Courtesy of CinemaCon/NATO

The global exhibition industry came together last week for CinemaCon, the annual convention for the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO), with all the major studios rolling out their upcoming slates for 2023 and beyond. Among the major highlights from the week were exclusive first looks at footage from titles such as The Color Purple, The Creator, Dune: Part Two, The Fall Guy, IF, Killers of the Flower Moon, Napoleon, A Quiet Place: Day One, Wicked, and Wonka. The old MGM motto “more stars than there are in heaven” certainly applied, as studio’s invited talent after A-list talent to the stage to introduce the upcoming slate. From Anna Kendrick to Ziggy Marley, the A-Z list included the likes of Denis Villeneuve, Emily Blunt, Jack Black, Margot Robbie, Oprah, Ryan Gosling, Seth Rogen, Timothée Chalamet, and Will Ferrell — just to name a few. Representing the UK, leaders from such chains as Vue International and Cineworld attended the Las Vegas conference, participating in International Day programming centred on the state of the global film industry.

In a panel conversation on National Cinema Day efforts, Tim Richards, the founder and chief executive officer of Vue International, remarked, “We don't have a customer problem, we have a movie supply problem.” He went on to say that the reduced percentage of films matched percentage reductions in the global box-office, noting that the box-office is either breaking records or enduring a dry spell. He hopes beginning next year, film supply will be back to pre-pandemic levels, ruling out the need to give things away in order to get moviegoers back into cinemas. Rather than one-off events, Richards advocated longer-term industry pricing strategies, sharing concerns about alienating customers based on cost. “We’ve seen in the last 20 years, prices go up by inflation ‘plus’ in some of the markets.” Richards went on to say, “Cost plus inflation is not sustainable long term, full stop. I think as an industry we need to recognize that, because we all gain by getting more customers back that we’re still missing.” Richards was hopeful about the future, citing strong relationships with studio partners and a promised return of film supply, “I think now we have certainly the best working relationships that I can remember in 30 years in business, with studios. We're really working together to promote films. We’re helping with our customer databases and we’re working together. I’m very bullish on our future because of that.”

The retiring president and chief executive officer of NATO, John Fithian, echoed those remarks, sharing in his 2023 State of the Industry, “One of the key themes that will emerge this week is optimism. Our industry is off to an incredible start in 2023. And why are we off to such a great start? Well, the explanation is a simple one: we have more movies to play.” Throughout the week exhibitors enjoyed robust, star-studded studio presentations from Sony Pictures Entertainment, Warner Bros. Pictures, Walt Disney Studios, Universal Pictures/Focus Features, Paramount Pictures and Lionsgate, with both Warner Bros. and Disney celebrating their centenary. The full list of each studio’s presentation slate is detailed below, along with available US/UK release dates.

CinemaCon also presented a number of industry awards. At the International Day luncheon, the Comscore International Box Office Achievement Award went to Avatar: The Way of Water, the CinemaCon Passepartout Award was given to Niels Swinkels, the executive vice president and managing director of Universal Pictures International, the Global Achievement in Exhibition Award honoured Australia’s Event Cinemas and Jane Hastings, the managing director and chief executive officer of parent company EVT, and the International Filmmaker of the Year award went to director/producer Andy Muschietti and his co-producer (and sister) Barbara Muschietti, whose work includes the upcoming Warner Bros./DC film The Flash, as well as It, It Chapter Two, and Mama.

The Sony Pictures presentation included a surprise Lifetime Achievement Award to Denzel Washington. Another surprise came at the Legend of Cinema award luncheon, where director Martin Scorsese was honoured and joined in an interview by surprise moderator Leonardo DiCaprio. The week closed out with the Big Screen Achievement Awards ceremony, emceed by Entertainment Tonight host Kevin Frazier. The evening’s recipients included Christopher Nolan and Emma Thomas, who accepted the NATO Spirit of the Industry Award, Star of the Year went to Zendaya, The cast of Lionsgate’s upcoming Joy Ride (Ashley Park, Sherry Cola, Stephanie Hsu, and Sabrina Wu) collected a comedy ensemble award, CinemaCon’s Award of Excellence in Animation went to Illumination’s chief executive officer Chris Meledandri, Rising Star of the Year awards were given to Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback of the upcoming Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, and the Cinéma Vérité Award went to Melissa McCarthy.

