By Lisa Richwine
LAS VEGAS, April 16 (Reuters) – Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison promised movie theater owners on Thursday that the company will keep its commitment to release at least 30 films per year if regulators clear the proposed $110 billion purchase of Warner Bros Discovery.
Ellison spoke just after a star-studded video narrated by actor Tom Cruise, who touted Paramount as a studio where “an epic history meets a bold future.”
Cinema operators, however, have voiced skepticism of Ellison’s vow to increase the number of films the two studios release each year and have called on regulators to block the deal.
“I wanted to look every single one of you in the eye and give you my word: Once we combine with Warner Bros, we are going to make a minimum of 30 films annually across both studios,” Ellison told thousands of cinema owners and executives packed into a theater at the CinemaCon convention in Las Vegas.
Ellison said Paramount had already demonstrated an ability to boost film output. The company, which was created when Paramount Global and Skydance Media merged last August, plans to release 15 movies this year, up from eight in 2025.
All of the films will play exclusively in theaters for at least 45 days, Ellison said, drawing applause from the crowd. Theater operators have been pushing for a 45-day minimum across the industry.
“People can speculate all they want, but I am standing here today telling you personally that you can count on our complete commitment,” he said. “And we’ll show you we mean it.”
Earlier this week, the head of industry trade group Cinema United told the convention that the combination of Paramount and Warner Bros would be harmful to the entertainment business and consumers.
“Unfortunately, history shows us that consolidation results in fewer films being produced for movie theaters,” Cinema United President and CEO Michael O’Leary said.
After Ellison’s CinemaCon appeal, O’Leary said the industry needed more than verbal pledges to address its concerns.
“We remain open to tangible commitments that will ensure a vibrant global theatrical exhibition industry for years to come,” he said.
Top Hollywood stars also are opposing the merger. Jane Fonda, J.J. Abrams and Mark Ruffalo are among nearly 3,500 signatories to a letter that argued the combination would lead to fewer opportunities for creators, job losses and higher costs for consumers.
After Ellison spoke, Paramount staged a glitzy preview of its upcoming movies. The studio brought out Johnny Depp to tout Christmas release “Ebenezer” and director James Cameron to promote his Billie Eilish 3-D concert film, among others.
The video narrated by Cruise, who starred in Paramount’s “Top Gun” and “Mission: Impossible” movies, ended with the actor sitting on top of Paramount’s 145-foot-tall water tower in Hollywood.
“The future looks pretty great from here,” Cruise said.
(Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Rod Nickel and Nick Zieminski)
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