LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Universal Pictures put their most anticipated films on display at CinemaCon at Caesars Palace’s Colosseum Theater Wednesday.
The annual conference, featuring the latest and greatest in the movie theater industry, included an exclusive peek at all of the offerings scheduled for Universal Pictures’ 2025 slate, including new offerings from the Jurassic franchise, a “How to Train Your Dragon” live-action sequel, and the much-anticipated follow-up to 2024’s hit film “Wicked.”
The star-studded presentation included a live orchestra headed by veteran conductor Ricky Minor playing Universal film classic music in between speakers. Additionally, appearances from the stars and filmmakers involved in making the upcoming slate of films headed to movie theaters in 2025. Scarlett Johansson and Mahershala Ali from “Jurassic World Rebirth,” due in theaters in July, appeared to discuss their adventures shooting the movie in Thailand. Johannson said her appearance in a Jurassic film is a long time coming.
“It’s been a lifelong dream to be in a Jurassic movie for the last 15 years,” Johannson said. “I told [Steven Spielberg] I would play any role, even if I was eaten in the first five minutes.”
Director Gareth Edwards enforced his mission to make the Jurassic franchise scary again by shooting in mostly real-life locations, and in many cases hiding the dinosaurs.
“I wanted the audience to feel like they were on a roller coaster ride… keeping the dinosaurs hidden until you really see them,” Edwards said.
Other movies featured during the presentation included “Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie”, a new movie based on a popular Netflix series, “Nobody 2,” a sequel to the 2021 Bob Odenkirk-led action film, efforts from Focus Features like Wes Anderson’s “Venetian Scheme,” “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale,” and new pictures from filmmakers Steven Spielberg and Christopher Nolan.
Tyrique Withers and Marlon Wayans took to the stage to introduce the new Jordan Peele-produced sports-horror film “Him,” starring both Withers and Wayans. Jason Blum, clad in a detailed Freddy Fazbear costume, detailed Universal and Blumhouse’s horror offerings, including sequels to “Five Nights at Freddy’s,” “The Black Phone,” and”M3GAN.” The latter featured a dance troop of M3GANs onstage dancing to Britney Spears’s Oops! I Did It Again.
And in the genre of killer AI, Blum and fellow filmmaker James Wan introduced a more adult version of M3GAN, where people can purchase their own synthetic soulmate. “Soulm8te” is set to hit theaters in January.
Finally, Wicked’s Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande took the stage alongside director Jon M. Chu to present an exclusive preview for the holiday follow-up and conclusion to 2024’s hit, “Wicked: For Good.”
The early preview spotlighted favorite tunes from the Broadway musical “No Good Deed” and, of course, the titular “For Good,” and provided a glimpse into where the witches of Oz find themselves for the sequel. The clip featured a hunting party, searching for the now “wicked” witch, Elphaba (Erivo), led by Prince Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey), and teased a royal wedding between Glinda (Grande) and Fiyero with a hint of a love triangle thrown in for good measure.
“For a while I thought you’d changed,” Elphaba says to Fiyero in the sneak peek.
“I have changed,” he replies.
Wicked: For Good is set to hit theaters on Nov. 21.
