A top executive at Sony Pictures Entertainment has weighed in on the moviegoing experience. Tom Rothman, chairman of Sony’s Motion Picture Group, recently stated that audiences are being inundated with ads before films. He also had a message for exhibitors on how to improve moviegoer footfall.
Shorten long pre-shows, says Tom Rothman
At CinemaCon, the annual gathering of the exhibition industry taking place in Las Vegas, Rothman argued that cinema operators need to drastically cut the duration of advertisements before the opening credits of films begin to roll.
“Get rid of the endless advertising and substantially shorten the long pre-shows,” Rothman said. He noted that people who come to theaters often arrive half an hour late, which means they miss out on trailers, resulting in “enticements gone to waste.”
What Rothman is implying is that pre-shows have become too long, with audiences being overwhelmed before the film even begins, ultimately hurting the theatrical experience.
He further forecasted that despite the success of films like The Super Mario Bros. Movie and Project Hail Mary at the 2026 box office, theatrical attendance could begin to wane. He also acknowledged that attendance still remains below pre-pandemic levels.
The Sony head also believes that movies should stay exclusively in theaters for longer and not jump to streaming platforms after just a few weeks. To prevent such a scenario, he urged cinema operators not to show films that quickly appear on streaming services. This kind of pushback against studios, Rothman suggested, would “enforce longer windows,” even if it comes at the cost of not being able to “play every film.”
Rothman’s logic is that if audiences know a film will be available on streaming soon, they are more likely to skip theaters. A longer exclusive window, on the other hand, encourages people to watch films on the big screen. He also touched upon the need to make the cinema-going experience more accessible by exploring cost-effective options for budget-conscious moviegoers, especially amid rising living costs globally.
Are you in agreement with Sony’s stance on improving the theatrical experience? Let us know in the comments section below.
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