We’re leaving Las Vegas.
CinemaCon 2024 is over — time for studios to go out and prove their pitches at the box office. Based on what we saw, or really what we didn’t see, that will be an uphill battle.
First, let’s take a moment to appreciate the folks and films that showed up. Arguably, the biggest star to attend CinemaCon was Kevin Costner. The cynical point of view? He was pitching not one but two “Horizon” films to theater owners — and simultaneously pitching third and fourth installments to Warner Bros. Plus, Costner received a trophy (the CinemaCon Visionary Award), for which WB execs shooed him offstage just to call him back up. Kinda silly. Speaking of WB execs and no-shows, if David Zaslav was in town, he didn’t come on stage.
Jeff Goldblum did, as did his fellow “Wicked” co-stars Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, and Michelle Yeoh.
CinemaCon 2024 is over — time for studios to go out and prove their pitches at the box office. Based on what we saw, or really what we didn’t see, that will be an uphill battle.
First, let’s take a moment to appreciate the folks and films that showed up. Arguably, the biggest star to attend CinemaCon was Kevin Costner. The cynical point of view? He was pitching not one but two “Horizon” films to theater owners — and simultaneously pitching third and fourth installments to Warner Bros. Plus, Costner received a trophy (the CinemaCon Visionary Award), for which WB execs shooed him offstage just to call him back up. Kinda silly. Speaking of WB execs and no-shows, if David Zaslav was in town, he didn’t come on stage.
Jeff Goldblum did, as did his fellow “Wicked” co-stars Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, and Michelle Yeoh.
- 4/12/2024
- by Tony Maglio and Brian Welk
- Indiewire
In his CinemaCon debut, NATO Chairman Michael O’Leary called the future of the motion picture industry “limitless” in what was a positive keynote speech this morning.
While praising the studios for their commitment to theatrical, O’Leary called for something that exhibition needs right now after weathering Covid and two strikes with a lack of big studio product: Money.
“Keeping pace with the increasing demands of the movie-going public is not new, but it does require capital. And to our friends in the financial industry, investing in the talented people that run the innovative theatres across this country and the world is a smart investment. Getting more capital into the system will benefit everyone—creatives, studios, exhibition, local communities and, most importantly, movie fans,” said O’Leary.
There was a buzz heading into CinemaCon that AMC might finally give into bankruptcy (currently not true) with Alamo Drafthouse on the sales...
While praising the studios for their commitment to theatrical, O’Leary called for something that exhibition needs right now after weathering Covid and two strikes with a lack of big studio product: Money.
“Keeping pace with the increasing demands of the movie-going public is not new, but it does require capital. And to our friends in the financial industry, investing in the talented people that run the innovative theatres across this country and the world is a smart investment. Getting more capital into the system will benefit everyone—creatives, studios, exhibition, local communities and, most importantly, movie fans,” said O’Leary.
There was a buzz heading into CinemaCon that AMC might finally give into bankruptcy (currently not true) with Alamo Drafthouse on the sales...
- 4/9/2024
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Longtime advocates for the global exhibition industry, former NATO top brass John Fithian, Patrick Corcoran and Jackie Brenneman return to CinemaCon next week under the banner of their new venture, The Fithian Group.
The consultancy has been up and running since November last year with the goal of helping clients build their businesses in exhibition, distribution, and production.
Screen spoke to the equal-share founding partners about their vision and goals, plans for a European studio facility, direct distribution, and the value of the international marketplace.
Former National Association of Theatre Owners president and CEO Fithian served in-house for more than...
The consultancy has been up and running since November last year with the goal of helping clients build their businesses in exhibition, distribution, and production.
Screen spoke to the equal-share founding partners about their vision and goals, plans for a European studio facility, direct distribution, and the value of the international marketplace.
Former National Association of Theatre Owners president and CEO Fithian served in-house for more than...
- 4/5/2024
- ScreenDaily
Founding partners John Fithian, Patrick Corcoran, Jackie Brenneman to advise companies worldwide.
Highly regarded former National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) executives John Fithian, Patrick Corcoran, and Jackie Brenneman have launched consulting firm The Fithian Group LLC.
The founding partners bring more than 60 years of combined experience in the film business and comprise Fithian, the former NATO president and CEO; Corcoran, who served as vice president and chief communications officer and director of media and research and California operations chief; and Brenneman, the former NATO executive vice president and general counsel and president of The Cinema Foundation.
The Fithian Group...
Highly regarded former National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) executives John Fithian, Patrick Corcoran, and Jackie Brenneman have launched consulting firm The Fithian Group LLC.
The founding partners bring more than 60 years of combined experience in the film business and comprise Fithian, the former NATO president and CEO; Corcoran, who served as vice president and chief communications officer and director of media and research and California operations chief; and Brenneman, the former NATO executive vice president and general counsel and president of The Cinema Foundation.
The Fithian Group...
- 11/15/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
John Fithian, Patrick Corcoran and Jackie Brenneman, who were top executives at the National Association of Theatre Owners, are joining forces to launch a new consulting firm for clients in the cinema space.
Dubbed The Fithian Group, the trio will advise clients on strategy and communications, as well as use their connections in the exhibition industry to find investors and forge partnerships. All three executives will serve as founding partners. In a press release announcing the new business, the partners stressed that they offer “more than 60 years combined experience in the cinema industry.”
And they do have deep ties to independent theater operators, as well as the major cinema chains. Fithian spent three decades at the National Association of Theatre Owners or NATO as it’s known, as its outside counsel and then as its president and CEO. He led the lobbying group through the Covid pandemic, which shut down theaters,...
Dubbed The Fithian Group, the trio will advise clients on strategy and communications, as well as use their connections in the exhibition industry to find investors and forge partnerships. All three executives will serve as founding partners. In a press release announcing the new business, the partners stressed that they offer “more than 60 years combined experience in the cinema industry.”
And they do have deep ties to independent theater operators, as well as the major cinema chains. Fithian spent three decades at the National Association of Theatre Owners or NATO as it’s known, as its outside counsel and then as its president and CEO. He led the lobbying group through the Covid pandemic, which shut down theaters,...
- 11/15/2023
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Founding partners John Fithian, Patrick Corcoran, Jackie Brenneman to advise companies worldwide.
Highly regarded former National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) executives John Fithian, Patrick Corcoran, and Jackie Brenneman have launched consulting firm The Fithian Group LLC.
The founding partners bring more than 60 years of combined experience in the film business and comprise Fithian, the former NATO president and CEO; Corcoran, who served as vice president and chief communications officer and director of media and research and California operations chief; and Brenneman, the former NATO executive vice president and general counsel and president of The Cinema Foundation.
The Fithian Group...
Highly regarded former National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) executives John Fithian, Patrick Corcoran, and Jackie Brenneman have launched consulting firm The Fithian Group LLC.
The founding partners bring more than 60 years of combined experience in the film business and comprise Fithian, the former NATO president and CEO; Corcoran, who served as vice president and chief communications officer and director of media and research and California operations chief; and Brenneman, the former NATO executive vice president and general counsel and president of The Cinema Foundation.
The Fithian Group...
- 11/15/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Three recently departed NATO executives have teamed up for a new consulting firm specializing in the theatrical industry.
The Fithian Group LLC launched Wednesday with an aim of advising the theatrical industry through the current unpredictable landscape. Be it new companies, an ever-changing definition of what qualifies as a theatrical movie or technological advancements, John Fithian, Patrick Corcoran and Jackie Brenneman plan to bring their combined 60 years of experience in navigating the new normal.
“We have spent the last couple of decades helping to guide the cinema
industry through the biggest challenges it has faced,” said Fithian, the former NATO president and CEO. “Now, having survived those challenges, we want to help our industry clients seize opportunities and grow. Digital cinema, the long fight for theatrical exclusivity, the pandemic and Hollywood going all-in on streaming – we got through all that, and now, the major Hollywood labor agreements are another signal...
The Fithian Group LLC launched Wednesday with an aim of advising the theatrical industry through the current unpredictable landscape. Be it new companies, an ever-changing definition of what qualifies as a theatrical movie or technological advancements, John Fithian, Patrick Corcoran and Jackie Brenneman plan to bring their combined 60 years of experience in navigating the new normal.
