Barbie, Oppenheimer help Cineplex hit record third-quarter revenue

globalnews.ca:

Canada’s largest movie chain had plenty of reasons to celebrate on Thursday.

On top of Cineplex Inc. reporting that the summer rush to see “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” delivered a record third quarter, the company was pleased to see the end of a lengthy Hollywood strike that halted television and film production for months and threatened the future movie lineup.

“On behalf of exhibitors and the millions of moviegoers, thank you,” Cineplex’s chief executive Ellis Jacob said in a message directed at those involved in the strike, which he delivered on a call with analysts.

Thousands of striking stars represented by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists hit picket lines in July, joining talent backed by the Writers Guild of America, who had already walked off the job.

While the writers ended their five-month strike in September, the actors’ job action stretched on, keeping stars away from the Toronto International Film Festival and delaying the debut of some films.

“Dune: Part Two,” Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” and Zendaya’s tennis film “Challengers” were among the flicks pushed back to 2024.

“With both the writers and actors strike behind us, any slight movement of content will not have a material impact,” Jacob said.

In the coming months, Cineplex is looking forward to screening “Ferrari,” “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom,”  “Napoleon,” “Wonka” and Disney’s “Wish,” along with concert movie “Renaissance: A Film by Beyonce.”

Cineplex Inc.’s enthusiasm about the slate of future films came as it reported net income of $29.7 million in its latest quarter as “Barbie,” “Oppenheimer” and “Mission “Impossible: Dead Reckoning” helped its revenue hit an all-time quarterly record.

The company’s profit