LAS VEGAS (AP) — Warner Bros. isn’t resting on its “ Barbie ” laurels: The 100-year studio has its sights on a record-breaking 2024 as effectively, with a launch slate that features a new Mad Max movie, “ Furiosa,” Kevin Costner’s two-part Western epic, “ Horizon: An American Saga, ” the “ Beetlejuice ” sequel, and “Joker: Folie à Deux,” which brings Woman Gaga to Gotham Metropolis.
The studio was first up Tuesday evening to dazzle theater homeowners who’re gathered this week in Las Vegas for the annual CinemaCon conference and commerce present. They got here armed with stars, together with the likes of Kevin Costner, Michael Keaton, Robert Pattinson, Anya Taylor-Pleasure and Chris Hemsworth, in addition to footage and trailers to indicate.
“Joker” director Todd Phillips confirmed the viewers a trailer for “Joker: Folie à Deux,” out Oct. 4, which brings Joaquin Phoenix again because the violent and mentally unwell Arthur Fleck and introduces Gaga’s Harley Quinn. Phillips thanked the exhibitors within the room for serving to the primary film grow to be such a giant success.
Addressing rumors that the sequel is a musical, Phillips mentioned that he hasn’t referred to it as such.
“It’s a film the place music is a necessary aspect,” Phillips mentioned. “To me that doesn’t veer very removed from the primary movie.”
Earlier than its world premiere on the Cannes Movie Pageant subsequent month and theatrical launch on Might 24, “Furiosa” director George Miller stars Taylor-Pleasure and Hemsworth, spoke a bit in regards to the prequel and confirmed some explosive new footage.
“We simply completed final week,” mentioned the 79-year-old filmmaker, whose first Mad Max movie got here out 45 years in the past.
This new movie is concentrated on a younger Furiosa, who was performed by Charlize Theron in “Mad Max: Fury Street,” the 2015 blockbuster that revamped $300 million on the field workplace and gained 4 Oscars.
“That is the story of 1 lady’s relentless dedication to unattainable hope,” Taylor-Pleasure mentioned. “We see her undergo the whole lot.”
Hemsworth performs a warlord named “Dementus.”
The viewers was particularly excited to listen to from Kevin Costner, who shall be again in theaters this summer season with a two-part Western, “Horizon: An American Saga,” which he directed, co-wrote and stars in. Set through the Civil Struggle, Costner needed to have a look at the thought of the promise of America.
“It was the promise that should you may come west, should you may survive it, you possibly can make a house on the expense of numerous issues,” Costner mentioned. “To me, that’s drama.”
The movie is getting an unconventional launch, with “Half 1” hitting theaters on June 28 adopted by “Half 2” on Aug. 16. The ensemble consists of Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Danny Huston and “Stranger Issues” breakout Jamie Campbell Bower.
“Lots of people like plot films,” Costner mentioned. “I tend to love journey films.”
“Horizon: An American Saga” will premiere at Cannes subsequent month as effectively.
Tim Burton was additionally readily available to hype “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” the sequel to his 1988 hit, which brings again Keaton, Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara to reprise their roles, and introduces new characters performed by Jenna Ortega, Monica Bellucci, Willem Dafoe and Justin Theroux. It opens in theaters on Sept. 5.
Burton mentioned he all the time associated to Lydia Deetz and needed to know what occurred to the Deetz girls over time and was completely satisfied that Ryder, O’Hara and Keaton have been on board too.
“It was like a bizarre household reunion,” Burton mentioned.
Keaton mentioned that they had mentioned the likelihood many instances over time and so they lastly bought it proper. “It’s good. It’s actually, actually good,” Keaton mentioned. “In reality, it’s nice.”
Oscar-winning director Bong Joon-ho confirmed a trailer for his new movie, “Mickey 17,” starring Robert Pattinson, which shall be in theaters in Jan. 2025.
“It’s a few easy man who in the end finally ends up saving the world,” the “Parasite” director mentioned by a translator. “It’s a really unusual kind of hero’s journey.”
Pattinson known as the story uncommon, humorous and weird. “I used to be instructed, you’re going to like the script, however the half is unattainable,” he mentioned.
Warner Bros. can also be at work rebooting its DC superhero universe, underneath the supervision of Peter Safran and James Gunn, who’s at present filming the brand new “Superman” in Atlanta for a summer season 2025 launch. Earlier than that, the studio is releasing a documentary in regards to the first cinematic Superman, Christopher Reeve, which they acquired out of Sundance. “Tremendous/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story” shall be in theaters in September.
Three years after the studio’s former leaders made the choice to launch all of their movies day-and-date in theaters and on its streaming service, Warner Bros. has reestablished itself as an important a part of the movie show ecosystem.
In December, they made the unconventional transfer t o launch three main movies in brief order: “Wonka,” “Aquaman and the Misplaced Kingdom” and “The Colour Purple.” It was achieved in settlement with theater homeowners who mentioned that they wanted extra movies. These films, home distribution president Jeff Goldstein mentioned, cumulatively revamped $1 billion globally, and the studio was chargeable for roughly 50% of the field workplace at Christmas.
This 12 months has gotten off to a robust begin too, propelled by “Wonka” and main into “ Dune: Half Two ” (each have revamped $600 million globally) and “Godzilla x Kong” which has surpassed $300 million on the field workplace.
“Storytelling is our enterprise,” Goldstein mentioned. “We’re dedicated to creating massive, crowd-pleasing, occasion films.”
Lindsey Bahr, The Related Press
