Welcome to
CinemaCon 2026

“Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything” – George Bernard Shaw

“To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often” – Winston Churchill

 “The point is, ladies and gentlemen, that change – for lack of a better word – is good. Change is right. Change works. Change clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit.” – Gordon Gekko

Okay, so maybe that last quote was a re-interpretation on my part of what Gordon Gekko really said, but, I think you get my point on all of this. The bottom line is there are changes afoot at CinemaCon this year and we are excited to branch out in new directions, expanding the scope, reach and depth of the service we continue to provide the industry each year. While all changes can be found in detail in navigating the official schedule of events on the CinemaCon App, some of those changes include:

• Monday’s educational track programming – complete with nine separate sessions focusing on Technoogy, Audiences & Innovation and Food & Beverage. Let’s not forget the motto of Faber College – “Knowledge is Good”.
• Monday afternoon’s “CinemaCon Film Showcase” – offering three smaller, but just as important, studios the opportunity to take the stage and make a presentation on their upcoming release slates. Thank you to Angel, Sony Pictures Classics and STUDIOCANAL.
• Welcoming Barco as an Official Presenting Sponsor along with The Coca-Cola Company. If it’s true that there is strength in numbers, then, yes, having two major industry stalwarts showing their support of our industry is a great thing.
• Furthering our relationship with Dolby in renaming The Colosseum as The Dolby Colosseum. Dolby continues to be a great partner of the industry from all angles.
• Making the trade show more efficient with Tuesday and Wednesday being the official days of operation.
• Hosting a special Trade Show Reception on Monday so delegates can whet their appetites and get a head start on what’s in store and what they should be looking for at the Trade Show by mingling with many of those companies exhibiting in 2026.
• And there are some other smaller shifts, changes and surprises in store.

All of the above have been designed to make your experience better. And, we are excited about these changes as we look to the future.

And now, without further ado, as has been customary since 2011, it is my sincere pleasure to welcome you to CinemaCon, a place we're proud to call "home of the no pause button"! Leave your cares at the door, grab some popcorn, candy and drinks, and let our theaters and the magic of the movies do the rest. It's time for CinemaCon 2026, our time to celebrate the greatness and joys of going to the movies.

This week you are going to see an impressive and varied array of upcoming film titles (studio presentations and a terrific screening – five months in advance of its release!) meant to be shown on the big screen and only in your theaters -- from the mega-budgeted tentpoles to the mid-size thrillers to the smaller, more relatively unknown, waiting to be discovered titles that need a little nurturing. That is what CinemaCon is all about. To our studio partners, equipment and concessions companies who support the trade show, members of the press, our Cinema United exhibitor members, and everyone else on hand this week, our sincerest thanks and gratitude go out to you all.

The objective of CinemaCon continues to be a simple one – to provide the entire industry with a forum that is all about exhibition, distribution, the movies of the future, technology that continues to break new ground from both a filmmaking and exhibition standpoint (courtesy of our friends at the ICTA), and, of course, those delectable new treats and concessions we take with us to our seats as the lights are about to dim (courtesy of our friends at EF&B). In giving thanks and recognition, we would also like to single out the continued support we receive from Barco, Christie, Dolby, Harkness Screens, Q-Sys and RealD as it concerns the presentation in The Dolby Colosseum. The success of CinemaCon is thanks to an abundance of support and a unique collaboration between so many companies and individuals.

As always, the health, safety and welfare of our attendees is a priority, which brings us to our security measures. When you enter The Colosseum there will be a designated entrance for large bags and back packs (including the official CinemaCon Goody Bag). If possible, simply leave large bags in your hotel room as that will make entry to events much easier. We will be moderating the flow of entry into The Colosseum and have added additional security throughout the venue. When the lights go down, we will be working behind the scenes to make sure we provide as safe an environment as possible.

I would like to thank the Cinema United Conventions Committee including Trevor Baker, Greg Heckmann, Gregory Quinn, Nikkole Denson-Randolph, Miguel Rivera, Damon Rubio and Sabrina Starr, our Vice Chair Miguel Rivera, and our Chair Racheal Wilson. Their insight and guidance over the course of the year, along with that of Michael O’Leary and the entire Cinema United organization, have proved invaluable. Lastly, I would like to thank my incomparable Team CinemaCon who work tirelessly for you and the entire industry in making sure CinemaCon is the best it can be - Matt Pollock and Matt Shapiro. Words cannot adequately express my deep appreciation for them.

Have a great week and if there is anything we can do to make your experience more enjoyable, please let us know.