US cinemas urge 45-day 'baseline' before films stream

New films must be exclusive to movie theatres for at least 45 days before they become available via streaming, the head of the industry's US trade organisation said on Tuesday.

- 

Cinema owners say box office profits have been undercut by shorter theatrical-only "windows" brought in during the pandemic, just as audiences were returning - sometimes erratically - that they can watch new movies at home within weeks.

"There must be a baseline," said Cinema United president Michael O'Leary, calling "a clear, consistent period of theatricality" vital to restoring the health of the entire film industry, he said in a keynote speech during the group's annual CinemaCon event in Las Vegas.