CinemaCon 2025: Luca Guadagnino and the Renewed Centrality of Theatrical Cinema

From March 31 to April 3, Caesars Palace in Las Vegas hosted CinemaCon 2025, the leading annual event for the global film industry and theatrical exhibitors. The event highlighted tensions between studios and exhibitors due to a 10% decline in box office revenue during the first quarter of 2025 compared to 2024. Both sides placed blame: studios accused theaters of being obsolete and lacking innovation, while exhibitors criticized the reduction of theatrical exclusivity windows, which they claim undermines box office performance.

Among the highlights, Italian director Luca Guadagnino drew significant attention with a video message during Lionsgate’s presentation, where he announced his next project: a new film adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’ novel American Psycho. Guadagnino expressed his deep admiration for the book and confirmed that the screenplay is being written by Scott Z. Burns.

The news was further confirmed today by Adam Fogelson, chairman of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, during the Pulse Conference at UCLA—a prestigious event that brings together industry leaders, academics, and creatives to discuss the future of media and entertainment.

CinemaCon also featured major announcements from top studios:

• Sony revealed Spider-Man: Stranger Things starring Tom Holland and directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, set for release on July 31, 2026
• Universal introduced Jurassic World: Rebirth, directed by Gareth Edwards and starring Scarlett Johansson and Mahershala Ali
• Disney offered a first look at Avatar: Fire and Ash, the third chapter in James Cameron’s saga, scheduled for December 17, 2025
• Amazon MGM announced plans to fill the void left by 20th Century Fox with a goal of releasing 15 theatrical films annually by 2027
• Paramount proposed reducing trailers and pre-film advertising to improve the theatrical experience
• Lionsgate announced new projects for the John Wick franchise, including a fifth chapter with Keanu Reeves and an animated spin-off

In addition to premieres, CinemaCon offered space for crucial reflections on the future of film distribution. Michael O’Leary, President of Cinema United, reiterated the importance of maintaining a minimum 45-day theatrical window before films become available on streaming platforms. According to O’Leary, this model protects both the economic and cultural value of the moviegoing experience, while also giving mid-budget and independent productions the opportunity to find an audience.

Despite ongoing challenges posed by streaming, theater chains are looking ahead. Major exhibitors announced a combined investment of over $2.2 billion to modernize 21,000 screens across the next three years.

Among the most emotional moments of the 2025 edition was Tom Cruise’s tribute to Val Kilmer during the presentation of the upcoming Mission: Impossible film. The event concluded with Glen Powell being honored as Star of the Year and Lindsay Lohan receiving the Vanguard Award, during which she confirmed a sequel to Freaky Friday is in the works.

CinemaCon 2025 reaffirmed the vitality of the theatrical film industry and the renewed commitment—also from Italian creatives—to making the big-screen experience increasingly central and compelling.

Source: Variety