Now in its fourteenth year, CinemaCon is the largest and most important gathering for the worldwide motion picture theater industry. CinemaCon is truly a global event attracting attendees from more than 80 countries. CinemaCon 2026 returns to Caesars Palace in Las Vegas from 13 – 16 April, 2026 for what is sure to be its biggest convention to date.
Titled "Paramount Pictures Invites You to an Exclusive Presentation Highlighting its Upcoming Slate", Paramount Pictures will be hosting their 1 hour, 45 minute presentation at The Dolby Colosseum - Casino Level on Thursday, April 16 between 9:45 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. (doors open 9:15am).
The use of cameras or any electronic devices – audio or video – is strictly prohibited. Attendees are asked to please completely power down their mobile devices before the start of the presentation.
Although unconfirmed, Paramount Pictures is expected to talk about Nickelodeon Movies' upcoming slate of theatrical movies, which includes PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie (in theaters August 14, 2026), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem 2 (currently set to be released on August 13, 2027) and the Untitled CG/Live-Action TMNT Movie, currently set for a November 17, 2028 release. Nickelodeon and Paramount are said to also have a live-action/CG-animated hybrid Rugrats movie in development.
Paramount Pictures is also expected to give updates about Paramount Animation's upcoming slate of original films, including Dropz, Muttnik, Once Upon a Motorcycle Dude, Swan Lake, and Yokai Samba, along with the studio's Untitled Animated Comedy with Mindy Kaling on board to produce, and Mighty Mouse reboot movie.
Paramount Pictures also has Sonic the Hedgehog 4 in development, currently slated for a March 19, 2027 release.
There's been a lot of changes at Paramount since merging with Skydance Media, including with the upcoming Avatar: The Last Airbender movie, The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender, which, once set to be released in theaters later this year, will now be a streaming exclusive on Paramount+. Former Spin Master President Jennifer Dodge has also been named President of Paramount Animation, taking over from Ramsey Naito, who commissioned the bulk of Paramount Animation's upcoming slate, so it'll be interesting to see what projects have made the cut.
Via IGN:
Paramount Pictures at CinemaCon 2026: Everything Revealed
Street Fighter, Top Gun 3, Call of Duty, Sonic the Hedgehog 4, and more.
Paramount took the stage at CinemaCon 2026. Their presentation offered a new look at upcoming films like Street Fighter (which just released its first trailer), Scary Movie, Jackass 5, Children of Blood and Bone, Sonic the Hedgehog 4, A Quiet Place Part III, and confirmed that Top Gun 3 is a go with Tom Cruise.
The Paramount presentation wasn't livestreamed, but IGN was in the room, and we've got the full scoop on everything we saw.
The Paramount/Warner Bros. Movie Slate
The presentation opened with Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison appearing onstage and acknowledging the pending acquisition of Warner Bros. Ellison said that the goal once both companies are combined is to release a minimum of 30 new films across both studios each year. Paramount is committed to a 45-day minimum window for theatrical releases, with initial plans to release films on SVOD after 90 days.
Top Gun 3 and Paramount's Big Franchises
Paramount bosses Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein appeared next, where they spotlighted the upcoming James Mangold-directed, Timothée Chalamet-starring The High Side and the Call of Duty movie (though there are no updates on the CoD front just yet). They also confirmed that Paramount is developing new installments of Star Trek, G.I. Joe, Transformers, World War Z, Sonic the Hedgehog, Paranormal Activity, Possession, Longlegs, and Jackass.
The biggest news here is that Top Gun 3 is officially in development, with Tom Cruise set to return.
Other movies mentioned included Damien Chazelle’s next film starring Cillian Murphy, Teanna Taylor's directorial debut dance movie, Get Life, Robert Rodriguez’s The Naughty List, and James Wan’s English-language remake of the 2019 South Korean action-thriller The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil.
Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Gets a First Look
Sonic the Hedgehog stars James Marsden and Tika Sumpter appeared via video message to introduce the first footage of the fourth film in the series. The footage (some of it reused from earlier movies) shows quick shots of Sonic, Knuckles, Shadow, and Amy. We also see Jim Carrey's Dr. Robotnik appear exhausted after breaking down a vault door. He shouts "Robotnik! Saves! World!"
A Quick TMNT: Mutant Mayhem 2 Update
The presentation didn't give us much on the TMNT front, but producer Seth Rogen and the Mutant Mayhem 2 filmmakers did provide a video message confirming they're still working on the sequel.
