CinemaCon 2018 Coverage: Disney
It’s been a magical second day at CinemaCon, starting with a special presentation from Disney. The team reminisced about the studio’s accomplishments over the years: MARVEL’S THE AVENGERS is the highest-grossing May release of all time; FROZEN spent 16 weeks at the top of the box office charts; FINDING DORY is the biggest animated film in U.S. history. Fast forward to 2018, the studio is now home to the first and third highest-grossing movie of all time, BLACK PANTHER — and their upcoming film slate is sure to continue this trend.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Marvel Studios hit the ground running with IRON MAN and has consistently shattered records ever since. Their 18 films, all produced by Kevin Feige, total $14.8 billion worldwide — not counting AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR, which premiered last night and opens tomorrow.
AMC was lucky enough to get a 10-minute sneak peek of the new film in which Thor is saved by the Guardians of the Galaxy. No spoilers, but trust us when we say Marvel’s humor is alive and well, and the threat of Thanos to the entire MCU is real.
Disney also debuted the trailer for Marvel’s ANT-MAN AND THE WASP, starring Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lily as the super duo, with Michael Douglas, Michelle Pfeiffer, Michael Peña and Laurence Fishburne.
CAPTAIN MARVEL will soon join the roster of action-packed Marvel titles, with Brie Larson as the strong female lead. The film, which started production a month ago, is set in the 90s and features many familiar faces.
Coming Soon
Disney’s secret to creating beloved characters and stories for the big screen is to stay true to what made them special in the beginning. For Christopher Robin, that’s his “silly old bear” and whimsical friends. Ewan McGregor, who admitted he’s always enjoyed the Winnie the Pooh characters, stars in the live action adventure CHRISTOPHER ROBIN. The audience was treated to an endearing behind-the-scenes look at the upcoming film, directed by Marc Forster.
THE NUTCRACKER AND THE FOUR REALMS is another example of Disney’s ingenuity. The film is the story of a young heroine, who is led on a journey through four realms and fights against an evil power. Everything about the production is impressive, from the set and costume designs to the A-list cast, which includes Morgan Freeman, Mackenzie Foy, Keira Knightley and Helen Mirren.
The wait for Pixar’s INCREDIBLES 2 ends this summer. Fans have anticipated the new adventure for years — the trailer debuted with over 113 million views within the first 24 hours. Disney shared an exclusive scene from the film, which is sure to be super fun.
This Thanksgiving, RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET. The original filmmakers of WRECK-IT RALPH, Phil Johnston and Rich Moore, return with the hilarious John C. Reilly and Sarah Silverman. Though the new film is a work in progress, we were able to see an unfinished clip featuring the Disney princesses.
Disney will close out 2018 with one of the most iconic stories of all time. MARY POPPINS RETURNS will be a genuine showstopper. Star Emily Blunt is the perfect Poppins, and the music and dancing will steal your heart. The studio shared the trailer and some scenes from the film, directed by Rob Marshall.
Sneak Peek at 2019
Production for some of Disney’s 2019 releases are already underway, including DUMBO. Directed by Tim Burton, the live action take on the Disney classic will fly into theatres next year and expand upon the original story.
ALADDIN is also getting the live action treatment from director Guy Ritchie. Mena Massoud will star as the street rat scoundrel, Naomi Scott as princess Jasmine and Will Smith as Genie. Alan Menken, who composed the score for the 1992 animated film, will return with new music and help from composer duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (LA LA LAND). Based on a preview, the reimagined ALADDIN will bring a fresh perspective and a whole new, fantastic world to the big screen, with inspiring performances and big dance routines.
Let’s not forget about LucasFilm and SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY, directed by Ron Howard. Much of the plot has been intentionally kept under wraps, but Disney did provide a brief preview of the film in which Han and Lando play cards for the rights of the Millennium Falcon, a suitable scene for the Vegas event. We also learned J.J. Abrams is working on Episode 9 of the STAR WARS franchise.
Last but certainly not least was THE LION KING, directed by John Favreau. The film is very much in early development, but Disney brought a “proof of concept” preview that showcased what their impressive technology can do. We can’t wait to see more.
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