Both Sony and Amazon/MGM have announced that they will be presenting at next year’s CinemaCon conference in Las Vegas, an exciting development for the conference’s organizers and attendees and an encouraging sign for exhibitors.
This will mark Sony’s return to CinemaCon after sitting out the exhibitor conference earlier this year, citing the need to find “cost savings” amidst a challenging period for the industry while struggling with the aftereffects of the actors’ and writers’ strikes.
Sony has recovered well from the early 2024 doldrums, with successful releases of THE GARFIELD MOVIE (released on 5/24/24), BAD BOYS: RIDE OR DIE (released on 6/7/2024), IT ENDS WITH US (released on 8/9/24) and VENOM: THE LAST DANCE (released on 10/25/24). Sony’s return to CinemaCon signals an optimistic outlook for the studio as it heads into next year.
This will be the first appearance for Amazon/MGM at CinemaCon since MGM was acquired by Amazon. It will also be the first time a streamer has presented at the exhibitor conference, in recognition of the financial opportunity that the theatrical sector represents to all studios. Amazon/MGM has chosen to open many of their original films in theatres, including THE BEEKEEPER, CHALLENGERS, and RED ONE.
After several years in which many studios experimented with streaming-only releases, most have returned to theatrical releasing for their highest-profile movies. The most recent example of this is Disney changing its release strategy for MOANA 2, shifting away from what had originally been planned as a Disney+ exclusive to a theatrical run, opening in theatres on the day before Thanksgiving.