The CinemaCon in Las Vegas lowered its curtain on Thursday, April 16 in Las Vegas, Nevada, in the southwest of the United States, after presenting its annual announcements and exclusives to theater operators. Here is an overview.
A third “Top Gun” in the works
Paramount Pictures announced that the third installment of Top Gun, starring Tom Cruise as pilot Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, is in development. Top Gun 3 is officially in development, with a well-progressed script, as stated by Paramount Films co-director Josh Greenstein on Thursday in Las Vegas.
The first movie, released in 1986, launched Tom Cruise to stardom. The sequel, Top Gun: Maverick, presented at Cannes, was a big success in France, grossing $1.5 billion worldwide in 2022 as Hollywood was recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic. Although the 63-year-old actor was absent from Paramount’s presentation, he appeared in a video at the event, perched on the famous water tower of the Hollywood studio, declaring, “The future looks bright from here.”
The first trailer for the upcoming “Avengers”
Disney unveiled the first trailer for the new Marvel franchise film, Avengers: Doomsday, on the closing day of CinemaCon in Las Vegas. The trailer offered a first look at Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom, a character from Marvel comics, marking his return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe since Iron Man’s death in Avengers: Endgame in 2019.
The trailer teased a battle between Gambit and Shang-Chi, played by Channing Tatum and Simu Liu respectively, as well as the return of Patrick Stewart as Professor Xavier from X-Men. Chris Evans reprises his role as Captain America, surprising Thor (Chris Hemsworth) as Mjolnir flies into Roger’s hands.
Steven Spielberg reunites with aliens
On April 15, renowned director Steven Spielberg presented a preview of his upcoming film Disclosure Day at CinemaCon, featuring aliens, a theme he first explored in Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), E.T. (1982), and War of the Worlds (2005).
Tom Cruise unrecognizable in “Digger” by Iñárritu
On April 14, Tom Cruise and Mexican director Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu revealed a snippet of their first cinematic collaboration, the comedy Digger, at CinemaCon in Las Vegas. Cruise appeared unrecognizable, playing an eccentric character, marking his departure from Top Gun and Mission: Impossible franchises since 2017. The film is set for release in France on September 30, 2026.
A terrifying return of “Godzilla”
Godzilla Minus Zero, the sequel to Godzilla Minus One released in 2023, was unveiled at CinemaCon, depicting Godzilla causing terror in the streets of New York. Directed by Takashi Yamazaki, the film will hit the US theaters in November. Additionally, Neon announced the release of a South Korean sci-fi thriller, Hope, this year.
Sneak peeks of “Spider-Man” and “Jumanji”
Sony Pictures showcased a teaser for Spider-Man: Brand New Day, set to premiere in French theaters on July 29. A first look at Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, and an excerpt from Jumanji: Open World, honoring Robin Williams, was also presented at CinemaCon.
Overall, the 2026 CinemaCon was marked by optimism following a strong start at the box office.
