Dubbed the “largest gathering of movie theater owners from around the world,” the annual get-together CinemaCon is an opportunity for film companies to show trailers and images of their upcoming blockbusters.
What happened: CinemaCon 2023 took place at Caesars Palace from April 25-28 in Las Vegas and featured presentations and trailers for some of 2023’s most anticipated films and some early announcements for 2023. Here are some of the main films shown during the event.
Avatar images and title: One of the most anticipated movies of 2023 and potentially of all time is “Avatar 2,” the long-awaited sequel to the record-breaking 2009 blockbuster. Footage from the sequel was shown at CinemaCon and audience members wore 3D glasses to see the full effect of the special effects the first film was known for. The film was also given the title “Avatar: The Way of Water”.
“We have to make sure that (audiences) have an experience that they can’t have anywhere else, and that has to be exclusively in theaters,” the producer said. Jon Landau said of the movie Avatar.
The trailer, which was unveiled at CinemaCon, will premiere exclusively in theaters ahead of “Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness.”
“Avatar: The Way of Water” is set for a theatrical release on December 16. Landau also announced that the first “Avatar” movie will hit theaters on September 23, 2023, with improved picture and sound.
“Avatar” is the world’s highest-grossing film of all time, grossing over $2.8 billion. The film also remains in the top five domestic releases of all time despite falling ticket prices in 2009.
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While Walt Disney Co. (NYSE: DIS) has a solid list of blockbuster films across its eponymous brand, Star Wars, Pixar and Marvel franchises, its acquisition of 20th Century Fox gave it the Avatar franchise, which has more films planned. Disney has also integrated the Avatar franchise into its theme parks, with a Pandora area and rides at Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World.
There are plans for four sequels to Avatar, bringing the franchise to five films in total and providing huge monetizable opportunities for Disney to grow the franchise in its vast media ecosystem. The sequels are set to hit theaters in 2023, 2024, 2026, and 2028.
The Batman: The highest-grossing movie of 2023 is “The Batman” by Discovery of Warner Bros. (NASDAQ: WBD). A sequel to the film was officially announced at CinemaCon with news that Robert Pattinson would return with the director Matt Reaves. The film grossed over $750 million worldwide and was also watched by 4.1 million households on HBO Max.
The film was key for Warner Bros. as the first major blockbuster theatrically released in years after releasing films in theaters and on HBO Max simultaneously. The announcement of a sequel shows the company’s big bet on this take on the Batman franchise, with a spin-off series centered around the Penguin character from “The Batman” coming to HBO Max.
More Hunger Games: One of the most successful film franchises of the 2010s is set to return in 2023 with the announcement that the previous book “The Ballad of Songbirds and Serpents” is coming to the big screen thanks to Lions Gate Entertainment (NYSE:LGFA)(NYSE:LGFB). The film is slated for a November 17, 2023 release date, following a launch window similar to what the original films saw around the Thanksgiving holiday.
The Hunger Games film franchise has grossed over $1.4 billion domestically. The second film in the four-part series was the biggest hit, as the series saw a slight decline for the last two films, released in 2014 and 2015. A theatrical release for the franchise every year for four consecutive years has helped boost Lions Gate’s revenue and stock price and could put the media stock in the spotlight for 2023.
The return of John Wick: Another Lions Gate franchise was honored at CinemaCon with Keanu Reeves present live and discuss “John Wick: Chapter 4”. The franchise has grown in popularity and box office success over the years, and the fourth film slated for release on March 24, 2023 could be a box office success. A trailer for the film was shown at CinemaCon, offering a first look.
“It’s how John Wick became more than a beloved franchise – a singular experience and a cultural phenomenon. An original story with no pre-existing fanbase that hit the big screen, bringing audiences back to the theater for the fourth time,” a Lions Gate executive said.
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Tom Cruise: Actor Tom Cruise was headlined at CinemaCon with a screening of “Top Gun: Maverick” by World Paramount (NASDAQ:PARA)(NASDAQ:PARAA) getting positive feedback from the event ahead of a May 27 theatrical release date.
The Mission: Impossible franchise, which stars Cruise, was also shown at CinemaCon. The latest film in the franchise has been given an announced title, “Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning – Part 1”. The film is set to hit theaters on July 14, 2023. An eighth film in the franchise is also slated for June 28, 2024.
While Cruise didn’t appear at CinemaCon in person to promote the new movie, he did record a message from the top of a biplane that was shown to the public.
“Sorry for the extra noise, as you can see we’re filming the latest installment of ‘Mission: Impossible’, making this movie for the big screen in your wonderful theaters,” Cruise said in the video.
Jurassic World: One of the most anticipated films of 2023 is “Jurassic World Dominion”. Stills from the film were shown at CinemaCon for the film, which has a June 10 release date.
The Jurassic World team has used events like CinemaCon to highlight the next blockbuster, with a presentation at last year’s CinemaCon and a presentation at SXSW in 2023.
The previous two Jurassic World movies released in 2015 and 2018 each grossed over $1.3 billion worldwide and helped boost the parent company’s financial profile. Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA).
Cinemas: Adam AronCEO of AMC Entertainment Holdings (NYSE: AMC), highlighted the CinemaCon slate in a tweet and mentioned the strength of the movie lineup over the next three years. With moviegoers returning to theaters after the COVID-19 pandemic, events like CinemaCon and movie trailers can build hype and help media companies and movie companies predict a recovery in movie revenue. halls.
I was just with filmmakers at the annual CinemaCon in Las Vegas. Starting next week, a cavalcade of fabulous films is coming to AMC. Over the next 3 months: Dr Strange, Downton Abbey, Top Gun Maverick, Jurassic World Dominion, Lightyear, Elvis, Minions, Nope, Bullet Train and more. pic.twitter.com/BLcXBq6TF4
— Adam Aron (@CEOAdam) April 29, 2023