by Rosa Parra
Day 2 of CinemaCon 2025 kicked off with a presentation from Lionsgate. Before diving into that, several speakers celebrated cinema and discussed actions regarding the theatrical window. One notable speaker was Elissa Federoff, the Chief Distribution Officer of Neon. She highlighted Neon’s success, especially focusing on the recent Best Picture winner, “Anora”, which experienced significant financial growth at the box office following its Academy Award win.
Following that, she introduced the first-ever trailer for “The Life of Chuck”, a film starring Tom Hiddleston. The trailer appears life-affirming and suggests that this could be one of the year’s most moving films. Next, she presented a trailer for “Together”, a horror thriller featuring Alison Brie and Dave Franco. This film promises to redefine the concept of codependency. While I’m not a massive fan of horror—especially body horror—I’m not rushing to see this film until I muster the courage to do so.
The Lionsgate presentation kicked off with a focus on “Ballerina”! Ana de Armas attended the event and was even more stunning in person. We were treated to a trailer with an exclusive fight clip, showcasing De Armas as an incredible badass. In this sequence, her character endures much punishment while also dishing out some severe damage. The film is set in the same world as “John Wick,” featuring stylish, well-choreographed, and fast-paced fight sequences.
Ana mentioned that she underwent extensive training for this role and feels that all her hard work truly paid off in the film. Based on the clip we saw, it’s clear she put in a tremendous amount of effort. The trailer looked fantastic!
There was an interesting discussion about honoring the franchise while making it its own thing—a challenging balance to strike. One particularly difficult aspect of the fight scenes involved using plates as weapons. Filming this sequence was tricky because the plates were prone to breaking, so the actors had to handle them carefully to avoid mishaps. Overall, it was a great conversation and an exciting preview of “Ballerina.”
The next segment featured an overview of the film “The Long Walk,” directed by Francis Lawrence and starring David Johnson and Mark Hamill. This film is based on a novel by Stephen King. The director expressed his interest in the project due to its genre, which is a combination of dystopian and horror. Johnson shared that making this film was a unique experience for him, particularly due to the extensive walking required during production.
On a sweet note, I found it adorable how David Johnson seemed hesitant to take the microphone before Mark Hamill spoke, almost asking for permission. Hamill plays the antagonist in the film, and I was surprised to learn that this was his first time at Cinemacon. I was fortunate enough to be there to experience it all. The trailer and teaser for the film, which is set to be released on September 12, 2025, look haunting and intense.
The Hunger Games franchise is gearing up for its latest installment. Director Francis Lawrence is remaining involved in discussions about this film, and the casting process is still ongoing. Filming is set to begin this July. Lawrence expressed that this project is a return to form, much like the previous films in the series. He also mentioned that this particular book is his favorite of the series. Titled “Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping,” the film is scheduled for release on November 20, 2026. During the announcement, we were shown an animated logo reveal, which featured an impressive purple design.
In other updates, Guadagnino has updated “American Psycho.” The screenwriter is involved, but the cast has not been confirmed yet.
In the John Wick universe, an animated prequel is in development, with Donnie Yen set to direct and star in a film titled “Caine”. Additionally, the concept for “John Wick 5” has been finalized, allowing it to move forward.
Lastly, Aziz Ansari’s film, “Good Fortune”, which was introduced at last year’s CinemaCon, is set for release, but no further details have been provided.
“Power Ballad” features Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas. The extended first look was decent, and the concept has promise. Two men form a bond and, during a moment of connection, collaborate to create a song. However, when one of them records the track, the other feels betrayed and embarks on a journey to make amends. The film resembles a buddy comedy-drama and shows plenty of potential.
“Now You See Me Now You Don’t” will be expanding its franchise with a new film that features an additional cast alongside the original members. Although I haven’t seen the previous films, apart from a few clips, this one caught my interest. It follows the conventional storyline of passing the baton to younger, up-and-coming talent. The new cast includes Dominic Sessa, Ariana Greeblatt, and Justice Smith.
“The Housemaid” is directed by Paul Feig and stars Sydney Sweeney, Amanda Seyfried, and Brendon Scannell (all of whom were in attendance). The film is a horror thriller based on a book, as described by the director, featuring unexpected twists and turns. The trailer presents a mysterious tone without a clear premise. Overall, nothing in particular caught my attention. The movie is set to be released this Christmas.
“Hurry Up Tomorrow” is directed by Tray Edward Shults and stars The Weeknd, Barry Keoghan, and Jenna Ortega. Only Shults and Ortega were in attendance during the event. The film is described as a singular, visceral vision. Jenna Ortega shared some insights about her role as the protagonist, including a funny anecdote from one of the filming days at the Santa Monica Pier. She mentioned that her character takes on various iterations and emphasized that this movie is a psychological thriller best experienced firsthand.
We watched the trailer, which was decent, and then Jenna Ortega introduced her collaborator, The Weeknd. He performed the original song from the movie, followed by “Blinding Lights.” It felt like a mini concert in the Colosseum, and I’m still processing the experience. “Hurry Up Tomorrow” is set to be released on May 16, 2025.