Cineplex CEO says Canadian films are slumping at box office due to their ‘quality’

Ellis Jacob, president and CEO of Cineplex Entertainment, poses for a photograph after the company's annual general meeting in Toronto on Wednesday, May 17, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

TORONTO — The head of Cineplex says a recent slump in box-office revenues for Canadian films is due to the “quality” of the movies themselves, not a lack of audience interest.

Telefilm data released earlier this month shows domestic films earned nearly 41 per cent less in 2025 compared to the previous year, even as some Hollywood blockbusters helped buoy overall theatrical attendance.

Cineplex president and CEO Ellis Jacob said in an interview audiences are willing to support Canadian productions, but many domestic films are not drawing large crowds.

“It’s all about the quality of the film and what the guests want and what our visitors want to see at the movie theatre. I don’t think it has to do with the fact that it’s a Canadian film,” he said.

Jacob spoke about the film industry Wednesday after it was announced he will receive the Legend of Cinema Award at CinemaCon in Las Vegas this spring, becoming only the second recipient of the honour after filmmaker Martin Scorsese.

He said another challenge homegrown films face is attracting high-profile talent, as many Canadian actors and filmmakers chase bigger paydays in the U.S.

“If you’re a Canadian star and you can make $500,000 a year or $5 million in Hollywood, what are you going to do?”

Jacob said that while Canadian films have lower visibility, their struggles aren’t just “a marketing problem.”

“The awareness is a little lower, but it’s also the quality of the content — it’s not bringing droves of people to the theatres.”

Jacob said Cineplex ensures Canadian films get screen time across its theatres but noted that programming ultimately depends on audience demand.

“As Canadians running a Canadian business, we basically want to make sure the movies do well and they have the screens to play in. But we also have to remember we are running a public company and that we have to have a positive bottom line.”

Telefilm says Canadian films generated $13.9 million in 2025, down from $23.5 million in 2024 — a 40.9 per cent year-over-year decline. The result makes 2025 the third lowest performing year of the past decade, ahead of only the pandemic-affected 2020 and 2022

Out of 139 Canadian films released last year, just three earned more than $1 million at the box office. The Quebec comedy “Menteuse” led the pack with $2.6 million in revenue, while the family film “Ma belle-mère est une sorcière” and the animated feature “Night of the Zoopocalypse” each brought in over $1.1 million.

Jacob suggested homegrown filmmakers should focus on “stories that appeal to Canadians” and could benefit from tapping into the country’s diverse communities.

“I think we have to strengthen the kinds of films that we make and we also then have to market to the clientele that we think want to see the movie,” Jacob said.

“Because look, there are certain parts of the country where a Bollywood film outgrosses a Hollywood film. And that’s all because of who lives in the destinations and who wants to see those kinds of movies.”

He pointed to the success of last year’s Chinese animated adventure “Ne Zha II,” which made over $2.2 billion at the global box office, becoming the highest-grossing animated film of all time.

“It’s a big industry all over the world, and there’s no reason that Canada can’t partake in some of those opportunities.”

The Legend of Cinema Award recognizes individuals who have dedicated their careers to “preserving and elevating” the theatrical experience, says a release. It’s presented by Cinema United, which says it’s the largest exhibition trade organization in the world.

Jacob became CEO of Cineplex, Canada’s largest theatre chain, in 2003. He led the company’s acquisition of Famous Players from Viacom in 2005 and the subsequent merger of the two chains, calling it highlight of his career.

“That was not an easy task, I’ll tell you. I spent close to seven months in Ottawa with the Competition Bureau and getting all the approvals to move that forward.”

Over the weekend, Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol’s Canadian comedy “Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie” earned an estimated $290,000 domestically over three days, with a projected $350,000 for the four-day weekend, marking the biggest opening for a live-action English-language Canadian film since Johnson’s 2023 hit “BlackBerry.”

Jacob said the “Nirvanna” film is “doing really well for us.”

“So there are ones that do deliver.”

Cineplex reported a sharp drop in fourth-quarter profit last week, falling nearly 90 per cent to $369,000 compared with $3.3 million in the same period last year.

Jacob said the results largely reflect the content lineup and broader industry disruptions.

“To me, every quarter is dependent on the content. I’ve never worried about one quarter over the other. It’s basically looking at the business on the long term,” said Jacob, who will retire at the end of this year.

“We got hurt for a number of reasons — we had COVID, we had the strikes. Those really hurt us and that’s what we have to come out of.”

He said he’s confident in the Toronto-based theatre chain’s upcoming slate, which includes “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,” “Toy Story 5″ and “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” — all scheduled for spring or summer releases.

“I’m pretty optimistic going forward. I’d love to end my career on a high.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 18, 2026.

Alex Nino Gheciu, The Canadian Press