EVO Entertainment Announces Plans for New Theater Complex in Dallas-Forth Worth Area

Texas-based exhibitor EVO Entertainment Group has revealed plans to open a new flagship cinema/entertainment venue at Southlake Town Square in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. The news was announced today. The 68,733-square-foot space, which previously housed a traditional movie theater, will undergo a multi-million-dollar renovation to transform it into one of EVO’s “experiential entertainment” centers, complete with seven luxury dine-in theaters with all-recliner seating, a scratch kitchen and craft bar with outdoor patio space, bowling lanes, over 12,000 square feet of video and redemption arcades, an indoor ropes course and rock wall, bumper cars, laser tag, virtual reality, and private event space. Located at 1450 Plaza Place in Southlake Town Square, the venue is slated to open in December 2021. “After exploring the DFW Metroplex, we determined that Southlake —...

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Vista Group Companies Movio and Numero Launch Behind the Screens Box Office Podcast

Cinema marketing data analytics company Movio and box office collection and reporting platform Numero have jointly launched Behind the Screens, a new weekly podcast that will provide “actionable insights on the moviegoers behind the box office numbers,” according to a press release on Tuesday (June 29). Hosted by Movio COO Matthew Liebmann and Numero chief executive Simon Burton, Behind the Screens will begin each episode by discussing the prior weekend’s box office and analyze key audience trends. The podcast will highlight box office information supplied by Numero and make use of Movio’s big data technology to offer predictive information for the entire cinema ecosystem. Interview segments will feature studio and exhibition partners of Vista Group – Movio and Numero’s parent company – along with data scientists and other experts. “There are already some great industry...

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Paramount Releases Clifford the Big Red Dog Teaser Trailer

Paramount has released a teaser trailer for Clifford the Big Red Dog, the studio’s live-action adaptation of the classic children’s book series which is slated for theatrical release on September 17. Directed by Walt Becker, the film stars Darby Camp, John Cleese, Sienna Guillory and Jack Whitehall. It was originally scheduled for release on November 13, 2020 before being pushed to November 5, 2021. It was subsequently moved up to its current date. The studio notes that it will donate $1 to the Best Friends Animal Society, up to $20,000, for every ❤️ or share the trailer gets. You can watch the trailer and read the official plot synopsis below. Official Synopsis: When middle-schooler Emily Elizabeth (Darby Camp) meets a magical animal rescuer (John Cleese) who gifts her a little, red puppy, she never anticipated waking up to find a giant ten-foot hound in her small New...

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Emagine Entertainment Raises Funds To Benefit Boys & Girls Clubs Of Southeastern Michigan

Michigan-based luxury cinema chain Emagine Entertainment will be raising funds for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan (BGCSM), helping to offset the cost of yearly membership. Throughout the month of July, guests at any of Emagine’s Michigan locations will be encouraged to make a donation to BGCSM; those who do so will be recognize via signage at the box office. The money raised will go towards the membership fees of deserving children ages 6-18. After 95 years of service, Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan remains that safe place for youth to learn, have fun, and reach their full potential as change agents in their life, Club and communities. By providing high quality youth development programs, BGCSM has reimagined the future of afterschool learning and continues to stay agile and expand to better support the needs of our changing youth,...

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Universal Partners with Variety – the Children’s Charity for The Boss Baby: Family Business Charitable Campaign

Universal and DreamWorks Animation have partnered with Variety – the Children’s Charity to create limited-edition gold heart pins featuring characters from the studios’ forthcoming The Boss Baby: Family Business, which is slated for release on July 2, 2021. Proceeds from sales of the pins will benefit Variety programs that provide life-changing equipment, services and experiences to children who live with special needs or who are disadvantaged. The pins, which feature boss baby Ted (voiced by Alec Baldwin) and new boss baby Tina (voiced by Amy Sedaris) will be available for a minimum donation of $3 in movie theaters across the U.S. starting July...

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The Biggest Movies Coming to Theaters in July

It’s the month of Independence Day, the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, and (this year only) the NBA Finals. Most importantly for the exhibition industry it’s also the peak month of summer movie season. From animation to horror, superhero to drama, here’s a preview of the biggest films arriving on the big screen in July 2021. The Boss Baby: Family Business Friday, July 2 Premise: Alec Baldwin returns to voice Ted Templeton Jr., an infant who doubles as a CEO, in this sequel to 2017’s surprise animated hit The Boss Baby. Jimmy Kimmel, Lisa Kudrow, Jeff Goldblum, and Eva Longoria round out the voice cast.  Theatrical exclusivity? No. Universal will release the film “day and date,” simultaneously in theaters and streaming on Peacock. This will serve as arguably the highest-profile Peacock film to date, as the service—which launched less than a year ago, on...