CHAD KENNERK

Sony Pictures Entertainment

Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney took the stage at CinemaCon 2023 promoting the upcoming romcom *Anyone But You.* Courtesy of Sony Pictures (Image: Stewart Cook)

The Machine
Director: Peter Atencio
Stars: Mark Hamill, Bert Kreischer
US Release Date: 26 May, 2023
UK Release Date: 31 May, 2023

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Stars: Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Oscar Isaac
Directors: Joaquim Dos Santos, Justin K. Thompson, & Kemp Powers
US & UK Release Date: 2 June, 2023

No Hard Feelings
Director: Gene Stupnitsky
Stars: Jennifer Lawrence, Andrew Barth Feldman, Matthew Broderick
US & UK Release Date: 23 June, 2023

Insidious: The Red Door
Director: Patrick Wilson
Stars: Ty Simpkins, Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne
US & UK Release Date: 7 July, 2023

Gran Turismo
Director: Neill Blomkamp
Stars: Orlando Bloom, David Harbour, Djimon Hounsou
US & UK Release Date: 11 August, 2023

The Equalizer 3
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Stars: Denzel Washington, Dakota Fanning
US & UK Release Date: 1 September, 2023

Kraven the Hunter
Director: J.C. Chandor
Stars: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Russell Crowe, Ariana DeBose
US & UK Release Date: 6 October, 2023

Dumb Money
Director: Craig Gillespie
Stars: Seth Rogen, Paul Dano, Shailene Woodley
US & UK Release Date: 20 October, 2023

Napoleon
Director: Ridley Scott
Stars: Joaquin Phoenix, Vanessa Kirby
US & UK Release Date: 22 November, 2023

Untitled Ghostbusters: Afterlife Sequel
Director: Gil Kenan
Stars: Mckenna Grace, Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon
US & UK Release Date: 20 December, 2023

Anyone But You
Director: Will Gluck
Stars: Sydney Sweeney, Glen Powell
US & UK Release Date: TBD

Bad Boys 4
Directors: Adil El Arbi, Bilall Fallah
Stars: Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Vanessa Hudgens
US & UK Release Date: TBD

Venom 3
Director: Kelly Marcel
Stars: Tom Hardy, Juno Temple
US & UK Release Date: TBD

Warner Bros. Pictures

*Wonka* stars Timothée Chalamet and Calah Lane. Courtesy of Warner Bros. (Image: Eric Charbonneau)

Barbie
Director: Greta Gerwig
Stars: Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling
US & UK Release Date: 21 July, 2023

Meg 2: The Trench
Director: Ben Wheatley
Stars: Jason Statham, Jing Wu, Cliff Curtis
US Release Date: 4 August, 2023

Blue Beetle
Director: Angel Manuel Soto
Stars: Xolo Maridueña, Susan Sarandon, Bruna Marquezine
US & UK Release Date: 18 August, 2023

The Nun 2
Director: Michael Chaves
Stars: Taissa Farmiga, Storm Reid
UK Release Date: 9 August, 2023
US Release Date: 8 September, 2023

Dune: Part Two
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Stars: Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Florence Pugh
US & UK Release Date: 3 November, 2023

Wonka
Director: Paul King
Stars: Timothée Chalamet, Hugh Grant, Keegan-Michael Key
US & UK Release Date: December 15, 2023

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
Director: James Wan
Stars: Jason Momoa, Patrick Wilson, Ben Affleck
US Release Date: 20 December, 2023
UK Release Date: 26 December, 2023

The Color Purple
Director: Blitz Bazawule
Stars: Fantasia, Danielle Brooks, Taraji P. Henson, Halle Bailey
US Release Date: 25 December, 2023

Furiosa
Director: George Miller
Stars: Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth
US & UK Release Date: 24 May, 2024

Superman: Legacy
Director: James Gunn
Stars: TBD
US & UK Release Date: 11 July, 2025

Batman: Part II
Director: Matt Reeves
Stars: Robert Pattinson
US & UK Release Date: 3 October, 2025

Beetlejuice 2
Director: Tim Burton
Stars: Jenna Ortega, Michael Keaton
US & UK Release Date: TBD

The Conjuring: Last Rites
Director: TBD
Stars: Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga
US & UK Release Date: TBD