John Krasinski on A Quiet Place Part III
Simialrly, John Krasinski briefly appeared to give a quick update on the next entry in the A Quiet Palce series. Krasinski revealed he was on his way to scout locations something "incredible," but stopped himself before revealing more.
The Call of Duty Teaser
As mentioned above, there's not much new on the Call of Duty front, but we did see a quick teaser for the movie that uses game footage set to the tune of "Seven Nation Army." Director Peter Berg appeared on camera saying he and Taylor Sheridan are working on the film. He said, “Taylor and I are both very attached to the special operations community,” and promised to capture the reality of their job but with a big scope. The film releases on June 30, 2028.
James Cameron Hypes Up Billie Eilish: Hit Me Hard and Soft
Next the focus shifted to Billie Eilish's concert film Hit Me Hard and Soft, which was filmed in 3D by none other than James Cameron. Cameron said the film is meant to be a theatrical experience, not a streaming one, and revealed that they developed new tools not available even on the recent Avatar movies. They even built new, very small 3D cameras for use in certain moments.
This segment ended with some 3D footage from Hit Me Hard and Soft.
Scary Movie 6 Spoofs Modern Horror Classics
Next up, we saw marlon and Shawn Wayans and Anna Faris promote Scary Movie. The actors said they heard R-rated comedies don't work, to which Faris responded "That's bulls***!"
They then screened some footage of the upcoming sixth film in the series. The horror films parodied included Get Out's chair scene (with Ghostface ordering Shorty “Sink into the chair. Sink!”, Weapons (with a group of kids stealing Shorty's stash and running while high, Cheri Oteri's character getting The Substance, and Sinners (with an Irish band singing The Jeffersons theme song at the door). Other scenes showed Ghostface getting stabbed in the mouth with a dildo and a big callback to the "Wazzup!!!" scene from the original movie.
Jackass: Best and Last Gets a Trailer
Next, Jackass star Johnny Knoxville showed up to intro the final film in the series. The trailer begins with old footage of the gang, followed by a montage of "I'm Johnny Knoxville" intros. The footage introduces a new "cast member" named Larry, who's actually a robot who hits Knoxville in the balls. We also see Steve-O inside a Port-a-Potty being launched on a giant bungie. Later, Steve-O becomes the subject of the world's first robot prostate exam.
A Paramount exec also tease that fans should be on the lookout for the film's themed popcorn bucket they've been developing (we're afraid).
Paramount's Animated Lineup
Then the focus shifted to Paramount's upcoming animated fare, including Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie and Angry Birds 3. Paw Patrol will feature new music from The Backstreet Boys. We also saw brief footage of Angry Birds 3, with Jason Sudeikis' Red now cast as a loving father to a chaotic home full of rambunctious toddler birds and plenty of scatalogical humor to be had.
Street Fighter's Cast Assembles
Next up was Street Fighter, beginning with a sizzle reel of game footage and fan reactions set to The Beastie Boys' "Sabotage." An announcer was there to hype up the crowd, who was then replaced by Eric André. Much of the film's cast appeared onstage, including Cody Rhodes wearing his Guile hairpiece. The new trailer was screened.
Mr. Irrelevant: The John Tuggle Story
Former New York Giants quarterback and Super Bowl MVP Phil Simms appeared to talk about Mr. Irrelevant: The John Tuggle Story, a movie about the player who was infamously picked last in the 1983 draft. Tuggle wound up being named Special Teams Player of the Year.
Star David Corenswet appeared via video to introduce the trailer. Corenswet joked about being a Philly boy wearing a New York jersey, saying, “What would Bradley Cooper think of me?” The trailer suggests this will be a very tearjerking, inspirational sports movie.
Brad Pitt in The Heart of the Beast
Then we saw footage of director David Ayer's survival drama The Heart of the Beast, which stars Brad Pitt as an ex-Special Forces operative still bonded with the dog he served alongside. We see their plane crash in the wildnerness and the dog save Pitt's character, at which point they have to make it back to civilization. Pitt tells his dog, “One last mission. I’m not going to let you die out here.”
