Cinema United has launched a Filmmaker Leadership Council led by producers Jerry Bruckheimer and Emma Thomas. Additionally, “Sinners” filmmaker Ryan Coogler, “The Incredibles” director Brad Bird, “Up in the Air” author Jason Reitman, and Celine Song of “Past Lives” and “The Materialist” fame round out the founding members of the Founding Council.
Bruckheimer and Thomas will be attending this year’s CinemaCon, the annual exhibition industry trade show, in Las Vegas next week, where they will speak with Cinema United President and CEO Michael O’Leary.
The goal is to help council members raise the profile of the film industry at a time when it faces challenges from streaming and other forms of mass entertainment. Additional members will be announced at a later date, Cinema United said.
“Our industry is strongest when we work together to facilitate the unparalleled experience of watching movies on the big screen,” O’Leary said in a statement. “That’s what drives us and what’s building the next great era in film. The importance of having Gerry and Emma at the helm of this effort at such a critical time for our industry cannot be overstated. The insight, leadership, passion and influence of the entire Guidance Council is unparalleled, and we are honored to work with them all to secure the future of the next generation of theatrical experiences.”
Thomas created blockbuster hits such as “Inception” and “Dunkirk,” and won the Best Picture Oscar for “Oppenheimer.” Bruckheimer’s films include the Pirates of the Caribbean series and the Beverly Hills Cop series. He received Oscar nominations for producing “Top Gun: Maverick” and “F1: The Movie.”
In addition to serving as an ambassador for theaters, the Cinema United Filmmaker Leadership Council provides feedback and recommendations on issues facing theatrical exhibitions. These challenges range from consolidation (the sale of Warner Bros. to Paramount would soon mean there would be one less theatrical studio) to movie theater operators wanting to lengthen windows so that movies stay on screens longer before hitting home entertainment.
Greg Foster, a former IMAX CEO and industry veteran and consultant, will serve as executive director of the Filmmaker Leadership Council.
“Movies that captivate audiences and take their breath away. That’s why so many of us got into this business in the first place. There’s nothing quite like that feeling of sitting in a darkened theater and watching something unfold on a giant screen, swarming with sound. You can’t recreate it anywhere else,” Bruckheimer said in a statement. “As filmmakers, we are all about creating those moments. We are at a point where the future of our industry will be determined. I’m honored to join this incredible group of filmmakers and work with Cinema United to ensure this experience remains for audiences in cities and towns around the world, everywhere.”
“There is deep cultural value in bringing strangers together and connecting while experiencing something special on the big screen,” Thomas said in a statement. “Those shared moments of laughter, tears and breath-taking moments are priceless, and that’s why theaters of all sizes around the world can continue to show our stories in the best possible environments so that moviegoers of all ages can enjoy them as they were meant to be seen.”