Disney

Walt Disney Animation Studios’ *Wish.* Courtesy of Disney Studios.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Director: James Gunn
Stars: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista
UK Release Date: 3 May, 2023
US Release Date: 5 May, 2023

The Little Mermaid
Director: Rob Marshall
Stars: Halle Bailey, Jonah Hauer-King, Melissa McCarthy
US & UK Release Date: 26 May, 2023

Elemental
Director: Peter Sohn
Stars: Leah Lewis, Mamoudou Athie
US Release Date: 16 June, 2023
UK Release Date: 7 July, 2023

The Boogeyman
Director: Rob Savage
Stars: Sophie Thatcher, Chris Messina
US & UK Release Date: 2 June, 2023

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
Director: James Mangold
Stars: Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Mads Mikkelsen
UK Release Date: 28 June, 2023
US Release Date: 30 June, 2023

Haunted Mansion
Director: Justin Simien
Stars: Rosario Dawson, Danny DeViot, LaKeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish
US Release Date: 28 July, 2023
UK Release Date: 11 August, 2023

A Haunting in Venice
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Stars: Kenneth Branagh, Kelly Reilly, Michelle Yeoh
US & UK Release Date: 15 September, 2023

The Creator
Director: Gareth Edwards
Stars: John David Washington, Gemma Chan, Allison Janney
US Release Date: 29 September, 2023

The Marvels
Director: Nia DaCosta
Stars: Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Teyonah Parris
US & UK Release Date: 10 November, 2023

Next Goal Wins
Director: Taika Waititi
Stars: Michael Fassbender, Oscar Kightley
UK Release Date: 20 October, 2023
US Release Date: 17 November, 2023

Wish
Director: Fawn Veerasunthorn, Chris Buck
Stars: Ariana DeBose, Chris Pine, Alan Tudyk
US Release Date: 22 November, 2023
UK Release Date: 24 November, 2023

Universal / Focus Features

Writer/Director Christopher Nolan on the set of *Oppenheimer*. Courtesy of Universal Pictures (Image: Melinda Sue Gordon)

Fast X
Director: Louis Leterrier
Stars: Vin Diesel, Jordana Brewster, Michelle Rodriguez
US & UK Release Date: 19 May, 2023

Strays
Director: Josh Greenbaum
Stars: Will Ferrell, Jamie Foxx, Isla Fisher
US & UK Release Date: 9 June, 2023

Asteroid City
Director: Wes Anderson
Stars: Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks
US & UK Release Date: 23 June, 2023

Ruby Gillman: Teenage Kraken
Directors: Kirk DeMicco, Faryn Pearl
Stars: Lana Condor, Toni Collette, Jane Fonda
US Release Date: 30 June, 2023

Oppenheimer
Director: Christopher Nolan
Stars: Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon
US & UK Release Date: July 21, 2023

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3
Director: Nia Vardalos
Stars: Nia Vardalos, Elena Kampouris, John Corbett, Andrea Martin, Lainie Kazan
US & UK Release Date: 8 September, 2023

Drive-Away Dolls
Director: Ethan Coen
Stars: Margaret Qualley, Pedro Pascal, Matt Damon
US Release Date: 22 September, 2023

The Exorcist: Believer
Director: David Gordon Green
Stars: Ellen Burstyn, Leslie Odom Jr., Ann Dowd
US & UK Release Date: 13 October, 2023

Trolls Band Together
Director: Walt Dohrn, Tim Heitz
Stars: Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Zooey Deschanel
US Release Date: 17 November, 2023
UK Release Date: 20 October, 2023

The Holdovers
Director: Alexander Payne
Stars: Paul Giamatti, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Tate Donovan
US & UK Release Date: 22 November, 2023

Migration
Director: Benjamin Renner
Stars: Kumail Nanjiani, Elizabeth Banks, Awkwafina, Keegan-Michael Key
US Release Date: 22 December, 2023
UK Release Date: 2 February, 2024

The Fall Guy
Director: David Leitch
Stars: Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt, Aaron Taylor-Johnson
US Release Date: 1 March, 2024

Kung Fu Panda 4
Director: Mike Mitchell
Stars: Jack Black, Seth Rogen, Angelina Jolie
UK Release Date: 8 March, 2024
US Release Date: Spring 2024

