(photo by Michael Dequina)
After taking 2024's convention off, Sony Pictures returned to CinemaCon this year, occupying the opening night kick-off slot that they have held most years. While that thus would sound like convention business as usual, when the lights first dimmed in the Colosseum, on screen came another indicator that with NATO's name change to Cinema United also means a much different CinemaCon: the annual Cinema Concepts-produced reel of notable films released in the previous calendar year, which, dating back to the ShoWest years, marked the kick off of the Tuesday morning "official" opening session. Notice also the above descriptor -- "notable" -- for what was traditionally a spotlight on the biggest global box office achievers included a few titles who more than likely would not have been considered for inclusion in previous years. So, for reasons only known to those at Cinema Concepts and perhaps Cinema United, lesser known, much less heralded, titles such as One Life, Homestead, and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever were showcased alongside the more familiar (to put it mildly) Wicked, Deadpool & Wolverine, Bad Boys: Ride or Die, Dune Part Two, Civil War, Red One, Gladiator II, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, It Ends with Us, Nosferatu, Venom: The Last Dance, Longlegs, The Substance, A Complete Unknown, Mufasa: The Lion King, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Despicable Me 4, Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Kung Fu Panda 4, Moana 2, and the year's top grosser, Inside Out 2, which was released by the year's top box office studio once again, The Walt Disney Studios.
But back to tradition, the first person to grace the stage for the week was CinemaCon managing director Mitch Neuhauser, who, against his personal tradition, did not turn up in an outfit themed to a hit movie or few from the previous year. His fairly brief housekeeping message, during which he thanked returning presenting sponsor Coca-Cola, discussed the annual CinemaCon poster campaign contest for exhibitors, and paid tribute to the late Jon Landau, James Cameron's longtime producing partner and frequent CinemaCon stage presence, set a fairly straightforward, business-focused tone for this week. This carried through in the obligatory remarks by the evening's presentation sponsor, Barco, represented by executive vice president Gerwin Damberg, who set up a brief promotional video for the company's cinema technology offerings.
Thankfully not lost in the Cinema United name transition and making a welcome return to the studio presentation pre-shows was the Behind the Screens: Faces of Exhibition short video series that profiles the people who work in various positions at movie theatres nationwide. Featured in the "second season premiere," if you will, was Doreen Sayegh, a second generation movie theatre owner, who now owns the Cranford Theater, a neighborhood cinema in Cranford, New Jersey. Again, it's nice to reinforce what and whom this event is actually about and for amid all the Hollywood hype.
And, indeed, that hype quickly took over once the Sony presentation proper kicked off with a special pre-taped message.
Anaconda (December): Stars Jack Black and Paul Rudd gave a characteristically cheeky greeting from the set of the still-shooting comedic spin on the hit 1997 giant-snakes-in-the-jungle horror thriller. No footage whatsoever was shown, but Black and Rudd leaning into their well known quirky and self-aware senses of humor gave what is likely a preview of the overall tone of the film.
Tom Rothman, chairman & CEO,Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group
(photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for CinemaCon)
That clip proved to be one of the few exceptions in what Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group chairman and CEO Tom Rothman announced from the outset was "an atypical presentation" that focused on the mantra "great filmmakers make great films" -- read, the talent that would appear on stage would by and large be directors and producers, and not the parade of movie stars that the studio, much like the others, had trotted out in past years.
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple director Nia DaCosta(photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for CinemaCon)
28 Years Later (June 20) / 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (January 16, 2026): The first two installments of the planned legacy sequel trilogy to the virus infection horror thriller series that began with Danny Boyle's 2002 cult hit 28 Days Later and continued, and was last seen, with Juan Carlos Fresnadillo's standalone sequel 28 Weeks Later in 2007. Boyle was on hand to not only introduce the latest trailer for the film, which features series newcomers Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ralph Fiennes, and Jodie Comer fighting to survive amid the hordes of zombie-like, flesh-eating infected, but also the director of the already in-the-can follow-up, Nia DaCosta. No footage of this film was shown, but DaCosta unveiled a very first look at some images featuring returning star Fiennes and new star Jack O'Connell. No concrete news was given on a timeline for the third film which, like the 2002 original and these two upcoming films, will be written by Alex Garland.
Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse directorsJustin K. Thompson and Bob Persichetti,
and co-writer/producer Phil Lord
(photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for CinemaCon)
Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse (June 4, 2027): Making his return to the Sony presentation after unveiling the very first look at the animated superhero blockbuster Across the Spider-Verse in 2022 (over a year before its eventual June 2023 release) was co-writer/producer Phil Lord. It should be noted that at that presentation, he and co-writer/producer Christopher Miller (not in attendance this time) rather boldly and ambitiously announced the release date for the trilogy capper as March 29, 2024. Flash forward three years, and the third film is still not due for over another two years. After Lord was joined on stage by directors Bob Persichetti and Justin K. Thompson, some very brief, very preliminary footage was shown from the film, which will pick up directly after the second film's cliffhanger ending that left Miles Morales/Spider-Man's existence in danger.
Caught Stealing director/producer Darren Aronofsky(photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for CinemaCon)
Caught Stealing (August 28): Director Darren Aronofsky described his adaptation of Charlie Huston's novel as, uncharacteristically for him, "fun," and based on the first trailer he introduced, it very well may be. Austin Butler stars as a former baseball player who gets caught in a deadly caper that involves a bevy of shady characters played by luminaries such as Regina King, Bad Bunny, Liev Schreiber, Vincent D'Onofrio, and a mohawk-sporting Matt Smith.
Resident Evil (September 18, 2026): Appearing on stage to discuss his plans for his yet-to-begin-production, latest revival attempt at the video game-turned-film franchise was director Zach Cregger. He promised that it would be true to the spirit of the game series, a journey from one point to another. While not stated outright, the implication is that his film is a clean slate take like the previous, less than successful film revival attempt in 2021, which had no ties to the Milla Jovovich-led original film series, which ran for no less than six films over 14 years.
A Big Bold Beautiful Journey (September 19): This romantic fantasy appears to be just that, judging from the first look that was introduced on stage by director Kogonada. Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell play two strangers who go on said titular trip that appears to be through their literal memories and, naturally, fall in love along the way. With two appealing leads, this could attract a sizable portion of the female moviegoing audience that helped make Robbie's Barbie such a success.
GOAT (February 13, 2026): The latest non-Spider-Man release from Sony Pictures Animation is this basketball comedy where a literal goat strives to be the GOAT on the court. Director Tyree Dillihay got the hopes up for the less sports-savvy in the audience when he made an introductory announcement for the film's hoops superstar producer, Stephen Curry, but given that the NBA season is in full swing, it came as no surprise to me that Dillihay was only setting up a taped greeting from Curry, who also introduced a very brief snippet from the film.
Adam Bergerman, president, Sony Pictures Releasing(photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for CinemaCon)
The filmmaker parade then took a break with the appearance of Sony Pictures Releasing president Adam Bergerman, who, as with many before and many to come in the coming week and beyond, shared his belief in longer theatrical windows, for shorter ones only depress opening weekends. He then went over a few titles mostly verbally.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba -- Infinity Castle (September 12) / Chainsaw Man (October 29) / Scarlet (Winter): After Sony's anime label Crunchyroll got a full blown presentation last year (one that notably, and rather disappointingly, cleared a substantial number of seats in the auditorium), their upcoming slate of Japanese animation titles only got a brief mention here. The mention of Demon Slayer, the first film in a trilogy that will conclude the wildly popular anime series, set up a brief clip showcasing its devoted and ever-growing fan base. No clips nor trailers were presented for the remaining two titles. Another anime series adaptation for the big screen, Chainsaw Man, is set for a domestic theatrical run the following month; and the latest from Academy Award-nominated director Mamoru Hosoda, will hit cinemas by the end of the year.
Until Dawn (April 25) / untitled sixth Insidious film (August 21, 2026) / I Know What You Did Last Summer (July 18): Bergerman only gave verbal mention of both the soon to be rereleased horror video game adaptation and the untitled sixth installment of the James Wan-originated supernatural horror franchise (whether it's a sequel or a prequel, or if original stars Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne will return, is yet to be announced). But capping off his designated "horror" segment was a first look at the revival of '90s teen slasher horror series. Directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson (who was not present), it looks to follow the path of the horror "requel" trend of recent years, bringing back original stars Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. to partake in the mayhem alongside a number of fresh faces. One's mileage may vary as far as if that's a good or a bad thing, but one thing I do know is that one line of Hewitt's in the preview shown -- "What did you do last summer?" -- will certainly draw some guffaws if included in the official trailer released to cinemas.
