by Rosa Parra

Universal Studios Presentation

• Snoop Dogg puts on a mini concert, telling us it is his turn to have a biopic. He has partnered with Universal to tell his story. Absolutely love that he is singing his presentation. Jonathan Daviss plays Snoop himself. The film hasn’t started filming yet, but he has promised us that next year he will return with a trailer and Jonathan. The spiritual cousin to Straight Outta Compton. No director has been announced, but this looks like it may be something to anticipate from this studio next year. 

• Dona Langley, the chairman of NBCU Entertainment, took the stage. After an incredible montage of all Christopher Nolan’s films, he receives a standing ovation (second only to Tom Cruise) from the audience. Takes the stage and jokes about being grateful for not having to follow Spielberg’s presentation. Sir, you are the president of the DGA. You’ve earned every flower thrown your way. He continues by discussing the main plot of his upcoming film, The Odyssey. This is a story about family and the core cast are Matt Damon, Tom Holland and Anne Hathaway. A grateful Nolan describes the technical side of his filmmaking approach and how his filmmaking is deliberately designed for theatrical viewing. We watched a first glimpse of The Odyssey, and this also looks epic, action-packed, and its score adds intensity. We see Nolan continue to master the ability to activate every sensory response. This looks very promising, and I can’t wait for this film to release mid July 17, 2026.
• Jim Orr, president of theatrical distributions, discusses how Universal hosts critically acclaimed directors known for creating iconic and legendary films. This year, the lineup expands to include Christopher Nolan and Steven Spielberg. 

• Jack Black steps forward to discuss The Super Mario Galaxy Movie and its box office performance. He then introduces the head of Illumination, the studio that has earned $11 billion for Universal. Next, he talks about Minions and Monsters, set in the 1920s. A scene is shown that pays tribute to early cinema, which originated in the 1920s, especially in Hollywood, Los Angeles. Since this Minions film is about falling in love with filmmaking, it can also be seen as a semi-autobiographical reflection of the director’s own experiences. 
• Now, moving on to the horror segment. First, we were shown a trailer for Other Mommy, a horror film starring Jessica Chastain set to release on October 9th (I believe). It looked incredibly creepy, and I must admit I have no interest in watching it because it scared me too much—perhaps the perfect description for horror fans. Following that, there was a quick preview for Violent Night 2, coming out on December 4th. The footage appeared decent, and it was also revealed that Kristen Bell will play Santa’s significant other in this sequel. It looks violent and seems to match the tone of the original. 

• Focker In-Law featuring Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro is set to release this Thanksgiving, and the trailer looks funny. I haven’t seen the earlier movies, so I don’t have any nostalgic attachment. The chemistry between Stiller and De Niro is evident; their back-and-forth banter was entertaining and hilarious. For the first time, I’ve become interested enough to consider watching the previous films.  
• For Focus Features, they presented only two trailers from their upcoming slate. A new Sense and Sensibility is set to be released in October, and the trailer looks promising. I’ve never been a big fan of Jane Austen adaptations, except for Emma, so this film doesn’t particularly excite me. The second trailer featured Robert Eggers’ Werwulf starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson, which looked absolutely stunning. After Nosferatu, I thought I’d seen all Eggers had to offer, but Werwulf appears even more haunting, eerie, gothic, and gory. The natural lighting enhances the dark, mysterious mood, and the rich folklore elements contribute to the film’s macabre tone. 

• Coleman Domingo presents Steven Spielberg as the recipient of the special one-time MPA America250 Award. Domingo then interviews Spielberg about his 35th film, Disclosure Day. His fascination with the unknown is remarkable. This summer, for the first time in his career, his film may reveal more truth about what is happening in the sky. He mentions that he asked Universal to keep all the footage from the third act out of advertising, so viewers can experience the film without spoilers and be genuinely surprised by the ending. The preview footage reminded me of action-adventure films from the late 90s and early 2000s. I can’t wait to see this film!