{"id":29525,"date":"2026-08-06T06:54:13","date_gmt":"2026-08-06T01:54:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=29525"},"modified":"2026-08-06T06:54:13","modified_gmt":"2026-08-06T01:54:13","slug":"regal-cinemas-ceo-eduardo-acuna-backs-paramount-warner-bros-merger","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=29525","title":{"rendered":"Regal Cinemas CEO Eduardo Acuna Backs Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/variety.com\/t\/regal-cinemas\/\" id=\"auto-tag_regal-cinemas\" data-tag=\"regal-cinemas\">Regal Cinemas<\/a> CEO Eduardo Acuna released a statement on Wednesday evening in support of the looming <a href=\"https:\/\/variety.com\/t\/paramount-warner-bros\/\" id=\"auto-tag_paramount-warner-bros\" data-tag=\"paramount-warner-bros\">Paramount-Warner Bros.<\/a> merger. <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\t\u201cThis year has been an important one for our industry. Attendance is up, younger audiences are coming out in numbers we haven\u2019t seen in years, and the upcoming release schedule looks just as strong,\u201d Acuna wrote. \u201cWhile there is real momentum, we need a thriving studio system to ensure that the industry has a platform from which to grow.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\t\u201cThis is why, after much consideration, we believe it\u2019s time for Paramount Skydance\u2019s acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery to move forward,\u201d Acuna continued. The CEO explained that he spoke to Paramount-Skydance CEO <a href=\"https:\/\/variety.com\/t\/david-ellison\/\" id=\"auto-tag_david-ellison\" data-tag=\"david-ellison\">David Ellison<\/a>, who has made \u201csome specific commitments\u201d to ensure the theater business continues to thrive. Those commitments include, \u201cAt least 30 theatrical films a year, a protected theatrical window with 45 days for TVOD and 90 days for SVOD for a minimum of three years, and a $30 billion annual investment in media content.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\t\u201cA long fight in court that extends into spring or summer doesn\u2019t put more films in theaters, and is not beneficial to studios, filmmakers, the guests who go to the movies, or theater businesses like Regal and the people who work for them,\u201d Acuna added. \u201cIt just creates more uncertainty and distraction that could be damaging to our industry as we build on our current success.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tRegal\u2019s backing comes a week after AMC Theatres CEO Adam Aron <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/variety.com\/2026\/biz\/news\/amc-theatres-adam-aron-paramount-warner-bros-merger-1236823859\/\">published an op-ed in <em>Variety<\/em><\/a> explaining his own reasons for supporting the deal. With the addition of Regal, Ellison now has the country\u2019s two largest theater chains on his side, which will prove to be key allies as he prepares for a <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/variety.com\/2026\/tv\/news\/paramount-warner-bros-antitrust-trial-date-march-2027-1236827843\/\">March 2027 antitrust showdown<\/a> against California attorney general Rob Bonta and his coalition of 11 other state AGs.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tThe development is a blow to <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/variety.com\/2026\/film\/news\/paramount-warner-bros-rob-bonta-state-ags-sue-blockbusters-1236810931\/\">the states\u2019 lawsuit, which was filed on July 13.<\/a> It alleges that the $111 billion merger violates the Clayton Act by diminishing competition in three key markets: wide-release theatrical distribution, \u201ctop-grossing\u201d theatrical distribution and basic cable licensing. The suit also claims the wallets of theater owners and consumers will be hurt if Paramount and Warner Bros. are allowed to merge. However, with AMC and Regal now in the Ellison camp, it will most likely be extremely difficult for Bonta and his team to prove that the exhibition will suffer in a post-merger industry.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tAcuna and Aron also appear to be at odds with Cinema United, the exhibition industry trade group, and its head, Michael O\u2019Leary, who have come out swinging against the sale of Warner Bros. to Paramount. Last week, O\u2019Leary reaffirmed the group\u2019s opposition in a letter to its members, writing, \u201cthis transaction will result in fewer movies, higher costs for you and your patrons, and ultimately, fewer theatres. The promises of support for theatrical being made in the media are high-level and unenforceable and as such do nothing to alleviate the harms.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tOn Tuesday, Judge Araceli Martinez-Olguin issued a ruling that the antitrust trial will last 12 days, running from March 2, 2027, to March 19. In a July 31 motion, Paramount requested the judge schedule the trial in November, while the states and the Writers Guild of America, who are also suing to stop the merger, requested the trial take place in March. Paramount wants this deal done as soon as possible, considering that it has to pay a \u201cticking fee\u201d to Warner Bros. Discovery of $7 million for every day past Oct. 1 that the deal remains in limbo. <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tEllison published an op-ed in the New York Times on Tuesday, in which he wrote that the real reason the state AGs want these deals blocked is that he will control CNN if he\u2019s allowed to scoop up Warner Bros.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\t\u201cI believe this fight is not really about market share,\u201d <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/variety.com\/2026\/tv\/news\/david-ellison-cnn-paramount-warner-bros-trusted-steward-1236827405\/\">Ellison wrote in the essay<\/a>. \u201cI believe a plainer worry sits beneath the briefs and the news releases: the news. The issue is whether I can be trusted as a steward of Warner\u2019s CNN.\u201d Ellison, reasserting his promise of an independent and fair CNN, added, \u201cWhen it comes to our news operations, I do not aspire to lead these companies to bend their newsrooms to my views. I believe that news should be based on facts and truth.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tDeadline was the first to report Acuna\u2019s statement backing the merger. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Regal Cinemas CEO Eduardo Acuna released a statement on Wednesday evening in support of the looming Paramount-Warner Bros. merger. \u201cThis year has been an important one for our industry. Attendance is up, younger audiences are coming out in numbers we haven\u2019t seen in years, and the upcoming release schedule looks just as strong,\u201d Acuna wrote&#8230;.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":29526,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/variety.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/GettyImages-2285923934.jpg?crop=0px%2C144px%2C5077px%2C2856px&resize=1000%2C563","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-29525","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pics-news"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29525","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=29525"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29525\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/29526"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=29525"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=29525"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=29525"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}