CinemaCon 2014: Disney’s Alan Horn channels Yoda to calm exhibitors

LAS VEGAS -- Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn won over a crowd of movie exhibitors Wednesday in Las Vegas, both with his dead-on impression of Yoda and his reassuring message that he believed in preserving the so-called theatrical window.

In 2011, exhibitors and studios went to war over plans to shrink the current period of time between a movie’s release in theaters and when it may be shown in the home. While studios wanted more flexibility to deliver movies to younger tech-savvy audiences sooner, exhibitors feared plans to significantly shrink the window would discourage consumers from going to the multiplex.

But in a presentation to hundreds of exhibitors at Caesars Palace for the annual CinemeCon trade show, Horn empfasized that he believed in maintaining the current window, which is typically 90 days or more.

PHOTOS: CinemaCon 2014 - The Scene

“I believe strongly in the theatrical window. Period,” Horn said.

The line drew almost as much applause as his impression a few seconds earlier of Yoda, when he said it was still too early to release details of “Star Wars: Episode VII,” the J.J. Abrams film set for release in December 2015.

“Patience, you must have,” he said in his best imitation of the iconic “Star Wars” sage.

John Fithian, president of the National Assn. of Theatre Owners, told reporters on Tuesday that the fight over windows was over -- for now -- and that the two sides were working together on ways to grow the business, such as through the sale of “super tickets,” which include early screenings and advance purchases of home video releases.

“It’s all about growing the business, not about fighting over pieces of the pie,” Fithian said.

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richard.verrier@latimes.com