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
From Scream VI to Fast X, Super Bowl 2023 saw a string of enticing new trailers
The Super Bowl 2023 brought us more than just an epic football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles, it also gave us a sneak peek into some of the most anticipated movies of the year. Major movie studios including Sony Pictures, Universal Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros. and Disney all paid big bucks to promote their hottest titles.
From big-budget blockbusters to captivating dramas and spine-chilling thrillers, this year’s Super Bowl was a showcase of what’s to come from Tinseltown. Whatever genre it is you fancy, there was something for everyone during the trailer segment of the Super Bowl 2023. Here’s a rundown of all the movies that got a promotional boost during this year’s event.
Creed III
Release Date: 2 March 2023
30-second spot from Creed III at Super Bowl 2023 showcases more of the training and rivalry between Michael B. Jordan’s title character and Jonathan Majors’ Damian Anderson.
65
Release Date: 2 March 2023* (*Could be pushed to 9 March 2023)
Sony Pictures promoted 65 – a science-fiction thriller starring Adam Driver as a pilot who crashes and becomes stranded on Earth 65 million years ago. Written and directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, the film also stars Ariana Greenblatt and Chloe Coleman.
Scream VI
Release Date: 9 March 2023
Courteney Cox, Jenna Ortega, and Melissa Barrera headline this new minute-long Super Bowl 2023 spot that offers a longer look at one of the thriller’s set pieces briefly glimpsed in the previous trailer.
Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
Release Date: 20 April 2023
The Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves Super Bowl 2023 trailer goes a long way to promise how action-packed it will be. Though brief, the teaser is a fast-paced, breathless montage of multiple action set-pieces, mythical creatures and even a titular dragon.
Air
Release Date: 6 April 2023 (International Release)
Ben Affleck’s next directorial offering sees Matt Damon play the man whose brainchild saw the birth of Nike’s Air Jordans. The first trailer for Air was revealed before Super Bowl LVII, with a big game spot along for the ride.
Guardians of Galaxy Vol. 3
Release Date: 4 May 2023
Disney used the Super Bowl broadcast to spotlight the third installment of Guardians of the Galaxy starring Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldaña, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Vin Diesel and Bradley Cooper as the titular band of Marvel superheroes.
Fast X
Release Date: 19 May 2023
10 main movies in, it’s impossible not to know what you’re getting with the Fast & Furious franchise. The Super Bowl Fast X teaser and the full trailer released before it showed off all of the best parts: a new ostentatious villain in the shape of Jason Momoa, returning heroes and anti-heroes, major set-pieces, ludicrous physics and some good old-fashioned racing.
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts
Release Date: 08 June 2023
There’s more than just a sneak peek in this Transformers: Rise of the Beasts TV spot, because it’s not only a short promo for the film, but also an ad for Porsche, which is what Autobot Mirage transforms into in the trailer.
The Flash
Release Date: 15 June 2023
The first trailer for The Flash not only gives us a pretty good idea how the story might play out, but also reveals Michael Keaton in the Batsuit (and his Batmobile), Michael Shannon’s Zod, and Sasha Calle’s Supergirl, among other things. We also got a shorter minute-long TV spot for the film containing a lot of the same footage.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
Release Date: 30 June 2023
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, the fifth installment of the hit Indiana Jones franchise featuring the return of Harrison Ford as the titular swashbuckling archaeologist.
Click here to check out the leading brand commercials that aired during Super Bowl 2023.
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Source: Empire, Variety
CinemaCon 2022 took place between 25 – 28 April 2022 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
CinemaCon, the annual convention organized by the National Association of Theatre Owners, is back after a cancelled 2020 edition and a muted 2021 affair.
Only eight months ago, the movie theater industry congregated at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. The previous edition took place at a time when the cinema industry was in constant flux, with fewer overseas delegates, pre-recorded studio presentations, and a low turnout on the trade show floor.
The industry has made great strides since CinemaCon 2021, after a string of box office successes – Spider-Man: No Way Home, The Batman, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and a far more stabilized movie release calendar, which have given cinema owners the foundation to pursue a serious recovery. The worst looks to be behind movie owners around the world, with theatrically exclusive films returning to big screen and recent box office figures suggesting that viewers are returning to the medium.
