BoxOffice® Pro - May 2014

CINEMACON 2014 > STUDIO PRESENTATIONS
ering thrills either; it may bring to mind the dark tone of Christopher
Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy.
Gone Girl
October 3
David Fincher fans probably won’t see a Girl with the Dragon Tattoo sequel
any time soon, but they’ll be able to get their Fincher fix with this
fall’s Gone Girl. Fincher’s adaptation of the best-selling novel looks to
be just the type of film that made the director a household name. The
Gone Girl trailer delivers on the dark, brooding tone that has become
his trademark. And who knows—it might even help star Ben Affleck
shake off some of the fan-boy backlash he’s received since being named
Christian Bale’s replacement as Batman.
SONY
The Amazing Spider-Man 2
May 2
Sony is betting big on its Spider-Man strategy for the future. The studio
announced spin-off films featuring villains like the Sinister Six and
Venom in its attempts to match the studio nuclear arms race of comic
book properties. A central part of that formula’s success comes down to
the audience’s reception of the latest Spidey sequel. Sony showed confidence
in the film by showing three different clips, about 30 minutes of
screen time, at their CinemaCon presentation.
Interior during the Sony Pictures Entertainment 2014 Highlights
Presentation at Caesars Palace
22 Jump Street
June 13
The biggest laughs from the Sony presentation came from another
revived property with a sequel coming out over the summer, 22 Jump
Street, which reunites Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill in a plot that
throws the young-looking duo into college.
The Interview
October 10
Sony had an unexpected comedy hit with last year’s This is the End from
co-creators Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen. The two will return along
with This is the End co-star James Franco in this fall’s The Interview,
the most pleasant surprise of Sony’s presentation. Rogen is the lead
producer to Franco’s talk show host in this comedy that has the pair
traveling to North Korea for an exclusive interview with the country’s
leader—while under strict CIA instructions to turn the Q&A segment
into an assassination.
DISNEY
Million Dollar Arm
May 16
Disney has high hopes for this sports drama starring Jon Hamm,
high enough to host an advance screening of the entire film as part
of its CinemaCon presentation. Hamm came on stage to give a brief
introduction to the film, in which he plays a baseball scout looking
for the next big star among cricket players in India. The enthusiastic
audience reaction bodes well for the Disney film, which is sure to be a
crowd-pleaser.
Maleficent
May 30
There are flashes of Lord of the Rings judging from the brief Maleficent
montage that Disney screened at CinemaCon. Angelina Jolie stars
as the iconic Sleeping Beauty villain in a film that could potentially
become a four-quadrant hit for Disney.
Inside Out
June 19, 2015
Disney didn’t reveal anything new on the Star Wars front, but that
doesn’t mean one of their 2015 releases didn’t steal the show. Disney
screened a scene from Pixar’s upcoming Inside Out that became the
highlight of the studio’s presentation. The film is set in the mind of an
11-year-old girl who is having difficulty adjusting to a new town after a
family move. The film’s main characters will be the girl’s feelings: Fear,
Sadness, Disgust, Joy, and Anger, all voiced by different actors.
UNIVERSAL
Neighbors
May 9
A Million Ways to Die in the West
May 30
Dumb and Dumber To
November 14
Universal is investing big in raunchy comedies this year as it prepares
to release a number of high-profile titles in 2015. Neighbors could
potentially be an early-summer hit for the studio. Universal hosted
an advance screening for the film during CinemaCon and younger
viewers seemed to respond more positively to the film than their older
counterparts. Universal will hope to have another Ted on its hands with
Seth McFarlane’s A Million Ways to Die in the West, that is until Ted 2
is released on June 26, 2015. The studio will welcome back Jim Carrey
and Jeff Daniels as they reprise their roles in the Farrelly brothers’
Dumb and Dumber To.
Unbroken
November 14
Angelina Jolie appeared on stage to personally introduce an extended
look at her upcoming drama, Unbroken. Jolie directs this biopic of an
Olympic athlete locked up in a Japanese P.O.W. camp during World
War II. Universal got the ball rolling on what will likely be a big
awards-season push for this holiday release.
Fifty Shades of Grey
February 13, 2015
The surprise of the evening came when Universal unveiled the first publicly
screened footage of its heretofore top-secret Fifty Shades of Grey.
The footage promises steamy chemistry between the film’s stars, with
no apparent indication that the adaptation of the best seller will veer
into camp territory. The completed film might prove otherwise, but
the CinemaCon sneak peek suggests a serious-minded erotic thriller for
adult audiences. Fifty Shades could easily entice the same crowds that
turned Magic Mike and Sex and the City into massive hits.
50 BoxOffice ® Pro The Business of Movies MAY 2014