Jonathan Sim
Amazon MGM Studios made a bold and often chaotic impression at CinemaCon, delivering a presentation that leaned into spectacle, star power, and a clear message that theatrical experiences need to feel essential. The panel opened with immediate flair as Jon Batiste took the stage for a live piano performance, setting an energetic tone before the studio launched into a wide-ranging slate that mixed legacy IP, action-heavy originals, and self-aware comedy.
One of the centerpiece reveals was The Thomas Crown Affair, which debuted its first trailer with Michael B. Jordan and Adria Arjona appearing onstage. Jordan emphasized that this take aims to give the iconic character a stronger sense of purpose, reframing him as someone audiences can actively root for rather than simply admire from a distance. The film was shot with IMAX, reinforcing its big-screen ambitions and aligning with the studio’s repeated insistence that theatrical releases must justify leaving home.
That same philosophy carried into the celebration of Project Hail Mary, with Ryan Gosling and filmmaking duo Phil Lord and Christopher Miller appearing to highlight the film’s success and audience appeal. The message was consistent throughout the panel: it’s on studios to deliver movies that feel like events.
Franchise-building efforts were on full display with Masters of the Universe, as director Travis Knight joined Nicholas Galitzine and Camila Mendes onstage, with Galitzine even holding the iconic Sword of Power. The footage revealed a darker, more urgent take on the material, with Eternia in peril and the world slipping into chaos. A clip showed Adam being attacked before being rescued by Teela, followed by glimpses of He-Man in action as his home lies in ruins, signaling a story rooted in loss and rising heroism.
Action spectacle continued with The Beekeeper 2, introduced by Jason Statham in a prerecorded video, who promised an escalation in every sense. The trailer delivered exactly that, with Statham’s character enduring extreme physical punishment, including allowing himself to be stung by bees to stop bleeding, while taking on a conspiracy involving a kidnapped president. Pom Klementieff appears as a villain, and the tone leans fully into heightened, unapologetic action.
If you need any convincing to see this movie, just know this: Jason Statham sets fire to a bad guy’s head and says, “Next time, don’t be such a hothead.” In theaters January 15, 2027. Bring your friends.
The studio also addressed the future of one of its most valuable properties, confirming that casting for James Bond is being handled with patience and care, emphasizing the responsibility of getting the character right rather than rushing into a decision.
More offbeat storytelling came with The Sheep Detectives, introduced by Hugh Jackman and Nicholas Braun, who described it as a deeply human story about finding one’s place in the world, told through an unusual lens involving sheep. An extended trailer suggested a mix of humor and heart, leaning into its eccentric premise.
Genre diversity remained a key theme throughout the presentation. A Colt Is My Passport, set in 1978 Detroit and directed by Gareth Evans, teased chaotic shootouts and gritty action. How to Rob a Bank brought Pete Davidson and David Leitch to the stage, with Davidson bluntly describing the film as “totally insane,” while Nicholas Hoult and Anna Sawai appeared via video.
Meanwhile, Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother, starring Mahershala Ali, was introduced as a visceral and morally complex thriller, with its creators emphasizing that every act of violence carries emotional and spiritual weight, and calling it the kind of project they’ve long wanted to make.
Adaptation also played a role here, with the trailer for Verity getting its first screening. This psychological thriller is adapted from a Colleen Hoover novel and stars Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson, and Josh Hartnett.
A behind-the-scenes look at Highlander showcased a large-scale, visceral reimagining directed by Chad Stahelski and starring Henry Cavill, Russell Crowe, and Dave Bautista, including a teased showdown between Cavill and Bautista.
One of the most memorable—and bizarre—moments of the panel came when the presentation appeared to malfunction, only to be overtaken by a comedic bit involving Dark Helmet. This led into the official presentation of Spaceballs 2, now titled Spaceballs: The New One, with Josh Greenbaum and cast members including Bill Pullman, Daphne Zuniga, Josh Gad, Lewis Pullman, and Rick Moranis taking the stage, alongside a remote appearance from Keke Palmer.
The footage leaned heavily into meta-humor, poking fun at Hollywood mergers and franchise culture, even parodying major sci-fi icons and imagery, while embracing the long-running joke that a sequel would never actually happen. Mel Brooks also made a comedic interruption, adding to the irreverent tone. The film is set for release on April 23, 2027.
The presentation rounded out with I Play Rocky, a film based on the true story of Sylvester Stallone‘s journey to make Rocky and play the lead, described by its filmmakers and cast as a story that captures the universal experience of chasing a dream, reinforcing the studio’s broader emphasis on emotionally resonant storytelling alongside spectacle.
Across the board, Amazon MGM Studios delivered a presentation that was as unpredictable as it was ambitious, blending sincere artistic intent with chaotic humor and blockbuster energy, all while reinforcing a clear mission: to create films that demand to be seen in theaters.
I really hope Mel Brooks, Josh Gad, Benji Samit, and Dan Hernandez take this scene from the first Spaceballs and make it the overarching joke of the sequel.
I hope it’s merciless and makes the entire audience feel really uncomfortable as they’re laughing, knowing that the thing they held up as inherently ridiculous back then has gotten so much worse now.