This year’s CinemaCon promised to be the biggest edition of the convention yet. With surprises from major stars, exclusive footage, and bold announcements for some of the most highly anticipated upcoming films, it’s safe to say they lived up to that promise.
Major Hollywood studios Sony Pictures, NEON, Warner Bros., Amazon MGM Studios, Universal Pictures, Paramount Pictures, and The Walt Disney Studios took the CinemaCon stage to share their upcoming slates. Here are the best and worst moments from the various presentations.
Best Overall — Amazon MGM Studios
Despite being the latest presentation, Amazon MGM Studios closed out day three of CinemaCon with one of the most exciting and crowd-pleasing presentations, showcasing my personal favorite variety of movies. The studio’s slate ranged from prestige reimaginings like Chad Stahelski’s Highlander (TBA) and Michael B. Jordan’s The Thomas Crown Affair (2027) to popular franchises like Masters of the Universe (2026) and The Beekeeper 2 (2027), alongside original projects such as the Mahershala Ali-led Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother (TBA). My winner of the night, however, was easily Spaceballs: The New One (2027). We know it might be confusing since it is not titled Spaceballs: The Search for More Money, but it is, in fact, the sequel to Mel Brooks’ 1987 film.
Beyond the slate itself, Amazon MGM Studios’ presentation wasn’t just informative but genuinely entertaining. It became an event in its own right through its exceptional production values, quick, deliberate pacing, and interactive audience engagement.
The show opened on a high note with Jon Batiste delivering a live piano performance that transitioned into Michael B. Jordan introducing The Thomas Crown Affair. Project Hail Mary(2026) directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller, and the film’s lead, Ryan Gosling, made a surprise appearance. Gosling hilariously brought a single thank-you card and a bouquet for the entire audience to pass around as a gesture of thanks to theater owners for their support of the film.
How to Rob a Bank (2026) turned the stage into a neon-colored spectacle, with masked motorcyclists and high-energy chaos that mirrored the film’s tone. Spaceballs: The New One brought the laughs, both on and off screen, with its hilarious cast’s stage antics. From cutting Rick Moranis off from speaking to Lewis Pullman joking about his rigorous nepo-baby casting process, the segment was easily the most entertaining of the convention.
The variety of films ensured something for everyone — and the studio actually showed us everything they mentioned, unlike most studios — and the level of showmanship with the presentation itself puts Amazon MGM as the top studio from CinemaCon.
Most Disappointing — Universal Studios
Universal Studios was easily one of the most highly anticipated presentations of CinemaCon. Boosting summer blockbusters from cinema legends Steven Spielberg and Christopher Nolan, Universal seemed primed to take the crown of best presentation. It is unfortunate to say that the presentation overall just felt mediocre.
In a surprising move, Christopher Nolan introduced The Odyssey early in the presentation. No cast members were there to join Nolan, as he joked that the weight of massive talent would break the stage. Nolan shared a clip from the film, but beyond a brief reveal of Charlize Theron’s Calypso and the sounds of what is likely the Cyclops versus Odysseus’ crew, the footage revealed nothing new. The extended look showed the Trojan’s horse entering Troy — a sequence that has already been widely released. For one of this year’s biggest movies, it was a huge let-down.
Even one of Hollywood’s biggest names — Robert De Niro — couldn’t save the presentation. The star of Focker In-Law joined Ben Stiller to introduce a new clip, reading scripted jokes that fell flat. At one point, DeNiro joked that he didn’t write it, and a moment that, although somewhat endearing, just felt awkward. The presentation closed on a conversation between Steven Spielberg and Colman Domingo. It was clearly going for a scaled-back, intimate conversation, but once again, the scripted questions made what could have been a thoughtful moment feel performative. It’s fine to script it, it’s another to make it so obvious you did.
Worst Overall — Paramount
Coming into CinemaCon, Paramount Studios was in damage control mode. The shadow of the Warner Bros. merger cast a shadow over the presentation, and the audience, as we awaited with bated breath to hear what CEO David Ellison would have to say. Ellison, who was unable to attend a Senate hearing on the merger but was fortunately able to make it to CinemaCon, attempted to ease concerns by announcing a major commitment to theatrical releases, with expanded output across the merged studios. He emphasized that films are among our most powerful cultural exports, expanding our humanity and perspectives. While I agree with that, the statement underscores exactly why the merger is so worrisome. Concentrating that cultural influence into fewer hands risks narrowing which stories get told, limiting the range of voices and perspectives that reach broad audiences. It’s a lot of power to trust in so few hands.
