Paramount CEO David Ellison pledged to release at least 30 movies annually in theaters after acquiring Warner Bros. Discovery, a promise aimed at gaining support for the deal despite industry skepticism. Many in Hollywood doubt the feasibility, noting that no major studio has released 30 wide theatrical films in a year since Time Warner did so in 2007, and the current average is about 15 per year.

Ellison made the pledge at Cinema Con in April, telling theater owners he would look them in the eye and keep his word. Paramount and Warner plan to release 28 films nationwide this year and 36 in 2027, including sequels to "A Quiet Place" and "Superman." Critics question whether the output can be sustained given nearly $80 billion in merger-related debt, despite plans for $6 billion in savings and no cuts to content spending. The studio has written agreements with theater operators guaranteeing the 30-film minimum for three years.

Industry veterans like Jason Squire and Todd Garner cite bloated budgets, streaming competition, and the collapse of the DVD market as reasons the model is unsustainable. Historical precedent shows output typically declines after studio acquisitions, as seen when Twentieth Century Fox’s output dropped from 11 films in 2018 to five under Disney. The Writers Guild of America and California Attorney General Rob Bonta have sued to block the merger, arguing such promises are routinely broken.