Johnny Depp Becomes Ebeneezer Scrooge
Director Ti West appeared via video to introduce his film Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol. Surprisingly, Johnny Depp was also there in person to promote the film. Depp revealed he's been obsessed with the original Dickens story since he was a child. When first approached, he feared there was no way to top Alastair Sims' performance, but decided there was a way to go into the project and find a new angle on the story and character.
Footage was shown of the movie, with people parting in the streets to make way for Depp's Scrooge, who looks uncharacteristically creepy and and cackling. We see Ian McKellen as the ghost of Jacob Marley warning Scrooge about his impending visitors. When Scrooge won't get out of bed, the bed sucks him in (not unlike A Nightmare on Elm Street). The footage ends with someone trying to tell Scrooge "Merry Christmas" before he cuts him off and shouts "Don't you dare!"
Children of Blood and Bone
Children of Blood and Bone director Gina Prince-Blythewood and stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Regiba King, Amandla Stenberg, Damson Idris, Thuso Mbedu all stopped by (accompanied by a group of dancers) to talk about the 2027 adaptation of the Afrofuturism novel and show new footage.
The footage shows Viola Davis' Mama Agba and her allies smacking around some tax collectors. The film is a story about the struggle to bring back magic in a kingdom where magic users are routinely executed. The magic users have Targaryen-like white hair. We see one magician summon a tree fighter to battle enemy warriors. The movie looks very unique.
###
From Variety:
David Ellison Triples Down on Theatrical at CinemaCon as Paramount Commits to 45-Day Release Window and ‘Minimum’ of 30 Movies a Year
The noise of political and artistic pressure be damned — David Ellison just wants to go to the movies.
The Skydance mogul made a surprise appearance at CinemaCon on Thursday, directly addressing global movie theater owners and making some big promises for his vision about a combined Paramount-Warner Bros. Ellison and his team are currently awaiting regulatory approval to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, less than a year after sealing the deal for Paramount Global.
Ellison mic-dropped at the Las Vegas event by announcing that as of today, Paramount Pictures will offer a 45-day exclusive window for their movies to play in theaters. Other studios have been pledging to give exhibitors more time to pack audiences into their theaters before moving to paid and free streaming options. Universal Pictures will hit 45 days starting in 2027.
Furthermore, Ellison said Paramount will commit to a 3-month period for their movies to live on streaming video-on-demand platforms, a paid digital release equivalent to a rental or home entertainment purchase, before titles head to Paramount+.
When the transaction is completed, Ellison pledged that Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros. would make a “minimum” of 30 films for theaters across both studios.
“At Paramount, we’ve already demonstrated – since launching the new company just eight months ago – our ability to increase output with 15 films currently dated for 2026, up from eight in 2025,” said Ellison. “We want to tell even more great stories on the big screen – stories that make people think, laugh, dream, wonder and feel – and we want to share them with as broad an audience as possible.”
A stunning short film celebrating Paramount Pictures’ past, present and future — directed by new Paramount talent Jon M. Chu — preceded Ellison’s remarks. The short was narrated by Tom Cruise, and featured a dizzying array of stars and filmmakers, including Timothée Chalamet, Teyana Taylor, Mark Wahlberg, Margaret Qualley and Callum Turner, Will Smith, Molly Ringwald, Travis Scott, John Krasinski, Issa Rae and the Duffer Brothers.
Ellison even worked in some self-deprecation, referencing his 2006 big screen acting debut (and shouting out our publication).
“We’ve been through a lot together over the past twenty years. At the beginning of my career, we partnered together on ‘Flyboys’ and I delivered to you what Variety called one of the biggest bombs of 2006,” Ellison concluded. “Sorry about that.”
###
From Variety:
New Paramount Pictures Heads Dana Goldberg, Josh Greenstein Set Robust Film Agenda at CinemaCon
Mike and Pam aren’t the only dynamic duo at CinemaCon anymore.
Historically, film studios have been run by one monolithic figure, calling shots and running expansive teams of middle managers and underlings. Paramount Pictures heads Josh Greenstein and Dana Goldberg are now the second duo running a legacy movie operation in the contemporary landscape (sitting alongside Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy at Warner Bros., which Paramount Skydance boss David Ellison is in the process of acquiring).
Installed eight months ago to run the historic label responsible for classics like “The Godfather” and “Chinatown,” Greenstein and Goldberg made their public debut on Thursday at the annual Las Vegas convention of movie theater owners.
They set a robust agenda for movies for theaters – after their boss, Ellison, announced the studio would offer movie theaters an exclusive 45-day window before Paramount movies head to video-on-demand.