“We have spent the last couple of decades helping to guide the cinema
industry through the biggest challenges it has faced,” said Fithian, the former NATO president and CEO. “Now, having survived those challenges, we want to help our industry clients seize opportunities and grow. Digital cinema, the long fight for theatrical exclusivity, the pandemic and Hollywood going all-in on streaming – we got through all that, and now, the major Hollywood labor agreements are another signal...
- 11/15/2023
- by Scott Mendelson
- The Wrap
Former National Association of Theatre Owners executives John Fithian, Patrick Corcoran and Jackie Brenneman have launched a new consulting firm The Fithian Group to advise global exhibition clients on strategy, partnerships, innovation and strategic communications.
“We have spent the last couple of decades helping to guide the cinema industry through the biggest challenges it has faced,” said Fithian, who retired from NATO in May after more than two decades at the helm. “Now, having survived those challenges, we want to help our industry clients seize opportunities and grow. Digital cinema, the long fight for theatrical exclusivity, the pandemic and Hollywood going all-in on streaming – we got through all that, and now, the major Hollywood labor agreements are another signal that it is the time to build.”
NATO, under Fithian, worked to get exhibition included in the $15 billion congressional Covid-19 Relief (Save Our Stages initiative) for small and mid-sized theaters...
“We have spent the last couple of decades helping to guide the cinema industry through the biggest challenges it has faced,” said Fithian, who retired from NATO in May after more than two decades at the helm. “Now, having survived those challenges, we want to help our industry clients seize opportunities and grow. Digital cinema, the long fight for theatrical exclusivity, the pandemic and Hollywood going all-in on streaming – we got through all that, and now, the major Hollywood labor agreements are another signal that it is the time to build.”
NATO, under Fithian, worked to get exhibition included in the $15 billion congressional Covid-19 Relief (Save Our Stages initiative) for small and mid-sized theaters...
- 11/15/2023
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Deadline has confirmed that the National Association of Theatre Owners Tech Advisor, Jerry Pierce, has resigned from the exhibitor trade org following the dismissal of EVP and General Counsel Jackie Brenneman.
Pierce is a former Universal SVP who was key in exhibitors’ transition from film to digital cinema projection.
Pierce is the third staffer from the former NATO CEO John Fithian regime to exit, the first being the org’s head of Corp Comm and VP Patrick Corcoran. Pierce is an 11-year vet of NATO. Fithian resigned from NATO after more than three decades with Michael O’Leary taking over as CEO on May 1.
In a note released to THR who first reported the news on Pierce, O’Leary took umbrage with O’Leary’s leadership, “his lack of interest and disrespect for the knowledge and experience of his staff,” not to mention the removal of Brenneman. Many sources inform Deadline...
Pierce is a former Universal SVP who was key in exhibitors’ transition from film to digital cinema projection.
Pierce is the third staffer from the former NATO CEO John Fithian regime to exit, the first being the org’s head of Corp Comm and VP Patrick Corcoran. Pierce is an 11-year vet of NATO. Fithian resigned from NATO after more than three decades with Michael O’Leary taking over as CEO on May 1.
In a note released to THR who first reported the news on Pierce, O’Leary took umbrage with O’Leary’s leadership, “his lack of interest and disrespect for the knowledge and experience of his staff,” not to mention the removal of Brenneman. Many sources inform Deadline...
- 8/22/2023
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
The National Association of Theatre Owners has lost another team member following Friday’s exit of exec vp and general counsel Jackie Brenneman, who sources say was ousted.
Now, The Hollywood Reporter has learned that Jerry Pierce, who has served as NATO’s technical advisor since 2012, resigned in protest on Monday.
The continuing shake-up occurs just a few short months after the departure of NATO chief John Fithian, who left his role in late April after more than three decades with the association. His successor, Michael O’Leary, took the reins as the head of NATO on May 1. Then in late June, NATO vice president and chief communications officer Patrick Corcoran left his role after a 24-year run.
THR obtained a copy of Pierce’s resignation letter, in which he states: “The selection and subsequent leadership of NATO by Michael O’Leary is my primary motivation to resign. … I have been...
Now, The Hollywood Reporter has learned that Jerry Pierce, who has served as NATO’s technical advisor since 2012, resigned in protest on Monday.
The continuing shake-up occurs just a few short months after the departure of NATO chief John Fithian, who left his role in late April after more than three decades with the association. His successor, Michael O’Leary, took the reins as the head of NATO on May 1. Then in late June, NATO vice president and chief communications officer Patrick Corcoran left his role after a 24-year run.
THR obtained a copy of Pierce’s resignation letter, in which he states: “The selection and subsequent leadership of NATO by Michael O’Leary is my primary motivation to resign. … I have been...
- 8/22/2023
- by Carolyn Giardina
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Former lawyer joined NATO in 2014, promoted to EVP and general counsel in December 2021.
Jackie Brenneman, National Association Of Theatre Owners (NATO) EVP and general counsel and president of affiliate The Cinema Foundation, is understood to have departed.
NATO declined to comment and no reason has been given for the development, first reported by Deadline Hollywood and confirmed to Screendaily by a well-placed industry source, who said Brenneman’s final day was August 18.
Brenneman, a former lawyer, joined NATO in 2014 and was promoted in December 2021 to EVP and general counsel, effectively taking on the role of second in command to then NATO head John Fithian.
Jackie Brenneman, National Association Of Theatre Owners (NATO) EVP and general counsel and president of affiliate The Cinema Foundation, is understood to have departed.
NATO declined to comment and no reason has been given for the development, first reported by Deadline Hollywood and confirmed to Screendaily by a well-placed industry source, who said Brenneman’s final day was August 18.
Brenneman, a former lawyer, joined NATO in 2014 and was promoted in December 2021 to EVP and general counsel, effectively taking on the role of second in command to then NATO head John Fithian.
- 8/22/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: The National Association of Theatre Owners’ EVP & General Counsel Jackie Brenneman has departed, several sources inform Deadline. This became effective Friday. Brenneman was also one of the founders, and the President of NATO sister org, The Cinema Foundation.
The news follows in the wake of the new administration at NATO led by new President and CEO Michael O’Leary who took over for outgoing org boss John Fithian back in May. At the end of June, NATO VP & Chief Comms Officer Patrick Corcoran departed after 24 years at the exhib org.
Brenneman was a vital lynchpin in NATO’s legislative push and rescue of shuttered theaters during Covid. She was key in seeing that smaller theaters received funds, loans and paycheck protection, working extensively with Fithian. During Covid, her duties included lobbying, legislative strategy and drafting. She was involved regularly reviewing, interpreting, and communicating regulations, application processes, and best practices to the organization’s exhibition members.
The news follows in the wake of the new administration at NATO led by new President and CEO Michael O’Leary who took over for outgoing org boss John Fithian back in May. At the end of June, NATO VP & Chief Comms Officer Patrick Corcoran departed after 24 years at the exhib org.
Brenneman was a vital lynchpin in NATO’s legislative push and rescue of shuttered theaters during Covid. She was key in seeing that smaller theaters received funds, loans and paycheck protection, working extensively with Fithian. During Covid, her duties included lobbying, legislative strategy and drafting. She was involved regularly reviewing, interpreting, and communicating regulations, application processes, and best practices to the organization’s exhibition members.
- 8/21/2023
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
National Cinema Day will return this Sunday, August 27, for a second edition, the nonprofit Cinema Foundation announced today, with discounted admissions for all movies at over 3,000 participating theaters and 30,000 screens. Tickets for all tickets, all shows and all formats will be no more than $4.
Concession discounts are up to each exhibitor.
At last year’s event — which was held Sept. 3, the Saturday of Labor Day weekend — tickets were $3. In the midst of a slow Covid-recovery for exhibition, it brought 8.1 million people to theaters and grossed $24 million – up 8% from the previous Saturday and was the highest-attended day for movies in 2022.
New openings Cinema Day weekend include Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story, Golda, The Hill, Retribution and Bottoms. They’ll join current box office hits Barbie, Oppenheimer, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem and Sound of Freedom; recent releases like The Super Mario Bros. Movie and Disney’s The Little Mermaid Sing-Along,...
Concession discounts are up to each exhibitor.
At last year’s event — which was held Sept. 3, the Saturday of Labor Day weekend — tickets were $3. In the midst of a slow Covid-recovery for exhibition, it brought 8.1 million people to theaters and grossed $24 million – up 8% from the previous Saturday and was the highest-attended day for movies in 2022.
