Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Stars dazzle audience at CinemaCon
Warner Bros. isn’t resting on its “Barbie” laurels: The 100-year studio has its sights on a record-breaking 2024 as well, with a release slate that includes the new Mad Max film “Furiosa,” Kevin Costner’s two-part Western epic, “Horizon: An American Saga,” a “Beetlejuice” sequel and “Joker: Folie à Deux,” which brings Lady Gaga to Gotham City.
The studio dazzled theater owners Tuesday in Las Vegas during the annual weeklong CinemaCon. Warner Bros. came armed with stars, including Costner, Michael Keaton, Robert Pattinson, Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth, as well as footage and trailers to show.
Tim Burton was on hand to hype “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” the sequel to his 1988 hit, which brings back Keaton, Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara to reprise their roles, and introduces new characters played by Jenna Ortega, Monica Bellucci, Willem Dafoe and Justin Theroux.
Keaton said they had discussed the possibility many times over the years, and they finally got it right.
“It’s good. It’s really, really good,” Keaton said. “In fact, it’s great.”
“Barbie” producer and star Margot Robbie is making a Monopoly movie with Hasbro and Lionsgate behind it, the companies announced Wednesday.
Robbie and her production company, LuckyChap, were the ones who got “Barbie” to the finish line after many years of stagnation. And now they’ll bring the classic board game to the big screen.
Henry Cavill took the stage Wednesday to talk about a new “Highlander” movie he’s making with “John Wick” director Chad Stahelski, as well as a new Guy Ritchie action film with Jake Gyllenhaal called “In the Grey” set for 2025. That same day, Aziz Ansari also gave exhibitors a look at his new film, “Good Fortune,” which he wrote, directed and stars in alongside Keanu Reeves, who plays an angel, and Seth Rogen.
On Wednesday, Universal Pictures brought some stars of its biggest films, like Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Glen Powell, Lupita Nyong’o, Daisy Edgar Jones and Anthony Ramos.
Speaking about “Wicked,” Goldblum, who plays the man behind the curtain, said, “I’ve been chased by dinosaurs, I flew into the belly of a humongous spaceship … I turned into a fly. But I have never been part of the particular flavor or magic that is this movie. … The whole experience has been dreamy.”
Paramount on Thursday announced a new film with Oscar-winning director Damien Chazelle, a G.I. Joe-Transformers crossover and Edgar Wright’s “Running Man” reboot starring Glen Powell.
The studio also brought out stars like Hemsworth and Nyong’o to talk about their upcoming films, with video messages from Ridley Scott, Denzel Washington and Paul Mescal, who helped introduce footage from “Gladiator II.” Washington promised “emotion, action and spectacle unlike anything else you’re going to see in theaters this year.”
April 13 birthdays: Musician Al Green is 78. Actor Ron Perlman is 74. Singer Peabo Bryson is 73. Comedian Caroline Rhea is 60. Singer Aaron Lewis is 52. Actor Bokeem Woodbine is 51. Actor Glenn Howerton is 48. Actor Kelli Giddish is 44. Rapper Ty Dolla $ign is 42. Actor Allison Williams is 36. Actor Hannah Marks is 31.