After the ANGEL Studios presentation, the inaugural CinemaCon Film Showcase continued its push of independent and specialty distributors Sony Pictures Classics and StudioCanal.
The session was a reminder that the indie and specialty pipeline is what keeps theaters running between blockbusters. Sony Pictures Classics and StudioCanal made compelling cases for finding the value and balance between independent and tentpole films.
SONY PICTURES CLASSICS
Sony Pictures Classics co-presidents Tom Bernard and Michael Barker have spent more than 30 years building one of the most trusted names in specialty cinema. At CinemaCon 2026, the studio opened with a sweeping sizzle reel of its history, which included films such as Indochine, Welcome to the Dollhouse, Howards End, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, All About My Mother, Capote, Midnight in Paris, Whiplash, and Call Me by Your Name. This label now has 166 Oscar nominations, with 38 wins.
Their presentation was introduced by John Shahinian, and covered a slate that ranged from a British biopic of a controversial figure, a Saudi murder mystery, a Tokyo ballroom dance film, a Brooklyn pickpocket drama, a New Jersey Korean-American love story, a Tokyo holiday fever dream, and a still-in-production Tom McCarthy project. Plus two beloved classics returning in new 4K restorations.
I SWEAR
This British biopic is directed by Kirk Jones and stars Robert Aramayo, Maxine Peake, Peter Mullan, Shirley Henderson, Scott Ellis Watson, and is now in theaters.
The true story of John Davidson, a Scottish man diagnosed with Tourette syndrome as a teenager, whose journey from social isolation and misunderstanding to becoming one of Britain’s foremost advocates for Tourette awareness.
The audience recalled Davidson’s outburst during the 2026 BAFTA Awards when he yelled a racial slur at Delroy Lindo and Michael B. Jordan. It was an awkward way to kick off the presentation, but Sony Pictures Classics moved forward with discussing new, more diverse titles.
UNIDENTIFIED
This Saudi Arabian mystery is directed by Haifaa Al-Mansour and stars Mila Alzahrani, Shafi Alharthi, Aziz Gharbawi, Othoub Sharar, Adwa Alasiri, and Abdullah Alqahtani. This story involves a detective’s obsessive pursuit of the truth after she finds the body of an unidentified teenage girl in the desert. The trailer made a strong impression on the CinemaCon audience.
This film will have a limited theatrical release on June 19, 2026.
GAIL DAUGHTRY AND THE CELEBRITY SEX PASS
This comedy is directed by David Wain and stars Zoey Deutch and Jon Hamm. The title of this film grabbed the attention of the audience hall. In this story, the titular character, Gail Daughtry, is led to the decision to cash in her celebrity sex pass after her boyfriend slept with his celebrity crush. The film follows her misadventures to have sex with Jon Hamm.
Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass is scheduled for theatrical release on July 10, 2026.
HA-CHAN, SHAKE YOUR BOOTY!
Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty is set in Tokyo’s competitive ballroom dance scene. The film is directed by Josef Kubota Wladyka and stars Rinko Kikuchi, Alberto Guerra, Alejandro Edda, You, Yoh Yoshida, and Damián Alcázar.
After a period of isolation, a young woman rediscovers her love of ballroom and develops an infatuation with her charismatic dance instructor.
This romantic dramedy was SPC’s first acquisition out of the 2026 Sundance Film Festival. This is a sign of the label’s search for international appeal.
The film’s release date is coming soon.
BEDFORD PARK
The romantic drama is the directorial feature debut of Stephanie Ahn (feature debut), and it stars Moon Choi, Son Suk-ku, Won Mi-kyung, Kim Eung-soo, and Jefferson White. Bedford Park is rooted in the Korean-American experience. The story follows the enemies-to-lovers story of a woman returning home to care for her mother after a car accident. The woman meets and develops feelings for the man responsible for that accident.
This film won Sundance 2026 U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Feature debut, and Sony Pictures Classics scooped up the worldwide distribution.
This film is scheduled for a theatrical release on September 22, 2026
BITTER CHRISTMAS
Bitter Christmas is directed by Pedro Almodóvar and is set to compete in the 2026 Holiday Season Cannes Film Festival in the Palme d’Or race. The film stars Bárbara Lennie, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Aitana Sánchez-Gijón, and Milena Smit.