“From day one, we’ve been hard at work doing our part, which already includes bringing 15 theatrical films in 2026 — nearly double the prior year,” Goldberg said on stage at the Caesars Palace hotel and casino.
Greenstein pledged his team was “working to bring you movies across all genres, including the film ‘High Side’ with Timothée Chalamet and James Mangold, one of the many original films we’ll be bringing to your theaters. We are also going to be taking a lot of big bets on originals and are proud to be a place that supports filmmakers who take big swings.”
But first, IP. The leaders said development is active on multiple core Paramount franchises, including Transformers, Star Trek, G.I. Joe and a sequel to the mega-hit “Top Gun: Maverick.”
Goldberg trumpeted the return of “irreverent and outrageous R-rated comedies like ‘Scary Movie,’ as part of our deal with Miramax, and a new ‘Jackass’ film from Johnny Knoxville, Spike Jonze and Jeff Tremaine.” She also plugged Damien Chazelle’s upcoming film starring Cillian Murphy, Daniel Craig and Michelle Williams; and “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow and Tomorrow,” based on the beloved bestselling novel, to be directed by Siân Heder and starring Daisy Edgar-Jones.
Both Goldberg and Greenstein also expressed excitement over Teyana Taylor’s directorial debut “Get Lite,” which they compared to Paramount dance classics like “Flashdance” and “Footloose.”
Greenstein added that “what drives our optimism for this new era is the belief that Dana and I have in each other as a team. We have known and admired each other for over a decade. David mentioned some of our prior collaborations, and in fact, the first glimmer of what was to come was our initial meeting on ‘True Grit,’ which forged the working relationship that has brought us together here today.”
###
From Deadline:
Paramount CEO David Ellison Commits To 45-Day Theatrical Window At Surprise CinemaCon Appearance: “The Paramount Lot Is Alive Again, And We Could Not Be More Excited”
Paramount CEO David Ellison made an unexpected cameo at CinemaCon, handing exhibitors good news: the studio is committing to a 45-day theatrical window, starting immediately, and 90 days to SVOD, receiving a nice round of applause from the room.
Stepping on stage after a sizzle directed by Jon M. Chu and narrated by Tom Cruise, Ellison said he wanted to look exhibitors “directly in the eye” to promise at least 30 films a year if and when the planned merger with Warner Bros. closes. “You can count on our complete commitment. And we’ll show you we mean it,” Ellison said.
There’s been palpable will-he-won’t-he-show speculation in the halls of Caesars Palace in Las Vegas this week at the largest gathering of theater owners. Because there has been lots of noise around Paramount’s planned merger with Warner Bros. Discovery. The head of CinemaCon host organization, Cinema United, has slammed the deal as have guilds and thousands of creatives in an open letter. The fear is fewer movies and fewer jobs.
The combination doesn’t scare everyone. Adam Aron, CEO of giant theater chain AMC Entertainment, told Deadline this week that he has lots of respect for Ellison and thinks the merger will be a positive for the business. Jerry Bruckheimer echoed that at a panel yesterday. The merger still awiats some approvals but Ellison has said he expects it to close in the third quarter.
Meanwhile, Paramount has its own story to tell. “The Paramount lot is alive again, and we could’t be more exited,” Ellison said. His team of studio co-heads Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein is ramping up the slate, inking first-look deals and other partnerships at a moment when the box office is on the best roll it’s had in years. The sizzle ended with Cruise perched atop the water down on the Paramount lot.
Speaking after Ellison, Goldberg told exhibitors that, “The driving force behind the new Paramount comes down to this: our creative community. You saw that amazing opening piece from Jon M. Chu, and he is just one of the many filmmakers we’re partnering with, a list that includes The Duffer Brothers, James Mangold, Issa Rae, Dan Trachtenberg, Will Smith, and many more.”
“From day one, we’ve been hard at work doing our part, which already includes bringing 15 theatrical films in 2026—nearly double the prior year. Year over year, we’re scaling to give your audiences movies for every season, every mood and every taste.”
###
From Deadline:
Duffer Brothers Kick Off Paramount Era With Appearance In Star-Studded Video About Studio’s Legacy Alongside Tom Cruise & Timothée Chalamet
It’s April, which means that the Duffer Brothers‘ decade-long tenure at Netflix has come to an end and they have moved to Paramount with a four-year, exclusive deal for feature films, television, and streaming projects. Paramount wasted no time showing off the Stranger Things creators in the studio’s glitzy, big-budget mini-movie celebrating its movie history and looking at the future.
