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Friday, April 4, 2025
The Movie Report #1313 - April 4, 2025
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Thursday, April 3, 2025
CinemaCon 2025, Day 4: Big Screen Achievement Awards + Closing Night Party
(animated photo by Michael Dequina)
CinemaCon 2025 came to its traditional close with the Big Screen Achievement Awards and Closing Night Party, honoring notable acting and filmmaking talent, nearly all of whom are not only involved in upcoming releases featured throughout the week at the various studio presentations, but had actually appeared on the Colosseum stage earlier at said presentations. As with every "full" convention since the pandemic, some awards, namely Director of the Year and the Cinema Vérité Award, were given at earlier studio presentations to, respectively, Christopher McQuarrie and James L. Brooks. This year's complete list of honorees for the awards night, in the order in which they were given:
- Vanguard Award: Lindsay Lohan
- Star of Tomorrow: Ben Wang
- Distinguished Decade of Achievement in Film: Channing Tatum
- Action Star of the Year: Ana de Armas
- Cinema Icon Award: Mark Hamill
- Star of the Year: Glen Powell
- Next Generation Award: David Jonsson
- Rising Star of 2025: Madeleine McGraw
- Career Achievement in Comedy: Cheech Marin & Tommy Chong
For the fourth consecutive year, what were the usual pre-awards show press conferences did not take place this year, and at this rate, I'm not counting on them ever returning. The CinemaCon and Cinema United PR team did, however, provide full video of all of the evening's speeches to the media, as seen below:
Opening remarks by
Bob Bagby, Chairman, Cinema United & CEO, B&B Theatres;
Josh Nations, Global VP of Strategic Partnerships, The Coca-Cola Company;
and host Kevin Frazier
(video courtesy Getty Video for CinemaCon)
Lindsay Lohan, Vanguard Award honoree
(video courtesy Getty Video for CinemaCon)
Ben Wang, Star of Tomorrow honoree
(video courtesy Getty Video for CinemaCon)
Channing Tatum, Distinguished Decade of Achievement in Film honoree
(video courtesy Getty Video for CinemaCon)
Ana de Armas, Action Star of the Year honoree
(video courtesy Getty Video for CinemaCon)
Mark Hamill, Cinema Icon Award honoree
(video courtesy Getty Video for CinemaCon)
Glen Powell, Star of the Year honoree
(video courtesy Getty Video for CinemaCon)
David Jonsson, Next Generation Award honoree
(video courtesy Getty Video for CinemaCon)
Madeleine McGraw, Rising Star of 2025 honoree
(video courtesy Getty Video for CinemaCon)
Cheech Marin & Tommy Chong, Career Achievement in Comedy honorees
(video courtesy Getty Video for CinemaCon)
Also, video of James L. Brooks's acceptance of the Cinema Vérité Award from his Ella McCay stars Emma Mackey and Jamie Lee Curtis, and Disney Entertainment co-chairman Alan Bergman at this afternoon's Walt Disney Studios presentation was also provided:
James L. Brooks, Cinema Vérité Award honoree
(video courtesy Getty Video for CinemaCon)
Following that final event at the Colosseum, the Octavius Ballroom was once again the scene for the absolutely final event of the week, the Big Screen Achievement Awards afterparty, sponsored by the convention's longtime presenting sponsor, Coca-Cola.
(photo by Michael Dequina)
And so ends another full week at CinemaCon. Hopefully I will be returning on April 13 - 16, 2026 for CinemaCon 2026!
(Very special thanks to Heather Lewandoski and the CinemaCon PR team for all their helpful and generous assistance at the convention, as well as Mitch Neuhauser and the CinemaCon crew and Harry Medved and the Cinema United team)
The Movie Report wants to attend all your film special events! Please send any and all invitations to this address. Thanks!
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CinemaCon 2025, Day 4: Instagram round-up
CinemaCon 2025 has come to an end. Here is a recap of my live updates on Instagram throughout the day today.
(Very special thanks to Heather Lewandoski and the CinemaCon PR team for all their helpful and generous assistance at the convention, as well as Mitch Neuhauser and the CinemaCon crew and Harry Medved and the Cinema United team)
The Movie Report wants to attend all your film special events! Please send any and all invitations to this address. Thanks!
via Buy a Me a Coffee!
