Sony Announces “Venom 3,” a new “Ghostbusters” & More at CinemaCon
Sony put on quite the show during the opening night of CinemaCon in Las Vegas. They were able to, at least for a little while before moving onto their slate of future films, bask in the staggering success of Spider-Man: No Way Home. But they didn’t bask for too long—there was plenty to look forward to.
One major announcement was that chart-topping rapper Bad Bunny will be their newest Marvel superhero, set to star in El Muerto, playing the titular wrestler whose mask gives him superhuman strength. It was a major reveal and marks the first time a Latino will lead a live-action Marvel film.
Sony Pictures Entertainment Chairman Tom Rothman went through the studios’ lineup, which includes the announcement of Venom 3 and a fresh installment in the Ghostbusters franchise. The studio also revealed ten minutes of director David Leitch’s star-studded Bullet Train, featuring Brad Pitt, Sandra Bullock, Zazie Beetz, and more as five assassins on a speeding train with conflicting missions. Also on board Leitch’s film? Bad Bunny, Sony’s newly minuted Marvel superhero. Bullet Train is his first feature film.
Rothman reflected on how at last year’s pared-down CinemaCon, the mood was not nearly as bright. “I stood here in August and said the heart and soul of our business remains theatrical. What happened?” What happened was theaters have rebounded, and Sony has had a banner year.”Sony movies did $3.3 billion at the worldwide box office during that time,” Rothman said.
Rothman brought out Phil Lord and Chris Miller, the writer/producers behind the Oscar-winning Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, to tease the sequel Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. The sequel sees the return of Shameik Moore as Miles Morales, the Brooklyn-based Spider-Man who will meet, among others, Miguel O’Hara, or Spider-Man 2099 (Oscar Isaac) in the new film. Another big name joining the sequel is Issa Rae, who voices Spider-Woman/Jessica Drew.
Sony also unveiled The Woman King, from director Gina Prince-Bythewood and starring Viola Davis. The Woman King is a historical epic based on the true events that took place in the Kingdom of Dahomey, a powerful state on the African continent in the 18th and 19th centuries. Prince-Bythewood wrote the script with Dana Davis, and joining Davis in the cast are Thuso Mbedu, Lashana Lynch, Sheila Atim, Hero Fiennes-Tiffin, and John Boyega. Davis then joined Prince-Bythewood on stage, and said that The Woman King was her “magnum opus.”
For more upcoming films from Sony Pictures, check out these stories:
Bad Bunny Will Star as Marvel Character El Muerto in Upcoming Sony Film
Expect CinemaCon to Bring New Looks at “Top Gun: Maverick,” “Avatar 2,” “Black Adam” & More
“Morbius” Scoring Mixer Jason La Rocca on Sinking His Teeth Into Marvel’s Vampire Antihero
Featured image: An image from “Venom: Let There Be Carnage.” Courtesy Sony Pictures.
