Tim Richards, the visionary CEO of Vue International, is set to receive the prestigious Global Achievement in Exhibition Award at CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas next week. The honour comes as no surprise to industry insiders, who have witnessed Richards' unwavering commitment to theatrical exhibition through one of the most challenging periods in cinema history.
Speaking at the European Digital Cinema Forum (EDCF) Convention in Milan on February 26, Richards offered a candid assessment of the industry's turbulent journey and unveiled Vue's ambitious technological innovations that may reshape the theatrical experience. For the benefit to those that were not present in Milan or unable to make it to Las Vegas to hear him there, we present the highlights of his all-too brief keynote presentation here on CinemaNext.
Weathering the Perfect Storm
Richards began his keynote by reflecting on what he described as a "perfect storm" of challenges: the pandemic closures that shuttered cinemas worldwide for nearly two years, followed immediately by the Hollywood strikes that halted production just as cinemas were reopening.
"In an act of mutual industrial suicide, the WGA decided to go on strike. And then, as we know now, SAG-AFTRA went on strike," Richards told the Milan audience. The dual strikes, the first simultaneous guild actions in 60 years, created a global production paralysis that extended well beyond Hollywood.
"What we saw across our markets in Europe, and in speaking to filmmakers around the world – if you're a filmmaker, your dream is to do a Hollywood project. So, filmmakers worldwide largely stopped, even if they weren't union members," Richards explained.
Despite these challenges, Richards remains bullish on theatrical exhibition, pointing to unprecedented commitment from studios and streaming giants to future theatrical releases. "Their commitment to feature filmmaking now is absolutely unprecedented," he said, referencing recent visits to Los Angeles studios. "When you listen to the films that have been named, dated, and most importantly, financed, it's unprecedented. There's a big wave coming." (cont'd)
The AI Revolution at Vue
Perhaps most intriguing among Richards' revelations was Vue's nine-year journey developing an artificial intelligence system that now handles all film programming decisions across the circuit.
"One of the frustrations I always had was we had film people that were usually right, but not always right, deciding what was shown on our screens," Richards explained. "So, nine years ago, we started on a journey to build an AI model. It took us 53 models in beta."
The AI system now determines which films play at which locations, on which screens, and at what times – a radical departure from traditional programming methods. Richards claims this technology allows Vue to play 50% more movies than competitors and significantly increases their ability to program foreign language films, with an astonishing 46% of Vue's UK screenings being non-English language titles.
"It's an interpretative model that's constantly learning," Richards noted. "It knows where all our customers are, and might program only one or two screenings a day or three or four screenings a week of certain titles, but it's just filling our screens up."
The system is now being rolled out across Vue's European operations, starting with Italy and soon expanding to Germany and Poland, demonstrating the cautious confidence Richards has in the technology’s ability to transfer the workings of large cinema operators anywhere.
"Vue Your Way": Reinventing the Cinema Experience
Richards also unveiled "Vue Your Way," a new cinema concept that draws inspiration from global theatrical innovations while adding Vue's unique touches.
The concept focuses on eliminating queues through self-service concessions, automated entry gates, and a seamless customer journey "from the parking lot to the seat." Richards described their attempt to create an Amazon Go-style "just walk out" payment system, though he admitted the technology isn't quite ready.
"We tried to go full Amazon, but we couldn't. The technology is not quite there yet," he said. "But we're set up for it... we're actually set up with cameras around the entire foyer to do it. I think the technology is still probably another 12-18 months away."
In the meantime, Vue has implemented a quick barcode scanning system with large barcodes on all products, bringing transaction times down to approximately 25 seconds.
Premium Experiences: The Champagne Solution
Vue is also betting on ultra-premium seating to attract luxury-seeking moviegoers. Going beyond standard recliners, Vue has created what Richards calls an "ultra luxe seat" featuring increased width, more pitch, blankets, pillows, storage – and most distinctively, an integrated champagne and wine cooler.
"Push a little button and it cools your champagne down," Richards explained with evident pride. These premium seats are being retrofitted into "one or two of the best rows in every screen" across Vue's circuit, starting in Munich and expanding to UK locations. While it may not be as high-tech as the AI tech, this innovation caught the approving attention of the Milan audience – not least as it also works for Prosecco.
Vue Lumiere: Distributor Ambitions
Another strategic move is Vue's entry into film distribution with Vue Lumiere, an initiative focusing on small independent and foreign language films. The venture began when Vue distributed "Qian Carla Dimani" in the UK after speaking with the director, who lacked distribution in the territory.
"We've now set up Vue Lumiere, and this is really exclusively to distribute small, independent, and foreign language films, initially in the UK, but our goal is to roll them out across Europe," Richards said, emphasizing that these films would be made available to all exhibitors, not just Vue cinemas. As outgoing chair of BFI, as well as Vue CEO, Richard’s passion for and commitment to non-English films clearly goes far beyond seeing them as just another line item to improve the P&L of Vue.
Looking Forward
Richards concluded his keynote with characteristic optimism about cinema's future, particularly pointing to the upcoming "Avatar" sequels as transformative for the industry. "Ten years from now, we are going to look back on Avatar as the end and the beginning. The beginning of a new era for film."
For Richards and Vue, that future clearly involves pushing technology boundaries while maintaining cinema's communal appeal. It's this forward-thinking approach that has earned Richards the CinemaCon honour he'll receive on March 31 during the convention's International Day Breakfast.
As Mitch Neuhauser, Managing Director of CinemaCon, noted in the award announcement: "When it comes to passion, dedication or commitment in moving our industry forward, Tim really has no equal, actively championing both Vue and the industry."
With his focus on AI-driven programming, luxurious amenities, and streamlined customer experiences, Richards is positioning Vue to capitalize on what he believes will be an extraordinary resurgence in theatrical exhibition in 2026 and beyond.
Vue CEO Tim Richards Eyes Post-Pandemic Cinema Renaissance