Here’s a look at the biggest studio announcements from the largest annual gathering of the motion picture industry:
Sony Pictures:
Sony opened the studio presentations at CinemaCon 2022 with a victory lap. Tom Rothman, chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment, who energized the studio’s 2021 showcase to exhibitors by expressing a strong commitment to theatrical exclusivity.
Sony Pictures Entertainment has earned a whopping $3.3 billion in global box office since their last appearance in CinemaCon, only eight months back.
The studio’s 2022 presentation began with an extended look at the upcoming comedy-action caper Bullet Train (July 29) and continued its presentation further with the new looks of Where the Crawdads Sing (July 15) and The Woman King (September 16), original titles the studio believes will help balance the tentpole-heavy release schedule of the coming months.
Warner Bros.:
Warner Bros. started the presentation at CinemaCon 2022 by unveiling an early first look at footage from The Flash.
The major announcement of the evening was confirmation from studio chairman Toby Emmerich that director Matt Reeves and star Robert Pattinson would be coming back for another installment of The Batman.
Fans also caught the first glimpse of Margot Robbie in the starring role for Barbie, now scheduled for a July 21, 2023 release.
Director Baz Luhrman gave an enthusiastic introduction to footage from his upcoming Elvis, scheduled for a June 24 release, the film will confront the challenge of re-engaging older moviegoers.
Other non-franchise Warner Bros. titles featured in the presentation include the Timothy Chalamet musical Wonka (Christmas 2023), Olivia Wilde’s Don’t Worry, Darling starring Florence Pugh (September 23), and the Stephen King adaptation Salem’s Lot (September 9).
Warner Bros.’ focus on original titles didn’t overshadow the other DC Comics properties on its schedule. Their CinemaCon presentation included advance looks at Shazam! Fury of the Gods (December 16), Aquaman: The Lost Kingdom (March 17, 2023), DC League of Super-Pets (July 29), and Black Adam (October 21).
Disney:
Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige opened the ceremony introducing a 20-minute clip of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Marvel titles have been a financial lifeline for the industry since cinemas reopened with titles like Black Widow, Shan-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, The Eternals, and Spider-Man: No Way Home.
The CinemaCon 2022 audience also enjoyed a 30-minute look at Lightyear, the first Pixar title to hit theaters since Onward.
Disney turned the rest of the presentation over to its 20th Century Studios division, where audiences got a first look at footage of David O. Russell’s Amsterdam (November 4). The title promises to be a star-studded big screen experience driven by leads Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, and John David Washington.
Six minutes of The Bob’s Burgers Movie (May 27) also screened for the audience, emerging as a promising counter-programming option set to open alongside Top Gun: Maverick over Memorial Day weekend.
Producer Jon Landau came on stage to share Disney’s biggest announcement of the morning. Avatar 2, now titled Avatar: The Way of Water, will stick to its December 16 release date.
Universal Studios:
Universal Studios’ presentation represented with footage from Jordan Peele’s Nope (July 22), David Gordon Green’s Halloween Ends (October 14), and the Blumhouse evil robot thriller M3gan (January 13, 2023).
Highlights from the showcase also included enthusiastic responses from exhibitors for comedies Easter Sunday (August 5), Minions: The Rise of Gru (July 1), and Bros (September 30). Universal’s presentation closed with legacy cast members of Jurassic World: Dominion introducing a trailer for the film ahead of its June 10 release.
Focus Features:
Focus Features president Lisa Bunnell introduced footage from several upcoming titles. Focus will bring a diverse slate to theaters in 2022 that includes movies like Downton Abbey: A New Era (May 18) and Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris (July 15), genre plays like action-comedy flick Violent Night (December 2), and dramas like James Gray’s Armageddon Time.
Neon:
Neon showcased footage from a trio of its own titles to complement the week’s tentpole-driven presentations. David Cronenberg’s Crimes of the Future (June 3) is sure to make audiences squirm as the legendary director returns to his roots in body horror.
Lionsgate:
Lionsgate showcased upcoming comedy About My Father. The Studio also revealed never before seen footage of a slate that balances original films like coming-of-age comedy Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret and horror flick The Devil’s Light with established action franchises like John Wick Chapter 4 and The Expendables 4.
The studio is also building spin-off series based on successful films. The drama White Bird will act as a sort of spiritual prequel to Lionsgate’s 2017 hit Wonder, while Ballerina will give star Anna de Armas her own series in the John Wick universe.
