Paramount Pledges 30 Films/Year to Theaters
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- Paramount made written commitments with Regal for 30 films annually over three years, guaranteeing a 45-day exclusive theatrical window and a 90-day window to streaming.
- AMC's Adam Aron declined to comment on whether Paramount made similar written commitments, despite buzz that the chain also has one.
- Cinema United (formerly NATO) remains firmly opposed to the Paramount-Warner Bros merger, citing risks to long-term box office, reduced feature film output, and job losses.
- Regal boss Eduardo Acuna said Paramount CEO David Ellison offered to execute a consent decree to State AGs backing his theatrical commitments, calling them "tangible and important."
- Paramount insiders countered that no written commitments have been given yet, but Ellison is willing to offer non-bespoke deals to any chain with financial penalties if broken.
- The merger trial before 12 state AGs isn't until March 2027; Paramount has 16 films scheduled for 2027 and Warner Bros has 19, which would total 35 combined.
- The Disney-Fox merger is cited as a cautionary tale: combined output fell from 26 wide releases in 2016 to 14 in 2025 (-46%), with combined box office dropping from $4.29B to $2.4B (-44%).
Why it matters: Paramount's 30-film pledge and 45-day window are designed to convince 12 state AGs and skeptical exhibitors that its Warner Bros merger won't shrink the theatrical ecosystem — but Cinema United points to the Disney-Fox precedent, where combined output dropped 46% and box office fell 44% between 2016 and 2025, arguing written promises have historically failed to prevent consolidation-driven cuts.
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