New openings Cinema Day weekend include Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story, Golda, The Hill, Retribution and Bottoms. They’ll join current box office hits Barbie, Oppenheimer, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem and Sound of Freedom; recent releases like The Super Mario Bros. Movie and Disney’s The Little Mermaid Sing-Along,...
- 8/21/2023
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Executive ran NATO’s communications during tumultuous times.
National Association Of Theatre Owners (NATO) vice president and chief communications officer Patrick Corcoran is stepping down after more than 24 years at the association.
Corcoran joined NATO as a writer and editor for its monthly magazine and annual encyclopedia in 1998. In 2007, he was named director of media and research and California operations chief, and four years later he was promoted to vice president and chief communications officer.
Corcoran ran NATO’s communications during tumultuous times ranging from the industry-wide transition to digital, the rise of streaming, ongoing battles over release windows, and the pandemic shutdowns.
National Association Of Theatre Owners (NATO) vice president and chief communications officer Patrick Corcoran is stepping down after more than 24 years at the association.
Corcoran joined NATO as a writer and editor for its monthly magazine and annual encyclopedia in 1998. In 2007, he was named director of media and research and California operations chief, and four years later he was promoted to vice president and chief communications officer.
Corcoran ran NATO’s communications during tumultuous times ranging from the industry-wide transition to digital, the rise of streaming, ongoing battles over release windows, and the pandemic shutdowns.
- 6/30/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Patrick Corcoran, longtime vp at the National Association of Theatre Owners, is stepping down from his role after a 24-year run, the trade group said on Friday.
“Patrick has been an integral part of NATO’s growth over the past two and a half decades,” stated NATO CEO Michael O’Leary, who started in the top role at the group on May 1. “He has served our organization and the entire exhibition industry with skill and dedication, and we are grateful for all that he has done to drive the way NATO tells its story. We wish him the best in his next chapter.”
The move marks the latest leadership departure at NATO, which hosts the annual theater owners confab CinemaCon in Las Vegas, tracks industry data including average movie ticket prices ($10.53 in 2022) and acts as an advocate for a disparate group of exhibitors to lawmakers in Washington, D.C. and elsewhere.
“Patrick has been an integral part of NATO’s growth over the past two and a half decades,” stated NATO CEO Michael O’Leary, who started in the top role at the group on May 1. “He has served our organization and the entire exhibition industry with skill and dedication, and we are grateful for all that he has done to drive the way NATO tells its story. We wish him the best in his next chapter.”
The move marks the latest leadership departure at NATO, which hosts the annual theater owners confab CinemaCon in Las Vegas, tracks industry data including average movie ticket prices ($10.53 in 2022) and acts as an advocate for a disparate group of exhibitors to lawmakers in Washington, D.C. and elsewhere.
- 6/30/2023
- by Erik Hayden
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Patrick Corcoran is stepping down from the National Association of Theatre Owners, ending a 24-year run that most recently saw him serve as vice president and chief communications officer of the exhibition industry lobbying organization. It’s a time of transition at NATO, with Michael O’Leary taking over as president and CEO from John Fithian, who ran the organization for decades.
Corcoran worked closely with Fithian, helping to manage the group’s public relations outreach. His tenure overlapped with tectonic changes in the theatrical landscape, from consolidation of major chains to the rise of streaming to a public health crisis in Covid that led to the closure of cinemas for months. Through it all, Corcoran, a wry, unflappable presence labored to argue that movie theaters were not in a death spiral and would continue to attract customers, just as they had for more than a century. He also had to deal with fractious theater owners,...
Corcoran worked closely with Fithian, helping to manage the group’s public relations outreach. His tenure overlapped with tectonic changes in the theatrical landscape, from consolidation of major chains to the rise of streaming to a public health crisis in Covid that led to the closure of cinemas for months. Through it all, Corcoran, a wry, unflappable presence labored to argue that movie theaters were not in a death spiral and would continue to attract customers, just as they had for more than a century. He also had to deal with fractious theater owners,...
- 6/30/2023
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
The National Association of Theatre Owners VP & Chief Communications Officer Patrick Corcoran is departing after 24-plus years.
The news comes in the wake of NATO CEO and President John Fithian retiring after a 24-year run at the exhibition trade org.
Together with Fithian, Corcoran, known for being a straight-shooter with the press, has had a wild ride, fighting on behalf of their members against theatrical-window crunching, trying to convince Netflix about the worthiness of theatrical, exhibitors’ situation with The Interview in 2014 following the North Korea Sony hack, contending with cinema closures during Covid, getting them bailout money during those dark days, and re-opening them as early as August 2020 with ideal cleaning-safety standards. He was also involved in launching NATO’s own convention, CinemaCon.
Corcoran joined the association as a writer and editor for NATO’s monthly magazine and annual encyclopedia in 1998. In 2007, he was named Director of Media & Research and...
The news comes in the wake of NATO CEO and President John Fithian retiring after a 24-year run at the exhibition trade org.
Together with Fithian, Corcoran, known for being a straight-shooter with the press, has had a wild ride, fighting on behalf of their members against theatrical-window crunching, trying to convince Netflix about the worthiness of theatrical, exhibitors’ situation with The Interview in 2014 following the North Korea Sony hack, contending with cinema closures during Covid, getting them bailout money during those dark days, and re-opening them as early as August 2020 with ideal cleaning-safety standards. He was also involved in launching NATO’s own convention, CinemaCon.
Corcoran joined the association as a writer and editor for NATO’s monthly magazine and annual encyclopedia in 1998. In 2007, he was named Director of Media & Research and...
- 6/30/2023
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
MoviePass, a rebooted version of the app that once burned through cash promising theatergoers all-you-can-watch features for a single fee, says it’s now going to expand nationwide again during the busy box office Memorial Day frame.
In its latest incarnation, the firm, run by Stacy Spikes, has subscription plans that range from $10 a month (for one to three movies) as well as $40 a month (for 30 movies a month). And the company claims that moviegoers can use the app at 4,000 locations. “By opening up MoviePass to film lovers nationwide, we are expanding our support of the movie theater industry by helping drive traffic to all theaters during the critical summer season,” stated Spikes.
In January, the company said it raised funding from a number of financiers led by venture firm Animoca Brands, expanded to nine U.S. markets and inked partnerships with chains including B&b Theatres, Cinepolis Luxury Cinemas and Landmark Theatres.
In its latest incarnation, the firm, run by Stacy Spikes, has subscription plans that range from $10 a month (for one to three movies) as well as $40 a month (for 30 movies a month). And the company claims that moviegoers can use the app at 4,000 locations. “By opening up MoviePass to film lovers nationwide, we are expanding our support of the movie theater industry by helping drive traffic to all theaters during the critical summer season,” stated Spikes.
In January, the company said it raised funding from a number of financiers led by venture firm Animoca Brands, expanded to nine U.S. markets and inked partnerships with chains including B&b Theatres, Cinepolis Luxury Cinemas and Landmark Theatres.
- 5/25/2023
- by Erik Hayden
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Focus Features’ Sundance-premiering Polite Society opens on 927 screens, the feature debut of writer/director Nida Manzoor, creator of We Are Lady Parts, the Peacock comedy about the eponymous British punk rock band.
This comedic mash-up of sisterly affection, parental disappointment and bold action, where martial artist-in-training Ria Khan tryies to save her older sister from an impending marriage, is 91% Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. Deadline review here.
It’s joined by a handful of other specialty titles with theatrical debuts ranging from 900 screens to one, following a week where specialty and independent film was showered with kind words at CinemaCon, the annual exhibitor conference. Focus chair Peter Kujawksi called the specialty audience passionate and the market a launching pad for exceptional talent and “unique and elevated stories.” No disagreement there. He also said the specialty business has “recovered better and faster’’ out of Covid than the overall box office. Indie...
This comedic mash-up of sisterly affection, parental disappointment and bold action, where martial artist-in-training Ria Khan tryies to save her older sister from an impending marriage, is 91% Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. Deadline review here.
It’s joined by a handful of other specialty titles with theatrical debuts ranging from 900 screens to one, following a week where specialty and independent film was showered with kind words at CinemaCon, the annual exhibitor conference. Focus chair Peter Kujawksi called the specialty audience passionate and the market a launching pad for exceptional talent and “unique and elevated stories.” No disagreement there. He also said the specialty business has “recovered better and faster’’ out of Covid than the overall box office. Indie...
