Margot Robbie and Jason Blum Join Cinema United Council

Margot Robbie and Jason Blum are bringing two very different filmmaking résumés to Cinema United’s Filmmaker Leadership Council, a group designed to advocate for movie theaters and the long-term theatrical experience.

Cinema United announced the additions on Sept. 29, placing the actor-producer behind Barbie and the founder of Blumhouse alongside a growing roster of directors and producers. The trade organization represents more than 63,000 movie screens around the world and was previously known as the National Association of Theatre Owners.

A council built around the big-screen business

The council is chaired by producer Jerry Bruckheimer, with Emma Thomas serving as vice chair. Its charter members include Ryan Coogler, Brad Bird, Jason Reitman and Celine Song. The group’s stated purpose is to connect filmmakers with exhibitors as the industry works to strengthen cinema attendance and keep theatrical releases central to the movie business.

Robbie said in the organization’s announcement that the power of cinema begins with the theater itself. Her appointment adds the perspective of a performer and producer whose LuckyChap banner has worked across studio blockbusters and smaller films. Blum, meanwhile, brings decades of experience building horror franchises through a model closely tied to communal audience reactions.

Cinema United president and CEO Michael O’Leary described both filmmakers as outspoken supporters of seeing movies in theaters. Bruckheimer also emphasized the scale of their combined influence as the council expands beyond its original membership.

Why these two appointments matter

The pairing gives the group access to creators working at opposite ends of the genre spectrum. Robbie has helped turn character-driven projects into broad cultural events, while Blum has repeatedly shown how modestly budgeted horror can become a dependable theatrical draw.

The appointments arrive while studios and exhibitors continue to debate release windows, premium formats and the kinds of films that can persuade audiences to leave home. Cinema United has not announced a specific policy initiative tied to Robbie and Blum’s arrival, but their participation gives filmmakers a more direct role in those conversations.

For moviegoers, the immediate change will be behind the scenes rather than on screen. The larger test will be whether the council can translate high-profile support for theaters into practical ideas that benefit releases of different sizes, not only the biggest event films.