The CinemaCon 2024, the official convention of the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) in the US, wrapped up successfully after four days brimming with thrilling announcements, captivating presentations, dynamic demonstrations, and insightful discussions. Hosted at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, this event provided an unparalleled platform for industry leaders to convene and delve into the ever-changing landscape of cinema.
Movie enthusiasts are buzzing with excitement over the forthcoming slate of movie announcements from industry giants such as Disney, Warner Bros., Lionsgate, Universal & Focus Features, and Paramount, all featuring a surprising array of star power during their presentations.
While some studios chose a more reserved approach, others went all out, unveiling explosive action sequences, beloved characters, and intriguing new projects. Here’s a glimpse at some of the hottest trailers and announcements that have us eagerly anticipating a trip to the cinema:
Walt Disney Studios kicked off their presentation at CinemaCon 2024 with a captivating 13-minute exclusive footage reel from Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, showcasing the film’s expansive and visually stunning world. This was followed by an exciting 9-minute preview of Deadpool & Wolverine and an extended 35-minute sneak peek of Pixar’s highly anticipated Inside Out 2. Attendees were also treated to two exclusive clips from Fede Álvarez’s upcoming film, Alien: Romulus.
In addition to these sneak peeks of previously announced tentpole films, Disney Studios unveiled a lineup of top titles slated for release from late 2024 to early 2025. Among these announcements are Moana 2 set to debut on November 26, 2024, Mufasa: The Lion King premiering on December 19, 2024, and Captain America: Brave New World hitting theaters on February 13, 2025.
Warner Bros. electrified CinemaCon 2024 with an extended sneak peek at Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, setting the stage for an epic cinematic experience. Following this, the panel reached its pinnacle with the debut of the highly anticipated first official trailer for Joker 2: Folie à Deux. As expected, the film promises to delve deep into the toxic yet captivating relationship between Arthur and Harley, interspersed with dreamy dance and song sequences.
The audience was also treated to further revelations, including insights into Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, set to premiere on September 5,2024, and The Watchers, directed by Ishana Night Shyamalan and releasing on June 13, 2024. Additionally, attendees were thrilled by the unveiling of the first trailer for Bong Joon-ho’s sci-fi adventure Mickey 17, starring Robert Pattinson, slated to hit theaters on January 30, 2025.
Lionsgate made waves at CinemaCon this year with a plethora of exciting announcements. Among them was the confirmation of the sequel Now You See Me 3, featuring the original cast, and a thrilling remake of the horror classic The Blair Witch Project, helmed by Jason Blum. Additionally, they unveiled plans for a live-action adaptation of ‘Naruto’, a film based on the classic board game ‘Monopoly’, and an adaptation of the beloved video game ‘The Sims’.
The presentation also provided a sneak peek into this year’s upcoming blockbusters, including The Crow, Borderlands, The Strangers: Chapter 1, and Never Let Go.
Looking ahead to the first half of the 2025 slate, Lionsgate teased audiences with Guy Ritchie’s next film, In the Grey, slated for release on January 16, 2025. The film stars Henry Cavill and Jake Gyllenhaal as two extraction specialists tasked with rescuing a negotiator from a perilous situation. Also on the horizon are John Wick Presents: Ballerina, hitting theaters on June 5, 2025, and the eagerly anticipated Michael Jackson biopic Michael, scheduled for release on April 16, 2025.
Universal made a splash at CinemaCon with several exciting announcements. They revealed that the sequel to Five Nights at Freddy’s is set for release in fall 2025, following the mixed yet highly successful reception of the first installment, which grossed nearly 300 million dollars worldwide. This success naturally paves the way for the studio to expand on this franchise.
Furthermore, Universal showcased new projects such as Despicable Me 4, The Wolf Man, the disaster film Twisters, and Wicked, featuring Ariana Grande. The audience was also treated to a glimpse of Robert Egger’s adaptation of Nosferatu, which left a lasting impression with its initial images. Additionally, attendees were captivated by the debut trailer for the remake Speak No Evil, starring James McAvoy.
Paramount Pictures started with a major announcement: a crossover event featuring Transformers meeting G.I. Joe in an upcoming film. Additionally, the audience was treated to the first trailer for Transformers One.
The studio also unveiled plans for two new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem 2 and an R-rated live-action adaptation titled Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin. A new ‘Star Trek’ film is on the horizon for release next year, and Glen Powell is set to star in Edgar Wright’s remake of ‘The Running Man.’ Additionally, fans can anticipate a new installment in the ‘Scary Movie’ franchise currently in development. A final trailer for IF starring Ryan Reynolds was also showcased.
Fans of the blue hedgehog were delighted with the unveiling of the first teaser trailer for Sonic the Hedgehog 3 during the event. However, the teaser for Ridley Scott’s Gladiator 2, featuring Paul Mescal facing off against attacking wildlife like a rhino and vicious baboons, along with Pedro Pascal, was exclusively presented at the colosseum stage in Caesars Palace, according to Variety.
Sources: Rotten Tomatoes, Kino Check, discussingfilm.com, Variety
The possibility of travelling to the moon had long invigorated the dreams of storytellers.
On July 16th 1969 (50 year ago), Apollo 11 carrying three astronauts: Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins began its flight to the moon. The historic journey to the moon – which made fantasy real, opened a new frontier for Hollywood films. It was a giant leap not just for mankind, but for filmmakers alike.
With the landing on the moon invigorating the dreams of storytellers, many of the foremost filmmakers (then coming of age) turned to space. George Lucas debuted Star Wars in 1977, the same year Steven Spielberg released Close Encounters of the Third Kind, followed by Ridley Scott’s Alien two years later.
Since then there have been numerous space themed Hollywood movies that has done relatively well at worldwide box office:
Star Wars franchise – US$9,307,186,202
Star Trek franchise – US$2,267,036,257
Avatar (2009) – US$2,789,705,275
Gravity (2013) – US$693,698,673
Interstellar (2014) – US$666,379,375
The Martian (2015) – US$655,271,443
First Man (2018) – US$105,212,037
Fun Fact – After The Martian, NASA had one of the largest recruiting application pools that they’ve ever had for the astronaut programme.
Upcoming Hollywood space movies in 2019 include:
Ad Astra
Release Date – 19th September 2019
Director – James Gray
Starring – Brad Pitt, Liv Tyler, Donald Sutherland and Tommy Lee Jones
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Release Date – 19th December 2019
Director – J.J. Abrams
Starring – Daisy Ridley, Mark Hamill, Adam Driver and Lupita Nyong’o
Bollywood joins this epic journey with the release of its first space movie this year – coinciding with the 73rd Independence Day of India:
Mission Mangal (Hindi)
Release Date – 15th August 2019
Director – Jagan Shakti
Starring – Akshay Kumar, Sonakshi Sinha, Taapsee Pannu and Vidya Balan
For us audiences, we go to the movies to escape our personal disappointments, dramas and emotional dissonances suddenly seem far more distant and diffused, and you can’t get any farther away than deep in space. It’s that dreamlike, otherworldly, heavenly, uncanny feeling that makes us gravitate toward space-themed screens, again and again.
For advertisers, here’s your chance to target Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi, Fantasy and space-loving audiences over Q3 and Q4 2019. Contact us for cinema advertising opportunities alongside these movies.
Sources: Gulf News, Space.com, The Numbers, IMDB and YouTube