The elaborate promo, directed by Wicked‘s Jon M. Chu, who has a film and TV deal at Paramount, and narrated by Tom Cruise, was shown Wednesday at the top of Paramount’s presentation at CinemaCon in Las Vegas and hours later at the start of the company’s upfront presentation in Los Angeles.
In it, the Duffers appear alongside other talent signed to overall or first-look deals by the new Paramount regime over the past eight months, including James Mangold, Issa Rae, Dan Trachtenberg and Will Smith, as well as other A-listers who have movies at the studio, including Timothée Chalamet, Mark Wahlberg, Chris Pratt, Marlon Wayans, John Krasinski, Teyana Taylor and Johnny Knoxville. Some of them are woven into famous Paramount films, like Chalamet, who is taking a piece of chocolate from the Forrest Gump box left on the famous bench from the movie.
The Duffer Brothers are seen sitting in a dark movie theater, eating popcorn. Top producer Jerry Bruckheimer leans in and says, “This is my favorite part.”
Whether it was intentional or not, the Duffers’ scene carries significance as it celebrates the theatrical experience. As Deadline has reported, Paramount being able to offer the duo the opportunity to work on theatrical movies was one of the keys for them to choose it over staying at streamer Netflix. They spoke about that and Paramount’s long history — which is the focus of the sizzle video — in their statement at the time the deal was announced in August.
“David [Ellison], Josh [Greenstein], and Dana [Goldberg] are passionate about bringing bold, original films to the big screen,” Matt and Ross Duffer said at the time. “To be part of that mission is not just exciting – it’s the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. And to do so at a studio with such a storied Hollywood legacy is a privilege we don’t take lightly.”
Chu’s fast-pace video ends with Mission Impossible and Top Gun star Cruise sitting on top of Paramount Studios’ water tower looking over Los Angeles, as his voiceover says, “The future is paramount and the future looks pretty great from here.”
Fitting for the famous daredevil, the stunt was performed by Cruise and is not the result of green screen magic.
###
From Deadline:
CinemaCon Preview: How Paramount & Warner Bros’ Crazy Plan For 30 Films A Year Could Be Taken Seriously
Exhibitors would love to know more from David Ellison about Paramount and Warner Bros' plan for 30 films a year as CinemaCon heats up this week in Las Vegas
What a difference a year makes.
Last year at the start of CinemaCon, we were questioning the existence of theatrical after a dead first quarter that had the domestic box office dragging 11% behind 2024 (this is all before A Minecraft Movie turned around the entire marketplace, literally spiking its advance tickets as the industry walked the slot machines of Caesars Palace, ultimately becoming a near $1 billion global-grossing film).
This year, the domestic box office stands at $2.26 billion, the first time that it’s been there since 2019, up 23% over the same January 1-April 12 period a year ago, per Comscore. Wide releases (movies opening in more than 1,000 theaters) hit 162 last year, ahead of pre-Covid numbers like in 2019, when there were only 138. More people are going to the movies this year also, with admissions at 154 million, up 16% over last year, according to EntTelligence.
But there’s agita in the air that these box office boom times and 45-day window extensions are barreling toward an apocalypse. That would be because of the looming Paramount-Warner Bros merger, which is expected to close before Q4 this year.
Why worry? Paramount CEO David Ellison has continually promised 30 films a year between the studios, and that he’ll keep Warner Bros and Paramount separate.
Despite Ellison’s reputation for being pro-theatrical and pro-filmmaker, the problem is that few can math out his math when it comes to the P&A sustainability and dating of movies (especially with Hollywood talent and filmmaker egos being part of release-date equations). Exhibit A in exhibitor paranoia is the aftermath of the Disney-Fox merger, which yielded $1 billion less in box office between 2016-2025, a 70% drop.
Any exhibitor looking to receive immediate relief from the anxiety at hand this week won’t find it. Paramount distribution executives can’t talk with theater owners and bookers about a future with Warner Bros, as that’s gun-jumping the close of the deal. It’s also TBD whether Ellison shows up on stage physically or digitally at the Caesars Palace Colosseum during Paramount’s presentation Thursday. A live turnout by the Flyboys actor-turned-studio boss would indeed go a long way with theater owners.
