CinemaCon 2025: Viva Las Vegas

Like about every industry in the United States, conventions have become not just a networking opportunity for businesses to sway potential customers; it has also become something that people look forward to, with grandiose excitement. Attendees can take pre-planning to the max sometimes by securing tickets, flights, even car rentals, and hotel stays the year prior to the convention. You may have heard of conventions like Comic-Con where attendees really go the extra mile with adults appearing in Cosplay outfits that honor their favorite character. Well, CinemaCon is no less exciting! Instead of the average Joe dressing up as Captain America Falcon, you are likely to see Anthony Mackie himself, in his own clothes though. Captain America attended the 2024 CinemaCon, along with other celebrities from the film industry. The convention is yet again making its appearance at the luxurious Colosseum at Ceasars Palace in fabulous Las Vegas from March 31st through April 3rd, 2025. CinemaCon is the largest cinema trade show in the world. If you are not familiar with CinemaCon, in general, chances are you are not an active part of the film industry. CinemaCon started in 2011 geared primarily toward owners of movie theaters around the country. Initially, the convention focused on opportunities for theater owners to collaborate, discuss their positions, and navigate how to best grow their businesses; it has since

expanded into consistently much bigger events. A theater owner needs connections to resources that help them provide their patrons with the best experience available, from what they see on the screen to the seats they sit in, to the audio sound system, along with the concession experience consisting of the best movie munchies available that for that year.

The event was created by the National Association of Theater Owners (NATO) and has grown,

since its inception, to also cater to other professionals in the Motion Picture Industry like studio executives, the hottest actors, those in film distribution, production, marketing, publicity, advertising, social media, concessions, cinema equipment, film buyers, operators, and other various decision makers within the film industry. All the entities that it takes to get movies made and then ready for the public to view are the types that attend this show. Unfortunately, it is not an event that the public would be able to attend. The event will display a vast number of must-see premiere feature movie screenings, taking advantage of the Ceasars Palace Colosseum being a state-of-the-art venue for viewing. Presentations and premiere viewing will be offered by all of the major studios. Normally, the stars of those films are on stage before or after the premiere for Q&A from the viewing audience

of industry peers. There is also special programming set aside for films coming from the

international marketplace. As mentioned, there are many celebrities that will attend. The 2024

CinemaCon boasted names like Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo who brought their characters of Glinda and Elphaba to CinemaCon at the Universal Pictures and Focus Features presentations. Anthony Ramos and Glen Powell, stars of Universal Pictures & Focus Pictures, “Twisters,” provided some entertainment to the crowd while promoting the film to the audience in attendance. Halle Berry, Ariana Greenblatt, Eli Roth, Chris Hemsworth, Kevin Costner, and even director Tim Burton, along with Michael Keaton star of “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” were in attendance for the 2024 CinemaCon. Along with the biggest stars, directors, and producers that will attend, there also will be more than 6,000 other film industry professionals that will arrive from over 60 countries. The reach of the convention, throughout the film industry worldwide, obviously is valued. Now, all the convention time isn’t spent watching movies, even though there isn’t anything wrong with that. There is a trade show aspect of the convention, as there are many other conventions. Here, industry partners like the ICTA (International Cinema Technology Association) would be present to show off the latest gadgets that would be needed for use in future films by various studios.

They would also provide the latest technology for digital projectors that theater owners would be interested in obtaining. Obviously, having the latest technology is essential to not only theater owners, for their viewers to have the greatest experience, but also to those in production for the studios, that need the best technology to film and deliver fantastic stories. Other partners like the NAC (National Association of Concessionaires) are present to entice theater owners with the latest in all the goodies that they could make available to moviegoing patrons. Speaking of goodies, the show also provides its attendees with goody bags containing everything from T-shirts, hats, candy, stickers, promo viewing copies of certain films, and more. Lots of studios have their own special giveaways, as well.

As you may imagine, with Las Vegas being the host city for CinemaCon past and present, there will be afterparties at many of the high-end luxury-themed clubs. Now this is where the public, which happens to visit Vegas at the same time as the CinemaCon show, may very well run into celebrities and end up being able to party and get that Instagram shot for their story. Just like Lady GaGa had been known to visit “The Library” after her Vegas residency shows and sometimes play the piano. Another passion for not only celebrities but also people visiting Las Vegas, in general, is the array of fabulous restaurants, all throughout the valley, not just on and off the Strip. One thing is for sure, CinemaCon seems like it will continue to bless Las Vegas with the best that the film industry, and its ancillary businesses, have to offer in upcoming content, technology, comfortable seats, and delicious treats. And, with the talk of major studios like Sony Pictures and Warner Brothers looking to plant their feet firmly in the Nevada desert by building production studios, who knows how big the future will be for not only Las Vegas but for CinemaCon, in general For instance, both the ICTA (International Cinema Technology Association) and the NAC (National Association of Concessionaires) are common industry attendees For additional information, please contact CinemaCon via info@cinemacon.com or 516.439.

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