Ellison’s actions speak louder than his words. Which, similarly, is reflective in the presentation itself. Unlike all other studios at the convention, Paramount did not have movie posters or promotional items for their upcoming films outside the Dolby Colosseum. Instead, their logo was plastered throughout in a way that was reminiscent of Nathan Fielder’s The Rehearsal (2022-) spoof.
The actual presentation focused on Paramount’s history and legacy, kicking off with a sizzle reel narrated by Tom Cruise and featuring appearances from Timothée Chalamet, James Cameron, Mckenna Grace, Callum Turner, John Krasinski, Miles Teller, and many more. The reel felt especially desperate, as if Paramount was trying to court audience appeal by showing off its star power rather than the actual output.
The slate itself was easily one of the most commercially aggressive of the convention, with movies focused on franchise IP such as Sonic the Hedgehog 4 (2027), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2027), A Quiet Place Part III (TBA), Call of Duty (2028), Scary Movie 6(2026) and Jackass: Best and Last (2026), Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie (2026), and The Angry Birds Movie 3 (2026). While these will certainly help bring money to movie theaters and offer solid entertainment, the slate feels starved of originality. Only one film throughout the presentation stood out to me —Children of Blood and Bone (2027) — but even that is based on a popular book.
The entire presentation, from its imagery to its hypocritical messaging, did not do much to ease concerns about the future. If anything, it heightened it.
Most Overrated — The Walt Disney Studios
The Walt Disney Studios closed out CinemaCon 2026 with a sprawling presentation that leaned heavily on franchise power and nostalgia. While some fans were certainly excited by the studio’s announcements, it had me longing for the days when Disney felt culturally essential and emotionally resonant rather than purely profit-driven.
Similar to Paramount, the studio’s prioritization of familiar IP and commercial success over original storytelling is becoming increasingly tiresome, especially given the presentation’s heavy reliance on sequels like The Devil Wears Prada 2 (2026), Toy Story 5 (2026), and Ice Age: Boiling Point (2027). New footage from the latest Star Wars film, The Mandalorian & Grogu (2026), felt surprisingly lackluster despite its action sequences. The continued push for live-action remakes like Moana (2026) only reinforced my feelings.
That same reliance on familiarity carried into the reveal of Avengers: Doomsday (2026), which leaned heavily on fan-service spectacle over plot, offering little beyond the surface-level buzz of seeing major characters sharing screen space. The return of Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans to the franchise also feels more like an attempt to recapture past cultural peaks rather than build something meaningfully new, which is reflected in the fact that they were the only two cast members at the event.
The clear standout within Disney’s broader slate came from Searchlight Pictures with its more auteur-driven projects from filmmakers Ridley Scott and Martin McDonagh, as well as the unexpected crowd-pleaser Whalefall (2026) starring Austin Abrams and Josh Brolin. Ultimately, while the presentation undeniably showcases Disney’s continued dominance, many reactions to it and its content seem to be falling for the nostalgia bait Disney is attempting to sell us.
Overall Best Moments
Across all of the overarching presentations, there were numerous moments that stood out throughout the event. Here are some notable mentions. The extended sequence from Whalefall was exhilarating, taking a somewhat ridiculous-sounding concept and making an intense, edge-of-your-seat movie that emerged as a quiet favorite of the convention.
Warner Bros. The director-led sizzle reels celebrating both Christopher Nolan and Steven Spielberg were a nice reflective moment that left audiences with chills.
Fremen from Dune: Part Three (2026), taking over the Dolby Colosseum and rising into the rafters perfectly encapsulating the epicness of that trilogy, and stunned audiences with its first seven minutes.
The intriguing reveal of Clayface (2026), which appears to be a grounded, intense body-horror style character study.
And of course, Tom Cruise, who is well on his way to his first competitive Academy Award win for his performance in Digger (2026).
Overall, this year’s CinemaCon was packed full of exciting new films that appeal to audiences of all types. While some studios left much to be desired, others’ offering of bold and fresh storytelling reassures us that there is still hope for Hollywood. As David Ellison ironically said, long live the movies.
Courtesy of Kam Ryan