Sony Chairman Tom Rothman Wants Theaters to "Get Off the Ad Crack"

When I went to see Project Hail Mary, I sat through almost 40 minutes of trailers and ads before the movie started. That made an already long movie, which I loved, an even longer experience at the theater.

And if you’ve been to a multiplex lately, you know the drill. Either you have to sit through that stuff, or you have to show up thirty minutes later, and hope you time it before the movie starts and that last Coke ad ends.

Well, at CinemaCon yesterday, The Hollywood Reporter says that Sony Pictures chairman Tom Rothman addressed that uncomfortable reality directly.

Speaking at CinemaCon 2026, Rothman didn't hold back. His message? If we want the theatrical experience to survive, we need to stop making it a chore for the audience to be there.

Let's dive in.

The "Ad Crack" Addiction

CinemaCon is great because everyone is so laid back, and sometimes they speak from the heart. Rothman's quote was a day-one highlight for me.

He told exhibitors to "get off the ad crack" while he addressed the bloated pre-show windows that get in the way of us enjoying a movie.

"Infrequent moviegoers come at the showtime and hate being forced to watch endless commercials, which they don't have to do at home, where the movies are free," Rothman told the crowd.

The problem is a feedback loop: theaters show more ads to make up for lower attendance, which makes the experience less appealing, which leads to... even lower attendance. Or people showing up late to the movie!

Rothman also came at ticket prices.

“Affordability is by far the No. 1 economic issue along the majority of Americans. Going to the movies must be more affordable again. I know business has been tough. I’m not heckling; I’m rooting for you because many of you have made wonderful investments in upgrading your theaters.”

Finally, Rothman went into the timing of the changes we need to see and talked about why this is the perfect time to implement them.

“I think all the studios — hopefully us included — have strong slates coming,” he said. “So this year would be a great time to push for some longer-term improvements in the customers’ experience. And as I said, we will work with you on all these, because the Olympics have recently added another word to their motto … ‘together.’ We must hold up our end, and you yours, but together I firmly believe the theatrical business will prevail.”

'The Aviator' CREDIT: Warner Bros.

The Bottom Line

Tom Rothman is a "lifelong defender of movie theaters," and his "tough love" comes from a place of survival.

And it was really inspirational to hear the chairman of a major movie studio talk this way and this passionately about how we can preserve and profit from the movies.

Art and commerce have to find a way to vibe, and it felt like he made it his mission to find that balance.

The theatrical window is the lifeblood of the industry, but as Rothman points out, you can't save the business by alienating the customer.

And those ads are dragging us all down.

Summing It All Up

Will theaters heed Rothman's call? Can we expect them to cut back on the lucrative ad revenue to improve the "consumer experience"?

If we see box office successes and the audience comes back, it's possible to feel they'll let go.

It’s a hard pill to swallow, but as the industry looks toward a massive 2026, it might be the only way to keep the lights on in the long run.

Let me know what you think in the comments.