How do you close an inaugural CinemaCon presentation featuring some of Hollywood’s biggest movie stars?
If you’re the executives at Amazon MGM Studios, you ask them to close the show with an epic group selfie. Vivica A. Fox had the honors of hoisting a selfie stick to capture the talent that had appeared on the Colosseum stage inside Caesars Palace in Las Vegas during the two-hour show to cap a packed convention schedule on Wednesday night just before 10 p.m. It was a rare group gathering on the big stage at CinemaCon where stars usually come out in clusters to promote their respective films.
It’s understandable that Amazon MGM Studios would want photographic evidence of the big moment at such a critical juncture for the theatrical experience and after trotting out so many of its talent partners on films ranging from big blockbusters to auteur-driven dramas. During the presentation, top executives like Mike Hopkins, head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, Kevin Wilson, head of theatrical distribution, Sue Kroll, head of marketing, and Courtenay Valenti, head of film, streaming and theatrical reiterated their commitment to exhibition.
Hopkins went so far as to say the plan is to deliver 15 films a year to theaters by 2027. “We are committed to doing this for the long terms and when Amazon commits to something, we tend to do it big.” Added Valenti during a later segment when she was joined by Kroll: “We’re building a bold and diverse slate with theatrical in mind. Sci-fi, fantasy, action-packed adventures, family-friendly fare, gripping thrillers, movies designed to be seen big and felt deeply.”
Back to that selfie. To close the show, a parade of stars with their directors returned to the stage to pose for the group photo. Among those seen below (with links to coverage from inside the event): Ben Affleck, Jon Bernthal, Daniella Pineda, Cynthia Addai-Robinson and filmmaker Gavin O’Connor from The Accountant 2; Ryan Gosling and filmmakers Phil Lord and Chris Miller from Project Hail Mary; filmmaker Bart Layton, Halle Berry and Chris Hemsworth from Crime 101; Chris Pratt and filmmaker Timur Bekmambetov from Mercy; filmmaker Luca Guadagnino and his After the Hunt actors Andrew Garfield and Ayo Edebiri; Aleshea Harris, Kara Young, Mallori Johnson and Vivica A. Fox from Is God Is.
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