Top Theater Chief Opposes Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger, Calls for Longer Theatrical Windows

Cinema United president-CEO Michael O'Leary vows to fight the proposed deal and push for at least 45-day exclusive theatrical releases.

Apr. 14, 2026 at 4:57pm

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An abstract, minimalist illustration composed of stark, jagged geometric shapes in red and white, conceptually representing the tension between movie theaters and the evolving entertainment landscape.As the movie theater industry battles consolidation and changing release windows, the fight to preserve the traditional cinematic experience intensifies.Las Vegas Today

In his annual state of the union address at CinemaCon, Cinema United president-CEO Michael O'Leary strongly opposed the proposed merger between Paramount-Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery, arguing it would concentrate too much power in the hands of a few distributors and negatively impact movie theaters and consumers. O'Leary also reiterated his call for a return to a minimum 45-day exclusive theatrical window, citing Disney's 62-day average as an industry model.

Why it matters

The proposed Paramount-Warner Bros. merger and the ongoing debate over theatrical release windows are critical issues facing the movie theater industry, which has struggled to recover from the pandemic. O'Leary's forceful stance reflects the industry's concerns about consolidation and the need to preserve the traditional theatrical experience.

The details

In his address, O'Leary said Cinema United will continue to oppose the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger, arguing it would harm exhibition, consumers, and the overall entertainment ecosystem by concentrating too much power in the hands of a smaller group of distributors. He also reiterated his call for a return to a minimum 45-day exclusive theatrical window, citing Disney's 62-day average as an industry model. O'Leary pointed out that in 2025, the average theatrical window for the top 100 films was 37 days, and if those releases had a 45-day window, the overall average would have been 49 days.

  • O'Leary delivered his annual state of the union address at CinemaCon in Las Vegas on April 14, 2026.
  • In 2025, the average theatrical window for the top 100 films was 37 days.

The players

Michael O'Leary

The president-CEO of Cinema United, the world's largest trade association of exhibitors, who delivered the annual state of the union address at CinemaCon.

David Ellison

The CEO of Paramount-Skydance, who is pursuing a merger with Warner Bros. Discovery.

Donna Langley

The chairman of Universal Pictures, who recently announced that all Universal films will have a 45-day theatrical window starting January 1.

Tom Rothman

The chairman of Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, who wrote in the New York Times that "too many people now think they can see any film at home, and it is killing the adult audience for movie theatres."

J.J. Abrams

A filmmaker with projects at CinemaCon this year who signed a letter expressing opposition to the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger.

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What they’re saying

“We believe this transaction will be harmful to exhibition, consumers and the entire entertainment eco-system. Further concentrating marketplace power in the hands of a smaller group of distributors that dictate the terms, windows, scheduling, screen-placement of movies and access to historic film catalogs will have a real and lasting impact on Main Street and millions of movie fans around the world.”

— Michael O'Leary, President-CEO, Cinema United

“Look no further than our friends at Disney. Last year, for the 12th time in the past 15 years, they led the industry in total box office. In 2025, they were the only studio to have a movie gross over $1 billion. Disney's average theatrical window last year – 62 days.”

— Michael O'Leary, President-CEO, Cinema United

“Too many people now think they can see any film at home, and it is killing the adult audience for movie theatres.”

— Tom Rothman, Chairman, Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group

What’s next

O'Leary said Cinema United will continue to press these issues at the national level, as well as assist his counterparts overseas. The new regime at Paramount Skydance will present their upcoming slate of films to exhibitors at CinemaCon on Thursday morning.

The takeaway

The debate over theatrical release windows and industry consolidation remains a critical issue for the movie theater industry, with O'Leary and other industry leaders advocating for policies that preserve the traditional theatrical experience and protect the interests of exhibitors and consumers.