Why a Theater Owner Says Stability Matters More Than the Paramount-Warner Merger

Phoenix Theatres owner Cory Jacobson argues that the bigger risk to exhibitors is not the Paramount–Warner Bros. merger itself but the prolonged uncertainty it could create in film production. He notes that delaying the deal incurs high ticking fees and could waste precious time, while blocking it could reduce major releases and leave theaters with empty calendars. He urges regulators to weigh both sides and push for a concrete multi-year plan (ideally extending Paramount’s pledge of about 30 theatrical releases per year to five years) to stabilize the theatrical pipeline, stressing that studios and cinemas depend on one another for a healthy, sustainable industry.