There are plenty of places where the cinema industry gathers to discuss its future. Few offer quite the setting of Zurich, where movie premieres, industry executives, historic theatres and passing trams all share the same city streets.
This week, we’re handing the Marquee editorial over to Celluloid Junkie contributor Andreas Fuchs, who recently attended the Zurich Film Festival and its industry-focused Zurich Summit. Andreas has already reported on the discussions taking place there, from the influence of online fandom to the challenges of financing distinctive films. His guest editorial offers a more personal perspective on a city where cinema remains very much part of everyday life.
Meanwhile, Wednesday’s CJ Cinema Summit brought together exhibitors and merchandise suppliers to explore the increasingly lucrative, and occasionally unpredictable, business of movie collectibles. If you missed it, you can read our recap or watch the complete discussion on demand.
But first, over to Andreas, who discovered that Zurich offers more than an excellent film festival and some very good Swiss chocolate.
In Zurich Cinema Still Brings People Together
Guest Editorial by Andreas Fuchs
“There’s No Place Like Zurich” read one memorable-movie-inspired line on select t-shirt and bag merch of the 2026 Zurich Film Festival. As a first-time visitor to both the festival and the bustling and beautiful, albeit expensive city in Switzerland, yours truly wholeheartedly agrees.
Strolling on the famous ZFF Green Carpet before attending premieres at the Corso Theater right across the street, moviegoers better watch out for tram cars crossing. Located in the heart of downtown on Sechseläutenplatz and flanked by the Opernhaus and Lake Zurich, the festival and its hub take best advantage of the city’s lively urban core. That includes incorporating both art houses and commercial movie theatres into screenings and events. Cinema has a place here, quite literally, in the life of the city.
I was in town reporting on the Zurich Summit for Celluloid Junkie and you. High above the lake, in the setting of The Dolder Grand hotel, the industry conference brought Hollywood and Europe together to discuss how films get made, reach the marketplace and find their audiences.
As has been the case during many industry gatherings throughout the year, the mood at the Summit was upbeat and the words encouraging. I was thrilled to witness how the spirit of theatrical exhibition and the excitement for unique storytelling permeated the conversations I heard. The smell of popcorn was in the air.
Generally referred to as “The Davos of the Film Industry,” it did not disappoint me either. The program was chock-full with current topics and run like clockwork. Delicious chocolates on the tables upheld another Swiss national standard. Friendly words and courtesy abounded, too.
“Movies, Box Office and Awards” are all dear to our hearts. But the discussion moved beyond celebrating a strong theatrical summer to considering who was returning to cinemas and what was bringing them there. The success of “Backrooms” and “Obsession,” younger viewers discovering repertory films, and the social appeal of moviegoing gave the panel plenty to work with.
Online fandom and the theatrical experience were closely connected in that conversation. For Kane Parsons, bringing “Backrooms” from a web series to cinemas meant understanding an existing audience without letting an imaginary crowd dictate every creative decision. For Academy CEO Bill Kramer, the summer’s lesson was encouraging: “Young people want to go back to movie theatres.”
The “Moguls and Media Entrepreneurship” discussion approached the business from the other end: building companies with enough capital and capabilities to support the films they believe in. MUBI’s Efe Cakarel described years of putting brick upon brick into that vision. Candle Media’s Kevin Mayer argued for agility as audiences’ habits change. Cinetic Media’s John Sloss urged the industry to recognize “cultural blockbusters,” whose influence can exceed their immediate theatrical returns.
Those discussions belong together. Financing a distinctive film and finding its audience are connected challenges, and neither ends at the cinema door. They concern producers and financiers, certainly, but also the distributors bringing films to market and the exhibitors giving audiences a place to encounter them.
Trusting that you will enjoy our coverage, dear CJ readers, please follow the links to the two reports. Thank you to Zurich Summit for having us… and to a city where the Green Carpet and the tram timetable manage to share the same space. All shows started on time too.
The Prince Charles Cinema Gets a New Lease on Life as Britain Celebrates Its Independents
After 21 months of uncertainty, one of the world’s most beloved independent cinemas finally has a secure future. London’s Prince Charles Cinema has signed a new 25-year lease without a break clause, ending a dispute over a proposed provision that could have forced the venue to vacate with just six months’ notice if its landlord pursued redevelopment. More than 168,000 people signed a petition to save the cinema, attracting support from filmmakers and moviegoers around the world.
What made the dispute particularly troubling was that the Prince Charles was hardly struggling to attract audiences. In 2024, its two screens sold more than 250,000 tickets for 858 different films, ranging from repertory classics to singalongs and all-night marathons. The issue was not whether audiences wanted the cinema to survive, but whether it could secure the premises long enough to invest in its future.
The announcement coincides with the British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) naming 15 venues to its Cinema of the Year longlist, following nearly 50,000 public votes. Among them are Edinburgh’s Filmhouse, which reopened last year after nearly three years of closure, and Oxford’s Ultimate Picture Palace, which faces its own uncertainty over long-term lease security. Five finalists will be announced on 3 November.
Together, the two stories offer a reminder that independent cinemas can be both commercially successful and financially vulnerable. Public affection is a powerful asset, but it cannot replace secure tenancy arrangements. The Prince Charles now has something every exhibitor needs before committing to long-term investment: confidence that the building will still be there.
