LAS VEGAS (AP) 鈥� In a starry presentation that included Timoth茅e Chalamet, Oprah Winfrey, Zendaya and a first look at 鈥淒une: Part Two,鈥� 鈥淏arbie鈥� was no doubt the brightest star of Warner Bros.' CinemaCon showcase. In fairness, the neon pink might have given her the advantage.
It was a splashy presentation for anxious theater owners in Las Vegas from a studio in transition, with new leadership teams in place to oversee films and create a characters like Superman. Within the past year, Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy were selected to lead the studio's film group while James Gunn and Peter Safran stepped in to head DC Studios.
Tuesday evening, CinemaCon attendees will be among the first to see 鈥淭he Flash鈥� (out June 16) 鈥� a film that has been the source of extra scrutiny because of star and reports of erratic behavior. Miller, who goes by they/them pronouns, said last year that they were pursuing treatment for 鈥渃omplex mental health issues.鈥�
Miller did not appear on stage in Las Vegas alongside director Andy Muschietti, though Muschietti spoke about his lead.
鈥淭hey are an incredible actor,鈥� he said. 鈥淧robably one of the best actors I've ever worked with. ... They wanted to do all the stunts and I let them.鈥�
Safran also previewed the upcoming 鈥淎quaman鈥� and 鈥淏lue Beetle鈥� movies, but did not have much to say about their plans beyond 2023.
The audience cheered for a pulsating first look at Denis Villeneuve鈥檚 鈥淒une: Part Two,鈥� which hits theaters on Nov. 3.
鈥淧art One was a more contemplative movie,鈥� Villeneuve said. "Part Two is more action packed, an epic war movie.鈥�
Not only is it 鈥渕ore dense鈥� but it was also filmed entirely in IMAX, he said. The first movie was about 鈥�40% IMAX.鈥�
鈥淒une: Part Two鈥� picks up with Chalamet鈥檚 young hero Paul Atreides and Zendaya鈥檚 Chani right were he left them. Chani, Zendaya promised, is 鈥渘ot just in dreams this time.鈥�
The two characters, she added, are trying to balance just being young people in the world with the weight of having to also be warriors for their people.
鈥淒une 2鈥� adds actors like Austin Butler, Christopher Walken and Florence Pugh to the already big ensemble.
The pitch to Butler, Villeuneuve said, was to play an 鈥淥lympic sword master mixed with a psychotic serial killer.鈥� The 鈥淓lvis鈥� star said yes.
Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling and writer-director Greta Gerwig unveiled a new trailer for the candy-colored extravaganza. The promotional spot revealed more about the film鈥檚 mysterious plot, including the fact that Robbie鈥檚 Barbie experiences some 鈥渋mperfect鈥� things like burnt toast and flat feet and goes searching for the truth about the universe.
Robbie, who produced and stars, was the engine behind the project. She was the one who asked Greta Gerwig to help make the film.
Gerwig and her partner Noah Baumbach co-wrote the script and, Gerwig said, when they finished she got the sense that he liked it so much that he wanted to direct it.
鈥淚 said, 鈥楽tep aside,鈥欌�� Gerwig laughed. 鈥淚 was so in love with it I couldn鈥檛 imagine anyone else doing it.鈥�
While writing, she said she jotted down the name 鈥淩yan Gosling鈥� for Ken, though she had neither met him nor had any idea if he鈥檇 be interested.
Gosling, most know by now, was. On stage at Caesars Palace, Gosling wore a T-shirt with Gerwig鈥檚 name on it in the Barbie font.
鈥淚 have to be honest, up until this point I only knew Ken from afar,鈥� Gosling said. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know Ken from within.鈥�
鈥淚 doubted my Kenergy,鈥� Gosling continued. 鈥淕reta and Margot, I feel like they conjured this out of me. ... I was living my life and then one day I was bleaching my hair, shaving my legs and wearing bespoke neon outfits and roller blading down Venice Beach."
鈥淏arbie,鈥� which counts disco, 鈥淭he Wizard of Oz鈥� and Technicolor musicals as inspiration, opens in theaters on July 21.
Oprah Winfrey made her CinemaCon debut to talk about the big screen adaptation of 鈥淭he Color Purple鈥� stage musical. Winfrey, who produced the new film, starred in Steven Spielberg鈥檚 adaptation of the Alice Walker novel in 1985 and received an Oscar nomination for her performance.
"'The Color Purple' in 1985 was the biggest and most important thing that had ever happened to me,鈥� Winfrey said. 鈥淭his is a full circle moment for me.鈥�
Director Blitz Bazawule said they 鈥渢old the story in such a joyful way.鈥� Both stressed that it鈥檚 the kind of film that should inspire groups and families to come out to the theater and the never-before-seen trailer promised that it is 鈥渘ot your mamma鈥檚 鈥楥olor Purple鈥�.鈥� The cast includes Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, Colman Domingo, Fantasia, H.E.R., and Jon Batiste.
鈥淚t is our mission to put people in seats for this movie,鈥� said Winfrey of the Christmas day release. She suggested buying tickets for friends and putting purple ribbons on them.
Chalamet also spoke about 鈥淲onka,鈥� a colorful origin story about the eccentric chocolatier directed by 鈥淧addington鈥� director Paul King that opens on Dec. 15. A new extended trailer showed a first look at Hugh Grant as a small, orange Oompa Loompa threatening to do a song and dance, which got laughs from the audience.
鈥淭hat was the first time you all saw Hugh as the Oompa Loompa right?鈥� Chalamet said. 鈥淚t was a trip.鈥�
David Zaslav, the CEO and President of Warner Bros. Discovery., reiterated his commitment to theaters 鈥� a 180 from former WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar who made the controversial decision to send all 10 Warner Bros. movies straight to HBO Max in 2022.
鈥淲e believe in full windowing of motion pictures,鈥� Zaslav said. 鈥淲e do not want to do direct to streaming movies. We鈥檙e in no rush to bring movies to Max (the new name for HBO Max).鈥�
In 2023, Warner Bros. plans to release 16 movies in theaters and aspires to get to more than 20 a year.
鈥淲e鈥檙e all in on motion pictures,鈥� Zaslav said.
Lindsey Bahr, The Associated Press
