Posts By: John Fithian

CinemaCon 2020 Canceled

The official statement: It is with great regret we are announcing the cancellation of CinemaCon 2020.  Each spring, motion picture exhibitors, distributors and industry partners from around the world meet in Las Vegas to share information and celebrate the moviegoing experience. This year, due to the travel ban from the European Union, the unique travel… Read more »

Netflix, Theatrical Exclusivity, Box Office Profits, and the Cultural Conversation

Pop quiz.  First question. Of the 59 movies (not counting documentaries) Netflix has released in calendar year 2018, how many have you seen or how many can you name? Second question. What’s the highest-grossing Netflix movie of all time? Third question. How many Academy Awards has Netflix won for feature-length movies? The first answer will… Read more »

NATO Hails Opening of Saudi Arabian Movie Theater Market

(Washington, D.C. and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. – 11 December 2017) The National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) today praised the announcement by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on the legalization of movie theaters. For nearly four decades the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has not permitted the operation of movie cinemas. Today, under the leadership and… Read more »

Virtual Reality Point Counterpoint

Virtual reality (“VR”) is the new, hot thing in entertainment. Both major content and technology companies have developed VR applications and are devoting significant R and D to the space. Consumers are buying VR headsets for Christmas presents. And movie theaters are evolving to include the VR experience. But in the end, will the advent… Read more »

Combination of the Annual Meetings and Fall Summit was a Success

For many years, NATO’s Annual Meetings have brought together exhibition’s most committed leaders to discuss timely issues and to guide the future of the industry.  Given the abundance of current challenges and opportunities, this year’s meeting was no different.  What was different was that NATO combined the Annual Meetings with the NATO Fall Summit this… Read more »