The CinemaCon 2022 audience caught their first glimpse of the video game adaptation Borderlands and a new Dirty Dancing movie heralding the return of original star Jeniffer Grey.
The big news from the Lionsgate showcase came in the final moments of the presentation with the announcement of a new Hunger Games prequel dated for November 17, 2023. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes could provide a return to major global grosses for Lionsgate, which has played a larger role with mid-range titles since the Hunger Games series concluded in 2015.
Paramount Pictures:
Paramount Pictures kept most of the focus of its CinemaCon 2022 presentation on Top Gun: Maverick, which got its first public screening at the Las Vegas gathering Thursday.
The studio still had a few other big announcements to make. Among them were two title announcements for Paramount’s biggest franchises: Mission: Impossible and A Quiet Place. The seventh M:I film will be titled Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning: Part One while the upcoming “Quiet Place” spinoff from director Michael Sarnoski will be called A Quiet Place: Day One. Both films are set for release in 2023.
Source: Boxoffice Pro
The 10th installment of CinemaCon, the largest annual gathering of the motion picture industry, took place between 23 – 26 August 2021 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
CinemaCon is a global event that attracts delegates from more than 80 countries across the cinema industry, including studios, distributors, exhibitors and content creators.
Whilst the scale of the event was nowhere close to previous editions, mainly due to COVID-19 related travel restrictions, the show did go on, with studios setting the stage for their upcoming movies and giving the industry hope, confidence and a clear message that cinema is here to stay.
Here’s a roundup of studio announcements at CinemaCon 2021:
This year’s event enumerated blockbusters such as F9, Godzilla vs. Kong, A Quiet Place Part II and Cruella as the major drivers behind the extraordinary resurgence of the cinema industry, due to their encouraging box office figures. However, the highlight of the show included the preview of upcoming tentpoles by major studios, while it was announced that most of the preview films will be exclusive theatre releases.
This edition of CinemaCon also featured some discussions on the industry’s challenges coming out of the pandemic. Patty Jenkins, director of ‘Wonder Woman 1984’, emphasized that day-and-date” release is a “heartbreaking experience”. “I’m not a fan of day-and-date, and I hope to avoid it forever,” stated the filmmaker, expressing her strong preference of maintaining an exclusive theatrical window for all her upcoming films. “I don’t understand why we’re talking about throwing (the big-screen experience) away for 700 different streaming services that there’s no room for in the marketplace. It’s crazy to me,” said Jenkins. “One studio should plant a flag and make a huge move just for the theatrical experience, and the filmmakers will go there as a result”
The Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures also slammed day-and-date releases, pointing to the success of Free Guy at box office, and stated that such ‘terrific’ movies are not meant to be watched at home.
The next edition of CinemaCon is scheduled to be held between 25 – 28 April 2022.
Sources: CinemaCon and Box Office Pro
With roughly 80 days to go for Christmas, we at Motivate Val Morgan look ahead to what’s in store on the BIG screen in the month of December, and why brands should plan to include cinema in their festive media campaigns.
From mystery thriller Death on the Nile – based on the 1973 novel by Agatha Christie and Wonder Woman 1984 – the ninth installment in the DC Extended Universe, December 2020 holds festive treats for both cinemagoers and advertisers.
It has been a difficult year for a majority of industries with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and its on-going coverage dominating the news.
For cinema, Q2 2020 started off with its closure, followed by a staggered reopening between June and September – with cinemas operating at 30-50% capacity, accompanied by the lack of new content. Then came the release of two highly anticipated blockbusters – Tenet and Mulan, closely following each other, that did rather well on the BIG screen in both UAE and Saudi Arabia:
Following this high note was the official announcement of Death on the Nile, Wonder Woman 1984, No Time to Die and Black Widow pushing its release dates to December 2020, April 2021 and May 2021 (respectively).
The good news for now is that Bollywood blockbuster Laxmmi Bomb – featuring Akshay Kumar, which premiers on 9 November 2020 on Disney Plus Hotstar, will also release across cinemas in Australia, New Zealand and UAE simultaneously, on 9 November 2020. Laxmmi Bomb is anticipated to give cinema another upward push at box office in the UAE.
Laxmmi Bomb Motion Poster Trailer:
For now, December has a treat in store for everyone – cinemagoers and advertisers, with a range of highly anticipated a-list and b-list blockbusters, expected to release on the BIG screen.