- 4/28/2023
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
A memo seems to have gone out to all the studios and theater owners at CinemaCon this week to be relentlessly on message: Theaters are back! Movies do better on streaming once they’ve had a run in theaters! Theatrical is where movies belong!
The streaming vs. theatrical debate swings back and forth like a pendulum. With the 2022 box office on the rebound and packed movie slates being presented to theater exhibitors in Las Vegas this week, it’s clear that the pendulum has swung back toward theaters for the moment as streaming services struggle.
David Zaslav himself, the CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, made the pilgrimage to Vegas to underscore his commitment to making movies for theaters — on the heels of strangling HBO Max in its crib in favor of just plain “Max.”
From left, Blitz Bazawule and Oprah Winfrey are welcomed onstage by Warner Bros. Discovery President and...
The streaming vs. theatrical debate swings back and forth like a pendulum. With the 2022 box office on the rebound and packed movie slates being presented to theater exhibitors in Las Vegas this week, it’s clear that the pendulum has swung back toward theaters for the moment as streaming services struggle.
David Zaslav himself, the CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, made the pilgrimage to Vegas to underscore his commitment to making movies for theaters — on the heels of strangling HBO Max in its crib in favor of just plain “Max.”
From left, Blitz Bazawule and Oprah Winfrey are welcomed onstage by Warner Bros. Discovery President and...
- 4/28/2023
- by Sharon Waxman
- The Wrap
CinemaCon 2023 is a wrap, and while we covered a whole lot of movie reveals, some stuff just didn’t make the edit. Well, consider this story the director’s cut: Your IndieWire auteurs have seven (more) things you may have missed from Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas.
Who Says There Are No More Movie Stars?
CinemaCon refuses to believe the hype: “Movie stars” are alive and well and in Las Vegas. Gracing the Colosseum stage for Universal Picture were Will Ferrell (“Strays”), Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake (“Trolls 3”), Jack Black (“Kung Fu Panda 4”), and Vin Diesel (“Fast X”). Warner Bros. Discovery had “Barbie” stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, Timothée Chalamet for both “Wonka” and “Dune: Part Two,” Zendaya for the “Dune” sequel, and Oprah Winfrey for “The Color Purple,” alongside her cast and director.
Sony had Will Smith and Martin Lawrence plugging “Bad Boys 4” via video,...
Who Says There Are No More Movie Stars?
CinemaCon refuses to believe the hype: “Movie stars” are alive and well and in Las Vegas. Gracing the Colosseum stage for Universal Picture were Will Ferrell (“Strays”), Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake (“Trolls 3”), Jack Black (“Kung Fu Panda 4”), and Vin Diesel (“Fast X”). Warner Bros. Discovery had “Barbie” stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, Timothée Chalamet for both “Wonka” and “Dune: Part Two,” Zendaya for the “Dune” sequel, and Oprah Winfrey for “The Color Purple,” alongside her cast and director.
Sony had Will Smith and Martin Lawrence plugging “Bad Boys 4” via video,...
- 4/28/2023
- by Tony Maglio and Brian Welk
- Indiewire
Christopher Nolan found himself recently walking past “a beautiful” Regal theater in Manhattan, one that had fantastic LED displays showing coming attractions. The filmmaker, who has his own upcoming offering in Universal Pictures’ The Oppenheimer, said that as he strolled he happened to pass a young man walking in the opposite direction.
“Without breaking a step, just carrying on his way, he said to me as he passed, ‘You make the world a better place,’” Nolan detailed from the podium inside the Colosseum inside Caesars Palace on Thursday night during CinemaCon’s Big Screen Achievement Awards. “And then he was gone into the night, and I thought a couple things. First thing I thought was, my agents have never said anything that nice to me.”
The joke got lots of laughs from the crowd of theater owners and industry insiders during the starry Coca-Cola Company-sponsored ceremony that served to close...
“Without breaking a step, just carrying on his way, he said to me as he passed, ‘You make the world a better place,’” Nolan detailed from the podium inside the Colosseum inside Caesars Palace on Thursday night during CinemaCon’s Big Screen Achievement Awards. “And then he was gone into the night, and I thought a couple things. First thing I thought was, my agents have never said anything that nice to me.”
The joke got lots of laughs from the crowd of theater owners and industry insiders during the starry Coca-Cola Company-sponsored ceremony that served to close...
- 4/28/2023
- by Chris Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Christopher Nolan has brought millions to theaters with stories about World War II, space travel, dream worlds and the Dark Knight. Now he’s asking theater owners at CinemaCon to help him bring them back for his most ambitious film yet: “Oppenheimer,” a biopic about the inventor of the atomic bomb.
Nolan came onstage at the movie theater trade show in Las Vegas with his wife and producing partner Emma Thomas, with whom he is receiving the CinemaCon Spirit of the Industry award. The acclaimed filmmaker told the audience about how he designed the film, like all of his past works, to be seen in the big screen as he shot the picture with Imax cameras and will make the film available not only in premium formats but also in 35mm and 70mm reels.
Nolan described J. Robert Oppenheimer as “the most important man in human history” for his society changing discovery,...
Nolan came onstage at the movie theater trade show in Las Vegas with his wife and producing partner Emma Thomas, with whom he is receiving the CinemaCon Spirit of the Industry award. The acclaimed filmmaker told the audience about how he designed the film, like all of his past works, to be seen in the big screen as he shot the picture with Imax cameras and will make the film available not only in premium formats but also in 35mm and 70mm reels.
Nolan described J. Robert Oppenheimer as “the most important man in human history” for his society changing discovery,...
- 4/26/2023
- by Jeremy Fuster
- The Wrap
Since Warner Bros. Discovery already dropped the first trailer right in time for “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” it’s no surprise that “Blue Beetle” didn’t get much more new footage beyond a longer version of the existing trailer.
Of course, that trailer makes the case pretty well, and the next trailer will get played before most screenings of “The Flash,” “Barbie” and “The Meg 2” alongside rival kid-flicks like “The Haunted Mansion” and “Tmnt: Mutant Mayhem” prior to its August 18 theatrical debut.
We got an extended version of the trailer Tuesday at CinemaCon in Las Vegas, with Xolo Maridueña’s Jamie Reyes stumbling upon a mystical scarab that turns him into the title hero. It was the same trailer save for an extra final gag involving a senior citizen and a gattling gun.
The original ‘Blue Beetle; trailer Also Read:
Former Disney CEO Bob Chapek ‘Was Not Our Friend,...
Of course, that trailer makes the case pretty well, and the next trailer will get played before most screenings of “The Flash,” “Barbie” and “The Meg 2” alongside rival kid-flicks like “The Haunted Mansion” and “Tmnt: Mutant Mayhem” prior to its August 18 theatrical debut.
We got an extended version of the trailer Tuesday at CinemaCon in Las Vegas, with Xolo Maridueña’s Jamie Reyes stumbling upon a mystical scarab that turns him into the title hero. It was the same trailer save for an extra final gag involving a senior citizen and a gattling gun.
The original ‘Blue Beetle; trailer Also Read:
Former Disney CEO Bob Chapek ‘Was Not Our Friend,...
- 4/25/2023
- by Scott Mendelson
- The Wrap
Audiences got to see more of the wacky, pink and fashion-forward world Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” at CinemaCon. The footage reveal was preceded by Gerwig walking on stage alongside Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling and American Ferrera.
“Everyone knows Barbie,” declared Robbie, “but she’s never been on the [big] screen.” Gerwig noted that she had never met Gosling prior to making the film. Gosling joked that he previously only knew Ken from {the outside} but now he knew Ken from within. While he initially doubted his Ken-ergy,” Gerwig and Robbie brought it out “like pink scarlet fever.”
Ferrara noted that by the end of the film, she was a Barbie Girl.
“You’ve never seen so many grown men find an excuse to come to the set,” remarked Robbie. “It was like a dopamine hit.” Replied Gosling, “I think I finally know what Dorothy felt like.”
Noting the film’s comic elements,...
“Everyone knows Barbie,” declared Robbie, “but she’s never been on the [big] screen.” Gerwig noted that she had never met Gosling prior to making the film. Gosling joked that he previously only knew Ken from {the outside} but now he knew Ken from within. While he initially doubted his Ken-ergy,” Gerwig and Robbie brought it out “like pink scarlet fever.”
Ferrara noted that by the end of the film, she was a Barbie Girl.
“You’ve never seen so many grown men find an excuse to come to the set,” remarked Robbie. “It was like a dopamine hit.” Replied Gosling, “I think I finally know what Dorothy felt like.”
