E V E N T S
CinemaCon 2022
I
CinemaCon 2022 Represents An Industry Turning Point, reports J. Sperling Reich
f one is looking
the same time as their theatrical
screening of “Top Gun: Maverick” which
for a sign that
releases, but also acknowledge a reality
thrilled CinemaCon attendees.
movie
theatres
that Charles Rivkin, the CEO of the
Meanwhile, the trade show, which is
are
recovering
Motion Picture Association, had spoken
spread throughout different ballrooms
from the financial
about at length a few minutes earlier.
on two different floors in Caesars
battering suffered during two years of
Rivkin outlined in detail many of the
conference center, was humming with
COVID shutdowns, they need look no
initiatives the MPA is undertaking to
renewed commercial activity. Every
further than this year’s CinemaCon. The
combat piracy around the world in order
concession vendor imaginable was
annual gathering of cinema operators
to
present,
and vendors took place in person, at
members; studios and streamers.
Caesars Palace in Las Vegas at the end
protect
the
copyright
of April, with attendance creeping back
Slates & Stars
towards pre-pandemic levels.
Seven
The positive atmosphere was no
of
their
including
Coca-Cola
and
PepsiCo, Mars, Hershey, Wrigley and many major suppliers whose companies weren’t allowing corporate travel during
product
last year’s CinemaCon. One could put
presentations at this year’s CinemaCon
together a whole meal from samples of
distributors
made
doubt aided by several factors, including
including
streaming giant Netflix announcing just
Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures,
Lionsgate
Films,
a week before the show that they had
Universal Pictures, Walt Disney Studios
hot
Neon, Floor signage at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas
dogs,
chicken
fingers,
pizza,
popcorn, soda, cocktails and candy collected at trade show booths while
lost subscribers for the first time in ten
reclining in luxury, thanks to the
years. Indeed, David Zaslav, the CEO and
numerous seating companies present.
merged
Manufacturers such as Christie,
Warner Bros. Discovery, told investors
Cinionic, Dolby, DTS, GDC, Sharp/NEC,
during the company’s first quarter
QSC and others used the conference to
earnings call that there was no need “to
announce new deals and even new
really collapse the entire motion picture
products
business on streaming.”
pandemic.
President
of
the
recently
developed But
a
during more
the vexing
This is a complete about-face by the
development affecting all technology
studio that released 18 theatrical titles
providers equally is supply chain issues.
day-and-date on their streaming service,
Exhibitors from the US, flush with funds
HBO Max, just a year before and it
from the Shuttered Venue Operator
couldn’t have come at a more opportune
Grants
(SVOG),
are
purchasing
time for the National Association of
and Warner Bros. Pictures. And, unlike
equipment - however, delivery of that
Theatre Owners (NATO), the trade group
last year, they brought along movie stars
equipment is severely hampered by a
that organizes CinemaCon. The news of
like Jamie Lee Curtis, Robert De Niro,
lack of product components.
Zaslav’s
just
Dwayne Johnson, Rachel McAdams,
In fact the only anxiety expressed by
moments before the organization’s CEO
Helen Mirren, Keanu Reeves and Zoe
attendees at CinemaCon 2022 was over
and President, John Fithian, took to the
Saldana as well as filmmakers like David
Coliseum stage at Caesars to deliver his
Cronenberg, Baz Luhrmann and multi-
State of the Industry address in which he
hyphenate Olivia Wilde.
comments
arrived
declared, “I am pleased to announce
content
the reduced number of films being released by major Hollywood studios and whether the industry upswing
One of the big highlights amid the of
7
that the simultaneous release is dead as
waterfall
came
during
a serious business model and piracy is
Disney’s presentation, in which 30
what killed it.”
minutes of Pixar’s “Lightyear” was
distributors made product presentations at this year’s CinemaCon
would continue once SVOG funds run out later this year. Otherwise, the feeling from CinemaCon attendees of all stripes over whether box office and business
Fithian was alluding not only to the
shown, as was the trailer for “Avatar: The
will return to 2019 pre-pandemic levels
studios’ recent practice of sending film
Way of Water”, which premiered in 3D.
seems to no longer be a question of if,
titles to their own streaming services at
Another was the very first public
but when.
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