LAS VEGAS — This week, Hollywood studio executives are taking the spotlight in Las Vegas with a compelling push for cinema audiences, drawing inspiration from music legends John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, as well as introducing the new actors who will portray them.
Sony Pictures launched the annual CinemaCon event at Caesars Palace on Monday, promoting their upcoming series of biopics focusing on each member of The Beatles. The studio proudly unveiled the long-speculated casting choices: Paul Mescal will take on the role of McCartney, Joseph Quinn will become Harrison, Barry Keoghan will portray Starr, and Harris Dickinson will embody Lennon.
Renowned director Sam Mendes revealed that all four films are slated to premiere in April 2028, presenting what he described as the “first binge-able theatrical experience.” He expressed his longstanding ambition, stating, “I’ve been trying to make a story about The Beatles for years.”
CinemaCon, a significant event for the global movie theater industry, attracts thousands of theater operators annually, eager to discover the newest offerings from major Hollywood studios. These gatherings are filled with exciting presentations of film clips, trailers, and star appearances, aiming to boost the prospects of upcoming releases in attracting audiences to the big screen.
Sony Pictures also highlighted other major projects, featuring Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle, who premiered the fresh trailer for “28 Years Later.” This long-awaited sequel to the zombie apocalypse thriller “28 Days Later” is set to arrive in theaters in June. Additionally, the team behind “Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse” offered a sneak peek into the third installment of their Spider-Verse trilogy.
Sony’s CEO, Tom Rothman, encouraged cinema owners to innovate with weekday discount promotions, while Sony executive Adam Bergerman advocated for extending film durations in theaters to maximize viewer engagement.
The CinemaCon event follows a recent Oscars season that emphasized the joy of experiencing films on the big screen. While the upcoming release schedule for this year appears more robust in contrast to a sparse 2024, driven partly by significant industry labor strikes, the start of 2025 brings challenges. The first quarter recorded a notable shortfall in box office earnings, with sales dropping by 11% compared to 2024 and nearly 40% down from 2019, as reported by media analytics firm Comscore.