Warner Bros. isn’t resting on its “ Barbie ” laurels: The 100-year studio has its sights on a record-breaking 2024 as well, with a release slate that includes a new Mad Max film, “ Furiosa,” Kevin Costner’s two-part Western epic, “ Horizon: An American Saga, ” the “ Beetlejuice ” sequel, and “Joker: Folie à Deux,” which brings Lady Gaga to Gotham City.
The studio was first up Tuesday night to dazzle theater owners who are gathered this week in Las Vegas for the annual CinemaCon convention and trade show. They came armed with stars, including the likes of Kevin Costner, Michael Keaton, Robert Pattinson, Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth, as well as footage and trailers to show.
“Joker” director Todd Phillips showed the audience a trailer for “Joker: Folie à Deux,” out Oct. 4, which brings Joaquin Phoenix back as the violent and mentally ill Arthur Fleck and introduces Gaga’s Harley Quinn. Phillips thanked the exhibitors in the room for helping the first movie become such a big success.
Addressing rumors that the sequel is a musical, Phillips said that he hasn't referred to it as such.
“It’s a movie where music is an essential element,” Phillips said. “To me that doesn’t veer very far from the first film.”
Before its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival next month and theatrical release on May 24, “Furiosa” director George Miller stars Taylor-Joy and Hemsworth, spoke a bit about the prequel and showed some explosive new footage.
“We just finished last week,” said the 79-year-old filmmaker, whose first Mad Max film came out 45 years ago.
This new film is focused on a young Furiosa, who was played by Charlize Theron in “Mad Max: Fury Road,” the 2015 blockbuster that made over $300 million at the box office and won four Oscars.
“This is the story of one woman’s relentless commitment to impossible hope,” Taylor-Joy said. “We see her go through everything.”
Hemsworth plays a warlord named “Dementus.”
The audience was especially excited to hear from Kevin Costner, who will be back in theaters this summer with a two-part Western, “Horizon: An American Saga,” which he directed, co-wrote and stars in. Set during the Civil War, Costner wanted to look at the idea of the promise of America.
“It was the promise that if you could come west, if you could survive it, you could make a home at the expense of a lot of things,” Costner said. “To me, that’s drama.”
The film is getting an unconventional release, with “Part 1” hitting theaters on June 28 followed by “Part 2” on Aug. 16. The ensemble includes Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Danny Huston and “Stranger Things” breakout Jamie Campbell Bower.
“A lot of people like plot movies,” Costner said. “I have a tendency to like journey movies.”
“Horizon: An American Saga” will premiere at Cannes next month as well.
Tim Burton was also on hand to hype “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” the sequel to his 1988 hit, which brings back Keat