CinemaCon: Sony Pictures Presentation Recap

Sony Pictures kicked off a CinemaCon's massive assembly of movie studios, theater owners, and press in Las Vegas with a presentation of their slate of films for the summer of 2017 and beyond.

James Mangold, the director Logan, kicks off a reel of directors. He discusses films that made him want to be a film director. Patty Jenkins discusses film\s which changed her life and view of the world. "Ever since that happened to me," Jenkins said. "I have be intoxicated and addicted to the idea alf bringing that experience to other people." Ava Duvernay chimes in, along with F. Gary Gray, and Bill Condon. They discuss their passion for films, one at a time. The package concludes with F. Gary Gray thanking theater owners for providing that experiences.

Managing Director of NATO Mitch Neuhauser takes the stage. "There's something about being in the sacred space of the theater that is such an honor to me," he said, before calling CinemaCon "our sacred space." He promises an historic, record breaking year at the box office. "We're gonna have incredible energy in this room. With what the studios have brought this week, it's just gonna explode."

Neuhauser goes on to spew thanks to many people for helping CinemaCon occur. He starts with the Presidents of Distribution. "Their companies are upping the anti, in every sense of the word," Neuhauser said. "We would like to thank NATO for their support for what they gave our team throughout the year." He goes on to thank Barco, Dolby, QSC, RealD and Boston Light and Sound for helping produce the week's events, as well as the companies which provided the banners and signage.

He discusses the new security measures which will be enforced at CinemaCon. Last year, an issue cut a screening short. This year, they have instituted bag checks as well as guard dogs.

The sponsor of tonight's after party and event is Dolby," Neuhauser said. "They're always there to answer the call, not just for me, but for you -- for exhibition. They're giving your moviegoers better, more immersive experiences."

A Dolby reel takes the screen in the Colosseum at Caesar's Palace. Jed Harmsen delivers statements describing Dolby's mission to inovate and improve the moviegoing experience which is cost effective for theater owners. Dolby Atmos has been installed on over 2,700 screens. Theater owners offer their sentiments and approval of Dolby Atmos. Ben Affleck calls Dolby Atmos' work "miraculous." David Yates chimes in, describing Atmos as a way to enhance his storytelling.

Neuhauser returns to the stage to hand it over to Sony Pictures Entertainment. Baby Driver kicks off the panel.

The clip starts in New York with a red car stopping and Baby Driver starting his music. Three bank robbers exit and cross the street dressed in black carrying duffle bags. The driver jams out in his car with a water bottle as a microphone. He jams out, using the car as a a dance floor and and instrument simultaneously. It's a Subaru. Police pull up, sirens blazing, as he strokes his air guitar. The robbers open fire into the air. This has his attention. He pulls his glasses down to look inside at the organized chaos before lip syncing about the "most groovy bellbottoms." The robbers emerge, running into the car, and Bernthal signals him forward but he rips it in reverse and flips the car around. Headphones in the whole time, dodging cop cars, and running red lights, causing in accident in his wake. More cops catch on in the streets. The robbers are getting nervous as he pushes 90 miles per hour on city streets. He takes an alley and slides through obstacles with ease, drifting masterfully back on to the road and on to a bridge. A cop throws tacks into the road but he dodges them, unlike the cop behind him. Now, though, there are five police in pursuit. He rips around corner and into more police presence. Now up an embankment and onto the highway. Oncoming traffic. E-brake, flips the car around. He slides in between two other red cars and confuses the helicopter above before going under a tunnel and switching places with one of them. He takes an exit. No cops in sight. Down an alley a cop passes but doesn't notice them. He drifts through a parking garage. Parks. They get out and hop into a black Toyota, now wearing more casual clothes. They drive off.

Edgar Wright takes the stage with Jon Hamm and Ansel Elgort. Wright reveals this has been the first scene of the film. "It means a lot to me personally to show it to you. Not only am I a film director but I am genuinely a moviegoer," Wright said.

"This movie is really cool and really unique but it has such an amazing soundtrack," Elgort said, before describing his character's dilemma: he was in an accident which damaged his head. He developed a hearing problem called tinnitus. "He became obsessed with cars but because of his tinnitus, he needs to play music all the time to drown out that ringing."

"I'm a huge action fan, and I really wanted to make these chases in this film feel as visceral and exciting as possible," Wright said. "There's no CGI or green screen."

Jon Hamm chimes in. "It very real and very exciting to be in a car that is going the wrong way on a working interstate at about seventy miles per hour by a kid from New York who just learned how to drive," Hamm said. He describes it as "visceral" as well. "Some of the best stuff us actors and filmmakers get to do is what just seems real." Elgort learned how to do some of the stunts and learned to drive a stick shift courtesy of Baby Driver.

"It was such a thrill making this movie and we can't wait for audiences to see this movie this summer," Wright said.

Rory Bruer, President of Worldwide Distribution, takes the stage. He has elected to move the release date of Baby Driver up to June 28, 2017. He introduces the first look at The Dark Tower.

Idris Elba introduces the footage, with a video apologizing for not being able to attend.

