CinemaCon 2025: Studios Battle for Box Office Revival as Amazon MGM Steps Up

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CinemaCon 2025: Studios Battle for Box Office Revival as Amazon MGM Steps Up

The 2025 edition of CinemaCon, unfolding in Las Vegas this week, found an industry at a crossroads. The industry is at a crossroads with theatrical revenue showing a 10-11 percent downward “wing-flap” over last year’s disappointing run.

What was once hailed as the movie theater industry’s triumphant return to glory has revealed even deeper tensions between studios and exhibitors on everything from theatrical windows to innovation.

The conference reflected a renewed but fraught alliance between distributors and exhibitors, eager to reignite cinema attendance. Amazon MGM stepped into the void as a potential savior, boldly vowing to deliver 15 theatrical releases a year by 2027, a big-time movie pipeline to replace what 20th Century Fox lost when it was absorbed into Disney.

While the big studios like Universal laid out cocky, varied slates, Warner Bros came off as confused about its upcoming releases. In the meantime, star power felt diminished, with only Tom Cruise and the “Wicked” pair generating real excitement among attendees.

The drop in theatrical sales was part of a broader conversation about the length of the “theatrical window”—the time before a film is made available for home viewing—which remained divisive as exhibitors sought more extended exclusivity periods. At the same time, studios weighed their aspirations for streaming against the requirements of theatrical distribution.

While challenges abound, including recently announced tariffs that have rattled the market, the industry is determined to reconnect with whatever magic draws audiences back to theaters.

Theatrical Windows Create Conflicts

Theater chains want movies to remain in cinemas for longer. AMC’s Adam Aron has spoken out for exclusive theatrical windows of 60 days, while Cinema United’s Michael O’Leary wants 45 days. Both are considerable expansions from the existing 17-day window that many studios instituted during the pandemic.

Disney was applauded when its distribution chief, Andrew Cripps, stressed that the company supported longer theatrical runs. “Trust me, that is not by accident,” Cripps said to attendees. “We believe in the theatrical experience.

The disagreement underscores deeply held differences about how movies should reach audiences. Theater owners say short windows lead to training viewers to wait for streaming, and studios need to get the most value out of marketing investments over all platforms.

Amazon MGM Takes Center Stage

Making its CinemaCon debut, Amazon MGM presented itself as the industry’s new hope. “When we do something at Amazon, we go big,” said Mike Hopkins, who leads Prime Video and MGM Studios.

The studio committed to 15 theatrical releases a year by 2027 and is already scheduling 14 titles for 2026. Other offerings on this ambitious slate are the sci-fi thriller “Mercy” with Chris Pratt, the Ryan Gosling-led “Project Hail Mary,” and IP-driven “Masters of the Universe” with Nicholas Galitzine and Jared Leto.

Amazon executives said it looks at “everything through the lens of our customers,” including the theatrical experience “that can’t be replicated at home. ” James Bond also had a prominent presence, as officials confirmed that the iconic 007 will return under the auspices of producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman.

The Changing of Star Power and Studio Fortunes

So, star power is no longer the recipe for audience enthusiasm. Leonardo DiCaprio and Scarlett Johansson got surprisingly weak responses, while Tom Cruise and the “Wicked” twosome of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande brought real buzz.

Universal probably offered the week’s most impressive presentation, a 43-piece orchestra playing excellent film scores. Studio chief Donna Langley said they’ve “released more films theatrically than anyone else.”

Warner Bros. had a hard time impressing with its future slate. Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners,” Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another” and James Gunn’s “Superman” had many executives muttering the word “painful.”

FAQs

Q. Why is the theatrical movie business in decline?

A. Box office revenues are 10-11% lower than in 2024 (in-person visits vs. pre-pandemic), and they argue this is due to shortened windows, fewer releases per year vs. pre-pandemic, outdated movie environments, and changing consumer viewing habits.

Q. What are Amazon MGM’s plans for theaters?

A. Amazon MGM aims to produce 15 theatrical films a year by 202,7, with content spanning various genres. They’re using Amazon’s worldwide marketing network while performing selective streaming premieres.

Q. Where did the theatrical window go?

A. The length of the theatrical release narrowed from about 90 days before the pandemic to as few as 17 days nowadays. Theater chains want that extended back to 45-60 days, but studios resist such long exclusivity periods.

Q. When is the box office going to return to full health?

A. Industry insiders are now looking to 2026 as the possible recovery year, with some significant franchises returning — new “Avengers,” “Spider-Man,” “Minions,” and “Toy Story” films, among others, and new films from Christopher Nolan and Steven Spielberg.

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