Skydance Media chief David Ellison on Thursday made a surprise appearance at CinemaCon, reassuring theatre owners over the future of Paramount and his proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. and reiterating his commitment to big-screen releases.
Taking the stage at the annual gathering of exhibitors in Las Vegas, Ellison said the combined entity would prioritise theatrical distribution and significantly scale up film output.
“I want to look every single one of you in the eye and promise once we combine with Warner Bros., we are going to make a minimum 30 movies a year. Every film will be released in theaters with minimum 45 day window and SVOD in 90 days,” he said.
Ellison’s presence at CinemaCon was uncertain after his absence earlier this week from a US Senate antitrust subcommittee hearing on the proposed merger.
“Regretfully, Mr. Ellison is unable to be in Washington D.C. on Wednesday, as he is attending a funeral due to a death in the family,” Paramount policy executive Ted Lehman had told the panel led by Senator Cory Booker on April 15.
At CinemaCon, Ellison appeared alongside Paramount’s new studio heads Josh Greenstein and Dana Goldberg, marking their debut at the event. The presentation opened with a video directed by Jon M. Chu, showcasing upcoming collaborations with top Hollywood talent including Tom Cruise, Timothée Chalamet, Sherry Lansing, Gina Prince-Bythewood, James Cameron, Chris Pratt and Will Smith.
The video concluded with Cruise atop the studio’s iconic water tower, underscoring a renewed emphasis on theatrical storytelling.
“Long live the movies. That’s something I know all of us deeply believe in,” Ellison said, also acknowledging Chu as a longtime associate.
Highlighting the strategic importance of theatres, he described exhibition as a “smart business,” adding, “Nowhere else can you launch a multi-platform franchise or IP that can grow and thrive for generations to come. It’s good for the heart, it’s good for our business, and most importantly, it’s good for our people.”
Ellison also pointed to early gains since taking control of Paramount in August 2025, noting an increase in film output.
“At Paramount, we’ve already demonstrated since launching the new company just eight months ago, our ability to increase output with 15 films currently dated for 2026 up from eight in 2025,” he said.
“People can speculate all they long, but I’m standing here telling you personally that you can count on our complete commitment and we’ll show you again. Thank you for your partnership. We’re thrilled to have you on this journey with us, and we are incredibly excited for what’s ahead.”
