Cinema United

Member Spotlight: Andrea Canales Andrea Canales is Director of Programming at Majestic Neighborhood Cinema Grill, based in Phoenix, AZ. With 3 locations, she curates incredible film experiences across 24 screens. Andrea started as the "Midnite Movie Mamacita." Under that name, she independently organized cult film screenings and worked with legendary icons like Tura Satana and Tommy Wiseau. Her passion for unique storytelling led her to roles in independent and arthouse cinemas, and now she uses that expertise at Majestic. For Andrea, the magic of her job comes from two key things: “First, I love the team I collaborate with. We’re a small but incredibly effective group. The second is seeing events and screenings evolve from initial concepts into fully realized experiences. I find it incredibly rewarding to guide the creative process from start to finish and create memorable events for our attendees.” One of her standout moments? The Barbie Blowout Party, featuring an early access screening of Barbie. A packed house, a sea of pink, and an audience coming together to celebrate a film with a powerful message—she describes it as pure joy. Looking ahead, Andrea is excited about the continued evolution of film exhibition, where mainstream hits and experimental, boundary-pushing films can coexist on the big screen. Read more about Andrea here: https://lnkd.in/gmnVfBTg

Thank you to Paramount Pictures for bringing the incredible team behind November's The Running Man (writer/director/producer Edgar Wright and stars Glen Powell, Colman Domingo, and Josh Brolin) to CinemaCon 2025's Industry Insights from the Creative Community luncheon! We can't wait until the world gets to experience this amazing film on the big screen.

The Ticket to Ride podcast—hosted by Paul Dergarabedian, Senior Media Analyst, Comscore; Mike Polydoros, CEO at PaperAirplane Media; and Thaddeus Bouchard, President, Screendollars—recorded a special live episode during Cinema United’s Independent Theatre Owners Coalition (ITOC) event on Monday at CinemaCon in Las Vegas. They were joined by Cinema United’s President & CEO Michael O'Leary and ITOC Chair Colleen Barstow of ACX Cinemas. You can listen to it here: https://lnkd.in/e9QzyXAg Thank you to the incredible ITOC leadership team—Colleen Barstow, Emelyn Stuart, Paul Gunsky, Joseph Masher and Randy Hester—for putting together a great program along with Cinema United's Todd Halstead.

Congratulations to Sean Gamble for receiving his well-deserved Cinema United Marquee Award at CinemaCon 2025. Sean's unwavering dedication, commitment, and service to the motion picture theatre industry is an inspiration to all.

Cinema United's Young Members Community (YMC) helps the next generation of leaders in the exhibition industry to feel more connected through education initiatives and social events. Thank you to Brock Bagby, Matthew Hoopfer, CPA, and Erin Von Hoetzendorff for all that they do to guide the YMC.

During today's State of the Industry speech at CinemaCon, Cinema United President & CEO Michael O'Leary called upon exhibition and distribution to come together to transform the industry. Read the full speech here: https://lnkd.in/eh5ryWwF

The "Globally Speaking: Different Perspectives, One Common Goal" panel at CinemaCon 2025 was moderated by Cinema United President and CEO Michael O'Leary and boated an esteemed group of panelists: Jeff Goldstein, President, Global Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures; Alejandro Ramírez Magaña, CEO, Cinépolis; Tim Richards CBE, Founder & CEO, Vue; and Mark Viane, President, International Distribution, Paramount Pictures. "Globally Speaking" featured a candid conversation focused on the topics that are important to exhibitors and distributors around the world. You can listen to the full panel here: https://lnkd.in/erQsxaxD

Member Spotlight: Heather Morgan Heather Morgan is Chief Content Officer at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, a company that continues to redefine the moviegoing experience with 42 locations across 14 states. Heather’s professional background wasn’t always in theatrical exhibition, but once she stepped into the industry, she found something special—an environment where storytelling, strategy, and connection all come together. She shared, "I think passion and connection can be increasingly difficult to find and I absolutely love the way movies brings that out in people. I'm not sure I'd find the same thing if I were working in insurance." Looking ahead, Heather is excited about the industry’s evolution. She believes the future of the will be blindingly bright, as long as we achieve an even deeper focus on guests and their needs, using plenty of industry collaboration and strategic thinking to do so. Read more about Heather here: https://lnkd.in/dSqRRExT

One of the many great things about CinemaCon is that it brings together exhibitors from around the world. Whether they operate in small towns or big cities, all exhibitors are united by a common goal: ensuring, through continued innovation, that the communal experience of watching a movie on the big screen is here to stay.

Member Spotlight: Tessa Esplin For Tessa, movie theaters have always been more than just a place to watch films—they’re spaces where unforgettable memories are made. Starting out at 16, her first job was behind the concession stand, where she quickly fell in love with the energy of a movie theater. While pursing her degree in Marketing Management, she continued to take on bigger roles. Today, she holds the position of Marketing Manager at FatCats Entertainment, based in Pleasant Grove, UT, where she helps craft experiences that bring people together in ways only the big screen can. Tessa shared, “Whether it's a big blockbuster premiere, a themed event, or just someone’s first time in a theater, I get to be a small part of making those moments feel magical. Seeing people laugh, cry, and just escape into a film reminds me why I love what I do." Tessa is passionate about creating more than just movie nights—she’s building moments that remind audiences that movie theaters are places for unforgettable and immersive experiences that you just can't get anywhere else. Read more about Tessa here: https://lnkd.in/guJMfTvM