CinemaCon 2022 is going strong, and today Disney decided to kick things off with 74 minutes of never-before-seen footage in its list of upcoming features. Presented during that block of awesomeness were promo materials for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Thor: Love and Thunder, Lightyear, David O. Russell’s star-studded untitled project, and the first look at Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, though the preview for this was brief.
Kevin Feige addressed the crowd at the top of the presentation and informed them that he’s in the middle of an in-person Marvel retreat where they’re planning the next ten years of MCU movies. Feige promises that in the Multiverse, “anything can happen.”
Next, Marvel previewed the first 15-minutes of Doctor Strange 2 footage at CinemaCon. We don’t want to reveal too much, but we assure you that the footage is exceptional, with the film picking up directly after Spider-Man: No Way Home. During those opening moments, there are plenty of pleasant surprises, including our first encounter with America Chavez, who can punch holes into other dimensions but is having trouble controlling her power.
Concerning Lightyear, Pixar’s interstellar animated adventure centers on Andy Davis’s favorite toy, Buzz Lightyear, and the movie that made Buzz a household name. Lightyear is the movie that made Andy fall in love with the Space Ranger from Morph. Our Managing Editor, Chris Bumbray, thinks Lightyear is a fun concept but wishes Pixar had gone all-in on the idea. Instead, he says the film is a modern sci-fi blockbuster but animated, making it feel different from other Pixar movies.
The plot revolves around Buzz being the commander on a mission that leaves him and his team marooned on a dangerous alien planet. Chris says it feels like a Marvel movie with lots of humor and action. There’s a robot cat in the film named Sox (voiced by Peter Sohn), a total scene-stealer. Chris thinks the concept is cool, with Buzz having to use his wits to get the team back home. His mission involves intricate experiments with time. With each failure, Buzz is catapulted into the future. There are some great emotional payoffs with this part of the plot, even in the film’s first half-hour.
Lastly, Disney revealed that David O. Russell’s latest feature is titled Amsterdam. The movie stars John David Washington, Christian Bale (sporting a glass eye) and Margot Robbie as World War 1 veterans and close friends. Based on actual events, the trio form a pact to protect one another but get caught up in a violent and mysterious plot that unfolds in Amsterdam. Taylor Swift has a significant role. Robert De Niro, Michael Shannon, and Anya-Taylor Joy also star alongside many others.
Are you bummed you couldn’t see the Doctor Strange 2 footage from CinemaCon? Oh well, you’ll see the whole movie soon enough. Stay close as more updates, previews, and movie madness spring from CinemaCon 2022!