CinemaCon 2024 Recap: Stars Shine, Studios Struggle, and Swag is Scarce

After a week of star-studded appearances, sneak peeks, and industry insights, CinemaCon 2024 has come to a close in Las Vegas. The annual event, which serves as a platform for studios to showcase their upcoming projects to theater owners, saw a mix of big names and notable absences.

One of the biggest stars to attend CinemaCon was Kevin Costner, who was pitching multiple films to theater owners and received the CinemaCon Visionary Award. However, some notable figures, like Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav, were conspicuously absent from the event.

A slew of Hollywood A-listers, including Jeff Goldblum, Chris Hemsworth, Lupita Nyong’o, and Dwayne Johnson, made appearances to promote their upcoming projects. However, some familiar faces, like Keanu Reeves and Jason Blum, were notably missing from the lineup.

Despite the star power on display, this year’s CinemaCon featured fewer clips and trailers than in previous years. The ongoing writers and actors strikes from 2023 created scheduling difficulties for many in the industry, leading to a lack of new footage to showcase.

While the event may have felt like a rebuilding year for some, industry insiders are hopeful for a more robust lineup in 2025 and 2026. With promises of exciting projects from studios like Disney and Warner Bros., attendees are already looking forward to next year’s event.

Overall, CinemaCon 2024 may have been a quieter affair compared to previous years, but with the industry slowly recovering from the challenges of the past, there is optimism for the future of theatrical entertainment. Stay tuned for more updates on upcoming projects and industry trends.