“We’ve had positive and constructive conversations,” Michael O’Leary, CEO and president of exhibitor global trade org Cinema United, tells Deadline about conversing with Ellison about the future.
“I think he’s sincere in what he’s saying, given the significant impact it will have, but we need more than verbal assurances,” O’Leary tells Deadline. “We’ve heard these things before. ‘No one buys a movie studio to make fewer movies.’ David Zaslav came to CinemaCon three years ago and said Warner Bros would make 20 movies a year. They never did.”
What’s interesting is that not everyone in exhibition land is united when it comes to an attitude toward the Paramount-Warner Bros merger. AMC circuit boss Adam Aron reportedly isn’t worried about a combined Warner Bros-Paramount future. Recently at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conference, Cinemark CEO Sean Gamble came out as a fan the major studio merger, exclaiming, “Paramount and Warner Bros have been longstanding supporters of theatrical exhibition, great partners of Cinemark for decades. I think, based on their actions over many, many years, I think that’s a real positive.”
If 30 Films, Here’s The Way
As we’ve reported before, a combined Warner Bros and Paramount after Q4 2026 will organically see 42 theatrical releases by end of 2027, according to Comscore. Already, there are a few instances where the studios are doubling up on the same weekend — quite often in a counter-programming situation, as you can see in the chart below. The whole situation of 30 films a year is a 2029 and 2030 problem.
Paramount-Warner Bros Release ScheduleMajor releases from Q4 2026 through 2027 (source: ComScore)Title - Studio - Release DateDigger - Warner Bros - October 2, 2026Street Fighter - Par/Legendary - October 16, 2026Clayface - WB/DC - October 23, 2026The Cat in the Hat - WB Animation - November 6, 2026Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol - Paramount - November 13, 2026The Great Beyond - Warner Bros - November 13, 2026Dune: Part Three - WB/Legendary - December 18, 2026The Angry Birds Movie 3 - Paramount - December 23, 2026Untitled John Tuggle Movie - Paramount - December 25, 2026Children of Blood and Bone - Paramount - January 15, 2027Animal Friends - Warner Bros - January 22, 2027The Rescue - Paramount - January 29, 2027Remain - Warner Bros - February 5, 2027Untitled K-Pop Movie - Paramount - February 12, 2027Panic Carefully - Warner Bros - February 26, 2027Untitled WB/New Line Event Film - Warner Bros - March 12, 2027Sonic the Hedgehog 4 - Paramount - March 19, 2027Godzilla x Kong: Supernova - WB/Legendary - March 26, 2027Get Lite - Paramount - April 9, 2027The Revenge of La Llorona - WB/New Line - April 9, 2027Untitled F.A.S.T. Film - Warner Bros - April 23, 2027Bad Fairies - Warner Bros - May 21, 2027Untitled Paranormal Activity Movie - Paramount - May 21, 2027Untitled Oceans Prequel - Warner Bros - June 25, 2027Untitled Paramount Event Film - Paramount - June 25, 2027Man of Tomorrow - WB/DC - July 9, 2027Untitled Paramount Horror Event - Paramount - July 16, 2027A Minecraft Movie Sequel - WB/Legendary - July 23, 2027A Quiet Place III - Paramount - July 30, 2027TMNT: Mutant Mayhem II - Paramount - August 13, 2027Untitled Tim Miller/Keanu Reeves Movie - Warner Bros - August 13, 2027The Conjuring: First Communion - Warner Bros - September 10, 2027Untitled Paramount Event Film - Paramount - September 17, 2027Untitled Batman Movie - WB/DC - October 1, 2027Untitled Paramount Event Film - Paramount - October 15, 2027Untitled WB/New Line Event Film - Warner Bros - October 22, 2027Untitled Paramount Event Film - Paramount - October 22, 2027Margie Claus - Warner Bros - November 5, 2027Untitlted Paramount Event Film - Paramount - November 5, 2027Untitled Gremlins Movie - Warner Bros - November 19, 2027Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum - Warner Bros - December 17, 2027Untitled Nancy Meyers Movie - Warner Bros - December 25, 2027
“They’ll have $79 billion in debt, and the only way they’ll be able to get out of that is not by putting movies simply on Paramount+, but by releasing them theatrically,” says one rival studio business affairs executive.