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European Cinema Innovation Project ‘Cinnovate’ Secures EU investment

European cinema innovation project Cinnovate has received €380,000, equivalent to about $453,000 USD, through the European Union’s program “Cinemas as Innovation Hubs for Local Communities.” Cinnovate will be a new digital platform from four of Europe’s arthouse cinema chains: Folkets Hus och Parker (Sweden), Folkets Bio (Sweden), Access Cinema (Ireland), and Art kino mreža Slovenije (Slovenia). The digital content platform will include features in cinema-powered video on demand (VOD), event cinema, gaming and virtual reality (VR) in cinemas, jukebox cinema and crowdsourcing, and virtual film literacy offers. Being part of ‘Cinnovate’ will allow us to complement and strengthen our network’s traditional working model by using emerging innovations to reconnect with existing cinema audiences, whilst also reaching new audiences of all ages,” Access Cinema Network’s managing...

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WEEKEND BOX OFFICE: F9 Revs Up Domestic Box Office w/ $70M Opening, Best of the Pandemic to Date

This weekend, the North American box office hit a higher gear. F9, the tenth film in the long-running Fast & Furious franchise, won the top spot at the box office with an estimated $70M from a pandemic-record 4,179 locations over the final weekend of June, marking the highest debut of the pandemic by far and injecting new life into the theatrical marketplace after previous strong openings by films such as Godzilla vs. Kong ($31.63M) and A Quiet Place Part II ($47.55M). That’s the highest opening at the domestic box office since Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, which opened to $177.38M when it was released in December 2019. Originally slated to open in North America over Memorial Day weekend 2020, F9 was pushed to April 2, 2021 due to the pandemic and, later, Memorial Day weekend 2021 before ultimately landing on June 25. The wait appears to have been worth it, as...

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IMAX Announces Extension of Current Share-Repurchase Program

PRESS RELEASE — IMAX Corporation announced fRIDAY a 12-month extension to the Company’s share-repurchase program through June 30, 2022. The current share-repurchase program authorized the Company to repurchase up to $200 million of its common shares, of which approximately $89.4 million remains available, and was set to expire on June 30, 2021. The Company has repurchased a total of approximately 6 million of its common shares for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $110.6 million, pursuant to the current share-repurchase program since it commenced on July 1, 2017. With this extension effective July 1, 2021, the Company remains authorized to repurchase up to approximately $89.4 million worth of common shares through June 30, 2022. In light of the current operating environment, the Company does not currently intend...

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Showcase Cinemas Reopens Concourse Plaza Multiplex Cinemas In NYC

Showcase Cinemas reopened its Bronx location Concourse Plaza Multiplex Cinemas on Friday, June 25. The location will also offer a free popcorn day on Saturday, June 26, with patrons receiving a small popcorn at no cost. The location will be playing six films this weekend: F9, The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard, Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway, In the Heights, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, and A Quiet Place Part II. Showcase Cinemas reopened its additional New York City locations earlier this year, including Linden Boulevard Multiplex Cinemas in Brooklyn, College Point Multiplex Cinemas in Queens, and Jamaica Multiplex Cinemas in Queens. Capacity restrictions for NYC movie theaters were lifted on May 19. “We know that people need and want to get back to the movies, and we’re extremely excited to welcome guests back to Concourse Plaza with...

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Warner Bros. Moves ‘Dune’ to October 22, ‘The Many Saints of Newark’ to October 1, ‘Cry Macho’ to September 17

Warner Bros. announced release date changes on Friday for three of their upcoming fall releases. Science fiction Dune moves back three weeks from October 1 to October 22. Directed by Denis Villeneuve (Arrival, Blade Runner 2049), the film stars Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, and Jason Mamoa in an adaptation of the 1965 novel by Frank Herbert. Filling in that October 1 slot is The Many Saints of Newark, moving back one week from September 24. A prequel to HBO’s acclaimed television series The Sopranos, the film chronicles the early years of Sopranos protagonist Tony Soprano, played by James Gandolfini on television and his real-life son Michael Gandolfini in the film. Directed by and starring Clint Eastwood, drama Cry Macho moves up a month from October 22 to September 17. Taking place in 1978, Eastwood stars as a former rodeo wrangler crossing Mexico into Texas...

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Weekend Box Office Forecast: F9 Is On Track to Write the Next Chapter in Pandemic Era Record Books

After multiple delays and a year’s worth of the Universal marketing engine revving up, Dom Toretto and his fam are welcoming audiences back to theaters this weekend with the long awaited release of F9. The ninth film in the Fast & Furious franchise was originally slated to open over Memorial Day weekend in 2020 until COVID-19 muffled those plans. The studio took the long-view and pushed the film into April 2021, then to May, and eventually settled on this final June weekend for its release as part of a staggered global rollout that began with China’s launch in May. Summer moviegoing has technically been under way in North America since A Quiet Place Part II broke pandemic era records at the box office with its theatrically exclusive release over the Memorial Day frame last month (alongside respectable support from Disney’s hybrid title, Cruella). Still, with Cinema...

