CinemaCon 2026 kicked off its inaugural film showcase featuring Angel, Sony Pictures Classics, and StudioCanal, with a message from ScreenVision.
Tori Baker, CEO and president of the Salt Lake Film Society, moderated this inaugural film showcase and discussed the vital role independent studios play in driving the film industry and building new audiences.
ANGEL Studios kicked off the showcase with an impressive number of new projects slated for release this year. Like Legion M Studios, ANGEL Studios is audience-driven, and their films range from action-packed thrillers and historical dramas to family films featuring stars like Owen Wilson, Alan Ritchson, Tommy Lee Jones, and J.K. Simmons.
Angel’s 2026 Theatrical Slate:
ANIMAL FARM
Directed by Andy Serkis, Animal Farm features an impressive voice cast including Serkis, Emmy Award winner Seth Rogen, Emmy Award winner Woody Harrelson, Academy Award nominee Glenn Close, Gaten Matarazzo, Emmy Award winner Jim Parsons, Academy Award nominee Kathleen Turner, Academy Award winner Kieran Culkin, Emmy Award winner Steve Buscemi, Emmy Award winner Laverne Cox, and Iman Vellani.
This animated feature is a satirical allegory of revolution and power, tracing how a movement for equality is systematically corrupted. As the pigs consolidate control, truth is erased, dissent is crushed, and the farm descends into a ruthless dictatorship.
Animal Farm will be in theaters on May 1, 2026.
YOUNG WASHINGTON
The story of George Washington before the American Revolution, timed to the 250th Anniversary of the founding of the United States. The film is directed by Jon Erwin and stars Golden Globe winners Kelsey Grammer and Mary-Louise Parker, Academy Award winner Ben Kingsley, and William Franklyn-Miller as a young George Washington.
Before he was the Father of a Nation, he was a soldier fighting to survive. A single misstep thrusts young George Washington into the center of a global conflict, testing his honor, loyalty, and courage. As alliances crumble and the frontier erupts into war, he must confront not only his enemies but the man he’s becoming. This is the untold story of Young Washington.
Young Washington storms theaters on July 3, 2026.
THE BRINK OF WAR
This Cold War-era film depicting the Reagan-Gorbachev Reykjavik Summit is directed by Michael Russell Gunn and stars Emmy Award winner Jeff Daniels, Jared Harris, Academy Award winner J.K. Simmons, and Hope Davis.
President Reagan races against time to salvage a deal with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev.
“The Brink of War tells the story of President Ronald Reagan securing a deal with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev that could dismantle nuclear arsenals, which changed the course of history,” said film director Michael Russell Gunn. This historic drama will be available in theaters on Aug. 14, 2026.
RUNNER
This action-packed thriller from Director Scott Waugh brings together Owen Wilson and Alan Ritchson in a race against time. A former soldier races against time to make a critical medical delivery while being chased by an organ-capturing cartel. Can he deliver his cargo meant for an innocent before time runs out.
Runner is scheduled to release in theaters on Sept. 11, 2026.
ANGEL AND THE BADMAN
This Western reimagining of a John Wayne film is directed by Julio Quintana and stars Academy Award winner Tommy Lee Jones, Zachary Levi, and Neal McDonough. The film follows an outlaw gunfighter who finds a chance at redemption.
Look for Angel and the Badman in theaters in October 2026.
DRUMMER BOY
This upcoming Christmas-themed action-musical film is about two brothers who find themselves on opposite sides of the American Revolutionary War. The film is co-directed by Ben Smallbone and Joel David Smallbone and features music by their Grammy-winning band For King and Country.
Drummer Boy is scheduled for wide release on Nov. 6, 2026.
HERSHEY
This film, starring Finn Wittrock and Alexandra Daddario, brings to life the story of a man who built one of the world’s most iconic brands. This bio-family drama is directed by Mark Waters.
Hershey will release in theaters on Thanksgiving 2026.
ZERO A.D.
This biblical drama is Director Alejandro Monteverde’s third release with Angel. This film recounts the story of Jesus’ birth and Mary’s sacrifice to save her son. The cast features Deva Cassel, Sam Worthington, Jim Caviezel, and Ben Mendelsohn. Jim Caviezel, who played Jesus in The Passion of the Christ, is now taking on the role of Herod.
Zero A.D. is set for a Christmas 2026 theatrical release.
The Utah based distributor was founded in 2023 as an alternative for more “family friendly” content. Angel Studios executives reflected a similar statement throughout the presentation: “Audiences are choosing light.”
This came off as weighted language, as the audience noticed a distinct lack of diversity across their films. Young Washington features Native Americans during the French and Indian War, but the IMDb profile for this film depicts few People of Color. Will Hershey address the not-so-sweet parts of the company’s history?
While Animal Farm seems to have a more progressive narrative, the array of whitewashed biblical and war dramas tells a different story. This studio is pursuing a very specific customer base, and kowtowing to that segment is not a sustainable business.