Source: Screen Daily
Outerlight Acquires Bleecker Street With Plans to Expand Event Cinema Business
Independent film distributor Bleecker Street has a new owner and fresh capital to expand its theatrical business. Outerlight Entertainment, formerly First Look Entertainment, has acquired the company for an undisclosed sum. CEO Kent Sanderson and president and chief marketing officer Tyler DiNapoli will remain in charge, with Bleecker Street retaining control of its acquisitions, distribution strategy, marketing and day-to-day operations.
Outerlight, which also owns Topic Studios and Puzzle Pictures, intends to provide long-term financial support for Bleecker Street’s existing film business and its growing event cinema operation, Crosswalk. The latter has already demonstrated considerable commercial potential, with “Hadestown: The Musical” generating more than USD $20 million in a limited theatrical run. Crosswalk has also distributed “Stray Kids: The DominATE Experience” and has a George Michael concert film scheduled for December.
The acquisition follows Bleecker Street’s recent appointment of former A24 executive Frank Martinez as head of distribution, overseeing both its traditional film releases and Crosswalk. Taken together, the developments suggest the company is positioning itself to compete more aggressively for theatrical content while developing additional revenue opportunities beyond conventional feature releases.
At a time when major media mergers are largely discussed in terms of consolidation and cost savings, it’s nice to see Bleecker Street’s new owners emphasizing investment and expansion.
Source: Indiewire
Cineplex Posts Record Quarter as North American Box Office Rebound Gains Momentum
The theatrical rebound is looking increasingly less like a collection of successful weekends and more like a sustained business trend. Canada’s largest exhibitor, Cineplex, has reported the highest quarterly box office revenue in its history, generating CAD $215.7 million during the third quarter of 2026, up 35% from a year earlier. September also set a company record with CAD $45 million in ticket sales, following an August that was already Cineplex’s biggest month ever.
The strong performance was driven by “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” “The Odyssey” and “Resident Evil,” but the more revealing figures concern how audiences are spending their money. Not surprisingly, premium experiences accounted for more than half of quarterly box office revenue, while box office revenue per patron exceeded CAD $14. Cineplex also reported its highest quarterly theatre food service revenue.
The Canadian results reinforce a broader North American trend. The U.S. and Canadian box office passed USD $8 billion on 9 October, reaching that milestone 59 days earlier than in 2025 and running approximately 20% ahead of last year.
For Cineplex, the timing is especially interesting. Its board is exploring strategic alternatives, including a potential sale, under newly appointed CEO Bill Walker. Record revenues should make for an interesting conversation with prospective buyers. Ultimately, Cineplex’s quarterly results provide yet another example of how stronger box office receipts don’t mean attendance has fully recovered. And like most other major cinema chains around the world, Cineplex is discovering that moviegoers are increasingly willing to pay for a premium experience.
Source: Celluloid Junkie
Screenvision Wants to Reinvent the Cinema Pre-Show. Will Audiences Play Along?
Moviegoers who arrive early enough to sit through the cinema pre-show may soon find themselves solving puzzles instead of simply watching advertisements. Screenvision Media has partnered with New York Times Games to introduce interactive, play-along games to its theatre network, with a nationwide rollout expected by Thanksgiving. The initial agreement runs for one year, with plans to regularly refresh the content and experiment with additional formats.
The partnership is part of a broader effort by Screenvision’s new CEO, Geoff Schiller, to rethink the traditional cinema pre-show. The company’s revamped 28-minute “Front and Center” program is moving away from familiar trivia and behind-the-scenes features toward lifestyle and entertainment content from partners including Eater, Complex and NowThis. Screenvision says roughly half its audience belongs to Gen Z, making engagement with younger moviegoers a central priority.
Schiller describes his ambition as creating a show that contains advertising rather than advertising masquerading as a show. Screenvision is also exploring live-event watch parties, experiential promotions and retail partnerships that extend beyond traditional on-screen advertising. Bringing New York Times Games into the auditorium takes that strategy a step further, transforming what has traditionally been a passive experience into something audiences can participate in together.
A more entertaining pre-show could encourage audiences to arrive earlier, while offering advertisers a more engaging environment. Whether moviegoers actually want to solve puzzles with a roomful of strangers is anyone’s guess. Then again, cinemas have been bringing strangers together for shared entertainment for well over a century. Perhaps a little friendly competition is simply the next evolution.
Source: Variety
Exhibitors Serve Up More IMAX Auditoriums
Cinema operators continue to expand their premium offerings, and in Texas, IMAX is about to become part of the dinner menu. Houston-based Star Cinema Grill is adding an IMAX with Laser auditorium to its Cypress location, scheduled to open on 18 November. The upgrade will make Cypress the only dine-in cinema in the Houston area offering IMAX, combining premium large-format presentation with full-service dining.
The renovation goes beyond projection technology. Star Cinema Grill is also installing heated recliners, massage seating and privacy pods, building on its earlier investment in a Samsung Onyx cinema LED auditorium at its Richmond location. The strategy reflects a growing emphasis on combining premium presentation with the comforts and hospitality of a complete night out.
Meanwhile, Hoyts is expanding its IMAX footprint in Australia and New Zealand. Two new IMAX with Laser auditoriums will open in December, at Hoyts Sylvia Park in Auckland and Hoyts Wetherill Park in Sydney, ahead of the release of “Dune: Part Three.” The Auckland installation will be Hoyts’ first IMAX location in New Zealand and forms part of a broader ten-theatre expansion agreement announced earlier this year.
Source: Celluloid Junkie
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