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Trafalgar Releasing Announces Release Dates for Blackpink the Movie, Enormous: The Gorge Story

Event cinema distributor Trafalgar Releasing has announced the release of two new titles: Blackpink the Movie and Enormous: The Gorge Story. Blackpink the Movie, which celebrates the 5th anniversary of the K-pop group’s debut, will be released in over 100 countries this August. Trafalgar will distribute the film in all territories except South Korea and Japan, where it will be released by CJ 4DPlex. Comprised of four members – Jisso, Jennie, Rosé and Lisa – Blackpink proved to be an immediate sensation in Korea, with the group’s debut song reaching the top of every chart in Korea within only four hours of release. The group has since gone on to global stardom. Blackpink the Movie will be released in various premium formats around the world, including the three-screen system ScreenX, multi-sensory format 4DX and 4DX Screen, which combines ScreenX and 4DX into a single...

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Saudia Arabian Exhibitor Muvi Cinemas Enlists Cinionic to Power Its Premium Large Format XPERIENCE Auditoriums

Saudi Arabian theater circuit Muvi Cinemas has selected laser cinema solutions company Cinionic’s CGS premium cinema solution to power its premium large format, XPERIENCE, at more than 25 auditoriums across the country, it was announced today. The first auditoriums to utilize CGS in Saudi Arabia are located at the Al Ahsa Mall, Aziz Mall and Nakheel Mall, with additional sites coming soon. CGS covers “every step of the moviegoer journey,” according to a press release, “from targeted promotion to consistently stunning presentations.” That includes “eye-catching signature entryways” and “giant, brighter, laser-powered presentations of expertly remastered films from Hollywood studios and local distributors,” the release continues. “We are excited to be partnering with Cinionic to power our XPERIENCE premium large format screens with CGS. This brings the best on screen experience...

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France Seeing Big Growth in Theatrical Admissions: Comscore

France’s theatrical exhibition industry is experiencing a major recovery in the pandemic’s latter days, Comscore reports, noting that admissions over the weekend of June 18-20 were above the attendance for the equivalent weekends in 2019 and 2018. The company’s exclusive data shows that France enjoyed 8.5 million admissions in the month following the reopening of the country’s movie theaters on May 19. With 500,000 admissions on Monday, May 24 – the holiday known as White Monday – alone, the country boasted 2.36 million admissions in the first week post-reopening (May 19-25). Daily admissions in France Notably, there was a 35% capacity restriction...

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This Week on the Boxoffice Podcast: UNIC and UKCA’s Phil Clapp on the UK’s Second Cinema Reopening

On this episode of the Boxoffice Podcast, we break down new release changes (Hotel Transylvania: Transformania moving to October and The Beatles: Get Back abandoning theatrical entirely) and Pacific/Arclight bankruptcy news before co-host Daniel Loria dives into the week’s main feature: a discussion with Phil Clapp—CEO of the UKCA and President of UNIC—on the U.K. cinema sector’s long-awaited second reopening, which began on May 17. An abbreviated version of that conversation is below; to hear Clapp’s complete insights, listen to the podcast episode below or on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts. Don’t forget to tune in next Thursday for an in-depth recap of F9‘s domestic debut and international progress with Boxoffice Pro Chief Analyst Shawn Robbins. Can you tell me a little bit about that run-up to the May reopening, which was essentially the second...

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Director Abel Ferrara to Help Reopen Manhattan’s Cinema Village Theater With Week-Long Retrospective

Nicolas Nicolaou, owner of the independent Manhattan movie theater Cinema Village, has enlisted director Abel Ferrara to help kick-start the reopening of the business with a week-long retrospective and tribute to the moviegoing experience. Running June 30 to July 8, patrons will be invited to a special screening of Ferrara’s latest film, Siberia starring Willem Dafoe, alongside the New York theatrical premiere of The Projectionist, described as a “love letter” to Nicolaou and his four decades operating several of New York City’s neighborhood theaters. In addition to Cinema Village, Nicolaou currently owns and operates Alpine Cinemas in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn and Cinemart in Forest Hills, Queens. In addition, Ferrara will introduce special screenings of a number of his films, including Pasolini, 4:44 Last Day on Earth, Tomasso, Ms. 45 and Driller Killer. He will also participate...

