Ellis Jacob, the longtime president and CEO of Canadian exhibition giant Cineplex, has announced plans to retire at the end of 2026.
“After thoughtful consideration, I welcome this next chapter. For decades, I have been focused on making Cineplex a great Canadian company, and I move forward with immense pride in what we’ve built for generations of Canadian movie fans who come to us for those magical moments of escape that can only be found in a true theatre experience,” Ellis said in a statement on Friday.
Before the 2005 acquisition of Famous Players and the creation of Cineplex Entertainment, Jacob was president and CEO of Cineplex Galaxy. In 1999, he co-founded Galaxy Entertainment and before that represented Alliance Atlantis Communications as a consultant.
From 1987 to 1998, Jacob held positions within Cineplex Odeon, including COO. He also has deep ties to the major Hollywood studios as major tentpole suppliers to the 172 movie theatres and location-based entertainment venues that are part of the Cineplex circuit in Canada.
“I remain committed to working with the board and the talented team at Cineplex during this transition period and have unwavering confidence in Cineplex’s bright future,” Jacob added.
Jacob’s potential exit from Cineplex was forestalled in 2020 when Regal owner Cineworld called off its planned $2.1 billion takeover of the Canadian exhibitor as the coronavirus pandemic shuttered the circuits of major exhibitors across the industry.
Jacob and the Cineplex leadership then had to take measures to survive the pandemic impacts and later content supply disruptions in the wake of the 2023 Hollywood actors and writers strikes, before more recently riding the industry’s box office recovery to restore the company’s fortunes.
That included Jacob being a major proponent of the cinema experience as the Hollywood majors debated shortening the theatrical window and even going straight to their emerging streaming platforms with movie releases amid the pandemic.
With his exit set for Dec. 31, 2026, Jacob will remain at the helm of Canada’s biggest exhibitor and assist with a transition to a new leadership. “The board is delighted to recognize Ellis, who has built Cineplex Inc. over the past four decades into one of the world’s best operators of movie theatres and family entertainment centres,” Cineplex board chair Phyllis Yaffe said in a statement.
As an industry pioneer, Jacob received a tribute award at the 2025 Canadian Screen Awards, and in 2022 was honored by the National Association of Theatre Owners with the 2022 NATO Marquee Award at CinemaCon.
He has also received the Order of Canada and the Order of Ontario, top Canadian civic awards.