The month kicks off with a brand new action comedy adventure featuring Ryan Reynolds – Free Guy, a story about a bank teller who discovers that he’s actually an NPC inside a brutal open world video game, scheduled to release 10 December 2020.
Free Guy Trailer:
Next up is Death on the Nile by 20th Century Studios, scheduled to release on 17th December 2020 . The mystery thriller directed by Kenneth Branagh is based on the 1937 novel of the same name by Agatha Christie, and a follow-up to 2017’s Murder on the Orient Express, featuring a star studded cast which includes Gal Gadot, Kenneth Branagh, Tome Bateman, Russell Brand and Letitia Wright.
Death on the Nile Trailer:
Just in time for Christmas will be the release of the much anticipated DC blockbuster Wonder Woman 1984 by Warner Bros. – featuring Gal Gadot, Chris Pine and Kristen Wiig. The film was originally announced for release on 13 December 2019, before being moved up to 1 November 2019, then to 5 June 5 2020, followed by 2 October 2020, and now 24 December 2020. Fingers crossed we won’t have to wait any longer than December 2020.
Wonder Woman 1984 Trailer:
Please Note: release dates for the movies listed above are subject to change.
December being the month of festivity, is something we’re sure most are looking forward to. There’s no denying that come December, the pandemic might still be headlining the news. However, cinema has always been known for providing audiences with a space for escapism – a place to immerse themselves in a story, for a couple of hours, watching feel-good content. Given the hardships we have experienced this year, in some way or another, December holds optimism among cinemagoers, given the powerful movie line-up, and presents opportunities for advertisers to target audiences who are keen to flex their spending power during the festive month leading up to the new year.
Stay tuned for the latest updates on movies releasing on the BIG screen over the next couple of months. We’ve also recently launched an attractive ‘guaranteed views’ package. Contact us if interested in starting a discussion on cinema advertising opportunities alongside any of the above mentioned blockbusters in the month of December 2020.
Sources: Box office Mojo, NDTV, IMDb and YouTube
Shot with IMAX Cameras, Christopher Nolan’s highly anticipated sci-fi thriller, from Warner Bros., Tenet will release in cinemas across the UAE, KSA and Lebanon on Thursday 27th August (Wednesday 26th August in Egypt).
Towards the end of July, Warner Bros. confirmed that Tenet would release in cinema, towards the end of August, in 70 overseas territories including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Russia and the United Kingdom.
The studio is still waiting for the go-ahead to debut Tenet in China – the world’s second-largest movie market. When theatres in the country first started to reopen, there were concerns that Tenet wouldn’t be able to screen there as exhibitors were not able to play movies that exceeded two hours in length — and Tenet clocks in at just over 2 hours and 30 minutes. But cinema owners have recently booked Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Inception and other old titles with lengthy runtimes, suggesting that China has eased up or doesn’t plan to enforce the restriction.
Warner Bros. also confirmed that the studio plans to move away from traditional global day-and-date release — a surprising break from tradition since North America is the world’s biggest film market and remains pivotal for major movies to turn a profit. Instead of a global day-and-date release, the studio hopes to innovate and recalibrate given the fact that foreign markets are already starting to reopen safely and is in desperate need for new Hollywood movies to entice audiences.
AMC Theatres CEO Adam Aron praised Warner Bros. for sticking to its promise of a theatrical release for Christopher Nolan’s Tenet, saying the studio is “doing something heroic.”
Watch the trailer for Tenet below:
Advertisers… here’s your chance to return to the BIG screen in a BIG way, alongside the first summer blockbuster release of 2020. Check out our Tenet offers below:
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Source: Variety
Attention movie-lovers! Cinemas may still remain closed in response to COVID-19, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t stay up-to-date with what’s happening in the world of movies!
Here are some of the big announcements made in May 2020:
Image Credits – Omaze
While the word eagerly awaits the release of Wonder Woman 1984, and even though there is no official on the big screen, Patty Jenkins has story ideas for Wonder Woman 3 and the planned Amazonian spin-off.
But of course, Wonder Woman 1984 needs to release first.
“I’m not going to nail down a fresh thought about it until [Wonder Woman 1984] comes out, because I kind of want to give myself a palette cleanser, and be fresh of mind. But yeah, there’s an arc that I have in mind for the first movie, and then the second movie, and then the Amazon movie, and then the third movie,” said Patty Jenkins.
