CinemaCon 2022 Highlights
CinemaCon 2022 kicked off last week at Caesar's Palace, Las Vegas, and was filled with exciting new content for some of the most highly anticipated upcoming films. Discover team Val’s favourite highlights from the event.
Disney’s Avatar: The Way of Water
Many CinemaCon attendees are still buzzing over Avatar 2. It seems it has taken reign as the standout or “winner” of CinemaCon 2022.
The audience was presented with a 15 minute preview that absolutely blew viewers out of the water! Suitably, the film has officially been titled Avatar: The Way of Water.
Producer Jon Landau introduced the teaser trailer at CinemaCon, which will be released exclusively in theatres with the release of Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness. “We need to make sure [audiences] have an experience they can’t get anywhere else, and that needs to be exclusively in theatres”.
Landau also announced the plan to re-release the first Avatar, with restored picture and sound, in theatres on September 23.
Comparably to the first, Avatar: The Way of Water is going to have ground-breaking cinema technology and will create a unique 3D experience.
It has also been confirmed that there will be three more films following Avatar: The Way of Water.
The new film will be welcoming back existing characters, and also introducing some newcomers played by Kate Winslet and Vin Diesel.
John Fithian, CEO and president of the National Association of Theatre Owners, remarked that Avatar: The Way of Water will have more versions than any film “in the history of movies”. He elaborates, “We are talking about high resolution, high frame rates, 3D, Imax, PLF, different sound systems and in 160 different languages.”
Warner Bros’ Elvis
CinemaCon attendees were treated to an extended preview of Elvis, with the film exploring three decades of the life and career of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.
Luhrmann explained at CinemaCon that the film isn’t so much a biopic, but rather more of a film representing America in the 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s, viewed through the lenses of Elvis Presley’s life, career and rise and fall.
"You will hear the classics, you will see the story of Elvis, but we’ve also translated that for a younger generation," said Luhrmann.
Luhrmann also said the film feels a bit like a superhero movie. "Elvis is kind of the original superhero: He rises so high, finds his kryptonite, falls so low and then a beautiful, powerful tragedy ensues."
Austin Butler said that during his role as Elvis, he "set out to find his humanity. He’s one of those individuals who’s been lifted up to such iconic status that he seems superhuman."
Universal’s Jurassic World: Dominion
Universal closed out its CinemaCon 2022 with extra footage from Jurassic World: Dominion.
Goldblum reminded us of his character’s first warning from the original film that just because you can revive a dinosaur does not mean you should, and that this wisdom was ignored in subsequent films.
He hinted that this final film might come back to this original principle and could explore the concept of what might have happened if people had made the right decisions. “You may be on to something. Maybe that’s been the message all this time, that dinosaurs are clever and homo sapiens are ignoramuses, or is it ignorami?”, said Goldblum.
Goldblum announced that the Jurassic crew would be “going on an extensive publicity tour everywhere you can imagine. We are genuinely very enthused, we are crazed about this movie.”
He went on to tell the audience that going to the cinemas had been “the most romantic and magical times of my life”, emphasising the importance of seeing Jurassic World: Dominion on the big screen.
Coming soon in 2022!
Pixar’s Lightyear, releasing June 16, 2022.
CinemaCon attendees were treated to a whopping 30 minute preview of the emotional, funny, action-packed Toy Story spin-off film!
Universal’s The Black Phone, releasing June 30, 2022.
The audience at CinemaCon saw the film in its entirety and it has recieved nothing but good reviews! (despite the fact that it definitely did tug on the fear strings for many!)
Warner Bros’ Black Adam, featuring Dwayne Johnson will be releasing October 20, 2022.
CinemaCon attendees got a glimpse at first footage of the highly anticipated Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, releasing November 10, 2022.
More blockbusters that were highlighted at CinemaCon that we can’t wait to see in 2023 and beyond:
Warner Bros’ Barbie, starring Margoe Robbie, Ryan Gosling and Will Ferrell will be hitting the cinemas in July 2023.
It’s been announced that Sony’s making a brand new Ghostbusters film.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, releasing in March 2023.
Spider-man: Across the Spider-Verse, releasing June 1, 2023.
Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One. The 7th film of the franchise is on the way.
Wonka, starring Timothee Chalamet, set to release in December 2023.
Warner Bros. and DC officially announced at CinemaCon that The Batman 2 is in the making.
Warner Bros’ The Flash, set to release in June 2023.
DC’s Shazam! Fury of the Gods, releasing in June 2023.
Venom 3, set to hit the big screens towards the end of 2023.
Hunger Games Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes will be released in November 2023.
Wicked, starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, will be heading to cinemas in December 2024.