The Final Day of CinemaCon 2023

 

Jeri Jacquin

The final day has come swiftly and there is no time to waste. Wrapping up another year of the amazing convention will dazzle with everything possible in film.

Starting out with Paramount they want to make sure the new generation of movie goers about the turtles on a half-shell with TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: Mutant Mayhem. Paramount CEO Brian Robbins makes a dashing entrance through a manhole and carries what we all love – pizza!

He also announces that SCREAM VI brings the franchise in as its high-grossing film and that SMILE 2 will be coming as well. That all being said, the biggest thrill is the return of the fastest blue streak in red shoes with SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3.

Seth Rogen takes over the stage to talk about TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: Mutant Mayhem making sure everyone knows it is a film families can see together. Michelangelo, Donatello, Raphael and Leonardo are the crimefighters that are generational icons. A star-studded vocal cast led by Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson and Laurence Fishburne bring TRANSFORMERS ONE, the animated prequel coming in 2024.

On the animated side of fun is director Chris Miller showcasing Rihanna as Smurfette in THE SMURFS. Also, SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS back for more fun but this time facing foe the Flying Dutchman as both film debut in 2025. More animation comes from Aang, Katara, Sokka, Zuko and Toph returning for AVATAR: The Last Airbender. Rounding out the fun is PAW PARTROL: The Mighty Movie with Chris Rock.

TRANSFORMERS: Rise of the Beasts brings back the struggle as Decepticons and Autobots go head-to-head once again.

The next three films are going to fill the theatres for sure as John Krasinski brings A QUIET PLACE: Day One as another family struggles against what has landed on earth. The film stars Lupita Nyong’o, Joseph Quinn and Alex Wolff. Krasinski also brings IF, a live-action family film with Ryan Reynolds and Steve Carrell and with those two actors together, it is going to be amazing.

The next Tom Cruise installment directed by Christopher McQuarrie is MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: Dead Reckoning Part One. The film is due to be released this July and that will make for an extended firework celebration.

KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON due out in October is directed by Martin Scorsese and stars Leonardo DiCaptrio, Robert DeNiro, Lily Gladstone, Jessie Plemons, Tantoo Cardinal, John Lithgow and Brendan Fraser. The film tells the story of the Osage natives in 1920’s Oklahoma when the native people are being murdered as more and more settlers come to Osage County. It is a story of greed and sacrifice with a couple in the middle with loyalties to both sides.

Lionsgate is the very last studios presentation for 2023’s CinemaCon with its slate of films. The first is the highly anticipated continuation of HUNGER GAMES: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes takes us back in time sixty-four years before anyone ever heard of Katniss Everdeen.

The story follows the Snow family and the young Coriolanus who is looking to battle good and evil. He is paired up with Lucy Baird from District 12 and it becomes clear that it is a good pairing but will it change Snow? The film stars Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, Peter Dinklage, and Viola Davis. Coming this Thanksgiving 2023.

Lionsgate’s slate for 2023 includes About My Father, The Blackening, Joy Ride, White Bird: A Wonder Story, The Expendables 4, Ordinary Angels, and a Saw sequel.

Finally, the last event bringing CinemaCon 2023 to a close is the Big Screen Achievement Awards for 2023. This year’s winners include:

NATO Spirit of the Industry Award – Christopher Nolan and Emma Thomas

Star of the Year – Zendaya

Comedy Ensemble Award – The cast of “Joy Ride” - Ashley Park, Sherry Cola, Stephanie Hsu, and Sabrina Wu

CinemaCon Award of Excellence in Animation - Chris Meledandri

Cinéma Vérité Award - Melissa McCarthy

Rising Stars of the Year – Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback

More Surprises at CinemaCon 2023

 

Jeri Jacquin

Day three of CinemaCon brings an early morning presentation at Caesar’s Palace and the large Colosseum by Walt Disney Studios and 20^th Century Studios. It is a big presentation that ends with the screening of THE BOOGEYMAN.

