Fri, 10/4/24 WIDE<br />
Stars: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady<br />
Gaga<br />
Director: Todd Phillips<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Dra/Thr/Mus<br />
THE LORD OF THE RINGS:<br />
THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM<br />
Fri, 12/13/24 WIDE<br />
Director: Kenji Kamiyama<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Ani/Fan<br />
COMPANION<br />
Fri, 1/10/25 WIDE<br />
Stars: Sophie Thatcher, Jack Quaid<br />
Director: Drew Hancock<br />
Rating: NR<br />
MICKEY 17<br />
Fri, 1/31/25 WIDE<br />
Stars: Robert Pattinson, Naomi<br />
Ackie<br />
Director: Bong Joon Ho<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Act/Dra/SF<br />
Specs: Imax<br />
AN UNTITLED RYAN COOGLER<br />
EVENT FILM<br />
Fri, 3/7/25 WIDE<br />
Stars: Michael B. Jordan<br />
Director: Ryan Coogler<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Dra<br />
ALTO KNIGHTS<br />
Fri, 3/21/25 WIDE<br />
Stars: Robert De Niro, Debra<br />
Messing<br />
Director: Barry Levinson<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Dra<br />
MINECRAFT<br />
Fri, 4/4/25 WIDE<br />
Stars: Jason Momoa, Jack Black<br />
Director: Jared Hess<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Ani<br />
FLOWERVALE STREET<br />
Fri, 5/16/25 WIDE<br />
Stars: Anne Hathaway, Ewan<br />
McGregor<br />
Director: David Robert Mitchell<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Thr<br />
Specs: Imax<br />
UNTITLED NEW LINE<br />
EVENT FILM 2025 1<br />
Fri, 5/30/25 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
UNTITLED NEW LINE<br />
EVENT FILM 2025 2<br />
Fri, 6/20/25 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
SUPERMAN<br />
Fri, 7/25/25 WIDE<br />
Stars: David Corenswet, Rachel<br />
Brosnahan<br />
Director: James Gunn<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Act/ADv<br />
AN UNTITLED PAUL THOMAS<br />
ANDERSON EVENT FILM<br />
Fri, 8/8/25 WIDE<br />
Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean<br />
Penn<br />
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Dra<br />
Specs: Imax<br />
THE UNTITLED CONJURING FINALE<br />
Fri, 9/5/25 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Hor<br />
THE BRIDE!<br />
11/26/25 WIDE<br />
Stars: Christian Bale, Jessie<br />
Buckley<br />
Director: Maggie Gyllenhaal<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Specs: Imax<br />
August/September <strong>2024</strong> 69<br />
box_24_july.indd 69 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:25:35
ON SCREEN | EVENT CINEMA CALENDAR<br />
WICKED<br />
Fri, 11/22/24 WIDE<br />
MORTAL KOMBAT 2<br />
Fri, 10/24/25 WIDE<br />
Karl Urban, Adeline Rudolph<br />
Director: Simon McQuoid<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Act<br />
UNTITLED NEW LINE<br />
EVENT FILM 2025 3<br />
Fri, 11/21/25 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
UNTITLED WB EVENT FILM 2025<br />
Fri, 12/19/25 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
WEAPONS<br />
Fri, 1/16/26 WIDE<br />
Josh Brolin, Julia Garner<br />
Director: Zach Cregger<br />
Rating: NR<br />
THE CAT IN THE HAT<br />
Fri, 3/6/26 WIDE<br />
Stars: Bill Hader, Quinta Brunson<br />
Director: Alessandro Carloni, Erica<br />
Rivinoja<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Ani<br />
Specs: Imax<br />
UNTITLED NEW LINE<br />
HORROR FILM 2026 1<br />
Fri, 3/27/26 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
