Las Vegas – 2025
This year’s CinemaCon didn’t just preview blockbuster trailers—itrebranded the future of theatrical cinema. In a landmark announcement on Day One, the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) officially reintroduced itself asCinema United, signaling a strategic shift from trade group to global cultural coalition.
The renaming comes at a time when the film exhibition industry isreclaiming relevance after a bruising decademarked by pandemic closures, streaming supremacy, and shifting audience habits. But at Caesar’s Palace this week, the mood was anything but defeatist. If anything, CinemaCon 2025 radiated confidence, with studios, exhibitors, and talent uniting under a shared narrative:cinema is back—but it’s different now.
A New Name for a New Era
Cinema United President and CEO John Fithian, addressing a packed auditorium of theater owners, distributors, and international delegates, declared the move a reflection of industry transformation. “We’re no longer just fighting for survival,” he said. “We’re fighting for evolution. For culture. For community.”
The new name underscores an effort tobuild global alliances, not just protect American screens. With international box office now accounting for over 65% of major studio revenue, the shift also positions the organization as a more inclusive, future-facing voice for theatrical storytelling.
Big Studios, Bigger Statements
- Warner Bros. unveiled first looks at The Batman: Legacy, Dune Messiah, and the studio’s surprise animated adaptation of Akira, scheduled for 2026.
- Disney teased a reimagined Tron franchise, with Taika Waititi attached, and reaffirmed its theatrical-first approach after recent streaming course corrections.
- Sony Pictures generated buzz with extended footage of The Woman Without a Face, a psychological thriller hailed as their boldest release since Gone Girl.
- Universal leaned into original IP, spotlighting Jordan Peele’s new horror epic and Christopher Nolan’s next large-format project, shot entirely on 70mm.
Each presentation wasn’t just about spectacle—it was a signal that studios arereinvesting in cinema as destination, not just distribution.
Thematic Focus: Experience Over Algorithm
This year’s keynotes hammered home a unified vision:theatrical is emotional, curated, and irreplaceable. Executives emphasized the difference between streaming consumption and communal cinema experience, noting that the latter fosters longevity, memory, and cultural weight.
Panels explored how theaters are innovating:
- Curated screenings for Gen Z (via influencer tie-ins)
- Tiered membership models combining dining, merchandise, and early access
- Collaborations with streaming giants for limited-event theatrical windows
International Collaboration on the Rise
For the first time, delegates fromSouth Korea, Nigeria, and the UAEwere invited to CinemaCon’s mainstage. Co-production agreements and festival-linked theatrical partnerships were announced—further proving thatHollywood no longer exists in isolation.
Final Word
CinemaCon 2025 wasn’t just a pitch—it was a pivot.
With a new name, a united front, and a reaffirmed belief in the big screen,Cinema Unitedis betting on the oldest medium with a renewed strategy:
Not just to survive streaming—but to outlast it by offering what it can’t replicate—cinematic belonging.
