April 29, 2023

Just got home from my first Cinema Con event in Las Vegas as a “film buyer” in theatrical exhibition. It was quite an adventure with a lot of ups and downs, but I’m very fortunate to work alongside some of the best, kindest, most supportive film bookers, theater owners, and studio execs in the business; all of whom I got to spend quality face time with this week.

Studio Presentation Highlights?

From Sony:
They previewed Dumb Money, Insidious: The Red Door, (20 minutes of) Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse, Neill Blomkamp’s Gran Turismo, Anyone But You.

Stand outs?
* KRAVEN THE HUNTER – yet another Spider-Man villain spin off that I had zero interest in UNTIL this red band trailer! It’s Rated a hard R and it’s basically a RAMBO movie. Now I can’t wait!
* Ridley Scott’s NAPOLEON – This is an Apple Original that Sony will release theatrically. Stars Joaquin Phoenix; they showed us an epic war sequence that was top tier Ridley.

From Warner Bros:
They previewed Barbie, Blue Beetle, Wonka, The Color Purple, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.

Stand outs?
* DUNE PART TWO – The trailer shown was as epic as it gets!
* THE NUN 2 – They showed an extended clip which ended in darkness and with a dozen nuns walking through the audience, culminating in the full trailer.
*MEG 2: THE TRENCH – Absolutely ridiculous! Great trailer; they finally do the Meg Vs T-Rex sequence that opens the book. I may finally like a Ben Wheatley movie!

From Disney:
They previewed Guardians 3, The Marvels, The Little Mermaid, Haunted Mansion, Wish.

Stand Outs?
* ELEMENTALS – we got to see the first 20 minutes of this Pixar film (in 3D!) and it was so cute and fun and I didn’t want it to end.
* THE CREATOR – mysterious futuristic sci-fi flick from Gareth Edwards. Felt unique in the way that District 9 did when that first came out.

From Universal:

Overall, I was a bit underwhelmed by Universal’s presentations (a lot of unfinished animated features) BUT the stand outs were, for sure…

* OPPENHEIMER, extended trailer with Christopher Nolan present.
* FAST X, a very heartfelt and sincere off-the-cuff speech by Vin Diesel. His appreciation for the theatrical world made me love the dude.

From Paramount:
They previewed TMNT: Mutant Mayhem, A Quiet Place: Day One (great teaser trailer), John Krasinski’s new family film IF.

Stand outs?
* Martin Scorsese coming out and showing an extended trailer for KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON. Feels like his HEAVEN’S GATE!
* Getting to see 20 minutes of MISSION IMPOSSIBLE – DEAD RECKONING PART ONE, which was thrilling, funny, jaw dropping and simply amazing. Tom Cruise is our last great movie star.

Full features screened?
*THE FLASH – Simply AWESOME. It’s truly great and arguably the best of the DC movies in the last decade. Great seeing Keaton back as Batman.
*THE BOOGEYMAN – it’s just ok.

Missed the Lionsgate panel because an hour outside of Vegas, my car broke down while in route! Couldn’t save it, ended up selling it to a Car Max in Vegas, hitching a ride back to Los Angeles with my boss, and yesterday, I Lyft-ed to the DMV, then Car Max in Burbank and managed to buy a new car in record time. So that was the biggest downside of an otherwise amazing week. Viva film exhibition!