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Alamo Drafthouse’s Jaws on the Water Screening Series Returns on July 3

Alamo Drafthouse’s popular Jaws on the Water screening event is returning from the depths. The popular series, which has viewers floating in inner tubes on Austin’s Lake Travis while watching the Steven Spielberg classic, is back for multiple screenings starting July 3 after being put on hiatus last summer during the pandemic. Screenings are also slated to take place on July 10 and July 17. Alamo Drafthouse is partnering with High Beam Events and Action Pack Entertainment for the series, which takes place at Volente Beach Resort & Waterpark. As viewers take in the 1975 horror blockbuster, scuba divers are employed to tug on the toes of water bound audience members. Due to the ongoing pandemic, organizers were unable to create new collectible inner tubes for the audience to float in, so customers are encouraged to bring their own inner tubes or other inflatable floating...

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GQT Movies Extends and Expands Partnership with CES+

After signing an initial agreement earlier this year, GQT Movies and CES+ have extended and expanded their partnership, it was announced today. Under the new deal, CES+ will provide GQT Movies with a full suite of cinema presentation management, including content management, on-site technical support, digital management and remote monitoring via the CIELO operation management platform. On-site technical support is the newest vertical for CES+ and is now available as a service to new and existing clients. “We are honored to expand our relationship with GQT Movies.”, Alex Younger, CEO of CES+, said in a statement. “GQT Movies and their guests put their trust in us to deliver the perfect cinema presentation every show, every time and we dedicate to this purpose every day.” “We are pleased to be working with CES+ for all of our support and technical needs. CES+ has shown...

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Cinergy Supports Cinema Week with Giveaways, Rewards for Loyalty Members

Cinergy Entertainment, which operates seven cinema entertainment centers in Texas and Oklahoma, has announced their support for Cinema Week, kicking off today as an industry-wide initiative designed to celebrate and preserve the culture of moviegoing. “We are so excited for Cinema Week and to see people getting back out to the movies, watching the movies the way they were intended to be seen…  on the giant screen,” said Cinergy owners Jeff and Jamie Benson, respectively the president and vice president of the company. “There’s nothing better than the social experience of watching a movie with family and friends, and of course the movie theater popcorn!” As part of its celebration of Cinema Week, Cinergy is gifting members of its loyalty program, Elite—which recently crossed the 100,000-member mark—with an additional 100 points on their account. Giveaways are...

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Savantis Supports Inaugural Cinema Week to Promote the Return to Live Entertainment for Moviegoers

Savantis, a provider of end-to-end solutions and support for the digital transformation of cinemas and entertainment venues, announced that they are pleased to support the inaugural Cinema Week, a six-day, nationwide event designed to energize moviegoers and encourage audiences to support local movie theaters. With a mission to celebrate the culture of going to the movies, the campaign showcases exclusive in-theater content, activations, giveaways, special offers for loyalty members, and celebrity guests with activities varying depending on the location. Cinema Week takes place June 22 to 27 across the US. “Savantis is proud to sponsor the first-ever Cinema Week, an exciting nationwide initiative to re-engage audiences and revive the cinema industry following a difficult and challenging year, during most of which theaters remained closed due to Covid-19,” said Keith...

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RealD’s Karina Neill and Bobbie Andrews Promoted to VPs of EMEA Region

RealD has promoted both Karina Neill and Bobbie Andrews to the newly-created position of Vice President for the EMEAR region, the company announced today. Neill will assume the role of VP for Sales & Operations, while Andrews will be VP for Marketing & Commercial. Neill joined RealD in 2009 with over 20 years of global sales experience in the consumer electronics sector. She is one of the founding members of the RealD EMEAR team. Andrews joined the company in 2016 with a record of 15 years in exhibition and distribution, including roles with the EMEA team at 20th Century Fox and the UK marketing department at Cineworld Cinemas. He went on to lead several new product launches at RealD, including the company’s Ultimate Screen. “We are extremely excited about this announcement, and the future of cinema,” said Travis Reid, CEO of RealD. “In the EMEAR region we felt...

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Severtson to Exhibit Folded Cinema Projection Screens at CinemaCon 2021

PRESS RELEASE San Tan Valley, Ariz., June 22, 2021 – Severtson Screens (severtsonscreens.com), a global leader in innovative and quality projection screens for the cinema, commercial, pro AV, and home theater markets, is proud to announce that it will exhibit its most popular options for its acclaimed folded SēVision 3D GX line of cinema projection screens during CinemaCon 2021, held in Las Vegas, Nev. from August 23-26 at Caesars Palace, booth #2606A. “Our folded shipping method makes international distribution of our industry-acclaimed SēVision 3D GX highly affordable, reducing international shipping costs by up to 70 percent,” explained Toby...

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