UNTITLED NL/ATOMIC MONSTER/<br />
BLUMHOUSE EVENT FILM<br />
Fri, 4/17/26 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Hor<br />
UNTITLED DC EVENT FILM<br />
Fri, 5/29/26 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
UNTITLED NEW LINE<br />
EVENT FILM 2026 1<br />
Fri, 6/19/26 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
SUPERGIRL: WOMAN OF<br />
TOMORROW<br />
Fri, 6/26/26 WIDE<br />
Stars: Milly Alcock<br />
Director: Craig Gillespie<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Act/Adv<br />
Specs: Imax<br />
UNTITLED NEW LINE<br />
EVENT FILM 2026 2<br />
Fri, 7/3/26 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
UNTITLED NEW LINE EVENT FILM<br />
2026 3<br />
Fri, 8/7/26 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
UNTITLED NEW LINE<br />
HORROR FILM 2026 2<br />
Fri, 9/11/26 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Hor<br />
UNTITLED NEW LINE<br />
EVENT FILM 2026 4<br />
Fri, 11/20/26 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
UNTITLED WB/LEGENDARY/<br />
DENIS VILLENEUVE EVENT FILM<br />
Fri, 12/18/26 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
UNTITLED NEW LINE<br />
EVENT FILM 2026 5<br />
Fri, 12/25/26 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
THE BATMAN PART II<br />
Fri, 10/2/26 WIDE<br />
Stars: Robert Pattinson<br />
Director: Matt Reeves<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Act/Thr<br />
Specs: Imax<br />
UNTITLED WB/LEGENDARY/<br />
MONSTERVERSE FILM<br />
Fri, 3/26/27 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
MARGIE CLAUS<br />
Fri, 11/5/27 WIDE<br />
Stars: Melissa McCarthy<br />
Director: Ben Falcon & Damon<br />
Jones<br />
Rating: NR<br />
UNTITLED WB FAMILY SEQUEL<br />
Fri, 12/17/27 WIDE<br />
Rating: NR<br />
Genre: Fam<br />
WELL GO USA<br />
ENTERTAINMENT<br />
theatrical@wellgousa.com<br />
YOU GOTTA BELIEVE<br />
Fri, 8/30/24 LTD<br />
Stars: Luke Wilson, Greg Kinnear<br />
Director: Ty Roberts<br />
Rating: PG<br />
Genre: Fam<br />
70 August/September <strong>2024</strong><br />
box_24_july.indd 70 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:25:36
Advertiser<br />
Page<br />
Agile Ticketing Solutions 3<br />
Barco BC 39<br />
Bay City Cargo 69<br />
The Boxoffice Company 30, 42, 49<br />
Cinema 360 53<br />
Cretors 47<br />
Digital Cinema United 37<br />
Fandango 35<br />
Gold Medal 63<br />
Irwin Seating 29<br />
Jacro 19<br />
Moving Image Technologies 6<br />
NCM 23<br />
Omniterm 58<br />
Paradigm 58<br />
Packaging Concepts 65<br />
Proctor 15<br />
RTS 67<br />
Sensible Cinema Software 71<br />
Spotlight Cinema Networks 27<br />
Telescopic Seating<br />
IFC, IBC<br />
VIP Seating 41<br />
Vista 32<br />
Image Credits & Acknowledgments<br />
Cover: Alexander Podshivalov/Adobe<br />
Stock<br />
Page 1: © <strong>2024</strong> TAS Rights Management<br />
Page 7: Photo Credit: Theo Kingma, Film<br />
Expo Group<br />
Page 8: Photo Couresty National<br />
Association of Theatre Owners<br />
Page 9: Photo Couresty National<br />
Association of Theatre Owners<br />
Page 10 (Top): Photo by Kevin Marple for<br />
Alamo Drafthouse<br />
Page 10: Photos by Kathy Tran for Alamo<br />
Drafthouse<br />
Page 11: Photos by Kathy Tran for Alamo<br />
Drafthouse<br />
Page 12: Photo Couresty Flix Brewhouse<br />
Page 16: Photo Courtesy Motion Picture<br />
Club<br />
Page 17: Photos Coutesy of Cinemark<br />
Page 20: Photo Credit: Theo Kingma, Film<br />
Expo Group<br />
