Celebrities and industry insiders look happy about Philippine television’s latest milestone: ABS-CBN and GMA-7’s partnership over Star Cinema movies!
Star Cinema is the film arm of ABS-CBN.
Today, April 5, 2022, ABS-CBN and GMA-7 announced the deal that will have a number of Star Cinema’s well-loved movies airing on GMA-7.
Both announcements were aired on ABS-CBN’s TV Patrol and GMA-7’s 24 Oras, the official primetime news programs of the two networks.
Read: GMA-7 inks deal with ABS-CBN; to air Star Cinema movies
At the end of TV Patrol’s broadcast, anchors Karen Davila and Bernadette Sembrano, once GMA-7 talents, congratulated both networks on the partnership.
Karen exclaimed: "Wow, talaga namang it’s a new era, di ba? Congratulations sa ating dalawa."
Bernadette added: "Sa Star Cinema and GMA!"
On social media, celebrities also expressed their happiness over this unprecedented development.
Kim Atienza—TV Patrol’s former weatherman who transferred to GMA-7 only in 2021—took to Twitter to express his excitement over the deal.
He wrote, "The force field is broken! GMA X ABS-CBN! The beginning of many beautiful things to come! The Lord works in mysterious ways!"
In another tweet, Kim said, "All in God's perfect time! GMA X ABS."
GMA-7 First Vice President Joey Abacan also posted pictures from the contract signing.
He wrote, "Impossible things do happen through prayers - our goal stemmed from our love for our Kapuso viewers to have a wider array of local movies for free - some Star Cinema movies will now be seen in GMA! thanks to both parties for making this happen #harmony"
GMA-7 artists Sofia Pablo, Bianca Umali, and Jeric Gonzales expressed support for this milestone through emoji comments on Joey’s post.
All-Out Sundays mainstay Mark Bautista, for his part, still seemed shocked to see the networks joining forces.
ABS-CBN and Rise artists Jeremiah Lisbo and JC Alcantara, as well as director Mae Cruz-Alviar also reposted the announcement on their Instagram stories.
GMA-7 actor Ruru Madrid, Rise talent Kerwin King, and actress Kakai Bautista left comments on StarCinema AdProm Head Mico del Rosario’s announcement post on Instagram.
ABS-CBN and GMA-7’s deal for the airing of Star Cinema movies on the Kapuso network begins on Sunday, April 10, with GMA Blockbusters airing John Lloyd Cruz and Sarah Geronimo’s hit movie It Takes A Man and A Woman.
Star Cinema has a strong track record of movie hits.