CinemaCon 2026: Universal Pictures Brings Spielberg, Nolan, and Snoop Dogg to Las Vegas

Universal Pictures returned to the Colosseum at Caesars Palace for CinemaCon 2026 with a packed presentation full of major announcements, A-list celebrity appearances, and — in a CinemaCon first — a sit-down conversation with one of the greatest filmmakers who has ever lived. Here is a recap of Universal's presentation, in release date order.

Disclosure Day - June 12th

The presentation closed with something genuinely special. Coleman Domingo sat down with Steven Spielberg — making his first-ever CinemaCon appearance — for a wide-ranging conversation that preceded the debut of a new trailer for Disclosure Day. Before the chat, Carlos Rivkin, chairman and CEO of the MPA, presented Spielberg with the MPA America 250 Award, a one-time honor tied to the United States' upcoming 250th anniversary.

Spielberg spoke at length about his lifelong belief in extraterrestrial life, tracing a through-line from the UFO sightings of his childhood in the 1950s, to the making of Close Encounters of the Third Kind fifty years ago, to the 2017 New York Times investigation into Pentagon UAP research that reignited his curiosity. He described Disclosure Day not as science fiction but as science speculation, and was deliberately tight-lipped about the film's third act, emphasizing that he had no intention of spoiling it in any trailer or promotional material.

The new trailer confirmed what many had speculated: Disclosure Day is an alien film. Emily Blunt and Josh O'Connor play two adults who were abducted as children, though beyond that, the nature of the story remained carefully obscured. What was clear from the footage is that an invasion may be imminent — and that Spielberg, at his most confident, considers this film a companion piece in spirit to Close Encounters, arriving at a moment when the world is far more willing to take the subject seriously than it was in 1977.

Minions & Monsters - July 1st

Jack Black took the stage to thank exhibitors for the success of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie before introducing Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri and director Pierre Coffin, making his CinemaCon debut. Coffin, the vocal genius behind the Minions themselves, is also the writer and director of Illumination's next film, which Meledandri described as a deeply personal project.

Set in 1920s Hollywood at the birth of cinema, Minions & Monsters follows the Minions as they wander the American West in search of a new villain to serve, only to accidentally stumble into the movie business. Two clips were shown: in the first, the Minions follow a cowboy robbing a train, only to discover he's an actor on location for a film shoot — and they've wandered onto the set. In the second, the Minions undergo a hilariously chaotic audition for an epic battle sequence, resulting in equal misery for Minion and stuntman alike. The arrival of sound technology and the era of talkies ultimately kills their acting careers, but one Minion named James has always loved to draw, and his imagination inspires a new creative chapter for the group. Christoph Waltz voices the film's director, and Jeff Bridges voices the studio head who becomes unexpectedly enchanted by the little yellow scene-stealers.

The Odyssey - July 17th

Christopher Nolan received a standing ovation when he took the stage, and the reception was well-earned. His next film is a full IMAX adaptation of Homer's The Odyssey — and for the first time in his career, the entire film has been shot in the format, not just the action sequences. Nolan explained that he worked with IMAX's technical team to develop new cameras and software capable of capturing intimate dialogue scenes without the noise limitations that have historically restricted the format to big set pieces. The result will be available in IMAX, 70mm, 35mm, and standard digital.

Nolan described the story as being, at its heart, about family: a father's desperate journey home not just to reclaim his kingdom, but to save the people he loves. Matt Damon stars as Odysseus. The first footage shown finds him trapped on Calypso's island, struggling to remember his former life. Tom Holland plays his son Telemachus, and the second sequence shown was a harrowing depiction of the Trojan Horse — one of the most violent and visceral pieces of footage shown at CinemaCon this year. The horse is shown partially submerged in water, with those inside nearly drowning, before soldiers stab at it with swords to check for stowaways. One man is stabbed and must stay completely silent. When they finally break free under cover of night, what follows is a brutal, bloody ambush. Anne Hathaway also stars as Penelope in a brief shot that was shown.

One Night Only - August 7th

Will Gluck (Easy A, Friends with Benefits) returns to romantic comedy with One Night Only, starring Monica Barbaro and Callum Turner. Set entirely over the course of a single evening in New York City, the film follows two single adults who meet at his pizza restaurant and spend the night trying to figure out whether they have what it takes to become a couple. The trailer debuted at CinemaCon.

Forgotten Island - September 25th

Jim Orr, President of Domestic Theatrical Distribution, thanked CinemaCon attendees who attended that morning's work-in-progress screening of Forgotten Island, the next film from DreamWorks Animation. The film tells the story of two best friends obsessed with a Filipino myth who discover that everything they believed is real. I’m not allowed to share more than a social reaction, which you can find below.

Focker-in-Law - November 25th

Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro took the stage to introduce the fourth installment in the Meet the Parents franchise. Stiller noted the full-circle nature of the film: when the original was made, De Niro was the intimidating patriarch; now Stiller has inherited that role, with his son bringing home a new fiancée. That fiancée is played by Ariana Grande, who Stiller praised as one of the funniest scene partners he's ever had. The twist is that she isn't just impressive — she's actually more like De Niro's character than Stiller's, a CIA specialist whose skills create a whole new and hilarious dynamic in the Focker household. Written and directed by John Hamburg, the film also reunites Owen Wilson, Teri Polo, and Blythe Danner.

Violent Night 2 - December 4th

David Harbour returns as the world's most reluctant Santa Claus. Having apparently landed on the naughty list himself, Saint Nick is trying to reclaim his holiday spirit by working at a mall — which, naturally, erupts into another extremely R-rated brawl. This time, he has backup: Kristen Bell joins the franchise as Mrs. Claus, and based on the footage shown, she is more than capable of holding her own.

Focus Features

Lisa Bunnell, president of Focus Features distribution, unveiled trailers for two upcoming titles. Sense and Sensibility (September 11th), directed by Georgia Oakley, stars Daisy Edgar-Jones in a fresh adaptation of Jane Austen's beloved novel. And on Christmas Day, Robert Eggers follows up Nosferatu with Werwulf, another horrifying and visually arresting monster film that promises to be every bit as artfully unsettling as his previous work.

Snoop - 2027

The show opened with a surprise appearance from Snoop Dogg, who announced that a biopic about his life is in development at Universal. Not yet filming, Snoop introduced the young actor cast to play him, Jonathan Daviss, and bragged about having secured a historic bungalow on the Universal lot — right next door to Steven Spielberg. Donna Langley joined him on stage, and in true Snoop fashion, he gifted her a gold Universal chain to match the one he was wearing.

Stay tuned to LaughingPlace.com for more coverage from CinemaCon.