By Rosa Parra
As we approach Cinemacon 2025, it’s hard to believe a year has passed since we were last in Las Vegas for Cinemacon 2024. This year, the event promises to be even more exciting with the debut of Amazon Studios, adding a new dimension to the lineup of major studios. The event is scheduled from Monday, March 31st to Thursday, April 3 at the Cesar’s Palace, primarily at the Colosseum. As always, Cinemacon will feature a special screening, it was The Fall Guy (2024), and this year’s highlight is Universal’s live-action How to Train Your Dragon (2025).
Monday March 31st will kick off with the presentation of Sony Pictures. We will expect to see something on Karate Kid: Legends, which will hit theaters on May 30, 2025. We may also get something on 28 Years Later, set to release June 20, 2025. Beneath the Storm as well as Anaconda (yeap, the remake of the 1997 film) also have the potential of making an appearance, although both films don’t have an official theatrical release date as of yet. Lastly, the studio has several projects in pre-production and/or developmental stages that may have some updates. These include Street Frighter, Spider-Man sequel as we all Jumanji. We shall soon find out.
On Tuesday, April 1st, the day will kick off with an early presentation by Lionsgate. Last year, they provided a substantial look at Ballerina, and I anticipate they will do the same this year. This film is scheduled for a theatrical release on June 6, 2025. In addition, we received a sneak peek of the Michael Jackson biopic titled Michael, which is set to be released on October 3, 2025. I am assuming that we will get an extended showcase of this movie as well. There is also a chance that we will hear updates regarding the upcoming Hunger Games film, along with Luca Guadagnino’s reimagining of American Psycho.
One of the most highly anticipated presentations on April 1st (and no, this is not an April Fool’s joke) is the Warner Bros. presentation. Given the imminent release of Minecraft, we will likely learn more about this film. Later in April 2025, we can expect the release of Sinners, a collaboration between Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan. We may also receive updates on the next entry in the Final Destination series. The release date for Maggie Gyllenhaal’s Bride of Frankenstein has been moved to March 6, 2026, so it’s uncertain whether it will feature in the Warner Bros. lineup.
The highlight of the Warner Bros. presentation will undoubtedly be James Gunn’s Superman, which is set for release on July 11, 2025. The presentation is believed to include a new trailer, some footage, and possibly announcements regarding other upcoming DC Universe projects. Additionally, there may be a feature on Paul Thomas Anderson’s film One Battle After Another, which is slated for release later this year.
On Wednesday, April 2nd, the day will start early with the Angel Studios presentation. I recently watched The King of Kings, which marks the studio’s first feature-length animated film, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! Since we are just days away from its wide theatrical release, I expect it may receive some spotlight during the presentation. Given that Angel Studios typically releases films on major holidays, I’m sure we’ll learn about their upcoming slate for the rest of the year.
This will be followed by an exclusive screening of Universal’s and DreamWorks’s How to Train Your Dragon. As soon as the screening concludes, I’ll share my quick thoughts (at least, what I’m allowed to disclose). Following the screening, there will be a presentation from Universal and Focus Features. They are expected to showcase the upcoming film Drop, which premiered to a thoroughly positive reception at SXSW and will be released on April 11.
Universal also has several other films in the pipeline, including M3GAN 2.0, Jurassic World: Rebirth, The Bad Guys 2, and Nobody 2. In the horror genre, we can look forward to The Black Phone 2 and Five Nights at Freddy’s 2. On the animation front, there may be updates on Minions 3 and Shrek 5.
Among the most anticipated films is Christopher Nolan’s upcoming project, The Odyssey, which has already assembled a star-studded cast. There’s a good chance that those in attendance will get a sneak peek at early footage. Additionally, we are likely to see a trailer or some footage from the sequel to the Oscar-nominated film Wicked.
Finally, this busy Wednesday will wrap up with the CinemaCon debut of the Amazon MGM Studios presentation. We are likely to see more details about The Accountant 2. The upcoming film Project Hail Mary, directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller and starring Ryan Gosling, may also be showcased. Additionally, we can expect updates on Masters of the Universe and the live-action adaptation of Voltron, which features Henry Cavill.
CinemaCon will conclude its 2025 showcase on Thursday, April 3, with an early presentation from Paramount. During this event, we can anticipate more footage from Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, which is set to be released on May 25, 2025. Additionally, “The Running Man,” starring Glen Powell and directed by Edgar Wright, may also be featured in this presentation. Several animated films are expected to be showcased as well, including a new “Paw Patrol” movie and a sequel to “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.”
The studio closing CinemaCon 2025 is none other than Disney. We can expect a sequel to the infamous “Marvel cast chair reveals,” featuring “Thunderbolts” and most notably, “The Fantastic Four.” There may also be some news on upcoming Star Wars projects. “Avatar: Fire and Ash” will be released towards the end of this year, so it’s inevitable that Disney would want to showcase its current crown jewel. Additionally, we might see some information about Predator: Badlands,” which is written and directed by the filmmaker behind Prey.”
On the animation side, we may get updates on Zootopia 2. While it might be too early for “Toy Story 5” and “Ice Age 6,” there could still be some news regarding those two films.