Noting the film’s comic elements,...
- 4/25/2023
- by Kristen Lopez
- The Wrap
A video salute from James Cameron to John Fithian launched Tuesday at CinemaCon in Las Vegas, with the director offering a big “thanks on behalf of the worldwide creative community for your passionate dedication to championing the cause of the theatrical experience.”
The outgoing chief of the National Association of Theatre Owners is leaving with the overall business in a better place after a few really traumatic years, with the box office rebounding and growing awareness across entertainment that theatrical drives audiences for a film in any window. That’s been Fithian’s tireless message, and he lobbed a few stats – “Nine out of ten people are aware when a movie was released theatrically and 50% are more like to watch theatrically released titles when considering their options on streaming platforms,” Fithian said at his final address.
Related: CinemaCon 2023 – Deadline’s Full Coverage
The industry’s biggest annual event runs through Thursday,...
The outgoing chief of the National Association of Theatre Owners is leaving with the overall business in a better place after a few really traumatic years, with the box office rebounding and growing awareness across entertainment that theatrical drives audiences for a film in any window. That’s been Fithian’s tireless message, and he lobbed a few stats – “Nine out of ten people are aware when a movie was released theatrically and 50% are more like to watch theatrically released titles when considering their options on streaming platforms,” Fithian said at his final address.
Related: CinemaCon 2023 – Deadline’s Full Coverage
The industry’s biggest annual event runs through Thursday,...
- 4/25/2023
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
During the pandemic, studios experimented with shrinking the amount of time that their films screened exclusively in cinemas, while spending oceans of money to launch streaming services. But the debt they racked up has sent their share prices plummeting and, now, studios are making more movies for theaters and cutting back on their streaming budgets.
CinemaCon, the annual exhibition industry showcase that is unfolding this week in Las Vegas, couldn’t be happier about the shift in strategy. John Fithian, the head of the National Association of Theatre Owners, the trade group behind the show, touted the new state of play during his speech to the convention, while praising Apple and Amazon for embracing the big screen with movies like “Air” and the upcoming “Killers of the Flower Moon” and “Napoleon.” Both of these companies will reportedly spend more than $1 billion on theatrical films.
“It is now more irrefutable than...
CinemaCon, the annual exhibition industry showcase that is unfolding this week in Las Vegas, couldn’t be happier about the shift in strategy. John Fithian, the head of the National Association of Theatre Owners, the trade group behind the show, touted the new state of play during his speech to the convention, while praising Apple and Amazon for embracing the big screen with movies like “Air” and the upcoming “Killers of the Flower Moon” and “Napoleon.” Both of these companies will reportedly spend more than $1 billion on theatrical films.
“It is now more irrefutable than...
- 4/25/2023
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
All good things must come to an end.
After serving more than two decades as president of the National Association of Theatre Owners, John Fithian is departing the post on May 1 when he turns over the job to Michael P. O’Leary. He leaves on a high note as the box office shows signs of moving beyond the Covid-19 crisis after a number of fits and starts.
“One of the key themes that will emerge this week is optimism. Our industry is off to an incredible start in 2023. And why are we off to such a great start? Well, the explanation is a simple one: we have more movies to play,” Fithian said in his final state-of-the industry speech at CinemaCon, the marquee show hosted by NATO. “In 2022, we had 71 movies open on 2,000+ screens. This year, we will have more than 100, and new titles are being added at a steady place.
After serving more than two decades as president of the National Association of Theatre Owners, John Fithian is departing the post on May 1 when he turns over the job to Michael P. O’Leary. He leaves on a high note as the box office shows signs of moving beyond the Covid-19 crisis after a number of fits and starts.
“One of the key themes that will emerge this week is optimism. Our industry is off to an incredible start in 2023. And why are we off to such a great start? Well, the explanation is a simple one: we have more movies to play,” Fithian said in his final state-of-the industry speech at CinemaCon, the marquee show hosted by NATO. “In 2022, we had 71 movies open on 2,000+ screens. This year, we will have more than 100, and new titles are being added at a steady place.
- 4/25/2023
- by Pamela McClintock
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The National Association of Theater Owners’ annual trade show CinemaCon is doubling as a retirement party for its president and CEO, John Fithian, who in his final opening day speech urged movie theater owners to not use the word “content” to describe what they put on their screens.
“The words ‘product’ and ‘content’ are still used far too often, and they diminish the value this industry provides,” Fithian said on Tuesday. “We are not in the widget business…Movies are fun, entertaining, and sometimes art. When we speak of that art, the art of cinema, let’s use that word.”
“Content makes something sound disposable. Content may have shifted during transit,” he continued. “Movies are about pleasure, and cinema signifies lasting power and cultural relevancy.”
Also Read:
Outgoing National Association of Theatre Owners CEO Says ‘Everyone Gets It… Except for Netflix’
Joining NATO as outside counsel in 1991 and becoming president...
“The words ‘product’ and ‘content’ are still used far too often, and they diminish the value this industry provides,” Fithian said on Tuesday. “We are not in the widget business…Movies are fun, entertaining, and sometimes art. When we speak of that art, the art of cinema, let’s use that word.”
“Content makes something sound disposable. Content may have shifted during transit,” he continued. “Movies are about pleasure, and cinema signifies lasting power and cultural relevancy.”
Also Read:
Outgoing National Association of Theatre Owners CEO Says ‘Everyone Gets It… Except for Netflix’
Joining NATO as outside counsel in 1991 and becoming president...
- 4/25/2023
- by Jeremy Fuster
- The Wrap
Former Disney CEO Bob Chapek ‘Was Not Our Friend,’ Says National Association of Theatre Owners Chief
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John Fithian, the retiring CEO of the National Association of Theatre Owners, is optimistic that the box office will soon be back to its pre-pandemic highs, and the recent exit of former Disney CEO Bob Chapek is one of the reasons why.
Fithian believes that the current state of Hollywood is very advantageous for movie theaters, as the vast majority of legacy and streamer studios are recommitting to releasing films of all budgets and genre films exclusively in theaters. This includes Disney, which Fithian feels wasn’t as good a partner to exhibitors when Chapek was in charge.
“Look, Bob Chapek was not our friend. I’ll just be honest,” Fithian told TheWrap in a wide-ranging interview. “He did not believe in the theatrical model. It was all about Disney+ and...
John Fithian, the retiring CEO of the National Association of Theatre Owners, is optimistic that the box office will soon be back to its pre-pandemic highs, and the recent exit of former Disney CEO Bob Chapek is one of the reasons why.
Fithian believes that the current state of Hollywood is very advantageous for movie theaters, as the vast majority of legacy and streamer studios are recommitting to releasing films of all budgets and genre films exclusively in theaters. This includes Disney, which Fithian feels wasn’t as good a partner to exhibitors when Chapek was in charge.
“Look, Bob Chapek was not our friend. I’ll just be honest,” Fithian told TheWrap in a wide-ranging interview. “He did not believe in the theatrical model. It was all about Disney+ and...
- 4/25/2023
- by Jeremy Fuster
- The Wrap
Industry figures pay respects to late Erik Lomis, departing NATO head John Fithian.
In a sentimental state of the industry session at CinemaCon, delegates paid tribute to the late distribution veteran Erik Lomis who died last month, while outgoing NATO head John Fithian was himself the subject of appreciation.
CEO and president Fithian, who has served as theatre owners’ head lobbyist in Washington for more than two decades and received praise from industry figures including James Cameron in a taped message, started his address by recounting a dream in which Lomis was in his corner urging him on in a boxing bout.
In a sentimental state of the industry session at CinemaCon, delegates paid tribute to the late distribution veteran Erik Lomis who died last month, while outgoing NATO head John Fithian was himself the subject of appreciation.
CEO and president Fithian, who has served as theatre owners’ head lobbyist in Washington for more than two decades and received praise from industry figures including James Cameron in a taped message, started his address by recounting a dream in which Lomis was in his corner urging him on in a boxing bout.
- 4/25/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
John Fithian, president and CEO of the National Association of Theatre Owners, has spent the past three years guiding cinemas out of a pandemic that led many to question whether this would be the exhibition industry’s last stand.
Now, he’s leaving the job feeling more hopeful than ever about the future of the theatrical experience.
