Many of the studios’ screenings were shorter this year, with majors, including Fox, Amazon MGM, and Lionsgate, taking up just one day each. Paramount Global and Warner Bros. Discovery took two days each, while Disney took three days. NBCUniversal took four days. Sony Pictures TV had originally planned on taking two days, but later opted for just one day. When asked about it, a Sony Pictures spokesperson said: “We are not in fact having day-long screenings as we did last year, but instead doing an Upfront-style presentation on Sunday night.”
Commented an English-language content buyer: “The networks themselves are commissioning far less new shows these days, and many are spin-offs and go straight to series without a pilot. It’s a very different world to years gone by when we could screen over 30 brand-new network drama and comedy pilots.” Indeed, with most new pick-ups going straight to series, all the studios had a few pilots ready for screening.
Nonetheless, the Screenings lasted a full five days for most of the buying contingents, as it has for the last few years, with the exception of the LatAm buyers who were in town for an extra two days to attend the earlier L.A. Screenings Independents portion.
All in all, an estimated 750 international buyers gathered at these L.A. Screenings, a far cry from the over 1,500 recorded prior to the pandemic, with the reduction attributed to the TV outlets sending fewer acquisition executives, as well as concerns about entering the U.S. under the current administration. Indeed, a French scientist was denied U.S. entry in Houston, Texas, after phone messages critical of President Trump were found. A May 20, 2025 front cover story in USA Today confirmed that U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers have the authority to search the content of electronic devices.
Among the studios’ parties attended by VideoAge, both Disney on Saturday and Fox on Sunday managed to attract large crowds. Sunday’s Paramount screenings also filled its theater. Just before breaking for lunch, Paramount’s Dan Cohen sat on the stage with (the already picked-up) Boston Blue star Donnie Wahlberg (who’s also the new CBS series’ executive producer). NBCUniversal also had a big crowd at its Monday screenings and lunch. There, VideoAge met with Michael Bonner, who attended the L.A. Screenings for the first time as NBCUniversal’s president of Global TV Distribution. Wednesday, the last day of the studios’ screenings, was reserved by Disney, whose Latin buying contingent took over the Frank G. Wells Theater on Disney’s studio lot (other territories’ acquisition contingents took the Main Theater). Among the new shows screened there was Amanda, a Hulu limited series about American Amanda Knox’s conviction for murder in Italy.
Pictured above: Disney Latin America’s L.A. Screenings’ team at the Frank G. Wells building on the Disney lot.
Pictured below: Fox’s Fernando Szew, Prentiss Fraser, and Rob Wade at the Fox party; Paramount’s welcome sign; Disney’s party had a Hawaiian theme; NBCUni’s Michael Bonner.
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