Matthew Disdain, Man in Black.

Nikolaj Arcel compliments Stephen King's work. Elba looks over a valley. A young boy stands in the woods. A cloud takes of New York City. Folks with flames run through alley ways. Man in Black throws a jacket off, Elba looks poised. Matthew hears voices in the woods. He draws to guns. The Man in Black questions if he is ready for what's coming. He shoots at him but the Man in Black catches it and says, "The tower will fall, Roland." The young boy wakes up in bed. He's talking to a therapist. He's drawing a man in black and sees the "Dark Tower." The therapists insists that Jake's vision isn't real, until he is startled whn the room shakes. Jake knows he is supposed to do something, but not what. He creeps through an abandoned house until he finds a portal to a desolate world. The Gunslinger finds him. Jake shows him a drawing. The Gunslinger is seen shooting at a mythical element. The Man in Black emerges through a portal and is seen waling down Broadway. The Gunslinger promises he is dangerous. Man in Black kills a man by touching his face. Action sequences ensure, including impressive reloading sequence. Lights overtake the New York City sky. The Gunslinger promises to kill the Man in Black. The fight. The Man in Black moves shards of glass with his mind. Later, Jake is taken in a burning village. The gunslinger is behind asked to look for him but needs to focus. He listens to something, hears his blood drop, a wrench clanging on a wall, and then Jake being taken. He raises his gun, calmly, and shoots into the distance where Jake he been take into. The bullet pierces a portrait, clothes, a wall, a field, and the man trying to take the boy.

Now, animation is up. July of 2018 will see Hotel Transylvania 3. Christmas 2018 will see the animated Spider-Man. They will show footage from Smurfs and The Emoji Movie.

Smurfs kicks it off, re-introducing the old cast before Nosey, Paranoid, and Table-Eating Smurg. Next up is The Emoji Movie, which shows off "the secret world inside your phone." The "Meh" emoji doesn't know how to express his role properly, which causes a malfunction in a phone. There is a ruling, and "Meh" is terrified of the result. The emojis play up their roles, including Poop jokes and puns. Meh is being deleted as an emoji. The third film is a preview for The Star which consists of concept art and filmmakers describing the nativity story. "Beau The Donkey" will lead the movie with voices of Oprah Winfrey, Steven Yeun, Tyler Perry, Gabriel Iglesias, and more. The fourth features Peter Rabbit, a clumsy rabbit who runs through birds. Filmmakers describe the film which consists of several fairy tale characters, such as the Fox who tried to eat Peter Rabbit. James Corden will voice Peter, Daisy Ridley and McGregor will play live action characters, and Margot Robbie will play the animated Mopsy.

Sony Pictures chairman Tom Rothman takes the stage. He promises Girl With The Dragon Tattoo will continue in 2018. He is turning his attention to Sony's continued efforts on the global market, highlighting Resident Evil and Passengers passing $300 million. He remembers where he was when he saw Ridley Scott's Blade Runner. He introduces Ryan Gosling to the stage to discuss the sequel, 2049. The last time Rothman saw Gosling, he was soaking wet on set in Budapest.

"It was so surreal to be walking around in the universe of Blade Runner. The craftsmanship on this film is on another level," Gosling said. "It was a fully functioning, living breathing world. It made it so easy for us in the end to just focus on the internal world of these characters because the extended world is so fully realized and rich with detail."

"Part of the film does take place in Las Vegas," Rothman said. "Perhaps, not exactly, Caesar's Palace in the years to come."

"It's fun to be here now and to be premiering this for the first time because a big portion of the film was shot in Las Vegas 2019. It was really incredible to try to watch them recreate Las Vegas in Budapest," Gosling said before introducing the footage.

The screen reminds us of the 1982. "One film revolutionized how we saw the future," is says with the original's footage and Decker shooting through glass. Agent K draws a gun. "Now, the story continues."He walkins into a building. ITs gold, with a lot of triangular shapes. He looks at human statues. A naked woman drops out of a bag. A man with slick hair tells her, "Happy birthday," after saying he makes "angels" but can only make "so many." Agent K rides throug ha futuristic world. A woman tells him, "There is an order to how we do things." Gosling walks through a golden shaded, abandoned location, and steps over a wire tap. He meets Ford who tells him he used to have his job. K wants to ask some questions. He walks through a white world. Several locations flash across the screen until K meets a young woman who is gets close to him. Deckard's home explodes. Batista puts a man through a wall. He's wearing glasses. Action sequences flash by. A woman tells K he is special and his story isn't over yet. "There's still a page left." He looks down at a book to end the trailer.

"Netflix, my ass," Rothman said. "Right?"

He changes his attention to Tom Holland and how he introduced him to the world at CinemaCon last year."Soidey's long awaited entrance to the MCU...is among us. The collaboration between Sony and Marvel is historic in many ways. I saw first hand that Marvel's unprecedented track record is not an accident."

Kevin Feige, Amy Pascal, and Jon Watts take the stage. "The whole idea was that he's been there the whole time. Tony Parker would've been five years old when Tony Stark said 'I'm Iron Man,' for the first time." He points out Peter would've been 9 or 10 years old when aliens invaded New York City.

