CinemaCon 2026 wrapped on April 16 with its most eventful and revealing day, as Disney and Paramount delivered a finale packed with major trailers, franchise announcements and first looks at both tentpoles and mid-budget theatrical titles. The highlights of CinemaCon Day 4 ranged from Marvel’s biggest crossover event to Pixar’s emotional return, alongside a wide slate of projects spanning horror, animation, fantasy and sports drama, offering a clear snapshot of the theatrical landscape ahead.
The biggest moment of the day came from Marvel Studios as Avengers: Doomsday unveiled its first full trailer to exhibitors. Positioned as the next major crossover event, the film brings together the Avengers, X-Men and Fantastic Four into a single narrative. The footage introduced Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom as the central threat, with several large-scale moments including Thor facing off against Doom and the return of Steve Rogers, who once again wields Mjolnir. The film, directed by the Russo Brothers, is clearly being built as a culmination event in the vein of Infinity War and Endgame, signaling Marvel’s return to high-stakes ensemble storytelling.
View this post on Instagram
Pixar followed with one of the most emotionally grounded presentations of the day, debuting footage from Toy Story 5. The new chapter introduces a timely conflict — toys being replaced by digital technology — as Bonnie becomes increasingly attached to a tablet device. Woody returns to help, but tension rises between him and Buzz Lightyear over leadership and purpose. The footage blended nostalgia with contemporary relevance, reinforcing why the franchise has remained culturally significant for nearly three decades.
Paramount then added another major headline by confirming Top Gun 3, with Tom Cruise set to return alongside producer Jerry Bruckheimer. While details remain limited, the announcement builds on the massive success of Top Gun: Maverick, which grossed over $1.5 billion globally. The confirmation alone was enough to generate strong excitement, positioning the sequel as another major theatrical event in the making.
Beyond these headline moments, the day was packed with significant reveals across genres. One of the notable announcements was the live-action Street Fighter adaptation, continuing Hollywood’s growing interest in video game properties. Paramount also showcased its expanding animation slate with new looks at PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie and The Angry Birds Movie 3, both aimed at sustaining the family audience segment.
Johnny Depp made a notable appearance to present a first look at Ti West’s Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol, described as a darker, horror-tinged take on the classic story. The film adds to the growing trend of genre reinterpretations of familiar material.
Another interesting addition to the slate was Get Lite, marking Teyana Taylor’s feature directorial debut. Positioned as a modern dance film, it draws inspiration from classic titles like Saturday Night Fever, Footloose and Save the Last Dance, signaling a potential revival of the dance genre in theatrical spaces.
The convention also offered a glimpse at Mr. Irrelevant: The John Tuggle Story, a sports biopic centered on the NFL player famously drafted last in the league. The film revealed its full title along with first-look footage, indicating a more grounded, character-driven addition to the slate.
A survival drama starring Brad Pitt — centered on a man and his dog navigating extreme conditions — was also previewed, adding to the mix of star-led theatrical projects designed to appeal to adult audiences.
Among the more ambitious projects showcased was Children of Blood and Bone, with director Gina Prince-Bythewood presenting footage alongside cast members Chiwetel Ejiofor, Damson Idris, Amandla Stenberg and Thuso Mbedu. The fantasy adaptation, based on the bestselling novel, is positioned as a large-scale world-building project with franchise potential.
View this post on Instagram
The day also included a broader range of announcements that further filled out the theatrical calendar. Paramount leaned into nostalgia with the confirmation of a new Scary Movie installment and Jackass: Best and Last, continuing its strategy of revisiting established brands. Meanwhile, animation remained a key pillar, with studios emphasizing its reliability and global appeal.
Across all these announcements, one consistent theme emerged — studios are focusing on films that can justify the theatrical experience. Whether it’s large-scale franchise entries like Avengers: Doomsday, emotionally driven sequels like Toy Story 5, or recognizable IP expansions like Street Fighter and Angry Birds 3, the emphasis is clearly on projects that can draw audiences into cinemas.
CinemaCon Day 4 ultimately served as a comprehensive closing statement for the event. It combined spectacle with variety, balancing billion-dollar franchises with mid-budget storytelling and new directorial voices. The slate reflects an industry that is not just relying on scale, but also diversifying its offerings to sustain theatrical momentum.
As the curtains fall on CinemaCon 2026, the message from its final day is clear — the theatrical future will be driven by a mix of event films, familiar brands and carefully positioned new stories. From superheroes and animated icons to horror reinventions and sports dramas, the industry is building a lineup designed to bring audiences back to the big screen in meaningful numbers.
Read More:
