CinemaCon 2026: Sony Pictures Brought Spider-Man, Big Swings, and a Loud Love Letter to Theaters

CinemaCon 2026 had no shortage of studio spectacle, but Sony Pictures walked into Las Vegas with something a little more focused and, frankly, more confident. At a moment when the industry still feels jittery about streaming, shrinking windows, and what exactly gets people off the couch and into a theater, Sony arrived with a clear message: movies belong on big screens, and they still know how to sell that dream.

That conviction came straight from Sony Pictures chairman and CEO Tom Rothman, who opened the presentation by rallying exhibitors with a speech that felt part pep talk, part challenge. He pushed for longer theatrical windows, shorter pre-show ad blocks, and lower costs for moviegoers. The room loved the first two ideas. The third got a more cautious reaction, which honestly tells you everything you need to know about where the current tension in exhibition still lives.

Still, the tone was set. Sony Pictures did not come to CinemaCon 2026 looking timid. It came to remind everyone that a studio can still build excitement the old-fashioned way: stars, spectacle, a few weird surprises, and a lineup that actually feels made for crowded auditoriums.

Sony Pictures Made Spider-Man the Center of the Night

No shock here: Spider-Man was the headline act again.

Sony unveiled new footage from “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” with Tom Holland appearing via a pre-recorded hologram to tee up the latest look. The footage leaned into Peter Parker’s emotional mess in a post-memory-wipe world, with Peter following Ned, who still does not remember him, into a party and then crossing paths with MJ, who now has a boyfriend. It sounds painful because it is painful. Sony clearly wants audiences to know this one is not just another superhero lap around Manhattan. The studio is selling heartbreak, identity, and fallout along with the action.

Then came a montage of large-scale set pieces, including one particularly intriguing moment involving Peter’s eye turning black. It was more mood-building than revelation-heavy, but that was enough. The footage did its job. The buzz in the room reportedly surged, and you could almost feel Sony Pictures tightening its grip on one of the few franchises that still arrives with built-in event status.

And that was only half the Spider-Man story.

The filmmakers behind “Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse” also took the stage to talk about the long-awaited animated finale. Phil Lord, Chris Miller, Bob Persichetti, and Justin K. Thompson described it in emotional, almost reverent terms, and they revealed that the film will use a 1.43:1 aspect ratio for a more distinctive visual language. That detail alone is catnip for animation fans. A new teaser showed Miles, still dealing with the cliffhanger chaos of the last installment, confronting the alternate-universe version of himself, now operating as the Prowler. It sounds intense, stylish, and gloriously complicated, which is exactly what fans want from this franchise.

CinemaCon 2026 Gave Sony’s Genre Bets Real Heat

Outside the Spider-Verse, Sony Pictures leaned hard into genre, and some of the night’s most exciting energy came from that lane.

Zach Cregger showed up to introduce “Resident Evil”, his adaptation of the beloved horror game series. He spoke like a genuine fan, saying he has played a “shitload” of the games, and that affection seems to be guiding his approach. The first trailer was reportedly light on plot but heavy on tension, following Austin Abrams as a deliveryman running for his life. Sometimes “vibes” is a lazy description. Here, it sounds like the point. If Sony wants this Resident Evil to feel less like IP management and more like a nerve-jangling theatrical ride, that’s a smart start.

Sony also dropped several quick-fire announcements that kept the room on its toes. “The Legend of Zelda,” directed by Wes Ball, has wrapped production, though no footage was shown. A new R-rated animated “Bloodborne” adaptation is in development. And “Helldivers” is getting the big-screen treatment with Justin Lin directing and Jason Momoa attached to star. That is a lot of video game energy for one presentation, but it did not feel accidental. Sony Pictures is clearly betting that game adaptations are no longer a gamble if the tone is right and the scale feels worthy of a ticket purchase.

Anime, Robots, and Literary Adaptations Rounded Out the Slate

One of the more interesting things about Sony Pictures at CinemaCon 2026 was how varied the slate felt. This was not one-note blockbuster chest-thumping.

Crunchyroll got a strong spotlight, with Sony emphasizing the theatrical success of anime titles like “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle” and “Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc.” The next title up is “That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime the Movie: Tears of the Azure Sea,” which hits theaters later this month. It was a savvy reminder that audience enthusiasm is not confined to superhero films and prestige dramas. Anime has become a real theatrical force, and Sony knows it.

Then there was “Grand Gear,” the English-language debut from “Godzilla Minus Zero” filmmaker Takashi Yamazaki. The teaser was brief, but giant robots fighting with swords in the middle of a city is the kind of sentence that does not need much embellishment. Some movies are sold on concept alone. This sounds like one of them.

Sony also carved out room for more literary and adult-skewing fare. Dakota and Elle Fanning sent in a video from the set of “The Nightingale,” where they are starring together for the first time. Then came a first trailer for Taika Waititi’s “Klara and the Sun,” starring Jenna Ortega as an artificial friend learning about human connection. Bright, strange, and unmistakably Waititi, it sounds like the kind of adaptation that could either soar or divide audiences instantly. Which, to be fair, is often where the fun begins.

Aaron Sorkin and “Jumanji” Closed Things Out on Very Different Notes

Sony’s presentation also made room for what may be one of its most serious awards plays: “The Social Reckoning,” Aaron Sorkin’s companion film to “The Social Network.” Sorkin took the stage to describe the film as a David-and-Goliath story centered on whistleblower Frances Haugen, played by Mikey Madison, facing off against Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg, now played by Jeremy Strong.

The teaser reportedly ended with the instantly recognizable Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross score from the first film, which is a smart way to trigger audience memory. But the bigger question is how Strong’s Zuckerberg will land. Early impressions suggest a performance that is much more openly stylized than Jesse Eisenberg’s iconic turn. That could be fascinating. It could also be a risk. Either way, it is the sort of ambitious swing a studio presentation should showcase.

And then, because tonal whiplash is part of the CinemaCon charm, Sony closed with “Jumanji: Open World.” Jack Black, Dwayne Johnson, and Kevin Hart hit the stage and brought exactly the kind of rowdy, chaotic energy you would expect. The trailer introduces Lamorne Morris as a repairman who accidentally unleashes the game into the real world, and the concept sounds broad, loud, and Christmas-ready.

What Sony Pictures Proved at CinemaCon 2026

If there was one takeaway from CinemaCon 2026, it is that Sony Pictures looks unusually secure in its identity.

It does not have its own streaming platform competing for attention. It is not trying to apologize for its strategy. It is simply making the case that theatrical exclusivity still matters, and then backing that claim up with a slate built around scale, variety, and audience appeal. Some of these titles will hit bigger than others. That is inevitable. But the overall presentation had momentum, personality, and a sense of purpose that a lot of studios are still chasing.

More than anything, Sony Pictures understood the room. At CinemaCon 2026, exhibitors did not want another lecture about market conditions. They wanted to feel excited about selling movies again. Sony gave them Spider-Man, horror, anime, giant robots, awards bait, and a goofy crowd-pleaser for Christmas. In other words, it gave them a reason to believe the theatrical machine still has plenty of life left in it.