Disney jumped right in with a trailer of the GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY Vol. 3 which opens in a little over a week. Celebrating in theatres for Thanksgiving is the Disney Animation film WISH with Chris Pine voicing King Magnifico (what a name eh?).

Another holiday weekend opening film is Disney’s live-action LITTLE MERMAID with Melissa McCarthy as Ursula. “Ursula is everything – she’s a dishy, conniving broad, maybe that’s why I relate to her”, says McCarthy. Look for it in theatres Memorial Day weekend.

A trailer for Marvel Studios works THE MARVELS is shown as well. HAUNTED MANSION stars Tiffany Haddish along with LaKeith Stanfield, Rosario Dawson, Winonya Ryder and Jamie Lee Curtis in a cool role! Coming in June is the animated film ELEMENTAL.

From 20^th Century Studios is THE CREATOR and from Searchlight and director Taika Waititi is NEXT GOAL WINS with Michael Fassbender as a soccer coach sent to American Samoa to turn their horrible team into winners. Indy is returning as Lucasfilm’s INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY returns for another adventure.

OPPENHEIMER opens the Universal and Focus Features slate of films and the introduction of its director Christopher Nolan. He says, “I know of no more dramatic tale. J. Robert Oppenheimer is the most important person who ever lived. He made the world we live in, for better or for worse. His story has to be seen to be believed.” OPPENHEIMER will be in theatres July 31.

Illumination has become a legend in its own right with some amazing animated films. Chris Meledandri is coming off of a THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE high to present MIGRATION starring Kumail Nanjiana, Elizabeth Banks and Danny DeVito. It is a story about a family of ducks getting lost in an adventure.

If you haven’t seen the trailer for the Will Ferrell-Jamie Foxx film STRAYS, you are really missing out. Ferrell plays Reggie, a dog that doesn’t realize how he is being treated by his owner until the strays set him straight.

Blumhouse gets a chance to brag a bit about the hits M3GAN and THE BLACK PHONE and will try once again with the film THE EXORCIST: Believer. DreamWorks brings RUBY GILLMAN: Teenage Kraken about a girl who has the ability to turn into, well, a kraken. Starring Toni Collette, Jane Fonda, Annie Murphy and more in this blue character fun this summer.

The gang is back in TROLLS BAND TOGETHER as Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake talk about the film’s premise. Branch and Poppy take the gang to save Branch’s brothers and that will not be taken troll-lightly.

KUNG FU PANDA 4 has Jack Black returning as Po the Panda. It’s time for Po to move up the spiritual ladder of success but in order to do that, he has to find a replacement for himself as the Dragon Warrior. Black says, “My films have made more than 48 quadrillion dollars around the world. You’re welcome! But none is more iconic than the noodle eating panda in the most successful trilogy in cinema history, the saga of KUNG FU PANDA.”

Upcoming films from Focus Features include a huge cast in the new Wes Anderson film ASTEROID CITY coming in June featuring Jason Schwartzman, Tom Hanks, Tilda Swinton, Edward Norton, Steve Carell, Matt Killion, Margot Robbie, Jeff Goldblum and the list goes on and on!

Also coming is the films DRIVE-AWAY DOLLS and THE HOLDOVERS with Paul Giamatti as a prep school teacher who goes from instructor to babysitter. Not to be left behind is America’s favorite Greek family (hold the Windex) with MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING 3 as Nia Vardalos writes and directs the Portokalos family back onto screen, this time for a family reunion in Greece. Look for it in theatres this September.

It is time for FAST X with Michelle Rodriguez, Sung Kang, Jordana Brewster and Tyrese Gibson getting the chance to talk about the film. They talk about the beginnings of the franchise and where it has taken them all from past to future. The walk down memory lane leads to the walk on stage of franchise fearless leader Vin Diesel.

“FAST is now the longest franchise in motion picture history with the same actors playing the characters. This is our family. The audience is our family. As we were building toward this achievement, we were attracting directors who each brought their own magic to the saga. I’m proud to say that for exactly two decades, the Fast films has been the most successful film of every one of our directors’ careers.”

That’s one way to end a presentation!