Sony Pictures Classics, the Oscar-winning studio behind “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” and “Call Me By Your Name,” will take the stage at CinemaCon.
The indie will participate in the exhibition industry conference’s first-ever Monday afternoon program on April 13 at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, filling a slot that had been reserved for Row K Entertainment. Sony Pictures Classics will join Studiocanal and Angel Studios in presenting their upcoming slate of films in a program dubbed “CinemaCon Film Showcase.”
Row K, an distribution company that launched last year, has been dogged by financial struggles after its first film release, Gus Van Sant’s “Dead Man’s Wire” stumbled at the box office. The company’s upcoming releases include a reboot of “Cliffhanger” and “Charlie Harper,” a romantic drama with Emilia Jones and Nick Robinson. As the company’s unpaid bills mounted and bad buzz built, it pulled out of CinemaCon.
Sony Pictures Classics is overseen by Tom Bernard and Michael Barker, two outspoken champions of the theatrical experience. Its upcoming releases include recent Sundance premieres such as “Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!,” “Bedford Park” and “The Only Living Pickpocket in New York.” Sony Pictures Classics had a number of successes in 2025, including the Oscar-nominated “Blue Moon” and “Nuremberg,” a historical drama that scored with audiences.
Cinema United, the exhibition trade organization behind the conference, praised Sony Pictures Classics for being open to being a last-minute addition.
“We are excited to welcome Sony Pictures Classics to the inaugural CinemaCon Film Showcase as they bring audiences the kind of films that are essential to the future of exhibition,” says Michael O’Leary, president and CEO of Cinema United. “Our industry succeeds when there is something for everyone, and the diverse slate offered by Sony Pictures Classics is a prime example of that. Many thanks to Tom and Michael for their decades of support for the theatrical exhibition industry and their support of CinemaCon.”
Angel Studios has established itself as a destination for faith-based and inspirational films such as “Sound of Freedom,” “Homestead” and “Solo Mio.” Studiocanal, a French film and television company, has backed the likes of “How to Make a Killing,” “Paddington” and “Maria.”
Source: variety.com
