David Ellison hits CinemaCon, reiterating pledge to make more movies with Paramount-Warner Bros.

Paramount Skydance Chief Executive David Ellison made his lawsuit straight to theatre owners Thursday, pledging to merchandise a minimum of 30 films a twelvemonth from the combined Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery institution during a code astatine the CinemaCon commercialized normal successful Las Vegas.

“I wanted to look each azygous 1 of you successful the oculus and springiness you my word,” Ellison said successful a little on-stage speech, adding that Paramount has already astir doubled its movie lineup for this twelvemonth with 15 planned releases, up from 8 successful 2025.

He besides said each films volition stay successful theaters exclusively for 45 days, starting Thursday. Films volition past spell to streaming platforms successful 90 days. The magnitude of clip that films enactment successful theaters — known arsenic windowing — has been a arguable taxable for theatre owners, arsenic immoderate studios reduced that play during the pandemic. Theater operators person said the shortened model has trained audiences to hold to ticker films astatine location and cuts into theatre revenues.

“I person dedicated the past 20 years of my beingness to elevating and preserving film,” said Ellison, clad successful a acheronian overgarment and garment with bluish jeans. “And astatine Paramount, we privation to archer adjacent much large stories connected the large surface — stories that marque radical think, laugh, dream, wonderment and consciousness — and we privation to stock them with arsenic wide an assemblage arsenic possible.”

Ellison’s CinemaCon quality comes arsenic much than 1,000 Hollywood actors and creatives person signed a missive opposing Paramount’s projected acquisition of Warner. Supporters of the missive person said the woody would trim contention successful the manufacture and “further consolidate an already concentrated media landscape.”

Some theatre operators person besides questioned whether the combined institution could execute its extremity of releasing 30 films a year, peculiarly aft the outgo cuts that are expected aft the merger closes.

“People tin speculate each they privation — but I americium lasting present contiguous telling you personally that you tin number connected our implicit commitment,” Ellison said. “And we’ll amusement you we mean it.”

The code came aft a star-studded video directed by “Wicked: For Good” manager Jon M. Chu that was changeable connected the Paramount batch connected Melrose Avenue and showcased directors and actors including Issa Rae, Will Smith, Chris Pratt, James Cameron and Timothée Chalamet that are moving with the company.

The video closed with “Top Gun” histrion Tom Cruise perched atop the Paramount h2o tower.

“As you saw, the Paramount batch is live again,” Ellison said aft the video. “And we could not beryllium much excited.”