That makes sense, given how Paramount+ and HBO Max are scaling up to around 172 million subs, still fourth place behind Netflix (325M), Amazon’s Prime Video (200M) and Disney+ (195M).
One source familiar with a combined Paramount-Warner Bros explains, “Anyone who is saying that 30 films isn’t possible, that’s only because they’re thinking of that execution under a standard studio structure. However, both studios are capable of that level of output, and to achieve that means of doing business, they’ll have to be structured differently from the way that others in town are conceiving. If Paramount+ and HBO Max want to get to first, they’re going to have to invest more, and so they’ll need to make 30 films a year.”
Once upon a time, in the late 1990s into the early 2000s, it was quite common for two studios to co-exist under a major studio umbrella — with different production, marketing, distribution and international distribution arms — producing around 30 films a year. We’re talking specifically about Disney/Touchstone/Miramax and Warner Bros/New Line. So, it’s been done before, and it’s expensive in regards to overhead. But we haven’t seen an operation like those in the streaming era.
New Line got by on big swings like Lord of the Rings by selling foreign (though Warner Bros International also distributed these pics abroad; ditto for Buena Vista International, which would also release a bulk of Miramax fare overseas). In August 2008, following the bombing of the $180M fantasy film The Golden Compass the year before, New Line was further absorbed into Warner Bros, with the staff dropping from 500 to 50, the feature output was reduced to six to eight films a year.
In 2005, [...] Disney fully absorbed Miramax, turning it into a label for smaller-budget films (as opposed to the pricey movies, such as Gangs of New York and Master and Commander, in which Miramax was involved). Following Disney’s 2009 purchase of Marvel Studios, producing smaller movies was no longer a priority for Disney, so they sold the brand.
In the case of Paramount-Warner Bros, plans regarding marketing and distribution consolidation and whether or not Warner Bros Motion Picture chiefs Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy are staying — again, that’s all gun-jumping, with no answers apparent at this CinemaCon.
Another big question is whether Paramount and Warner Bros will be able to compete against each other on projects once merged. Many rival studio executives doubt it’s possible. Once upon a time, Miramax and Buena Vista International competed against each other for acquisitions at the film festival markets; we’re told they got in a fight over some territories for the Geoffrey Rush movie Shine. Given the hostility, from that point onward “it became a gentleman’s agreement,” says a vet source about how the two studios allocated feature product between them.
A recent NRG report focusing on Paramount-Warner Bros says that the goal of 30 films annually would be far above what the two studios combined have been doing post-Covid (which is 14-20 movies).
“The combined box office from entities averaged $2.4 billion from 2015-2019, and $2.2 billion from 2023-2025. If this expanded slate comes to fruition, it’s fair to continue to expect $2 billion-plus annually given the number of tentpole franchises at these two historic studios,” says the report.
NRG outlined three scenarios for a Paramount-Warner Bros future and what their outcomes might be:
A ramp-up to 25 movies annually would restore the volume missing in the marketplace, “likely driving a meaningful increase in moviegoing, assuming that the quality and the scale of the releases mirrors what’s to be expected from Paramount and Warner Bros.”
At 20 movies annually, “this scenario maintains current performance levels. It does not solve the underlying issue: the market needs more consistent volume and demand to grow.”
At 15 movies a year, the merger would mean fewer chances of breakout hits. The overall motion picture ecosystem would rely on fewer tentpoles. “Even if top titles perform well, the lost volume would likely drag the total box office down meaningfully. This is the highest-risk scenario for theatrical sustainability.”
The tracking entertainment stat org also said that in regards to the Paramount-Warner Bros merger, “The main sentiment in focus groups expressed concern that reduced competition would lead to less creativity and fewer risks.”
As far as Paramount-Warner Bros’ future plans for 30 movies annually beyond 2027, it’s not about pulling that feat off, rather it’s will the market absorb it?
###
Shop Paramount at ParamountShop.com
Stream a Mountain of Entertainment, including your Nickelodeon favorites on Paramount+! Try it FREE at ParamountPlus.com!
Add NickALive! to Google Preferred Sources
Originally published: April 14, 2026.
H/T: @FenixNests, @cinema_united.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Have your say by leaving a comment below! NickALive! welcomes friendly and respectful comments. Please familiarize with the blog's Comment Policy before commenting. All new comments are moderated and won't appear straight away.