Theaters from across the U.S. and around the world met in Las Vegas last week for CinemaCon, the official convention of the National Association of Theater Owners. Splashy, star-studded presentations and premiere screenings are norm at CinemaCon and this year was no exception: Disney screened Captain America: Civil War in its entirety, and Warner Bros. trotted out stars including Amy Adams, Ben Affleck and Will Smith to promote the DC universe, as James Cameron appeared for Fox to speak out his Avatar plans.
CinemaCon news of interest to entertainment licensing executives included:
- Oscar-winning filmmaker James Cameron told attendees that he has expanded his plan for Avatar sequels from three to four. Avatar 2 will be released at Christmas 2018, with the others at the holiday in 2020, 2022 and 2023. The plan previously was for Avatar 2 in December 2017, with follow-ups in 2018 and 2019. “I’ve been working with the top four screenwriters and designers in the world to design the world of Avatar going forward,” Deadline Hollywood reported Cameron as saying. “The environments, new cultures —whatever it takes to bring it to life. From what I’m seeing of the art on the wall … in pure imagination is just beyond the first film. I’m speechless.”
- Warner Bros. expounded on its commitment to the DC Comics brand, including confirming a standalone Batman sequel to star and be directed by Ben Affleck. Studio chief Kevin Tsujihara said the studio has committed to 10 DC films, most of which have already been announced, in the next five years. Those include Suicide Squad (August); The LEGO Batman Movie (February 2017); Wonder Woman (June, 2017); Justice League, Parts 1 and 2 (November 2017 and June, 2019); and The Flash (March 2018).
- The next Spider-Man adventure, created by Sony Pictures and Marvel in partnership, was officially named Spider-Man: Homecoming. It’s due in theaters next summer.
- Universal and Illumination Entertainment showed their new Minions short, Mower Madness, which will play with the companies’ July release The Secret Life of Pets and help buoy consumers’ Minions madness until Despicable Me 3 hits theaters in 2017.