Read more on this at ScreenRant and CinemaBlend
Image Credits – Warner Bros./Instagram
Warner Bros. has unveiled a new image from the Dune adaptation from director Denis Villeneuve – due to hit cinemas in December this year, which also features the sandy landscape of Abu Dhabi in the background.
Scenes for this highly anticipated sci-fi movie were filmed in Jordan and the UAE, as well as Budapest.
Read more on this at The National and Empire
Image Credits – ScreenRant
One small step for Tom Cruise, one giant leap for moviemaking?
Cruise is partnering with NASA to shoot a movie, at least in part, aboard the Intl. Space Station – the first narrative feature to be shot in space.
It’s unclear how Cruise will pull off this feat, but one thing’s for sure, knowing him, even at 57 he’ll probably insist on doing his own stunts (remember the freefall at 200 mph in 2018’s Mission: Impossible — Fallout?)
Read more on this at Variety an ScreenRant
Image Credits – Warner Bros.
Yes, it’s highly unlikely that anyone will ever win an Oscar for playing the caped crusader – Batman, but this does not mean that the pressure is off when portraying the character.
Robert Pattinson – the new Caped Crusader, says he has found a ‘gap’ to make Batman his own – in contrast to the likes of Val Kilmer’s cheeseball effort.
“I kind of like the fact that not only are there very, very, very well-done versions of the character which seem pretty definitive, but I was thinking that there are multiple definitive playings of the character,” said Pattinson.
You’ve seen this sort of lighter version, you’ve seen a kind of jaded version, a kind of more animalistic version. And the puzzle of it becomes quite satisfying, to think: Where’s my opening? And also, do I have anything inside me which would work if I could do it? And then also, it’s a legacy part, right? I like that,” he added.
Read more on this at: The Guardian
Image Credits – ScreenRant
You know who’s great at spicing things up and adding much-needed levity to franchises that have become somewhat bogged down in their own mythology? Taika Waititi!
Disney has announced that Taika Waititi will direct and co-write a new Star Wars movie for theatrical release.
Rumors of a Waititi-helmed Star Wars movie first surfaced in January, though it’s unclear if this movie is the one that Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige is reportedly developing.
Read more on this at The Verge and Wired
Image Credit – Paramount
Paramount Pictures has dated a new, untitled live-action Transformers film to be released in theaters on June 24, 2022.
As Paramount and Hasbro press forward to revamp the franchise, two new Transformers projects are being developed simultaneously, with Joby Harold (Army of the Dead) and James Vanderbilt (Zodiac) each penning a script. Plot details are being kept under wraps and no directors are currently attached to either.
Also, An untitled animated prequel to the Transformers franchise is in the works at Paramount Pictures and Hasbro’s eOne with Toy Story 4 director Josh Cooley.
Read more on this at TheWrap and Variety
Wonder Woman 1984 to release on August 14, 2020 (worldwide)
The coronavirus crisis has hit the entertainment industry hard, with many film and TV projects forced to make some drastic decisions in recent weeks.
If you’re anything like us, having witnessed Diana Prince’s epic sprint through the bleak and hellish emptiness of no man’s land, you are even more desperate for more from the DC’s iconic goddess. But, it seems like all of us will have to wait a little longer to see Wonder Woman in action again!
Wonder Woman 1984 was initially set to release in early June, but has now been postponed until August 2020, and despite the rumours you might have heard, both Warner Bros. and director Patty Jenkins assures fans the now-delayed DC film will be released in cinema and not via VOD/streaming platforms.
In a tweet posted following news of the film’s delay, Jenkins declared, “We made Wonder Woman 1984 for the big screen and I believe in the power of cinema.” She then reiterated that Wonder Woman 1984’s new release date is August 14, and that she prays for “better times for all by then.”
Most delayed movies currently plan to arrive in cinema at some point, though Universal decided to forgo its theatrical run of Emma, The Invisible Man, The Hunt and Trolls World Tour – releasing then directly on VOD. Some fans have called for other films to do the same as Universal in order for them to have access to more entertainment while in lockdown and quarantine at home, but no other movies have taken that route.
Jenkins also stressed that many cinemas are struggling to cope with their shutdowns, something that has been echoed by other directors. Christopher Nolan and Edgar Wright are among those who have encouraged support for cinemas during this time, either by buying memberships or through governmental assistance. In recent days, directors have championed the theatrical experience as more and more people rely on streaming services to keep them occupied.
