Universal Pictures made an unforgettable impact at CinemaCon 2025, showcasing a powerhouse slate of films that blend cinematic legacy with fresh storytelling. The presentation was a celebration of theatrical artistry, major stars, and a heartfelt push for the future of film on the big screen.
A Cinematic Overture With Musical Magic
The event opened in grand fashion with a live orchestra led by Emmy-winning music director Ricky Minor, performing iconic Universal themes. Mike Knobloch, President of Music for NBCUniversal, set the tone by emphasizing the power of film scores and their essential role in cinematic storytelling. This musical prelude seamlessly reinforced the theatrical magic Universal aims to preserve.
RELATED: Warner Bros. Wows CinemaCon 2025 With Superman, Minecraft, The Bride, and More
Jurassic World Rebirth Roars to Life
The biggest moment from Universal Pictures, for me, came with the first look at Jurassic World: Rebirth, the next chapter in the beloved dinosaur saga. Directed by Rogue One’s Gareth Edwards, the film stars Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, and Jonathan Bailey. Edwards emphasized a return to grounded, real-world locations to heighten suspense and practical thrills. “We wanted to put the ‘scare’ back in Jurassic,” he declared, promising a rollercoaster experience when the film lands July 4th weekend.
DreamWorks Delivers Animation Powerhouses
DreamWorks Animation President Margie Cohn celebrated The Wild Robot’s critical success and announced Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie, a hybrid live-action and animated film starring Laila Lockhart Kraner and Gloria Estefan. Also making waves: The Bad Guys 2, bringing back fan-favorite characters voiced by Awkwafina, Craig Robinson, and more as the reformed villains are drawn into another high-stakes heist.
Capping the animation slate was a surprise announcement: a live-action sequel to How to Train Your Dragon arriving June 2027, with Gerard Butler and Nico Parker returning for more dragon-fueled adventure.
Blumhouse Brings the Scares
Jason Blum hit the stage in costume to reveal Blumhouse’s 2025 horror slate. Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 will debut exclusively in theaters this December, correcting the day-and-date release of the original. Ethan Hawke returns in The Black Phone 2, and M3GAN 2.0 ups the ante with even deadlier A.I. terror.
But the future is already being engineered—Blum and James Wan teased Sarah, a film exploring the concept of adult soulmates through synthetic humans, coming January 2026.
Sports Meets Horror With Him
Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw banner presents Him, a psychological sports horror film starring Tyriq Withers and Marlon Wayans. Blending college football drama with eerie suspense, the film aims to “burrow under the skin,” Withers said, promising a unique genre experience when it hits theaters this September.
Nobody 2 and the Return of Bob Odenkirk
Bob Odenkirk is back in action in Nobody 2, bringing bone-crunching brutality and family stakes to a vacation gone wrong. Set for release this August, the sequel promises more inventive violence, humor, and thrills.
Focus Features Honors Specialty Cinema
Focus Features Chairman Peter Kujawski passionately defended the importance of specialty films, calling theaters “pollinators of global culture.” He previewed prestige titles like Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, Wes Anderson’s The Phoenician Scheme, Yorgos Lanthimos’ Begonia, and Chloe Zhao’s Hamlet, reinforcing Focus’ commitment to theatrical storytelling.
RELATED: Disney Delivers Spectacle, Laughs, First Looks, and More at CinemaCon 2025
A Look Ahead: 2026 and Beyond
Universal’s 2026 slate teases a juggernaut year. Highlights include:
- The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 (April)
- Minions 3 (July)
- Shrek 5 (December) with the original cast returning
- A new film from Steven Spielberg set for June
- Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey adaptation coming late July
Wicked Keeps Soaring
The presentation closed with stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande celebrating the phenomenal response to Wicked: Part One. Director Jon M. Chu returned to debut the first footage from Wicked: For Good, the epic conclusion releasing this November. Chu teased higher emotional stakes and deeper storytelling as the saga crosses into its most iconic territory—the arrival of Dorothy.
A Theatrical Love Letter
Universal’s CinemaCon 2025 presentation wasn’t just a studio flex—it was a love letter to movie theaters. From dinosaur chases to singing witches, from AI horror to heartfelt animations, the message was clear: Universal believes in cinema, spectacle, and stories that demand to be seen on the biggest screens possible.
Which Universal reveal blew your mind the most? Are you ready for dinosaurs, dolls, or dragons? And how are you feeling about those 2026 mega-sequels? Let us know your thoughts on social media!