CinemaCon 2025, Day 3: Amazon MGM Studios
This year's CinemaCon marked the debut appearance of the merged Amazon MGM Studios, and while the previous, separate incarnations of the distributors were no strangers to the convention (for a few years, the former Amazon Studios hosted a luncheon presentation before graduating to a mainstage Colosseum program in 2019 with a screening of high profile Sundance acquisition Late Night -- whose commercial underperformance then caused the company to reassess its theatrical strategy; MGM's distribution entity venture with Annapurna Studios, United Artists Releasing, made its one and only official convention appearance during the COVID-delayed and -limited summer 2021 edition), this was the one presentation of the week that had the most, for lack of a better term, suspense, given that its theatrical slate was, at least in comparison to the other major studios, a bit of a mystery. Little of that, however, remained once the presentation came to a close, for in its slick, star-studded practice, it was a clear statement to the exhibition industry and the company's distributor brethren. As Mike Hopkins, head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios said in his remarks near the top of the show, "When Amazon commits to something, we tend to do it big."
Note that Hopkins's remarks happened near the top of the show, for executive speeches did not kick off the presentation. To go another step farther, unlike the standard for all CinemaCon presentations, whether at the Colosseum or at any of the ballrooms in the Caesars Palace conference center, neither an obligatory general segment or speech dedicated to this week-long event's true purpose -- motion picture exhibition -- nor a sponsor announcement or sizzle reel began the presentation. (One could argue, I suppose, that the "Amazon" side of the studio name makes the e-commerce behemoth its own sponsor.) Once the lights dimmed, it was straight to trailers and talent.
Mike Hopkins, Head of Prime Video & Amazon MGM Studios(photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for CinemaCon)
Project Hail Mary (March 20, 2026): This screen adaptation of Andy Weir's science fiction novel of the same name finds Ryan Gosling (who also produces) as a school science teacher enlisted to take part in the titular outer space expedition to find a star similar to the Earth's sun. During his solo journey into the unknown, he encounters an alien life form, at which point the lengthy preview reel came to an end, without revealing any of the creature's look. It was only after this "cold open" reel did Hopkins take the stage for his introductory remarks, during which he stated the studio's aim to release 15 films in theatres annually by 2027, with 2026 already on track to come close to that goal with 14 releases currently on that year's schedule. He then handed off to Kevin Wilson, head of the theatrical distribution, to serve as primary host for the remainder of the evening.
Kevin Wilson, Head of Theatrical Distribution, Amazon MGM Studios(photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for CinemaCon)
Wilson was soon joined on stage thereafter by Gosling and directors/producers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (the latter joining his longtime partner on stage after being absent from Sony's Beyond the Spider-Verse segment on Monday), who discussed the film and its mix of adventure, humor, and heart, which did come through in the reel. The ever-cheeky Gosling was in top form, extolling the virtues of the theatrical experience in his wry, witty way ("We tried to put it on a TV once. It wouldn't fit."), and often needling the scripted patter prepared for him and his directors on the teleprompter. (He would not be the only one to do so tonight.) Worth noting was how with this and every other film touted during evening, not only was a card showing the title and a key image shown on screen, but a listing of the film's producers. Perhaps this was Amazon MGM's more subtle way (certainly in comparison to Sony Pictures on Monday night) of announcing that they, too, are filmmaker friendly.
Project Hail Mary star/producer Ryan Goslingand directors/producers Christopher Miller & Phil Lord
(photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for CinemaCon)
Verity (May 15, 2026): No talent involved with the first Colleen Hoover novel screen adaptation since last summer's hit It Ends with Us appeared in person, but Hoover, director Michael Showalter, and stars Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson, and Josh Hartnett gave taped greetings followed by a very preliminary teaser glimpse of the thriller, where Johnson is hired to serve as ghostwriter for a famous and now physically incapacitated author (Hathaway) by her husband (Hartnett). All manner of twists and twisted reveals ensue.
The Thomas Crown Affair (2026): Principal production has yet to start on the third iteration of the romantic cat-and-mouse caper thriller, previously brought to the screen with much success by Steve McQueen, Faye Dunaway, and director Norman Jewison in 1968; and Pierce Brosnan, Rene Russo, and director John McTiernan in 1999. Handling both lead star and directing duties this time around will be Michael B. Jordan, who greeted the audience and briefly discussed the film via a video message. Oddly, no mention was made of his recently announced leading lady, Taylor Russell.