Sanford Panitch, president,Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group
(photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for CinemaCon)
Sanford Panitch, one of the presidents of Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group, then took over verbal announcement duties, but for a number of projects much farther in the future. Director Taika Waititi and Jenna Ortega will team for an adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro's sci-fi bestseller Klara and the Sun (TBA). Takashi Yamazaki, director of the beloved, Oscar-winning Godzilla Minus One, will make his English language debut with Grandgear (TBA), for which no further details were shared. Comedian Nate Bergatze writes his first big screen starring vehicle, the family comedy The Breadwinner (August 13, 2016). A third installment of the Jumanji revival series (Christmas 2026) will be served up by director Jake Kasdan, presumably with his regular cast of Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, and Karen Gillan. Another '90s property will get its shot at a revival when director Neill Blomkamp takes on a brand new adaptation of Robert A. Heinlein's novel Starship Troopers (TBA). The announcements were capped off with that of a live action adaptation of the beloved Nintendo video game The Legend of Zelda (March 26, 2027), directed by Wes Ball and produced by Avi Arad and the game's creator, Shigeru Miyamoto.
Karate Kid: Legends stars Ben Wang and Ralph Macchio(photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for CinemaCon)
Karate Kid: Legends (May 30): An unexpected moment of pageantry -- performers playing drums, martial artists doing exercises, dancers with fans and ribbons -- heralded the first break from the "directors only" rule, when stars Ralph Macchio and Ben Wang -- and no trace of director Jonathan Entwistle -- appeared on stage to promote the latest installment of the family-friendly action franchise, which merges the world of the legacy 1984-1989 film series and the recently concluded Cobra Kai television series, and the 2010 big screen franchise reinvention that featured Jackie Chan. Two complete scenes were shown, including a classically Chan fight scene that involves kitchenware, followed by a first look at a new trailer.
Josh Greenstein, president,Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group
(photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for CinemaCon)
Josh Greenstein, the other president of Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group, then introduced the next director to take the stage.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day directorDestin Daniel Cretton
(photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for CinemaCon)
Spider-Man: Brand New Day (July 31, 2026): Director Destin Daniel Cretton introduced a taped message from star Tom Holland, returning for his fourth headlining outing as the web-slinger, where he revealed the film's official title for the first time. Cretton then went on to elaborate that this, in line with how the last film, No Way Home, ended, is a fresh start for the series, and the film's official logo, featuring a different wordmark for Spider-Man, reflects that. Cameras roll this summer for release the next.
Rothman returned to his hosting post to introduce one of the most ambitious and risky projects for a major studio, with one of the most insane release plans.
The Beatles: A Four-Film Cinematic Event director Sam Mendes(photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for CinemaCon)
The Beatles: A Four-Film Cinematic Event (April 2028): Sam Mendes took to the stage for his ambitious, and some could deem excessive, multi-film biopic project, with each of the four films distinctly from the point of view of one of the members. In advance of the planned year-long shoot for all of the films, he made official the long-speculated-on casting of the members by having the actors join him on stage: Paul Mescal (Paul McCartney), Harris Dickinson (John Lennon), Joseph Quinn (George Harrison), Barry Keoghan (Ringo Starr). While those exact names have been bandied about in the rumor and speculation mill for a while, what had not is Sony's unprecedented theatrical release plan: all four films will be released simultaneously in theatres in April 2028. At a time when the exhibition business is still in a precarious place, some wild swings are welcomed to at the very least get the public talking. That said, I wonder if this will simply just cannibalize the willing and available audience, if not confuse the target (older) crowd outright.
The Beatles: A Four-Film Cinematic Event starsPaul Mescal, Joseph Quinn, Barry Keoghan, Harris Dickinson
(photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for CinemaCon)
(animated photo by Michael Dequina)
In another break from long-held tradition, the customary Dolby-sponsored opening night party was not held at the usual location of Omnia, steps away from the Colosseum at Caesars Palace, but instead at Drai's, located on the rooftop of sister property The Cromwell across the street. The change in venue did bring with it a new energy, especially with the views overlooking the strip, and a fresh, half open-air space with numerous digital screens to tout upcoming Sony Pictures releases and technology offerings from the event's sponsor.
(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!