"He got bit by a spider," Feige points out, before Civil War happened "This is the first Spider-Man film set entirely in high school," Feige said.

Tom Holland takes the stage and thanks everyone for their support. He introduces the second trailer.

Peter runs through New York City streets to hide and put his suit on. "To become an Avengers, are there trials, or an interview?" Tony wants him to be a "friendly, neighborhood Spider-Man." Peter crashes parties. His friend finds out he is Spider-Man. Asks questions about the Avengers. Tooms is ready to change with the world. He is rallying a crew. Tony urges him to let it go and let people handle it. On a ferry, Spider-Man encounters routine baddies before the Vulture splits it in half. Iron Man helps him keeps the ferry together. "If you're nothing without this suit, then you shouldn't have it." Tooms is intense. "I'll do anything to protect my family," he said. "So don't mess with me." He puts Peter down on a beach. In D.C., Zendaya sees her friend in trouble and Peter rushes to help on the Washington Monument. To end it, they fight on a place. Peter has to use his webslingers to guide its flight away from New York City building.

Footage of other Sony films wraps the presentation. A woman in a morgue deals with bodies which are emerging from their holding places and moving despite being ripped apart. She hides. Quick cuts show off the intensity of Cadaver which end with Shay Mitchell locked away.

Next, a woman in heels walks through a parking garage to some lighter music. "Next January." Now she is in a hospital with a red umbrella and gloves. She readies herself. Emerges from a cab. Loads a rifle. She is well equipped with heavy weapons. She uses an eyepatch. Taraji P. Henson is Proud Mary. She unloads her guns.

Next ,fromt he writer of Nightcrawler and producer of Fences, is a Denzel Washington film. He's bald. He's against Colin Farrel. The film is still untitled.

In a cafeteria, a young couple finds discusses meeting downstairs. Ellen Page wants this team to stop her heart so she can see what happens when she dies. They do so with electricity. They wait a minute before bringing her back. "This September." She says she saw pure energy. The guy did it to, and their other friend. People question what they saw. Page saw a young girl in a car that spooks her. They have "opened a door." Someone urges them to stop the experiment. People aren't waking up as easily anymore. They're seeing dead people. Quick cuts take over. The room explodes. A car flies off a bridge. Characters are terrified. Page is pulled down a hallway. The film is Flatliners.

A trailer for Scarlett Johansson's Rough Night comedy plays.

President of Marketing and Worldwide Distribution Josh Greenstein takes the stage. They're closing the show with footage from Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. Dwayne Johnson takes the stage to introduce the footage.

"We wanted to make a movie that was not only phenomenal, not only paid homage to the original, but something that had evolved. "Something that could be fun. We were just looking for a way in on how to make it different but yet still pay homage to the original."

"I was on this stage and I met Robin Williams, one of my heroes, for the very first time back here," Johnson said. He awkwardly stood by, fanboying over him. He said hey and "I'm my biggest fan, s---." Robin laughed and they shared a moment. Johnson thanked Williams for the inspiration. "We cast this movie with the best in mind."

Johnson introduces Nick Jones to the stage, followed by Karen Gillan and Jack Black. Black starts singing a song about Jumanji. "It's the jungle inside your soul!" The cast sings along. "We shot this all in Hawaii for the jungles of Jumanji," Black said. "The truth is, it was pure hell. If you go deep into the Hawaiian islands, in the nooks and crannies, it's pretty hellish." He says Leonardo DiCaprio whined about the cold for The Revenant but they had to film in the tough conditions of Hawaii. He did come up with a way to say the F-word in a PG-13 movie. Johnson teases one more amazing person who made the film even better. Kevin Hart takes the screen as the cast references literally anyone else. Hart starts about how much he did for the film but Johnson flips him off. Hart insists he stop before getting muted. The footage beings.

Students are in detention. They're stereotypically teenagers, playing sports or on their computers, or taking pictures for Instagram. The principal makes the clean out the basement and finds a digital Jumanji. They hook it up to a screen. They pick characters. They all grab a controller and play before being sucked into the TV and launched on the islands of Jumanji. They've become the characters. They realize who they all really are. Bravestone describes their situation. Bethany (now: Jack Black), the pretty girl in the real world, is Jack Black and is not okay with being an overwight middle aged man. Hart's character insists he is missing the top two feet of his body. They find a map and follow a path. Bravestone beats people up, to his own surprise and satisfaction. Hart steps up to him and he flinches. A tour guide tells them they have to return a gem to its location. Bravestone realizes they have levels. Bethany teaches Gillan's character how to distract a man. They encounter possessed animals and eventually Alex, played by Nick Jones. They go through a tunnel filled with trap blades. Allen Parish is a boy who came and never left. Welcome to the Jungle plays. Action packed clips race across the screen. A hippo eats Jack Black. If they die three times, they lose. The title plays before a helicopter narrowly tries to escape a herd of rhinos.

Jumanji concludes Sony's presentation.

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