After delivering acclaimed projects like Barbie, Wonka, Blue Beetle, and more last year, Warner Bros. has its sights set on a record-breaking 2024 as well. What makes us say so? Well, the studio’s release slate for this year includes productions like a new Mad Max film, Furiosa, Horizon: An American Saga, Beetlejuice 2, Joker 2, and more.
The studio, which has a cherished history of more than 100 years, was first up on Tuesday night to wow theater owners at the annual CinemaCon convention and trade show in Las Vegas, by bringing out stars like Kevin Costner, Michael Keaton, Robert Pattinson, Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, and others, to debut the first looks and trailers of their respective upcoming flicks.
While CinemaCon remains exclusive to industry insiders, below is a round-up of all the major highlights from the event’s dazzling first day, brought to you solely by Pinkvilla.
1. Joker: Folie à Deux Trailer — Certainly the highlight of the night
Joker director Todd Phillips showed the audience a trailer for Joker: Folie à Deux, which brings Joaquin Phoenix back as the clown prince of crime and introduces Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn.
Phillips thanked the exhibitors in the room for contributing to the first movie’s success. He then went on to address the rumors that the highly anticipated sequel is a musical, saying he never referred to it as such. “It’s a movie where music is an essential element,” the director noted before adding, “To me, that doesn’t veer very far from the first film.”
Joker: Folie à Deux is set to release in theaters on October 4 this year.
2. Furiosa — The fifth film in the high-octane Mad Max series
Before its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival next month and a theatrical release on May 24, Furiosa director George Miller and stars Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth spoke a bit about the prequel at CinemaCon 2024 while also showcasing some exclusive sneak peek of the film to the audience.
“We just finished last week,” Miller, 79, whose first Mad Max film came out 45 years ago, said.
The new film centers on a young Furiosa, and is a story of a “Woman’s relentless commitment to impossible hope,” per Taylor-Joy.
Hemsworth takes on the role of a warlord named Dementus in the film.
3. Horizon: An American Saga — A Kevin Costner starrer and directional
Kevin Costner will be back in theaters this summer with a two-part Western flick, Horizon: An American Saga, which he directed, co-wrote, and stars in.
Set during the Civil War, Costner looks back at the idea of the promise of a greater America in the film. “It was the promise that if you come west, if you could survive it, you could make a home at the expense of a lot of things,” Costner said of Horizon, adding, “To me that’s drama.”
Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Danny Huston, Jamie Campbell Bower, and more, round up the ensemble. “A lot of people like plot movies. I have a tendency to like journey movies,” Costner said.
Horizon: The American Saga Part 1 hits theaters on June 28, followed by Part 2 on August 16. Additionally, the film is set to premiere at Cannes next month.
4. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice — Tim Burton’s sequel to his 1988 hit
The Beetlejuice sequel brings back Michael Keaton, Catherine O’Hara, and Winona Ryder to reprise their roles, and introduces new characters essayed by Jenna Ortega, Monica Bellucci, Willem Dafoe, and Justin Theroux.
At CinemaCon on Tuesday, Burton said he always related to Lydia Deetz and wanted to explore more about the Deetz women. He was happy that Ryder, O’Hara, and Keaton were on board too. “It was like a weird family reunion,” he added.
Beetlejuice 2 opens in theaters on September 5.
5. Mickey 17 — Bong Joon-ho’s epic Sci-fi thriller starring Robert Pattinson
At CinemaCon. Oscar-winning director Bong Joon-ho showed a trailer for his new film, Mickey 17, starring Robert Pattinson.
The film that will be in theaters in January next year is “About a simple man who ultimately ends up saving the world,” the Parasite director said through a translator.
Pattinson called the story unusual, funny, and bizarre, adding, “I was told you’re going to love the script but the part is impossible.”
6. Trap — a promising Horror/ Thriller
To be released on August 2, 2024, Trap, an M. Night Shyamalan directional debuted its very first teaser trailer at the 2024 CinemaCon gathering.
The movie primarily unfolds within a pop concert venue, where Josh Hartnett portrays a father accompanying his daughter to see her favorite singer. However, the trailer takes an eerie turn when Hartnett, stepping away for a moment, realizes that police officers are littering the venue, poised to capture a notorious killer dubbed The Butcher. As Hartnett’s character returns, his sinister smile towards the camera hints at a chilling revelation: he may be the Butcher himself.
7. The Watchers — A tale of an enchanted Irish Forest
Warner. Bros at the 2024 CinemaCon brought M Night Shyamalan’s daughter Ishana Shyamalan on stage to premiere the second trailer for her feature debut and fantasy horror, The Watchers, starring Dakota Fanning. The story of the film unfolds in Ireland and follows Fanning’s character as she gets lost in a forest filled with malevolent energies, trapping and misleading those who wander in. But as she navigates her predicament, she discovers she’s not the only one facing these challenges, bringing both relief and concern to her journey.
The Watchers hits theaters on June 14.
