Universal is already off to a hot start this year with three #1 movies betweenM. Night Shyamalan’sGlass,Jordan Peele’sUs,and DreamWorks Animation’sHow to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, as well as a Best Picture win forGreen Book, which just crossed the $300 million mark worldwide. Universal has been remarkably consistent over the years and 2019 looks no different, as the studio is back in business with Blumhouse (MaandThe Hunt), Illumination (The Secret Life of Pets 2), Working Title (CatsandYesterday) and producer Will Packer (Little).Universal book-ended its CinemaCon presentation with its two most reliable performers – theFast & Furiousfranchise and the latest animated feature from Illumination, whose shot callerChris Meledandriwasted no time in bringingKevin HartandTiffany Haddishon stage to promoteThe Secret Life of Pets 2. This time around,Patton OswaltreplacesLouis CKas the voice of lovable canine Max. I loved the premise of the first film, but I found its execution to be lacking. So I’m relieved to report that the sequel looks better than the film film, and I think it will benefit from new cast additions like Haddish andHarrison Ford. Illumination typically delivers very cute and clever animated films, so I’m down to give this franchise another shot despite feeling burned by the original.[caption id=“attachment_751498” align=“alignright” width=“360”]Image via Universal Pictures[/caption]And hey, speaking of pets,Dennis Quaidcame out next to stump forA Dog’s Journey, the sequel to 2017’s sleeper hitA Dog’s Purpose, which grossed over $200 million worldwide on a $22 million budget. I’m a dog lover, but these films aren’t for me. Maybe I’ll watch it on a plane one day.Next up was Blumhouse principalJason Blum, who promised we’d see him dressed as a ghoul next year rather than in a suit. He did a brief tease forThe Hunt, which is slated to starBetty Gilpin,Ike Barinholtz,Emma Roberts,Justin HartleyandGlenn Howerton. The logline has been kept under wraps, but Collider has learned that the film follows a group of ‘rednecks’ who are captured and hunted for sport by rich, liberal elites. The premise reminds me of the 1994 action movieSurviving the GamestarringIce-T. But again, we didn’t see any footage from that film. Instead, Blum was focused on hypingMa, so he brought out that film’s director and star,Tate TaylorandOctavia Spencer.We saw a new trailer that was largely the same as the first one, but with a bit more blood and gore. It was also far less subtle about Ma’s intentions and motivations. The filmmakers explained thatMais really about the effects of childhood bullying, and how long some people are willing to wait for revenge. If you haven’t pieced it together by now, Ma was bullied back when she was in high school, and while everyone else grows up and moves on, she hasn’t forgotten how she suffered as a teenager, so when she befriends the children of her former bullies, she sees an opportunity to finally get the revenge she has yearned for all these years.Ma is one of my most anticipated genre films of the year, and Iâll take this over a movie set in the dreaded and dreadfulConjuringuniverse any day.Maopens in the heart of summer movie season on May 31, whileThe Huntcommences on Oct. 18.[caption id=“attachment_752622” align=“alignright” width=“360”]Image via Universal Pictures[/caption]Universal pivoted to lighter fare following the Blumhouse presentation, welcomingLittleproducer Will Packer to the stage. He promptly introduced starsRegina Hall,Issa RaeandMarsai Martin, who at 14 years old, is considered the youngest executive producer in Hollywood history. As you’ve seen in the trailer,Littleis a reverse take onBig, in which a spoiled adult is cut down to size and forced to live as a pint-sized teenager. The film looks positively delightful, and Martin is destined to be a star. I think this one is going to surprise a lot of people when it hits theaters in just a couple weeks.TheLittleteam was a hard act to follow, butDanny Boylegave it his all while introducing a slightly-tweaked new trailer (I think) forYesterday, which stars newcomerHimesh Patel. He plays a singer who suffers an accident in the middle of a worldwide power outage, and awakes to find that he’s the only person on the planet who remembers the music of The Beatles. Now, I’ve been doing this job long enough to know that you have to give a movie its premise, but even with Boyle at the helm, I just canât get onboard with this one. Patel took the stage and sang “Yesterday” in front of the crowd, and while he does have a very good voice, I just can’t wrap my head around the premise of this film. Keep in mind that over the past two days, I’ve seen two excellent music-driven films about a singer and a songwriter, so ifYesterdayis even half as good asWild RoseorBlinded by the Lightthen Iâll be surprised and impressed.