Focus Features shares new looks at Asteroid City, Drive Away Dolls, and more at CinemaCon

CinemaCon continues to dominate the news cycle, and Focus Features is on the main stage this evening alongside Universal Pictures to share details, footage, and trailers for their upcoming slate.

During the presentation, Peter Kujawski, Chairman of Focus Features, pushed back the notion that specialty studios are struggling. He says the data shows they’ve bounced back as well or better than anyone else, as they appeal to a hardcore cinema-loving audience. Kujawski says their fans are the people that attend movies multiple times in theaters. He also notes that blockbuster directors like Christopher Nolan, David Gordon Green, Rian Johnson, and more started by directing “specialty films,” They need to keep making those movies to foster the next generation of outstanding filmmakers.

Focus defines itself as a “big tent spciealty,” meaning they don’t limit themselves, and even do franchises like Downton Abbey and Book Club.

The crowd saw a new trailer emphasizing the fantastic cast for Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City. The film is beautifully shot, with multiple aspect ratios. Tom Hanks is in the movie and playing a Bill Murray-type role.

As previously reported, Asteroid City has an insanely stacked cast, including Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Jeffrey Wright, Tilda Swinton, Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Adrien Brody, Liev Schreiber, Hope Davis, Rupert Friend, Maya Hawke, Steve Carell, Matt Dillon, Hong Chau, Willem Dafoe, Margot Robbie, and Jeff Goldblum, many of whom feature in the trailer and several who have worked with Anderson in the past.

Asteroid City makes an impact in theaters on June 23, 2023.

Focus also shared several trailers for upcoming films, including My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3, The Holdovers, and Drive Away Dolls.

The My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 trailer reveals that the family patriarch has died, and the rest of the family goes to Greece to spread his ashes. Nia Vardalos’ Toula Portokalos is searching for her father’s estranged friends to help properly send him to the afterlife.

For The Holdovers trailer, Paul Giamatti plays a prep school teacher left in charge of kids who don’t go home for the holidays. Madness ensues, naturally. The film resembles a welcome reunion for Giamatti and filmmaker Alexander Payne following Sideways. Chris says the trailer feels like the movie is a quasi-sequel to Sideways, with Giamatti older and curmudgeonly. The boys (all teens) hate him, and he hates them too. However, Giamatti’s character eventually bonds with them. There are lots of f-bombs in the trailer. The story looks like it takes place in the ’70s. It’s a warm movie for Payne, with an edge. It will likely be a big fall festival movie and get awards attention. Tate Donovan, Carrie Preston, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, and Gillian Vigman also star.

Drive Away Dolls, the film by Ethan Coen and Tricia Cooke, looks very different from anything you’d expect from Coen. It’s got Tarantino vibes. Two gay girls go on a road trip and run afoul of mobsters. They’re driving a car with a mysterious briefcase the mob is itching to get their hands on. Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan star, with Cole Domingo playing the villain. Pedro Pascal and Matt Damon also star.