As cinema operators continue to rebuild attendance, loyalty and revenue, one question is becoming harder to ignore:

Who owns the relationship with the moviegoer?

For decades, exhibitors have controlled much of the guest journey — from discovery and ticketing to concessions, loyalty and the in-theatre experience. But as more of that journey moves through digital channels, third-party platforms and aggregated marketplaces, the balance of control can begin to shift.

That shift is often described as “platformization.” And while the term may sound technical, the implications for cinemas are very practical: who controls demand, who owns the data, who manages the transaction, and who ultimately shapes the customer relationship.

On Tuesday, 7 July the CJ Cinema Summit will examine what platformization means for theatrical exhibition — and what cinemas can do now to protect their long-term strategic independence.

Presented in partnership with Vista Group and The Boxoffice Company, the session will bring together leaders from cinema and adjacent sectors to discuss how other industries have navigated similar changes, what lessons exhibition can draw from those experiences, and how operators can think more clearly about the digital infrastructure behind their businesses.

We’ll explore:

• The cinema “stack”: how demand, transactions, operations and customer identity now connect across the exhibition business

• Warning signs from other industries that have already gone through platformization

• What happens when one platform controls multiple layers of the customer journey

• How cinemas can protect their data, flexibility and direct relationship with moviegoers

• Practical ways exhibitors can build a more resilient digital ecosystem

• What a more resilient cinema technology stack could look like

Joining the discussion will be:

• Otto Turton, Vue International

• Cédric Gobilliard, Ennismore

• John Brown, Golfback

• Pierre Jean Romatet, À la Française & GREAT

The conversation around platformization is not about politics or picking sides. It is about helping cinemas better understand the systems, partnerships and technology choices that will shape their businesses in the years ahead.