“Getting through Covid meant dealing with a blitzkrieg of multiple hard tasks,” Fithian told TheWrap in a one-on-one interview ahead of NATO’s annual CinemaCon event. “We had to develop the protocols for preventing the spread of Covid in theaters and then lobby state governments to allow theaters to reopen, and on the financial side there were countless talks on the federal and state level for grants and tax advantages to allow theaters to stay afloat as the box office started rebuilding.”
And after all of that, what does Fithian see for the future?...
Now, he’s leaving the job feeling more hopeful than ever about the future of the theatrical experience.
“Getting through Covid meant dealing with a blitzkrieg of multiple hard tasks,” Fithian told TheWrap in a one-on-one interview ahead of NATO’s annual CinemaCon event. “We had to develop the protocols for preventing the spread of Covid in theaters and then lobby state governments to allow theaters to reopen, and on the financial side there were countless talks on the federal and state level for grants and tax advantages to allow theaters to stay afloat as the box office started rebuilding.”
And after all of that, what does Fithian see for the future?...
- 4/25/2023
- by Jeremy Fuster
- The Wrap
Three years after brutal Covid shutdowns, spring is in the air for cinemas with the box office blossoming and the economics of streaming looking muddy. Traditional studios are re-committing to theatrical, with Apple and Amazon on board. That’s the view from the perch of John Fithian, longtime president and CEO of the National Association of Theatre Owners, taking a final bow next week in Las Vegas at CinemaCon, the industry’s biggest annual event. He will formally pass the baton to Michael O’Leary on May 1.
“John did an amazing job of leading this industry through an existential threat. It is my hope that this is the last existential threat for some time. If not, I have John’s number,” says O’Leary, who spent years lobbying and leading government affairs in D.C. including for the MPA and 21st Century Fox.
“Michael and I have known each other since 2005. We’re comrades in arms.
“John did an amazing job of leading this industry through an existential threat. It is my hope that this is the last existential threat for some time. If not, I have John’s number,” says O’Leary, who spent years lobbying and leading government affairs in D.C. including for the MPA and 21st Century Fox.
“Michael and I have known each other since 2005. We’re comrades in arms.
- 4/23/2023
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Utama wins first awards for a Bolivian film.
In a one-two for Amazon’s original film and TV businesses Santiago Mitre’s courtroom drama Argentina, 1985 took five top honours at the 2023 Platino Awards on Saturday night (April 22), while News Of a Kidnapping from Andrés Wood and Rodrigo García claimed four.
Amazon Studios’ Argentina, 1985 won best Ibero-American fiction film, best actor for Ricardo Darín, best screenplay for co-writers Mitre and Mariano Llinas, best art direction, and film & education in values awards.
Satuday’s triumph here at Madrid’s Ifema Municipal Palace follows Oscar and Bafta nominations and the Goya for best Iberoamerican film.
In a one-two for Amazon’s original film and TV businesses Santiago Mitre’s courtroom drama Argentina, 1985 took five top honours at the 2023 Platino Awards on Saturday night (April 22), while News Of a Kidnapping from Andrés Wood and Rodrigo García claimed four.
Amazon Studios’ Argentina, 1985 won best Ibero-American fiction film, best actor for Ricardo Darín, best screenplay for co-writers Mitre and Mariano Llinas, best art direction, and film & education in values awards.
Satuday’s triumph here at Madrid’s Ifema Municipal Palace follows Oscar and Bafta nominations and the Goya for best Iberoamerican film.
- 4/23/2023
- by Emilio Mayorga
- ScreenDaily
Utama wins first awards for a Bolivian film.
Santiago Mitre’s courtroom drama Argentina, 1985 from Amazon Studios took five top honours at the 2023 Platino Awards at Madrid’s Ifema Municipal Palace on Saturday night (April 22), while stablemate Prime Video’s News Of a Kidnapping from Andrés Wood and Rodrigo García claimed four.
Oscar- and Bafta-nominated Argentina, 1985 premiered in Competition at Venice last year and added to an awards haul that also earned recognition at the Goya awards, among others.
Mitre’s latest film won best Ibero-American fiction film, best actor for Ricardo Darín, best screenplay co-written by Mitre and Mariano Llinas,...
Santiago Mitre’s courtroom drama Argentina, 1985 from Amazon Studios took five top honours at the 2023 Platino Awards at Madrid’s Ifema Municipal Palace on Saturday night (April 22), while stablemate Prime Video’s News Of a Kidnapping from Andrés Wood and Rodrigo García claimed four.
Oscar- and Bafta-nominated Argentina, 1985 premiered in Competition at Venice last year and added to an awards haul that also earned recognition at the Goya awards, among others.
Mitre’s latest film won best Ibero-American fiction film, best actor for Ricardo Darín, best screenplay co-written by Mitre and Mariano Llinas,...
- 4/23/2023
- by Emilio Mayorga
- ScreenDaily
The Super Mario Bros. Movie leads the pack on $371.2m heading into third weekend.
Fired up by the exploits of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, North American box office for the year to date has reached $2.39bn and narrowed the gap between 2019 to 16.1% at the same stage.
Universal/Illumination’s animated children’s smash stands at $371.2m through April 21 heading into its third weekend, close behind 2019’s Captain Marvel on $388.1m for the same period. Disney/Marvel will release sequel The Marvels starring Brie Larson, Iman Vellani and Teyonah Parris on November 10.
So far 26 films have opened wide in 2023 and...
Fired up by the exploits of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, North American box office for the year to date has reached $2.39bn and narrowed the gap between 2019 to 16.1% at the same stage.
Universal/Illumination’s animated children’s smash stands at $371.2m through April 21 heading into its third weekend, close behind 2019’s Captain Marvel on $388.1m for the same period. Disney/Marvel will release sequel The Marvels starring Brie Larson, Iman Vellani and Teyonah Parris on November 10.
So far 26 films have opened wide in 2023 and...
- 4/21/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
For John Fithian, politics and the art of negotiation are second nature. He grew up in Washington, D.C., as the son of longtime U.S. Rep. Floyd Fithian of Indiana, and later began his career working as an outside counsel (code for lobbyist) for clients including the Major League Baseball Players Association. Ultimately, cinema won him over, and in 1999 he was named president of the National Association of Theatre Owners, the start of a decades-long reign that will come to an end May 1, when he turns the title over to Michael P. O’Leary.
Fithian guided the industry through the devastating Covid-19 crisis and unprecedented theater closures, enlisting top filmmakers and stars in convincing Congress to give billions of dollars to rescue theater circuits and their employees. He has spent a total of 30 years at NATO, including first as outside counsel before taking over as president in 2000.
“John has...
Fithian guided the industry through the devastating Covid-19 crisis and unprecedented theater closures, enlisting top filmmakers and stars in convincing Congress to give billions of dollars to rescue theater circuits and their employees. He has spent a total of 30 years at NATO, including first as outside counsel before taking over as president in 2000.
“John has...
- 4/17/2023
- by Pamela McClintock
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
John Fithian, longtime head of the National Association of Theatre Owners, has received the Lifetime Achievement Award from Variety of Southern California as he prepares to step down after overseeing NATO through decades of transition.
The award from the children’s charity goes each year to an individual who has made a significant and profound charitable impact over the course of their career.
Fithian was named NATO president and CEO in 2000 after serving as outside counsel. Last fall, he announced plans to retire effective May 1 and will pass the baton to new chief Michael O’Leary at CinemaCon in Las Vegas later this month.
As NATO boss, Fithian guided theater owners through a transition to digital projection, fighting movie theft, implementing a voluntary movie ratings system, advocating for a healthy theatrical release window and maintaining strong relationships with creatives, producers, distributors and other trade organizations, including the Motion Picture Association. He...
The award from the children’s charity goes each year to an individual who has made a significant and profound charitable impact over the course of their career.
Fithian was named NATO president and CEO in 2000 after serving as outside counsel. Last fall, he announced plans to retire effective May 1 and will pass the baton to new chief Michael O’Leary at CinemaCon in Las Vegas later this month.
As NATO boss, Fithian guided theater owners through a transition to digital projection, fighting movie theft, implementing a voluntary movie ratings system, advocating for a healthy theatrical release window and maintaining strong relationships with creatives, producers, distributors and other trade organizations, including the Motion Picture Association. He...
- 4/5/2023
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Zendaya has been set as the recipient of CinemaCon 2023’s Star of the Year Award.
