For its inaugural presentation at the 2025 edition of CinemaCon, Amazon MGM put all its chips on premiering the first footage from Project Hail Mary. Star Ryan Gosling and directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller were also on hand to promise the theater owners in the room that their adaptation of Andy Weir’s novel would amaze, amazed, amaze moviegoers. Talk about calling your shot. Project Hail Mary is the biggest success story of 2026 so far, and — with the right campaign strategy — could follow the Sinners path of going from first quarter blockbuster to year-end Oscar contender.
Still, the studio knows it needs a few other contenders on its awards slate as well. One underdog that may have its day at CinemaCon is I Play Rocky, Peter Farrelly’s dramatization of how a scrappy unknown named Sylvester Stallone got himself in the ring to write and star in the 1976 Best Picture winner, Rocky. Anthony Ippolito plays the young Stallone, and we wouldn’t be surprised if Amazon MGM flies in the real Sly to shadowbox with his big-screen counterpart in the Dolby Colosseum. Speaking of biopics, director David O. Russell is expected to introduce Madden, which features Nicolas Cage as iconic football coach, John Madden. The four-time Oscar nominated filmmaker is a divisive figure, but his movies have a history of scoring touchdowns with Academy voters.
But by far the most hotly-anticipated news will involved the future of the 007 franchise. Since last year’s CinemaCon, Amazon MGM has assembled an entire production team for Bond 26, with Denis Villeneuve onboard as director. Will we finally learn the identity of who will play Bond… James Bond next? Follow along with Gold Derby’s live updates from inside the room.
