There are surprises, and then there are surprises.
David Ellison fell into the latter category on Thursday when he made a surprise appearance at CinemaCon, the annual gathering of theater owners. He took to the stage to reassure cinema operators that they had nothing to fear, whether it was the new regime at Paramount or its upcoming takeover by Warner Bros.
“I want to look each one of you in the eye and promise you that once we merge with Warner Bros., we will produce a minimum of 30 films a year. Each film will be released in theaters in a minimum of 45 days and SVOD within 90 days,” he said.
Hollywood’s new conquering hero took to the stage after the New Regime played a video directed by Jon M. Chu heralding the bright future awaiting Paramount, which has nearly collapsed in recent years. The video showed off a plethora of top talent working with the new regime at Paramount, led by Tom Cruise, Timothée Chalamet, Cherie Lansing, Gina Prince-Bythewood, James Cameron, Chris Pratt, and Will Smith.
The video was revealed for the first time Hollywood ReporterIt ends with Cruise sitting on top of the water tower and looking at the horizon
“Long live the movies. And that’s something I know we all believe very strongly in,” said Ellison, who calls Cho, his friend from USC film school.
He also praised the audience before him, calling the theatrical business a “smart business,” adding: “Nowhere else can you launch a multi-platform franchise or intellectual property 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.”
He also praised the progress his team has made since he took over at Paramount in August 2025.
“At Paramount, since launching the new company just eight months ago, we have already demonstrated our ability to increase production with 15 films currently dated for 2026, up from eight in 2025,” he said. “People can speculate all the time, but I stand here to tell you personally that you can count on our full commitment and we will show you that again. Thank you for your partnership. We are thrilled to have you on this journey with us, and we are very excited for what is to come.”
More to come.