After the Hunt director/producer Luca Guadagninoand stars Ayo Edebiri and Andrew Garfield
(photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for CinemaCon)
Luca Guadagnino's After the Hunt (October): The first of only three 2025 releases touted during the presentation is what looks to be the studio's major awards gun, in which a longtime university professor (Julia Roberts) finds herself in a moral and ethical quandary after her prized student (Ayo Edebiri) makes devastating allegations against a beloved colleague (Andrew Garfield). Director/producer Guadagnino, previously seen on tape earlier in the week at Lionsgate's presentation, was live and in person to introduce an early extended sneak peek alongside Edebiri and Garfield.
Mercy (January 23, 2026): In this science fiction thriller set in not too far removed future, Chris Pratt must prove his innocence in his wife's murder within 90 minutes to an AI judge (Rebecca Ferguson) while strapped in a chair or be executed on the spot. Based on the first look extended trailer, this looks to be very much in director Timur Bekmambetov's proven genre popcorn entertainer wheelhouse. Taking the scripted stage shenanigans to another level, following the footage, Pratt himself was wheeled onto the stage strapped to the very same chair in the film and ordered to compliment the exhibitors in the audience a sufficient amount within five minutes or face execution. Pratt, Bekmambetov (who briefly stood from his seat in the audience as part of the gag), and Ferguson (on tape) were good sports who were able to sell the bit and, in turn, the film itself.
Three Bags Full: A Sheep Detective Movie (2026): When an image of a smiling Hugh Jackman cradling a sheep came up on the big screen accompanied by that title, one could easily take this film to be one of those fake parody movie punchlines (and, indeed, it immediately elicited audible laughter), but it is very, very real. Also quite real is the earnest, easy-going charm this family friendly, UK-set mystery-comedy displayed in both the behind the scenes footage and a couple of taped greetings from ever-affable stars Jackman and Emma Thompson, the latter's shot on the fly on her phone from a balcony overlooking a street, which led to a hilariously spontaneous, off-the-cuff set-up/payoff joke with a passerby hauling a giant suitcase. The pair is but the tip of the iceberg as far as the top flight cast, which also includes Tosin Cole, Hong Chau, Regina Hall, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston, and Patrick Stewart.
Crime 101 director/co-screenwriter/producer Bart Layton,star Halle Berry, and star/producer Chris Hemsworth
(photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for CinemaCon)
Crime 101 (2026): When Bart Layton's adaptation of the Don Winslow novella was initially announced, it was largely assumed to be a 2025 awards play, what with its pedigree and an ensemble cast led by Chris Hemsworth, Oscar winner Halle Berry, and Oscar nominees Mark Ruffalo and Barry Keoghan. Alas, it looks to be another year before audiences see how a string of heists that form a trail along Los Angeles's U.S. 101 freeway brings together a diverse and disparate group of individuals in the city -- and based on the extended first look presented in person by Hemsworth, Berry, and Layton, it could be worth the wait for moviegoers and awards voters alike.
Is God Is stars Mallori Johnson,Vivica A. Fox, and Kara Young
(photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for CinemaCon)
Is God Is (Fall): What is looking to be positioned for awards this calendar year is debut director Aleshea Harris's adaptation of her hit Off-Broadway play. In this Orion Pictures production, two polar opposite twin sisters (Mallori Johnson and Kara Young) hit the road to fulfill their mother's (Vivica A. Fox) dying wish: to find and kill their estranged, abusive father (Sterling K. Brown). That killer (bad pun intended) hook, combined with the trio of stars' live, onstage description of the film as being inspired by Greek tragedy, hip-hop, Afropunk, and spaghetti western, does not quite come close to the very distinctive, very promising look, feel, and vibe of the preview reel shown. Out of any film previewed so far at this entire convention, let alone in this studio presentation, this is the one that has intrigued me the most. Janelle Monáe also stars for director Harris, who did not appear on stage with Fox, Johnson, and Young but stood up from her seat in the auditorium to greet the audience when called out.
