Another CinemaCon is in the books and, as usual, the major film studios brought out some of the best releases they have to offer through the rest of 2016 and beyond. The annual meeting of the exhibition industry has become a reliable way to learn which films could have an impact at the box office.
By the end of this year’s convention, we came away very encouraged by a number of films from every studio and their potential to help deliver another big year. It’s still questionable whether 2015’s record $11.1 billion domestic gross can be topped, but if enough of these films succeed critically and commercially—with a few unexpected hits along the way—we can’t rule out 2016’s chances to come close.
Here’s our breakdown of highlights from Paramount’s 2016’s presentation:
Turtle Power
Paramount kicked off this year’s lineup on the convention’s opening night with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows. Nostalgia-driven fans and those who enjoyed the original 2014 big-screen version will be drawn to the introduction of the franchise’s classic villains, Bebop and Rocksteady. While we don’t expect this sequel to match the box office performance of the previous entry, it should still turn out to be a solid hit among family crowds in early June, thanks to the brand’s revival in recent years.
Gritty Sci-Fi
The first look at Denis Villeneuve’s Story of Your Life made its debut, and it was arguably the standout of Paramount’s evening. The filmmaker behind the critically acclaimed Sicario and Prisoners looks to have yet another potential winner on his hands with this sci-fi drama starring Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner.
Also Notable
More first looks included Jack Reacher: Never Go Back and the studio’s Rings reboot, each showing promise to become mid-range performers this fall. We also had our first look at Allied, a World War II romantic thriller starring Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard, which will hope to become an awards contender—or at least counterprogramming for adult audiences this holiday season.
Surprisingly, the studio didn’t screen any new footage or trailers for this summer’s Star Trek Beyond, but instead used its stage time to present J.J. Abrams with CinemaCon’s Showman of the Year award.
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