Universal Pictures International (UPI) honed its annual CineEurope presentation yesterday (June 17) into a single powerful message: that the studio offers “the biggest and most diverse slate of films of any studio”.
Those were the words of UPI president of distribution Veronika Vandenberg, who reminded the assembled cinema operators at the Barcelona convention that the company is offering 27 wide releases this year, having “consistently delivered the highest wide-release volume among all major studios post-pandemic”.
Like other studio distribution chiefs presenting their upcoming slates at CineEurope, Vandenberg emphasised UPI’s belief in “the power of cinema and the unparalleled theatrical experience”, while also spotlighting a breadth of audiences served by “all types of films, ranging from emotional dramas to animated event films, daring action blockbusters, inventive horror films and charming romantic comedies”.
A total of 16 films were covered by the presentation (see slate list below), but one title earned a special spotlight by virtue of the digital billboards outside the convention hall auditorium, its status as the film that first greeted attendees before any executives had walked onstage, and the number of minutes allocated: Jurassic World: Rebirth. UPI showed two sequences as well as a trailer from the July release.
Vandenberg was supported at the presentation by EVP and managing director Niels Swinkels and president of international marketing Julien Noble. Between them, they presented trailers, sizzles, special looks, behind-the-scenes footage and sequences from a range of titles across Universal, Illumination, DreamWorks and Focus Features.
Illumination CEO Chris Meledrandi sent a filmed message, building expectations for sequels in the Minions and Super Mario Bros franchises, both landing in 2026.
Swinkels celebrated UPI’s successful relationship with Blumhouse Productions, which marks its 15th anniversary this year. Upcoming Blumhouse films for Universal include Five Nights At Freddy’s 2 (the sequel to Blumhouse’s biggest theatrical hit), M3GAN 2.0, Black Phone 2 and M3GAN spinoff SOULM8TE.
From Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions, psychological horror and sports collide in Him, Justin Tipping’s film about a rising American football star who must decide how far he will go to achieve success.
Serving the action audience, Universal offers sequel Nobody 2, which once again stars Bob Odenkirk as a retired government assassin, now living as a mild-mannered family man. The poster tagline “Nobody ruins his vacation” effectively conveys the film’s premise, as the character’s attempt to enjoy a trip with his family is upended.
DreamWorks Animation, which enjoyed a successful 2024 with hits Kung Fu Panda 4 and The Wild Robot, is upcoming with The Bad Guys 2 and Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie.
Swinkels and Noble – both parents – were pitted to see who was best placed to explain the phenomenon of Gabby’s Dollhouse to CineEurope attendees, a contest that Noble easily won, quickly rattling off the names of Gabby’s six cats. Universal has big plans for the IP, which originated in 2021 on Netflix as a part live-action, part-animated series, and has generated three billion views on YouTube. “Prepare for the party” was the takeaway message.
DreamWorks is also the studio behind live-action animation remake How To Train Your Dragon, which has already grossed more than $200m at the global box office since its release last week. A sequel is set for 2027.
From Focus Features, Bugonia is the latest from Yorgos Lanthimos, who reunites with Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons in the film about two conspiracy-obsessed men who kidnap a CEO, believing she is an alien.
Also from Focus is Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, which was showcased in an exclusive trailer.
Distributed by Mubi in North America and UPI/Focus Features in international markets is Oliver Hermanus’ The History Of Sound, starring Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor. This Cannes Film Festival premiere was showcased at CineEurope via a key scene where the two main characters meet.
The Universal presentation closed out with a special look at Wicked: For Good, which looks set to deliver stellar box office to cinemas in Q4, following the $756m worldwide gross for Wicked last year.
Beforehand, the studio trumpeted a pair of 2026 releases from “two of the greatest directors of our time”, in the words of Vanderberg: Steven Spielberg and Christopher Nolan.
Spielberg as a director is coming off 2022 personal drama The Fabelmans ($46m worldwide box office) and before that 2021’s West Side Story ($76m). Perhaps for those reasons, the emphasis for this as-yet-untitled, audience-friendly new film was on propulsive, out-of-this-world, cinematic and enthralling.
Nolan’s The Odyssey will be his “next event film”, following a $976m worldwide cinema gross and an Oscars sweep for Oppenheimer.
Universal’s CineEurope slate:
Jurassic World: Rebirth
Dir. Gareth Edwards
Five Nights At Freddy’s 2
Dir. Emma Tammi
Bugonia
Dir. Yorgos Lanthimos
M3GAN 2.0
Dir. Gerard Johnstone
SOULM8ATE
Dir. Kate Dolan
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale
Dir. Simon Curtis
Black Phone 2
Dir. Scott Derrickson
The History Of Sound
Dir. Oliver Hermanus
Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie
Dir. Ryan Crego
Him
Dir. Justin Tipping
The Bad Guys 2
Dir. Pierre Perifel; co-dir. JP Sans
Nobody 2
Dir. Timo Tjahjanto
The Odyssey
Dir. Christopher Nolan
Untitled Steven Spielberg Amblin Universal Event Film
Dir. Steven Spielberg
Wicked: For Good
Dir. Jon M Chu
How To Train Your Dragon 2
Dir. Dean DeBlois
No comments yet