The actress known for turns in HBO’s hit drama series Euphoria, Dune, the Tom Holland-led Spider-Man films and much more will be honored alongside Oppenheimer‘s Christopher Nolan & Emma Thomas and the cast of Lionsgate’s Joy Ride, who will respectively receive the NATO Spirit of the Industry Award and the Comedy Ensemble of the Year Award.
Related Story ‘The Flash’ Eyes CinemaCon Preview Related Story 'Joy Ride' Stars Set For CinemaCon's Comedy Ensemble Of The Year Award Related Story NATO Names Michael P. O'Leary President & CEO, Taking Over For Theater Owners Org Boss John Fithian
She’ll receive the honor at the movie theater owners convention’s Big Screen Achievement Awards ceremony, which is taking place at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas on April 27.
“In just a few short years,...
The actress known for turns in HBO’s hit drama series Euphoria, Dune, the Tom Holland-led Spider-Man films and much more will be honored alongside Oppenheimer‘s Christopher Nolan & Emma Thomas and the cast of Lionsgate’s Joy Ride, who will respectively receive the NATO Spirit of the Industry Award and the Comedy Ensemble of the Year Award.
Related Story ‘The Flash’ Eyes CinemaCon Preview Related Story 'Joy Ride' Stars Set For CinemaCon's Comedy Ensemble Of The Year Award Related Story NATO Names Michael P. O'Leary President & CEO, Taking Over For Theater Owners Org Boss John Fithian
She’ll receive the honor at the movie theater owners convention’s Big Screen Achievement Awards ceremony, which is taking place at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas on April 27.
“In just a few short years,...
- 3/28/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Michael P. O’Leary certainly has a tough act to follow. He’s taking over as president and CEO of the National Association of Theatre Owners from John Fithian, who has been a major force for two decades as the top lobbyist for the exhibition industry.
And, he’s assuming the job at a trying time for the movie theater industry, which was battered by — and has yet to fully recover from — the pandemic. Attendance and ticket sales haven’t returned to pre-covid levels and major theater chains, including the CineWorld-owned Regal have been forced to file for bankruptcy, while roughly 2,000 screens across the industry have shuttered. Exhibitors that stayed in business have suffered from a supply shortage.
Still, O’Leary, who previously worked at 21st Century Fox, the Motion Picture Association, on Capitol Hill and at the Department of Justice, believes there’s reason to be hopeful that...
And, he’s assuming the job at a trying time for the movie theater industry, which was battered by — and has yet to fully recover from — the pandemic. Attendance and ticket sales haven’t returned to pre-covid levels and major theater chains, including the CineWorld-owned Regal have been forced to file for bankruptcy, while roughly 2,000 screens across the industry have shuttered. Exhibitors that stayed in business have suffered from a supply shortage.
Still, O’Leary, who previously worked at 21st Century Fox, the Motion Picture Association, on Capitol Hill and at the Department of Justice, believes there’s reason to be hopeful that...
- 3/9/2023
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
The National Association of Theatre Owners has found its next leader in Michael P. O’Leary, who will succeed John Fithian as president and CEO.
O’Leary will officially join the NATO team on April 10 in order to allow for a transition period before he officially takes over the leadership reigns on May 1 following CinemaCon, the annual convention for theater owners in Las Vegas.
NATO’s executive board tapped O’Leary for his broad experience in government affairs, lobbying and entertainment. He’s served in senior positions at The Entertainment Software Association, 21st Century Fox, the Motion Picture Association, on Capitol Hill and at the Department of Justice.
“Michael brings with him extensive knowledge and strategic senior leadership, having worked with and led teams within the broader entertainment industry both domestically and internationally,” said Rolando Rodriguez, NATO board chair and chief advisor at theater circuit Marcus Corporation.
“With the help...
O’Leary will officially join the NATO team on April 10 in order to allow for a transition period before he officially takes over the leadership reigns on May 1 following CinemaCon, the annual convention for theater owners in Las Vegas.
NATO’s executive board tapped O’Leary for his broad experience in government affairs, lobbying and entertainment. He’s served in senior positions at The Entertainment Software Association, 21st Century Fox, the Motion Picture Association, on Capitol Hill and at the Department of Justice.
“Michael brings with him extensive knowledge and strategic senior leadership, having worked with and led teams within the broader entertainment industry both domestically and internationally,” said Rolando Rodriguez, NATO board chair and chief advisor at theater circuit Marcus Corporation.
“With the help...
- 3/2/2023
- by Pamela McClintock
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Michael P. O’Leary will be appointed the president and CEO of the National Association of Theatre Owners beginning May 1. He will officially join the NATO team on April 10 to work alongside current president and CEO John Fithian before the latter retires.
O’Leary, a resident of Washington D.C., with a law degree from the University of Arizona, has previously served in senior positions at The Entertainment Software Association, 21st Century Fox, the Motion Picture Association, on Capitol Hill and at the Department of Justice.
NATO board chairman and senior adviserr Rolando Rodriguez stated “Michael brings with him extensive knowledge and strategic senior leadership, having worked with and led teams within the broader entertainment industry both domestically and internationally. With the help and support of our very talented NATO team, as well as our friends at the film companies, artistic community and lawmakers, we will continue to grow back...
O’Leary, a resident of Washington D.C., with a law degree from the University of Arizona, has previously served in senior positions at The Entertainment Software Association, 21st Century Fox, the Motion Picture Association, on Capitol Hill and at the Department of Justice.
NATO board chairman and senior adviserr Rolando Rodriguez stated “Michael brings with him extensive knowledge and strategic senior leadership, having worked with and led teams within the broader entertainment industry both domestically and internationally. With the help and support of our very talented NATO team, as well as our friends at the film companies, artistic community and lawmakers, we will continue to grow back...
- 3/2/2023
- by Scott Mendelson
- The Wrap
Michael P. O’Leary, an executive who has straddled the worlds of government, lobbying and media, has been named as president and CEO of the National Association of Theatre Owners. He will take over from John Fithian, whose retirement after decades at the exhibition industry advocacy group was announced last year.
O’Leary will begin the transition into his new role at NATO in April. He officially takes the reins from Fithian in May.
Prior to NATO, O’Leary has served in senior positions at the Entertainment Software Association, 21st Century Fox, the Motion Picture Association, on Capitol Hill and at the Department of Justice.
“With the help and support of our very talented NATO team, as well as our friends at the film companies, artistic community and lawmakers, we will continue to grow back the motion picture theater industry with Michael’s leadership,” said Rolando Rodriguez, NATO board chairman...
O’Leary will begin the transition into his new role at NATO in April. He officially takes the reins from Fithian in May.
Prior to NATO, O’Leary has served in senior positions at the Entertainment Software Association, 21st Century Fox, the Motion Picture Association, on Capitol Hill and at the Department of Justice.
“With the help and support of our very talented NATO team, as well as our friends at the film companies, artistic community and lawmakers, we will continue to grow back the motion picture theater industry with Michael’s leadership,” said Rolando Rodriguez, NATO board chairman...
- 3/2/2023
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
The National Association of Theatre Owners on Thursday said it has appointed Michael P. O’Leary president and CEO of the association beginning May 1. He takes over for outgoing NATO boss John Fithian, who announced his retirement in October after working with the exhibitor trade org for three decades.
“On behalf of NATO’s Executive Board of Directors, we are very pleased to name Michael O’Leary to lead NATO beginning May 1, following the retirement of current President and CEO John Fithian,” said Rolando Rodriguez, NATO board chairman and senior advisor, Marcus Corporation. “Michael will be officially joining the NATO team on April 10th to work alongside John and the team for a successful transition.
He added, “Michael brings with him extensive knowledge and strategic senior leadership, having worked with and led teams within the broader entertainment industry both domestically and internationally. Michael has served in senior positions at The Entertainment Software Association,...
“On behalf of NATO’s Executive Board of Directors, we are very pleased to name Michael O’Leary to lead NATO beginning May 1, following the retirement of current President and CEO John Fithian,” said Rolando Rodriguez, NATO board chairman and senior advisor, Marcus Corporation. “Michael will be officially joining the NATO team on April 10th to work alongside John and the team for a successful transition.
He added, “Michael brings with him extensive knowledge and strategic senior leadership, having worked with and led teams within the broader entertainment industry both domestically and internationally. Michael has served in senior positions at The Entertainment Software Association,...
- 3/2/2023
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Term will commence on May 1 after current incumbent John Fithian retires.
