The Baywatch gang introduced a “Fuchsia” trailer, Johnny Knoxville starred in a teaser video he was knocked unconscious filming, and both George Clooney and Julianne Moore poked fun at Matt Damon during Paramount Pictures’ presentation at the 2017 CinemaCon. Paramount’s jam-packed panel took place on day two of the gathering of National Association of Theatre Owners members, with attendees treated to the first footage from films including Suburbicon, Annihilation starring Natalie Portman and Oscar Isaac, Downsizing, and Amusement Park, as well as 15 minutes of Transformers: The Last Knight. Release dates were also confirmed for the new Cloverfield film (Oct 27) and Daddy’s Home 2 (Nov 10) which will add the granddads to the mix.
The presentation kicked off with “lifeguards” parading through the audience before posing on stage as Baywatch star Dwayne Johnson, obviously enjoying being the ringmaster, introduced his co-stars. Johnson worked the crowd and dubbed Baywatch the craziest, sexiest, funniest R-rated movie of the summer season. He also called Team Baywatch – Zac Efron, Jon Bass, Alexandra Daddario, Priyanka Chopra, and Kelly Rohrbach – the Avengers of the Beach. After Efron explained Baywatch is an attitude of being the best at everything, the gang unveiled a new “Fuchsia” – F*cking Unbelievable for pervasive hotness, comedy and action – trailer which was met with enthusiastic applause.
Paramount’s winning the star-power battle thus far at CinemaCon, bringing director George Clooney, Matt Damon, and Julianne Moore on stage to talk about Suburbicon. Clooney and Damon joked about knocking over casinos in Vegas, commenting on how one was just robbed this week. “They used guns and hoods. All we needed was Brad Pitt,” said Damon. Clooney and Damon also laughed about the film’s release date, saying going up against the new Thor film on November 3, 2017 is no big deal. Clooney explained Thor has a swarthy, good-looking man in the lead and he has…Matt. Continuing the “pick on Matt” theme, Clooney asked Julianne Moore who was a better co-star: Oscar Isaac or Matt Damon? Moore laughed and said she’s lucky to get to work with those two, and then described Oscar Isaac as talented and handsome, while only complimenting Matt Damon on being 5’10” tall.
Clooney asked Damon what it was like to be directed by Batman, and Matt laughed and said he almost forgot George played the part. After Damon poked fun at his nippled Batsuit, Clooney joked, “I wore that thing with rubber nipples and I still have a career. I’m a superhero!” Following their witty banter, Clooney introduced the first footage from Suburbicon which he describes as a movie about good people making bad choices.
President of Paramount’s Motion Picture Group Marc Evans confirmed Mission Impossible 6 will begin production this month and is expected to shoot in India, Paris, and New Zealand. It will also be the first of the MI films in IMAX 3D. Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, and Alec Baldwin will be joined by Vanessa Kirby, Sian Brooke, and Henry Cavill. Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation director Christopher McQuarrie is directing and Paramount has set a July 27, 2018 theatrical release date.
Matt Damon pulled double duty during Paramount’s presentation, representing Suburbicon and Downsizing. Prior to screening 10 minutes of incredibly entertaining footage, Damon introduced director Alexander Payne who’s making his third film with Paramount. Payne says he’s knee-deep in editing Downsizing which involves Norwegian scientists discovering a way to shrink humans down to mere inches as a means to combat over-population. Matt Damon and Kristen Wiig play a married couple who decide to take the leap and go small. Expect to see Downsizing in theaters on December 22, 2017.
The presentation ended with director Michael Bay and a few of his Transformers: The Last Knight stars – Anthony Hopkins, Mark Wahlberg, Laura Haddock, Isabela Moner, and Jerrod Carmichael – taking the stage. Bay reiterated that he firmly believes in 3D and in films being seen on the big screen as they’re intended. Hopkins revealed he nicknamed Bay Speedy Gonzalez and said his fast style didn’t leave much time to talk. Hopkins also said Bay’s the best and he had a great time on the set.
(Article by Rebecca Murray. Video by Gary Murray.)