Page 21: Photo Credit: Theo Kingma, Film<br />
Expo Group<br />
Page 22: Photo Credit: Theo Kingma, Film<br />
Expo Group<br />
Page 24: © <strong>2024</strong> TAS Rights Management<br />
Page 26: © <strong>2024</strong> TAS Rights Management<br />
Page 28: Photo by Jay Maidment. © <strong>2024</strong><br />
20th Century Studios / © and <strong>2024</strong><br />
MARVEL.<br />
Page 34: Photo Courtesy AMC Theatres<br />
Page 36: Photo Courtesy Regal<br />
Page 38: Photo Courtesy Cinemark<br />
Page 40: Photo Courtesy Cineplex<br />
Page 43 (Left): Photo Courtesy Marcus<br />
Theatres<br />
Page 43 (Right): Photo Courtesy B&B<br />
Theatres<br />
Page 44 (Left): Photo Courtesy Harkins<br />
Theatres<br />
Page 44 (Right): Photo Courtesy Santikos<br />
Entertainment<br />
Page 45 (Left): Photo Courtesy Malco<br />
Theatres<br />
Page 45 (Right): Photo Courtesy Emagine<br />
Entertainment<br />
Pages 50 - 52: Photos Courtesy Cineplex<br />
Pages 54 - 57: Photos Courtesy Marcus<br />
Theatres, Aaron Lemay/Adobe Stock<br />
Page 59: Courtesy of Lionsgate. Photo<br />
by Larry Horricks for Lionsgate. © <strong>2024</strong><br />
Lionsgate. All Rights Reserved.<br />
Page 60: Photo Courtesy of Fathom<br />
Events. © <strong>2024</strong> Sight & Sound. All Rights<br />
Reserved.<br />
Page 61: Photo Courtesy of Fathom<br />
Events<br />
Page 62: Courtesy of Disney/Pixar. ©<br />
2023 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.<br />
Page 64: Courtesy of Lionsgate. Photo<br />
by Liane Hentscher for Lionsgate. © <strong>2024</strong><br />
Lionsgate. All Rights Reserved.<br />
Page 66: Courtesy of Sony Pictures. ©<br />
2023 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.<br />
Page 68: Courtesy of Lionsgate. Photo<br />
by Csaba Aknay / © <strong>2024</strong> Lionsgate. All<br />
Rights Reserved.<br />
Page 70: Courtesy of Universal Pictures. ©<br />
Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.<br />
CINEMA TECHNOLOGY & MARKETING<br />
Websites<br />
Mobile Apps<br />
Online Ticketing<br />
Targeted Emailing<br />
and more...<br />
Scan the QR code to find out more.<br />
August/September <strong>2024</strong> 71<br />
box_24_july.indd 71 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:25:37
St. Jude patient<br />
Eliza<br />
Big Screen. Bigger Cause.<br />
When St. Jude opened in 1962, childhood cancer was largely considered incurable. Since then,<br />
St. Jude has helped push the overall survival rate from 20% to more than 80%, and we won’t stop<br />
until no child dies from cancer. But we can’t do it without your powerful partnership. By pairing<br />
movie exhibitors with some of Hollywood’s brightest stars, St. Jude is harnessing the power of the<br />
silver screen to accomplish a truly marvelous mission: Finding cures. Saving children. ®<br />
For more information, please visit stjude.org/theaters<br />
or email chance.weaver@alsac.stjude.org.<br />
©<strong>2024</strong> ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (MCC-23083)<br />
box_24_july.indd 72 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:25:38<br />
24-PRNS-MCC-23083-TnG-BoxOfficeAds_PRINT-v03-ap<strong>pro</strong>ved.indd 3<br />
4/19/24 10:27 AM
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box_24_july.indd 73 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:25:38
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box_24_july.indd 74 12/07/<strong>2024</strong> 22:25:38