Theater Owners’ Lobbying Group Eyes Global Expansion

Cinema United, the national theater owners lobbying group formerly known by the geopolitically-tinged acronym NATO, is looking to form some new alliances abroad and making key hires to do so.

The trade org, which reps AMC Theatres, Cinemark, Regal, Marcus, Harkins and many more theater chains, has created new executive roles aimed at expanded engagement with international theater owners, its chief Michael O’Leary said on Tuesday.

Cinema United is promoting from within to do so. Amanda Martin, who joined the lobbying org in 2023, was promoted to svp, external affairs while Erin Von Hoetzendorff, who has been with Cinema United since 2018, will be promoted to vp, membership and global affairs.

The group, based in Washington D.C., has been focused on lobbying for policies advantageous to domestic theater chains, as well as for industrywide best practices (like longer theatrical windows).

Arguably its most high-profile public stand of late has been its stance against Paramount’s planned merger with Warner Bros. Discovery. O’Leary used his widely-covered annual remarks at the organization’s CinemaCon convention in Las Vegas in April to deem the deal “harmful” both to exhibitors and to consumers.

In August, however, the dominoes fell in the other direction. After AMC, Cinemark and Regal chiefs all signaled public support for David Ellison’s plan to merge Paramount and Warner Bros., with commitments like 30 features a year in theaters and a 45-day window, the Cinema United chief reversed course.

On Aug. 18, O’Leary released a letter saying that the legal fight between 12 states and Paramount should be resolved with a “good faith” resolution, which was seen as a call for a settlement. The settlement terms were formally unveiled on Sept. 21, which included a 30-feature a year pledge, among other nods to the theatrical players, in a consent decree.

Now the organization, which says it reps chains that operate 30,000 screens internationally, is turning its attention to global engagement.

“As exhibition continues to evolve, Cinema United is evolving with it,” stated O’Leary, in unveiling the appointments. “These two well-deserved promotions will allow us to strengthen our partnerships across the entertainment ecosystem, deepen our advocacy on behalf of all theatre owners, and expand our engagement with international theatre owners, ensuring that every constituency we serve has a strong voice within our organization. Amanda and Erin are critical to our success, and in these new roles, they will have even greater impact on the direction and future of Cinema United.”