[caption id=“attachment_764424” align=“alignright” width=“360”]Image via Universal Pictures[/caption]Following Patel’s performance,Seth RogenandEvan Goldbergcame out to introduce a new trailer forGood Boys, which looks absolutely hilarious. It’s not a prequel toSuperbad, but it sure feels like one asJacob Tremblayleads a trio of pre-teens as they discover sex stuff like anal beads and, naturally, internet porn. The kids seem to have a great rapport together, both onscreen and off, and alongsideBooksmart, this is my most anticipated studio comedy of the year.With the raunch out of the way, Universal returned to the world of animation withAbominable, which hails from DreamWorks Animation and China’s Pearl Studio. It’s about a Yeti who wants to return to his home on Mount Everest. The trailer is set to Fleetwood Mac’s “You Can Go Your Own Way,” and again, this looks very cute, albeit very much for kids. Given the film’s China storyline, I could see this performing particularly well overseas.Focus took its turn at the podium next, debuting the first trailer for theDownton Abbeymovie, which, clearly, is strictly for fans of the show. I have zero interest in seeing this film, but apparently the plot finds the King and Queen visiting Downton, thereâs a gay kiss, and Mr. Carson returns. I’m not a fan of the show, so this one isn’t for me.[caption id=“attachment_760103” align=“alignright” width=“360”]Image via Universal Pictures[/caption]Paul Feigcame out next to introduce hisLast ChristmasstarsEmma ThompsonandHenry Golding. To be honest, this was the lowlight of Universal’s presentation as Last Christmas looks like a fairly generic holiday romance movie, albeit one with a very charming male lead in Golding. As a huge Feig fan (seriously, I’ve even read his books!), I’d love to see him get back to being funny, because this workmanlike effort feels very anonymous to me. But perhaps I’m being too harsh. Again, it’s only a trailer, it just felt like a Netflix movie to me, all due respect to Universal’s streaming competitor.To be honest, Universal’s presentation didn’t really take off until the end, whenLena Waitheand directorMelina Matsoukascame out (looking fierce!) to introduceQueen & Slim, which is going to be quite the conversation starter, I can already tell.Daniel Kaluuyaand newcomerJodie Turner-Smithplay a young black couple in love and on the run after a traffic stop goes awry and one of them winds up killing a cop. I’m very excited for this one, and it’s the kind of movie I could see being a possible nominee for Best Original Screenplay.[caption id=“attachment_757740” align=“alignright” width=“360”]Image via Universal Pictures[/caption]The excitement continued when directorDavid Leitchcame out to introduce hisFast & FuriousspinoffHobbs & Shaw, as well as its two stars,Dwayne JohnsonandJason Statham. They had great comic chemistry together on stage, where Johnson said it was “bullshit” that his co-starIdris Elbawas considered the World’s Sexiest Man according to People. Elba plays the villain here, a genetically-enhanced super-soldier who fancies himself the “black Superman.“Vanessa Kirbyalso joins theFastfranchise as Statham’s sister, who has stolen a deadly virus that could wipe out half the world’s population. The stunts look awesome – Johnson basically lassoes a helicopter at one point – but beyond the eye-popping action and stunts, this feels like a really fun buddy movie, and the perfect summer popcorn film.And finally, Universal chairmanDonna Langleyreturned to the stage to beg for forgiveness, because the studio didn’t bring any footage fromTom Hooper’s musicalCatsto Las Vegas, to the crowd’s great disappointment. That said, she didn’t show up empty-handed, as Universal unspooled an extensive behind-the-scenes video that showcased the scope and scale of the film, which follows in the studio’s grand tradition of music-driven films, fromRay,8 MileandStraight Outta ComptontoLes Miserablesand theMamma Mia!movies. Hooper said he first sawCatswhen he was 10 years old and that he plans to stay true to the original music thatAndrew Lloyd Webberwrote. “It’s a very timely story about the importance of inclusion and community and forgiveness and redemption.” We even caught a brief glimpse ofTaylor Swifttrying out some new dance moves. She said that her first memories of watching musical theater were what made her want to be a performer, and that she’s honored to be a part of the cast ofCats, which will employ new technology to make the felines' fur more realistic.Jennifer Hudsonclosed out the presentation with a rousing performance of “Memories.“And that was that! Keep in mind that Universal will also releaseSam Mendes' World War I movie1917at the end of the year, and Langley called it “the very definition of an immersive theatrical experience.” Overall, Universal’s presentation was solid, if not quite spectacular. Outside of theFast & Furiousfranchise, they’ve never had the IP that makes crowds “ooooh” and “aaaah” like Disney and Warner Bros. but they do a very good job with what they have, and they make those films feel like events, whether it’sHalloweenorUs. The studio is armed with a strong slate this year, so we’ll see if they can make the most of it and catch a few lucky breaks along the way.Trailer/Footage GradesHobbs & Shaw- A-Queen & Slim- A-Ma- A-Good Boys- A-Little- B+The Secret Life of Pets 2- BAbominable- B-Cats- C+A Dog’s Journey- C+Yesterday- CLast Christmas- DDownton Abbey- DOverall Presentation Grade:B[caption id=“attachment_758179” align=“aligncenter” width=“600”]Image via Universal Pictures[/caption][caption id=“attachment_760304” align=“aligncenter” width=“600”]Image via Universal Pictures[/caption]
