From the Beatles Movies, Latin American Audiences and Beyond!

by Rosa Parra

Cinemacon 2025 is officially underway! The day started with the International Day Sit-Down Breakfast. This presentation comprised keynote addresses regarding exhibition and distribution and award presentations. Moderated by Laura Houlgatte, CEO of the International Union of Cinemas, it gave an overview of last year’s box office numbers, potential ways to approach film marketing, and more Dolby theaters opening internationally. 

What stood out from this presentation were the market observations in 2025. The film slate for 2025 and 2026 was compelling. And their discussion about the value of an exclusive theatrical window. With recent discussions about what’s an appropriate theatrical window and how long a studio should wait before releasing films on demand, this presentation was rather insightful and offered specific potential solutions. I was also surprised to learn that “within the general global post-pandemic recovery, Latin America has shown greater resilience”. Its audience shouldn’t be underestimated—a great start to Cinemacon with an overview on its International market. 

Sony Pictures Entertainment will begin the event with an exclusive presentation. It started with a 12-minute montage showcasing the movies released in 2024. Unfortunately, the audience’s reaction to the clips from “It Ends with Us” was quite disappointing; many were laughing. It’s unfortunate that this film has become a source of ridicule due to the ongoing legal battles surrounding it.

Tom Rothman, the Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment’s Motion Picture Group, was introduced through a video message from Paul Rudd and Jack Black. They expressed their apologies for not being present, as they are currently filming “Anaconda,” which is set to be released in December 2025. During his speech, Tom emphasized the significance of negotiating theatrical windows, noting that shorter windows are impacting both studios and theaters.

Danny Boyle was introduced on stage to discuss his upcoming movie, “28 Years Later.” He expressed his passion for making films and his excitement about collaborating once again with Alex Garland, who wrote the script. The film is set to be released on June 20, 2025. Boyle also showcased a newly released trailer for the movie, which appeared incredibly creepy, haunting, and awesome!

Following Boyle, Nia DaCosta was introduced as the director of “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple.” She shared her enthusiasm for directing this film and encouraged everyone to watch it in theaters. 

Bob Persichetti, Justin K. Thompson, and Phil Lord have come forward to share an update on “Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse,” which is set to release on June 4th, 2027. This film promises to be the epic conclusion of the Miles Morales story, aiming for a grand finale that will be best experienced on the biggest screen possible. They confirmed that the movie will pick up exactly where the previous installment left off, following that cliffhanger.

During the presentation, they showed a clip that was not entirely a trailer but rather a combination of scenes and voiceovers from previous films, interspersed with new footage, giving us a tantalizing preview of what’s to come. It looked fantastic and epic, and I can’t wait for 2027 to arrive!

Darren Aronofsky recently spoke about his upcoming film, “Caught Stealing.” This crime drama follows an ex-baseball player who finds himself caught up in a dangerous situation. The trailer was quite entertaining, in my opinion, and definitely has a ’90s vibe. Not only is the story set during that time, but the overall feel of the film resembles an action crime drama that could have been released in that era.

Following Aronofsky, director Zach Cregger discussed his upcoming project: the next “Resident Evil” film. He didn’t share much beyond what fans can expect, and no stills or footage were shown.

Kogonada has announced his upcoming project, titled “A Big Bold Beautiful Journey.” This film will feature Margot Robbie in her first acting role since “Barbie,” and she will be joined by Colin Farrell. Set to be released on September 19, 2025, this romantic comedy-drama promises to showcase great on-screen chemistry. It appears to be an emotionally powerful film about two people confronting their pasts in the present day. It looks absolutely incredible!

Tyree Dillihay will direct the animated film Goat, which tells the story of a literal goat who serves as an underdog (or “undercoat”) and surprises everyone with his unexpected achievements. The movie is produced by Stephen Curry and is loosely based on his experiences. It is projected to be released in 2026.

Adam Bergerman, president of Sony Pictures Releasing, then took the stage to provide an overview of three upcoming anime films. They include “Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle,” set for release in September, “Chainsaw Man,” which is expected to debut on October 29, and finally, “Scarlet,” scheduled for a winter release. He also mentioned that a new “Insidious” film is set to come out in August 2026.

Additionally, he discussed a smaller film set to be released on July 18 this summer. “I Know What You Did Last Summer” will make its summer debut, and the trailer we saw was both compelling and nostalgic. 

Sanford Panitch, the president of Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group, took the stage to outline several upcoming projects, including those still in the early stages of development. Among the highlights was “Klara and the Sun,” featuring Taika Waititi and Jenna Ortega. Additionally, “Grand Gear of Dawn,” directed by the filmmaker behind the Oscar-winning film “Godzilla Minus One,” was announced. 

Fans can look forward to a new “Jumanji” sequel set for release during Christmas 2026. A new film titled “Starship Troopers” was also mentioned, clarifying that it will not be a remake. Furthermore, Nintendo announced a live-action adaptation of “The Legend of Zelda,” which is scheduled for release on March 26, 2027.

Karate Kid: Legends featured a special presentation that included on-stage dancers, music, karate fighters, and people walking down the aisles carrying lanterns. Ralph Macchio and Ben Wang stepped onto the stage to share their excitement about the upcoming release of their film. They proceeded to show us some behind-the-scenes sequences, followed by a new trailer. Both scenes were impressive! They featured Jackie Chan, and while I’m not surprised to see him still being such a badass at his age, I was really impressed by how well he interacted with both actors and held his own. I’m now genuinely interested in watching this film, and the trailer definitely heightened my anticipation.

Destin Daniel Cretton will be directing Spider-Man 4. Tom Holland announced the title of the upcoming film, “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” which is set to be released on July 31, 2026. The film is currently in full preparation for a summer start to photography.

In addition, Sam Mendes, who will be directing the Beatles biopic, took the stage to discuss the project. He shared what the band means to him and how he was inspired to create this film. He revealed that he is making four movies about The Beatles, with each film told from the perspective of a different band member. Some of the stories will intersect. All four films are set to be released simultaneously in April 2028, and Mendes described this as “the first bingeable experience in theaters.” This unprecedented approach is both exciting and necessary.

Before concluding his presentation, Mendes addressed the casting rumors that had been circulating on social media. Instead of merely announcing the actors, he introduced each one on stage: Paul Mescal will portray Paul McCartney, Joseph Quinn will play George Harrison, Barry Keoghan will take on the role of Ringo Starr, and Harris Dickinson will depict John Lennon.

This presentation exceeded my expectations in every way. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the week brings!