Paramount CEO David Ellison moved to allay concerns over the studio’s proposed merger with Warner Bros Discovery when he told CinemaCon attendees on Thursday morning that he was fully committed to the theatrical model.
“I wanted to look every single one of you in the eye and say that once we combine with Warner Bros we’re going to make a minimum of 30 films across both studios,” the CEO said.
“At Paramount we’ve already demonstrated since launching the new company eight months ago our ability to increase output, with 15 films for for 2026, up from eight in 2025.
”Every film will receive a full theatrical release with a minimum 45-day window starting today. We will go to SVoD in 90 days. You can count on our complete commitment.”
The studio’s $110bn merger with Warner Bros has been approved by both boards and must satisfy regulators before it is consummated. Paramount leadership have said they expect that to happen in late September.
However there has been widespread concern at the convention over job losses and doubts that the combined studio will manage to sustain 30 releases a year. Michael O’Leary, CEO of CinemaCon hosts Cinema United, expressed his concerns in Tuesday’s state of the industry address.
“Further concentrating marketplace power in the hands of a smaller group of distributors that dictate the terms, windows, scheduling, screen-placement, and access to historic film catalogues will have a real and lasting impact on Main Street and millions of movie fans around the world,” he said.
