Jonathan Sim
Sony Pictures came to CinemaCon with one of the most packed and varied presentations of the convention, blending major franchise updates, prestige dramas, and bold swings in animation, all while emphasizing scale and emotional storytelling.
The studio opened with a mix of personality and spectacle, bringing out Nate Bargatze and Mandy Moore promoting their upcoming film, The Breadwinner, before teasing footage across its upcoming slate.
A major highlight was the footage from Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the next installment in the Spider-Man universe, which was described as “as big as anything we’ve ever made but feels like nothing we’ve ever made” by CEO Tom Rothman.
Actor Tom Holland appeared on screen to introduce footage that leaned heavily into the emotional weight of Peter Parker’s journey, promising what he called his “most emotional” and “most grown-up” story yet. The footage shown focused on Peter’s lingering isolation, including a scene in which he quietly observes Ned’s life from afar, discovering that his former best friend has been trying to track down Spider-Man through an app called “Spidey Tracker,” with Flash Thompson and Mr. Harrington as suspects.
Another moment at the party delivers a gut punch as Peter sees MJ again for what feels like the first time since the events of the last film, only to watch her kiss someone else, played by Eman Esfandi. The heartbreak is contrasted with action, as another clip shows Spider-Man facing off against the Department of Damage Control, dodging gunfire with signature agility and humor, quipping, “I’m not in high school anymore.”
The studio also previewed horror and thriller fare, including the trailer release for Insidious: Out of the Further and a tense tease for Resident Evil, where a stranded man, played byAustin Abrams, enters a house in search of help, only to find himself in a familiar nightmare scenario. Zach Cregger, director of Weapons and Barbarian, took the stage to promote the upcoming film. These previews reinforced Sony’s continued investment in genre filmmaking with recognizable IP.
Auteur-driven projects were also front and center. Taika Waititi is directing an adaptation of Klara and the Sun, set for October 23, starring Jenna Ortega as an “artificial friend” alongside Amy Adams. The film explores a world where artificial companions are created for humans, blending sci-fi concepts with emotional storytelling.
Meanwhile, The Nightingale, starring Dakota Fanning and Elle Fanning, was previewed via a video from set, teasing an emotional World War II story centered on two sisters fighting for freedom, with a release date set for February 12, 2027.
Looking further ahead, Sony revealed Grand Gear, produced by J. J. Abrams and Bad Robot, and directed by Takashi Yamazaki, known for Godzilla Minus One. The project is slated for February 18, 2028, signaling another ambitious large-scale production.
Video game adaptations were a major pillar of the presentation as well, with The Legend of Zelda, directed by Wes Ball, set for May 7, 2027, alongside an R-rated animated take on Bloodborne produced by PlayStation and Jacksepticeye, promising a tone faithful to the dark source material.
Another adaptation, Helldivers, will be directed by Justin Lin and star Jason Momoa as an irreverent soldier battling alien threats, with the film balancing satire and humanity ahead of its November 10, 2027 release.
On the animated front, Sony introduced Buds, a whimsical yet high-concept story about a timid plant that breaks the centuries-old rule of not speaking to humans in order to save a friend, sparking upheaval in both plant and human worlds. The film is set for December 2027.
One of the most buzzworthy reveals came with The Social Reckoning, a thriller written and directed by Aaron Sorkin. Starring Mikey Madison, Jeremy Allen White, and Jeremy Strong (replacing Jesse Eisenberg as Mark Zuckerberg), the film follows a whistleblower taking on Facebook. Footage teased a tense meeting between Madison’s character and White. Bill Burr also appears. This sequel to 2010’s The Social Network is set for release on October 9, 2026.
Sony Animation closed strong with Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, confirming it picks up immediately where the last installment left off. The footage showcased Miles Morales confronting alternate versions of himself, including glimpses of characters like Peter B. Parker, Spider-Ham, Spider-Noir, and more, all uniting against The Spot, who declares his desire to be taken seriously. The film swings into theaters on June 18, 2027.
The presentation wrapped with a crowd-pleasing return to one of Sony’s most beloved franchises, Jumanji: Open World. Introduced in person by Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, and Jack Black, the trailer teased a reversal of the franchise’s core concept, with the game entering the real world. A stampede of animals races through city streets in a direct callback to the original film, while the in-game avatars emerge into reality to meet their human counterparts, including Johnson’s Dr. Bravestone sporting a surprising accent. The film is set for a Christmas Day 2026 release.
Across the board, Sony’s CinemaCon showcase emphasized emotional storytelling within its biggest franchises while continuing to expand into ambitious new territory, from auteur-driven dramas to bold video game adaptations, making it clear the studio is aiming for both scale and substance in the years ahead.
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