Sue Kroll, Head of Marketing; and Courtenay Valenti,Head of Film, Streaming, and Theatrical, Amazon MGM Studios
(photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for CinemaCon)
Sue Kroll, Head of Marketing; and Courtnay Valenti, Head of Film, Streaming, and Theatrical, both veterans of theatrical distribution (and both most notably at Warner Bros.), steered the presentation into the home stretch. They gave a verbal update on the status of the first post-Eon/Broccoli family James Bond adventure (newly installed producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman are hard at work in the UK) and made mention of the Scott Stuber-led revival of the United Artists label before taking a look at three more titles.
Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother (2026): Although he appeared on the Colosseum stage literally hours prior at Universal's afternoon presentation, star Mahershala Ali appeared on tape to apologize for not sticking around and to briefly talk about his upcoming action thriller with director Bassam Tariq (who, as it happens, was the first in the revolving door of directors tapped to helm Ali's long-gestating Blade reboot), which is imminently set to begin production.
Masters of the Universe (June 5, 2026): An extended video look at director Travis Knight's live action take on the iconic 1980s television animated series and toy line featured very little actual footage but a lot of behind the scenes glimpses, from production sketches, costume tests, and set tours of the sword-and-sorcery world of Eternia. Knight described himself as mostly a fan of the toys -- not surprising, given his history as a producer and director of stop-motion animation at his company LAIKA -- and that came through in the eerily accurate looks at Nicholas Galitzine as heroic Prince Adam / He-Man, Camila Mendes as compatriot Teela, and Alison Brie as villainess Evil-Lyn. Rather strategically, Jared Leto's take on big bad Skeletor was largely, literally shrouded. Idris Elba also stars in what will be the studio's first big-budget blockbuster test.
The Accountant2 stars Daniella Pineda, Cynthia Addai-Robinson,and Jon Bernthal; and star/producer Ben Affleck
(photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for CinemaCon)
The Accountant2 (April 25): Somewhat oddly serving as the presentation finale selection, given that its release is mere weeks away, was the sequel to the 2016 action thriller starring Ben Affleck as an autistic accountant with (to paraphrase Liam Neeson) a particular set of skills. Fresh off of the film's unveiling at SXSW last month, Affleck, returning co-stars Jon Bernthal and Cynthia Addai-Robinson, new co-star Daniella Pineda, and returning director Gavin O'Connor appeared on stage to discuss the film (and, in Affleck's case, poke fun at the teleprompter script, bringing to mind not only Gosling's appearance at the top of the show, but Affleck's infamous Armageddon Criterion Collection commentary track) and introduce an extended preview reel.
The grand curtain call had all of the evening's talent returning to stage for a big selfie, a modern day variation of the big studio "class photos" that would be taken every year at what was then known as ShoWest and be published in Premiere magazine -- which is how I first learned about the convention as a kid and became interested in attending and covering it... someday.
(photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for CinemaCon)
CinemaCon has seen its fair share of theatrical distributors come and go (e.g. STXfilms and... the original incarnation of Amazon Studios), but armed with both experienced leadership and a long legacy in the annals of motion picture history, here's hoping the Lion's roar will continue to ring in cinema halls worldwide for many more years to come.
(photo by Michael Dequina)
Stay tuned here and on my Instagram, TikTok, Spill (user name: @twotrey23 ), and Twitter all week for ongoing coverage of all the goings-on at CinemaCon 2025!
(Very special thanks to Heather Lewandoski and the CinemaCon PR team for all their helpful and generous assistance at the convention, as well as Mitch Neuhauser and the CinemaCon crew and Harry Medved and the Cinema United team)
The Movie Report wants to attend all your film special events! Please send any and all invitations to this address. Thanks!
via Buy a Me a Coffee!
Wednesday, April 2, 2025
CinemaCon 2025, Day 3: Instagram round-up
The third day of CinemaCon 2025 is in the books! Here is a recap of my live updates on Instagram throughout the day today.
Stay tuned here and on my Instagram, TikTok, Spill (user name: @twotrey23 ), and Twitter all week for ongoing coverage of all the goings-on at CinemaCon 2025!
(Very special thanks to Heather Lewandoski and the CinemaCon PR team for all their helpful and generous assistance at the convention, as well as Mitch Neuhauser and the CinemaCon crew and Harry Medved and the Cinema United team)
The Movie Report wants to attend all your film special events! Please send any and all invitations to this address. Thanks!
via Buy a Me a Coffee!
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