The CinemaCon tease was dialogue-free, but the crowd had an air of intrigue.
The film’s release date is coming soon.
THE ONLY LIVING PICKPOCKET IN NEW YORK
This crime thriller is directed by Noah Segan and stars John Turturro, Tatiana Maslany, Giancarlo Esposito, and Steve Buscemi. The film centers on John Turturro as an aging New York City pickpocket. He observes a young man stealing on the subway, and a mentor-mentee relationship is formed.
The CinemaCon clip was compelling and captivated the audience.
The film is scheduled for a theatrical release in Fall 2026.
RETURNING TO THEATERS: 4K RESTORATIONS
Sony Pictures Classics announced two major theatrical reissues for summer 2026. Danny Boyle’s Trainspotting and Jane Campion’s Oscar-winning The Piano are slated for 4K restoration release. Both are director-approved restorations presented in new prints.
Trainspotting will be in theaters June 5, 2026, and The Piano is set for theatrical release on July 24, 2026.
STUDIOCANAL
StudioCanal CEO Anna Marsh and the Chief Content Officer of Canal+ Group took the stage to represent Europe’s leading film studio. StudioCanal commands a catalogue spanning 100 years of cinema with more than 9,400 titles from 60 countries. The library includes Terminator, Basic Instinct, The Third Man, Breathless, The Graduate, and the Paddington Bear franchise.
Marsh announced a wide slate of films from animation to horror, historic dramas, and dark comedy. StudioCanal is dedicated to
SHAUN THE SHEEP: THE BEAST OF MOSSY BOTTOM
This animated feature film is the third installment in the Shaun the Sheep theatrical franchise. Shaun and his friends are confronting something new, mysterious, and hairy. And it’s heading straight for their farm.
A work-in-progress clip was screened at CinemaCon; it had laugh-out-loud moments that energized the room and got attendees interested in the remaining slate.
Shaun the Sheep The Beast of Mossy Bottom is slated for theatrical release Sept. 18, 2026.
PADDINGTON 4
StudioCanal also confirmed that Paddington 4 is in active development. Marsh announced that a team of “world-renowned writers” is attached. Ben Whishaw is expected to return as the voice of Paddington, and Hugh Bonneville is anticipated to return along with the main family cast. This film is slated for a 2027 or 2028 release. The Paddington Bear films have grossed over $700 million worldwide; it is the highest-grossing independent family franchise of all time. An animated Paddington feature is also in the works.
The studio is actively developing both Mr. Men (from the beloved Roger Hargreaves children’s books) and Pippi Longstocking as reimagined “fresh modern” family films.
PRESSURE
This historical drama is directed by Anthony Mara and stars Andrew Scott.
Scott stars as an RAF meteorologist who must deliver a weather forecast to Allied high command that will determine the execution of the D-Day invasion of Normandy.
This period thriller is scheduled for theatrical release on May 29, 2026.
ICE CREAM MAN
This film is directed by Eli Roth and stars Roth alongside Ari Millen, Benjamin Byron Davis, Karen Cliche, Dylan Hawco, and Sarah Abbott.
In the film, a mysterious new ice cream truck comes to town, and children start dying. The trailer shown at CinemaCon gave the audience a little insight to the gruesome horror Roth is known for, and the crowd ate it up.
Ice Cream Man is scheduled for a theatrical release on Aug. 7, 2026.
THE MANNEQUIN
This action thriller is directed by Sean Byrne and stars Melissa Leo. StudioCanal announced the project is heading into production this summer. The announcement generated strong interest in the room.
The theatrical release is to be announced.
EVERYBODY WANTS TO FUCK ME (WORKING TITLE)
This comedy thriller is directed by Jonathan Schey and stars Taron Egerton, Jessica Henwick, Mia McKenna-Bruce, Charly Clive, Herbert Nordrum, and Sophie Simnett.
This dark comedy is set in the world of dating in modern London. There is a dark turn that gives “Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered,” episode 16 of the second season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The brief teaser drew the biggest laugh of the showcase, and the title drew audible gasps and immediate laughter.
The film wrapped production and is heading to theaters in 2027.