Sources: Screenrant, World of Reel, Twitter and Techradar
Disney’s record-setting year at the box office simply won’t quit until the calendar rolls over. As the year comes to a close, Disney has remained king of the 2019 worldwide box office, producing eight out of the year’s 10 highest-grossing films.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker hit cinema screens the past weekend and had a strong opening at $175.5 million in the United States. While that’s not as large as The Force Awakens (2015) or The Last Jedi (2017), it’s still going to make the movie a huge hit for Disney, giving them another spot in the top ten highest-grossing US releases of 2019 – edging out Jordan Peele’s acclaimed Us, which grossed $175.05 million at the box office in the United States earlier this year. As such, Disney has produced eight of this year’s top ten, which is a truly unprecedented level of success.
With the success of numerous films including Avengers: Endgame, Aladdin and Toy Story 4 earlier this year, Disney has been growing at an astonishing rate and has earned a record-setting $10 billion at worldwide box office. The recent growth in success of Disney shouldn’t come as a surprise, given that the studio has always been a prominent player in the entertainment industry and has also begun to buy and consume its competition over the last couple of years.
The following 2019 movies also sit in the top ten, all of which were produced by Disney:
Avengers: Endgame
Worldwide Box Office: $2,797,800,564
The Lion King
Worldwide Box Office: $1,656,313,097
Toy Story 4
Worldwide Box Office: $1,073,394,813
Captain Marvel
Worldwide Box Office: $1,128,274,794
Spider-Man: Far From Home
Worldwide Box Office: $1,131,927,996
*Disney’s Marvel Studios produced Spider-Man: Far From Home while Sony handled distribution. Therefore, the film’s box office earnings doesn’t technically count towards Disney’s total for the year.
Frozen II
Worldwide Box Office: $1,165,209,889 (to date as the film is still screening in cinema)
Aladdin
Worldwide Box Office: $1,050,693,953
The only non-Disney movies to crack the top 10 in North America this year were Joker ($333.3 million) and IT Chapter Two ($211.5 million) – both titles produced by Warner Bros.
Disney has officially become the first studio in history to bring in $10 billion at the box office in a single year, and that total doesn’t count Spider-Man: Far From Home, nor does it account for the Fox titles the studio distributed following the $71.3 billion merger of the two companies earlier this year. Thus, Disney has han alarmingly good year and the competition is, without doubt, struggling to accomplish even a fraction of that success financially.
Disney’s 2020 release schedule is far less packed with anticipated movies. However, there are a few major titles including a live-action adaptation of Mulan and Black Widow and The Eternals from Marvel.
Watch trailers:
Mulan:
Black Widow:
Disney’s box office dominance is poised to continue in the new decade, as they will now be in full control of Fox content moving forward, with X-Men and Fantastic Four being two example franchises that can be used for further financial wins.
Contact a member of our sales team for cinema advertising opportunities alongside Disney Blockbusters in the upcoming year!
Sources: The Verge, CinemaBlend and The Numbers.
The world will soon have a new ‘Clown Prince of Crime’ when Joker debuts on 3rd October 2019. This time, he’s a comedian played by Joaquin Phoenix, and he’s ready to turn Gotham City’s frown upside down no matter what it takes.
From its GRITTY and enigmatic trailer, to the buzz created after winning The Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival – the festival’s highest prize, the stakes are high in terms of audience anticipation.
Produced by DC Film and distributed by Warner Bros. Joker is unlike any other superhero film. Brace yourselves for the brand new take on the Dark Knight’s greatest nemesis, guaranteed to put a ‘smile on your face’.
Watch the trailer of the Joker 2019:
Here’s what you should know about Joker:
Rating:
Joker is the first live-action Batman franchise film to receive an R-rating from the Motion Picture Association of America, due to its strong bloody violence, disturbing behavior, language, and brief sexual images. It can be presumed that the movie’s rating in the Middle East will end up being PG-18 for cinemagoers.
Is this Joker part of DC Comics?
There has been much speculation floating around as to whether the Joker is part of the DC Comic universe. However, director Todd Phillips has made it clear that the movie is a standalone story of the origins of Joker – the criminal mastermind and well-known nemesis of comic superhero Batman (in a never-seen portrait of the man behind the mask).