Wicked
Director: Jon M. Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum
US Release Date: 27 November, 2024
UK Release Date: 29 November, 2024

M3GAN 2
Director: TBD
Stars: Allison Williams, Violet McGraw
US Release Date: 17 January, 2025

The Bad Guys 2
Director: TBD
Stars: Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Awkwafina
US & UK Release Date: TBD

Nosferatu
Director: Robert Eggers
Stars: Nicholas Hoult, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Bill Skarsgård
US & UK Release Date: TBD 2024

Paramount

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts
Director: Steven Caple Jr.
Stars: Anthony Ramos, Dominique Fishback, Peter Cullen, Ron Perlman
US & UK Release Date: 9 June, 2023

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Stars: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames
US Release Date: 12 July, 2023
UK Release Date: 14 July, 2023

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
Director: Jeff Rowe, Kyler Spears
Stars: Brady Noon, Nicolas Cantu, Micah Abbey, Shamon Brown Jr., Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen
US & UK Release Date: 4 August, 2023

PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie
Director: Cal Brunker
Stars: James Marsden, Mckenna Grace, Kristen Bell
US Release Date: 29 September, 2023
UK Release Date: 13 October, 2023

Killers of the Flower Moon
Director: Martin Scorsese
Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Lily Gladstone
US Release Date: 6 October, 2023
UK Release Date: 20 October, 2023

Bob Marley: One Love
Director: Reinaldo Marcus Green
Stars: Kingsley Ben-Adir, Lashana Lynch
US & UK Release Date: 12 January, 2024

A Quiet Place: Day One
Director: Michael Sarnoski
Stars: Lupita Nyong'o, Djimon Hounsou
US & UK Release Date: 8 March, 2024

IF
Director: John Krasinski
Stars: Ryan Reynolds, Cailey Fleming, Matt Damon, Awkwafina, Emily Blunt, Steve Carell
US & UK Release Date: 24 May, 2024

Transformers One
Director: Josh Cooley
Stars: Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Keegan-Michael Key
US Release Date: 19 July, 2024

Gladiator 2
Director: Ridley Scott
Stars: Connie Nielsen, Denzel Washington, Paul Mescal, Barry Keoghan
US Release Date: 22 November, 2024

Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Director: Jeff Fowler
Stars: James Marsden, Idris Elba, Ben Schwartz
US & UK Release Date: 20 December, 2024

The Smurfs
Director: Chris Miller
Stars: Rihanna
US & UK Release Date: 14 February, 2025

The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants
Director: Derek Drymon
Stars: TBD
US Release Date: 23 May, 2025

Untitled Avatar: The Last Airbender (Animated)
Director: Lauren Montgomery
US Release Date: 10 October, 2025

Smile 2
Director: TBD
Stars: TBD
US Release Date: TBD

Lionsgate

About My Father
Director: Laura Terruso
Stars: Sebastian Maniscalco, Robert De Niro, Leslie Bibb
US & UK Release Date: 26 May, 2023

Joy Ride
Director: Adele Lim
Stars: Ashley Park, Stephanie Hsu, Sherry Cola, Sabrina Wu
US Release Date: 7 July, 2023
UK Release Date: 4 August, 2023

Expendables 4
Director: Scott Waugh
Stars: Jason Statham, 50 Cent, Megan Fox, Sylvester Stallone
US & UK Release Date: 22 September, 2023

Saw X
Director: Kevin Greutert
Stars: Tobin Bell, Shawnee Smith, Michael Beach
US & UK Release Date: 27 October, 2023

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
Director: Francis Lawrence
Stars: Rachel Zegler, Hunter Schafer, Viola Davis, Peter Dinklage
US & UK Release Date: 17 November, 2023

The Blackening
Director: Tim Story
Stars: Antoinette Robertson, Dewayne Perkins, Sinqua Walls
US Release Date: 16 June, 2023
UK Release Date: 18 August, 2023

Fathom Events

During a sponsored luncheon, US based Fathom Events also revealed trailers for several upcoming releases, including,

Golda
Director: Guy Nattiv
Stars: Helen Mirren, Zed Josef
US Release Date: 23 August, 2023

The Blind
Director: Andrew Hyatt
Stars: Matthew Erick White, Kerry Knuppe, Amelia Eve
US Release Date: 22 September, 2023

CinemaCon 2023: Studio Slate Summary