ELSINORE
This film, directed by Simon Stone, is based on a screenplay by Stephen Beresford. Elsinore stars Andrew Scott, Olivia Colman, Billie Piper, Johnny Flynn, Luke Thompson, Joe Locke, Adeel Akhtar, Juliet Stevenson, Peter Mullan, Monica Dolan, Matthew Beard, Kadiff Kirwan, and David Dawson.
This bio drama tells the true story of Ian Charleson, who faced incredible odds while preparing for his final performance as Hamlet at the National Theatre after receiving an AIDS diagnosis.
The footage shared at CinemaCon showed Charleson, played by Andrew Scott, receiving his diagnosis from his doctor, played by Olivia Colman. The pause in the crowd’s reaction was a reflection of the weight of the scene.
Elsinore is currently filming in the UK.
THE CUSTOM OF THE COUNTRY
This tragicomedy film is written and directed by Josie Rourke, based on the 1913 novel by Edith Wharton, and stars Sydney Sweeney. The Custom of the Country is a Gilded Age satire about social climbing and manipulation.
Further cast and creative details are to be confirmed.
The studio noted this is part of its focus on literary adaptations as a strategic priority.
VIOLETTE
This French drama is based on the novel “Fresh Water for Flowers” by Valérie Perrin. This Jean-Pierre Jeunet film stars Leïla Bekhti as Violette Toussaint. Further details are under wraps, and the theatrical release date is to be announced.
Les Misérables
The 2026 film adaptation of Les Misérables is directed by Fred Cavayé and features actors Tahar Rahim, Camille Cottin, Noémie Merlant, and Benjamin Lavernhe. This epic new take on Victor Hugo’s timeless classic drew genuine interest from the CinemaCon crowd.
This film is set to be released in theaters on December 9, 2026.
FONDA
This thriller, directed by Justine Triet, stars Mia Goth, Odessa A’zion, Ewan Mitchell, Cherry Jones, and Benedict Wong. Details were kept under wraps, but anticipation is already high.
THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY
StudioCanal announced a film adaptation is in the works of a novel by the same name by Matt Haig. This internationally bestselling 2020 novel is about a woman who finds herself between life and death in a magical library containing infinite books; each book represents a divergent timeline if she made different choices.
Further casting and production details are to be announced.
INK
This drama film is adapted from the Tony-nominated stage play by James Graham. Directed by Danny Boyle, Ink stars Jack O’Connell as Larry Lamb, Guy Pearce as Rupert Murdoch, and Claire Foy as Joyce Hopkirk. This film is the story of newspaper mogul Rupert Murdoch’s purchase of the “Sun” in 1969, and aided by his editor, British journalist Larry Lamb, they transformed the once failing paper into the most read and most controversial tabloid in British history.
Danny Boyle made an appearance to share a clip of the two men meeting in a London restaurant. This brief excerpt sparked a lot of interest amongst exhibitors.
Ink is currently in production and is scheduled for a 2027 release.
STUDIOCANAL CATALOGUE RELEASES & REMAKES
StudioCanal made clear that their ownership of a century’s worth of classic films is an active asset, not an archive. The announcements of new takes on Escape from New York and The Howling and the theatrical return of T2: Judgment Day are demonstrations of the studio’s intent to showcase their library
Terminator 2: Judgment Day:
This sci-fi action-adventure was released July 3, 1991, and it is slated for a 35th anniversary theatrical return this year. Dates to be announced. The announcement drew an enthusiastic cheer from the CinemaCon crowd.
Cliffhanger
A reboot is in development. No additional details released.
Escape from New York
A reboot of John Carpenter’s 1981 classic is in development. No additional details released.
The Howling
A reimagining of the 1981 Joe Dante horror classic is in development.
The Sony Pictures Classics and StudioCanal presentations lit up the crowd and signified an enthusiastic jump start to CinemaCon week. This showcase displayed the ever-growing landscape of independent and international film.
Sony Pictures Classics brought the full range of what the label has always done best: prestige biopics, international cinema from underrepresented voices, comedies that dare to be weird, and a commitment to the theatrical experience. Meanwhile, StudioCanal showed the breadth that comes with being Europe’s largest film studio: family animation, horror remakes, literary adaptations, provocative dark comedies, and prestige cinema. Both studios left CinemaCon 2026 exhibitors with many titles to keep filling their screens year-round.