Joker is closer in spirit and substance to gritty cinematic portraits of antiheroes from the 1970s: Taxi Driver (1976), One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975), Serpico (1973), unlike any other typical modern comic-book movie.
Arthur Fleck (Joker’s real name in this standalone movie) does not align with any origin of the Joker ever published. What bits and pieces we’ve seen from promotional material resists attempts to connect the movie to any one story. It seems to be, by and large, entirely original in a way vanishingly few superhero movies have been.
Set in a ‘broken-down’ Gotham City between late 1970s and early 1980s, Joker shows the progressive evolution of Arthur Fleck, who is a clown-for-hire living with a fragile mother and struggling to keep his own peace of mind. But what’s up with his creepy laugh? Why is he taking care of his mom? We don’t know — and that’s possibly part of what the movie will explore.
*Did you know – This is Joaquin Phoenix’s first role in a comic book film. He previously turned down the title role in Doctor Strange (2016) as well as the chance to replace Edward Norton as the Hulk in The Avengers (2012), because he was unwilling to sign on to the multi-picture deal that Marvel Studios was requiring.
Director
Todd Phillips has directed numerous big hits – of which a majority are comedies. He directed all three of the movies in The Hangover series. With the release of the Joker trailer, many have praised what Phillips has shown thus far, with some even comparing the trailer to the work of legendary director Martin Scorsese. Helping to drive that comparison home is the fact that ‘frequent Scorsese collaborator’ Robert De Niro will be appearing in Joker.
Phillips has a series of blockbusters under his belt and is best known for writing and directing the comedy films. However, for his work on the satirical comedy film Borat (2006), Phillips was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.
The kind of gritty thriller Joker aims to be would be one thing, but what cinematic alchemy might happen when Phillips – who understands what it’s like to be inside Arthur Fleck’s head, is behind the camera? We will just have to wait and find out!
Who are the other characters alongside Joker?
Penny Fleck
Frances Conroy plays Penny Fleck. Penny is Arthur’s mother. She is an older woman whose health is fading, making her practically bed-ridden.
Conroy is best remembered for her role in HBO’s Six Feet Under. More recently, she has appeared in recurring TV roles in Castle Rock, American Horror Story, and Arrested Development.
Murray Franklin
Robert De Niro plays Murray Franklin. Murray is a talk show host on a late-night television program which airs in Gotham. He plays a role in Arthur’s transition from a struggling stand-up comedian into the Joker.
De Niro is a Hollywood legend with a career spanning more than 50 years in movies and television. Roles in films such as Taxi Driver (1976) and Raging Bull (1980) put De Niro on the map. Among his most recent credits are: The Intern (2015), Joy (2015) and Dirty Grandpa (2016), and another collaboration with director Martin Scorsese for The Irishman on Netflix.
Sophie Dumond
Zazie Beetz plays Sophie Dumond. Previously released details about Sophie note that she is a single mother living in Gotham and is a person of interest (possibly a love interest) to Arthur. Sophie is beaten down by life in the city of Gotham and feels as if the system is stacked against her and others in her community.
Beetz is best known for her role on FX’s Atlanta. She has also appeared in Geostorm (2017), Deadpool 2 (2018), and Steven Soderbergh’s High Flying Bird for Netflix
Watch the star cast in the first look of Joker:
Here are some statistics for previous DC Films (distributed by Warner Bros.):
Aquaman (2018)
Worldwide Box Office: $1,146,894,640
UAE Admissions: Ran for 15 weeks and did over 541K admissions
Wonder Woman (2017)
Worldwide Box Office: $821,133,378
UAE Admissions: Ran for 13 weeks and did over 329K admissions
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
Worldwide Box Office: $867,500,281
UAE Admissions: Ran for 13 weeks and did over 541K admissions
Suicide Squad (2016)
Worldwide Box Office: $746,059,887
UAE Admissions: Ran for 10 weeks and did over 338K admissions
The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Worldwide Box Office: $1,084,439,099
UAE Admissions: Ran for 11 weeks and did over 338K admissions
Boxoffice Pro is projecting Joker to make $103 million in its US opening. That would be the biggest October opening of all time, beating the record set by Venom (2018).
Motivate Val Morgan forecasts over 300K admissions in the UAE for Joker.
Contact a member of our sales team for cinema advertising opportunities alongside this MEGA Blockbuster.
Sources: ScreenRant, The Numbers, Wikipedia, Looper and Business Insider
