IFTA and Regal Cinemas, Cineworld Group announced the launch of the Future of Distribution

IFTA and Regal Cinemas, Cineworld Group announced the launch of the Future of Distribution, an international initiative designed to respond to a longstanding challenge for cinemas: how to increase attendance by making better use of existing theatrical capacity. Attendance across most developed markets sits far below pre-pandemic levels, yet the screens, the films and the audience all still exist. In North America, admissions fell to roughly 770 million in 2025, down about 37 per cent in 2019, while the number of screens barely moved, and occupancy runs at 11 to 15 per cent. This is a failure of utilisation rather than a shortage of appetite: the wrong films on the wrong screens at the wrong hours. 

How it works.  Participating cinemas will make available a defined set of under-used screens and timeslots to a neutral programmer with a single mandate, to maximise attendance, drawing on the full range of available work from wide releases to documentaries, repertory and special events. The pilot is guided by five principles five principles protect every participant. It is additive, using capacity that would otherwise sit idle; it respects theatrical windows and release dates; participation is voluntary; governance is neutral and time-limited; and performance data is shared among participants to support collective learning. 

Why it matters. The pilot aims to generate evidence on whether programming innovation can increase admissions without disrupting existing distribution models, creating new opportunities for films, cinemas and audiences alike. 

Convened by the CNC and the Independent Film & Television Alliance (IFTA)

Pilot launches selected markets from late 2026  

First results published mid-2027.