Michael P. O’Leary has been named president and CEO of National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO), the organisation said on Thursday (March 2).
O’Leary officially joins NATO on April 10 and will work alongside current incumbent John Fithian heading into CinemaCon (April 24-27). He assumes the post on May 1 after Fithian retires.
The Washington DC-based appointee has served in senior positions at The Entertainment Software Association, 21st Century Fox, the Motion Picture Association, and on Capitol Hill and the Department of Justice.
Rolando Rodriguez, NATO board chairman and senior advisor,...
Michael P. O’Leary has been named president and CEO of National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO), the organisation said on Thursday (March 2).
O’Leary officially joins NATO on April 10 and will work alongside current incumbent John Fithian heading into CinemaCon (April 24-27). He assumes the post on May 1 after Fithian retires.
The Washington DC-based appointee has served in senior positions at The Entertainment Software Association, 21st Century Fox, the Motion Picture Association, and on Capitol Hill and the Department of Justice.
Rolando Rodriguez, NATO board chairman and senior advisor,...
- 3/2/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Filmmakers Christopher Nolan and Emma Thomas are set for a big honor at this year’s CinemaCon, the annual convention of movie theater owners.
Nolan and Thomas will receive the NATO Spirit of the Industry award, presented by the National Association of Theatre Owners, on April 27 at Las Vegas’ The Colosseum at Caesars Palace.
“I am deeply honored to present the Spirit of the Industry Award to our good friends Chris and Emma as my last official act as President of NATO,” noted NATO President and CEO John Fithian. “No one has done more to advance the theatrical experience than these two champions of cinema.”
Partners on screen and off, Nolan and Thomas have rolled out some of the biggest theatrical events in the contemporary movie landscape, including “Tenet,” “Dunkirk,” “Interstellar,” “Inception” and “The Dark Knight” trilogy. Their anticipated next project “Oppenheimer,” about the development of the atomic bomb, will be released this summer.
Nolan and Thomas will receive the NATO Spirit of the Industry award, presented by the National Association of Theatre Owners, on April 27 at Las Vegas’ The Colosseum at Caesars Palace.
“I am deeply honored to present the Spirit of the Industry Award to our good friends Chris and Emma as my last official act as President of NATO,” noted NATO President and CEO John Fithian. “No one has done more to advance the theatrical experience than these two champions of cinema.”
Partners on screen and off, Nolan and Thomas have rolled out some of the biggest theatrical events in the contemporary movie landscape, including “Tenet,” “Dunkirk,” “Interstellar,” “Inception” and “The Dark Knight” trilogy. Their anticipated next project “Oppenheimer,” about the development of the atomic bomb, will be released this summer.
- 2/23/2023
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
Christopher Nolan and Emma Thomas, who are well-known proponents of the theatrical marketplace, will be honored at CinemaCon, the Las Vegas convention for theater owners set for April.
The married couple and creative partners will receive the NATO Spirit of the Industry Award the evening of Thursday, April 27 at Caesars Palace, the home of the convention.
Filmmaker Nolan and producer Thomas have Oppenheimer due out July 21 from Universal. It is their first project with the studio, after a public exit with longtime home Warner Bros. after WarnerMedia put Warners’ entire 2021 slate on HBO Max and in theaters simultaneously, a move Nolan decried, mincing no words with what he thought.
The duo’s films have earned $5 billion at the box office, with their filmography including The Dark Knight trilogy, Inception, Dunkirk and Tenet. Their latest film stars Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer, the physicist crucial to the development of the atomic bomb.
The married couple and creative partners will receive the NATO Spirit of the Industry Award the evening of Thursday, April 27 at Caesars Palace, the home of the convention.
Filmmaker Nolan and producer Thomas have Oppenheimer due out July 21 from Universal. It is their first project with the studio, after a public exit with longtime home Warner Bros. after WarnerMedia put Warners’ entire 2021 slate on HBO Max and in theaters simultaneously, a move Nolan decried, mincing no words with what he thought.
The duo’s films have earned $5 billion at the box office, with their filmography including The Dark Knight trilogy, Inception, Dunkirk and Tenet. Their latest film stars Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer, the physicist crucial to the development of the atomic bomb.
- 2/23/2023
- by Aaron Couch
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
NATO will present Christopher Nolan and Emma Thomas with its Spirit of the Industry Award at CinemaCon in April for the event’s closing night Big Screen Achievement Awards.
It comes as the Nolan written-directed Oppenheimer is set for theatrical release July 21 from Universal Pictures. Produced by Thomas, Atlas Entertainment’s Charles Roven and Nolan.
“I am deeply honored to present the Spirit of the Industry Award to our good friends Chris and Emma as my last official act as President of NATO,” noted outgoing boss John Fithian. “No one has done more to advance the theatrical experience than these two champions of cinema.” Fithian last fall announced plans to step down as head of the theater-owners’ association he’s led for 20 years. He previously worked as outside counsel for the group.
The org said Nolan and Thomas’ films “shatter the limits of what cinematic storytelling can achieve, maintaining a...
It comes as the Nolan written-directed Oppenheimer is set for theatrical release July 21 from Universal Pictures. Produced by Thomas, Atlas Entertainment’s Charles Roven and Nolan.
“I am deeply honored to present the Spirit of the Industry Award to our good friends Chris and Emma as my last official act as President of NATO,” noted outgoing boss John Fithian. “No one has done more to advance the theatrical experience than these two champions of cinema.” Fithian last fall announced plans to step down as head of the theater-owners’ association he’s led for 20 years. He previously worked as outside counsel for the group.
The org said Nolan and Thomas’ films “shatter the limits of what cinematic storytelling can achieve, maintaining a...
- 2/23/2023
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Director Rian Johnson confirmed that Daniel Craig’s popular Knives Out sleuth Benoit Blanc is queer during a press conference at the London Film Festival.
Johnson’s anticipated Knives Out sequel Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery closed the London Film Festival on Sunday, and during the presser, he was asked whether Blanc was queer in reference to a scene in the film, which appears to show the detective living with another man.
Related Story Toronto Review: Rian Johnson’s 'Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery' Related Story Rian Johnson, Daniel Craig & Extended 'Glass Onion' Cast Talk Angela Lansbury & Moving Over To Netflix: "I'm Really Grateful That Netflix Has Stepped Up" — London Film Festival Related Story NATO Boss John Fithian On Retiring After 30 Years: Crusading Against Gov't Censors, 'Knives Out 2' "Important Step" & Bringing The Exhibition Business Back Alive
“Yes, he obviously is,...
Johnson’s anticipated Knives Out sequel Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery closed the London Film Festival on Sunday, and during the presser, he was asked whether Blanc was queer in reference to a scene in the film, which appears to show the detective living with another man.
Related Story Toronto Review: Rian Johnson’s 'Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery' Related Story Rian Johnson, Daniel Craig & Extended 'Glass Onion' Cast Talk Angela Lansbury & Moving Over To Netflix: "I'm Really Grateful That Netflix Has Stepped Up" — London Film Festival Related Story NATO Boss John Fithian On Retiring After 30 Years: Crusading Against Gov't Censors, 'Knives Out 2' "Important Step" & Bringing The Exhibition Business Back Alive
“Yes, he obviously is,...
- 10/17/2022
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
John Fithian, the top lobbyist for the exhibition industry, will retire as the CEO of the National Association of Theatre Owners on May 1, 2023. The group said it has already begun a search for Fithian’s successor, but he leaves big shoes to fill having been a major force at NATO, as it is called, for 30 years.
Initially engaged as outside counsel to NATO in 1992, Fithian assumed the presidency in 2000. In that capacity, he helped guide the group’s members through some of the most tumultuous periods in the cinema business’s history, including its transition to digital projection, as well as the Covid-19 closures that brought the industry to its knees.
“It is nearly impossible to sum up a career of three decades in a few sentences,” said Fithian. “I will leave that to others. But my highest goal was always to leave this organization and this industry stronger and...
Initially engaged as outside counsel to NATO in 1992, Fithian assumed the presidency in 2000. In that capacity, he helped guide the group’s members through some of the most tumultuous periods in the cinema business’s history, including its transition to digital projection, as well as the Covid-19 closures that brought the industry to its knees.
“It is nearly impossible to sum up a career of three decades in a few sentences,” said Fithian. “I will leave that to others. But my highest goal was always to leave this organization and this industry stronger and...
- 10/10/2022
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
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