Amazon MGM Studios CinemaCon 2026 Panel: Live Blog (Completed) - Masters of the Universe, The Beekeeper 2, Spaceballs 2

UPDATE: Amazon MGM Studios' CinemaCon panel has concluded. Read the article below with the biggest updates from the panel!

CinemaCon 2026 continues into its third day, as another major studio gets set to present its upcoming movies to fans: Amazon MGM Studios. Known as the largest gathering in the world for movie theater employees, CinemaCon is a central hub for some of the biggest announcements of the year about upcoming theatrical releases. After presentations from studios like Warner Bros., the announcements move forward in bulk.

CinemaCon 2026 is well into its third day in Las Vegas, Nevada, and it is set to conclude on Thursday, April 16. Amazon MGM Studios will hold its official CinemaCon presentation between 8:30 p.m. and 10:15 p.m. PT.

Last year, Amazon presented over half a dozen movies, including this year's Project Hail Mary, which is already one of 2026's biggest films. Other projects in this panel included Crime 101, Mercy, Verity, and After the Hunt.

This year, the most immediate movie on the horizon for Amazon is Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan: Ghost War, which debuts in theaters on May 20. This film brings back John Krasinski as Jack Ryan, and he will be joined by Wendell Pierce, Michael Kelly, and Betty Gabriel.

Based on promotional material on the CinemaCon showfloor, Travis Knight's Masters of the Universe movie will have a big presence for MGM this year. This is an adaptation of Mattel's iconic toy line, featuring He-Man, Skeletor, and other fantasy characters. The Masters of the Universe movie stars Nicholas Galitzine, Camila Mendes, and Jared Leto. 

Additionally, fans hope to see more new material from Spaceballs 2, written by Josh Gad and Mel Brooks. Bringing back Bill Pullman, George Wyner, Daphne Zuniga, and Rick Moranis from the original movie, the cast will also feature Lewis Pullman, Keke Palmer, and Anthony Carrigan as new characters. This comedy sequel will make its way to theaters on April 23, 2027.

Other potential additions to this presentation may include The Sheep Detectives, Madden, I Play Rocky, and Verity.

Every CinemaCon 2026 Announcement for Amazon MGM Studios

Oscar-winning composer Jon Batiste opened the proceedings for Amazon with a piano performance on the CinemaCon stage. 

The Thomas Crown Affair

The presentation moved on to footage from The Thomas Crown Affair, which stars Sinners' Michael B. Jordan and new Man of Tomorrow star Adria Arjona. Their relationship appears to be the core of the film in a cat-and-mouse, romantically charged story. Jordan's Thomas Crown pulls off heists while Arjona's character chases him down, as a spark ignites between them.

Jordan also took the stage at CinemaCon to promote the movie. It was also revealed that Thor director Kenneth Branagh will play the villain, who is described as smart, sophisticated, and always three steps ahead.

Jordan then introduced Arjona to the stage, complimenting her "intensity, wit, [and] fire" while calling her "an incredible scene partner." He also references her as "the newest member of the DC world" after she was announced for an undisclosed role in DC Studios' Man of Tomorrow. The Thomas Crown Affair will be released in March 2027.

Head of Prime Video & Amazon MGM Mike Hopkins took the stage next, speaking about the studio's commitment to releasing 15 movies per year in theaters. He was followed by Phil Lord, Chris Miller, and Ryan Gosling, who came up to thank the exhibitors at CinemaCon, with Gosling holding a bouquet of flowers. Gosling also pulled out a thank-you note and handed it to an audience member, asking her to pass it around, then did the same with the flowers, joking that he had not brought enough.

Amazon announced that the exclusive theatrical window for Gosling's Project Hail Mary will be extended after it earned one of the biggest box-office opening weekends of 2026.

Masters of the Universe

Director Travis Knight came on stage next to promote the upcoming Masters of the Universe movie, as did stars Nicholas Galitzine and Camilia Mendes. Knight also held a realistic Sword of Power prop before teasing his and the cast's excitement for the movie and discussing how much he's loved the IP since childhood.

Describing Jared Leto's Skeletor as "a villain with impeccable bone structure," he also noted how the movie was "always about identity." Mendes then chimed in to call Skeletor not only evil but also ambitious, and Galitzine had the audience raise the prop swords they received upon entering the theater and recite He-Man's main chant together.

New footage from the movie was then shown to the crowd, with police officers driving an arrested the citizen version of He-Man in a car. They see a commotion and stop the car on the highway before a beast of some sort attacks the car, ripping the roof off. He-Man runs away, but it catches up and knocks him to the ground. Holding the sword in his hand, He-Man is still timid and does not attack before the beast knocks him across the road again.

Just before getting hit once again, Camilia Mendes' Teela, in costume, saves the day and beats the beasts. She then takes He-Man's hand and asks, "are you ready to go home?"

The footage then cuts to a trailer as the two board a ship that flies off to Eternia. He-Man has clearly been gone for a long time, and ensuing shots show off the iconic team and castle. Everyone in Eternia seems to have thought Adam was dead.

Skeletor is then revealed in ominous shots, as he claims, "I mean to be a God" to an unknown person. Another big moment shows Adam performing the iconic chant to transform into his He-Man persona, transitioning into his costume as a shockwave blows across the land. More action clips follow, including Teela piloting a ship in a dogfight above a vivid forest. He-Man is on a ship, taking his hands and gripping the side of the ship with a rotating blade on its outside that is trying to take him out.

A scene with Skeletonr and He-Man transitions into a big brawl as He-Man takes on a small army of goons. They dogpile on him, but He-Man overpowers them. The trailer finishes with an epic shot of Skeletor and He-Man battling it out.

Masters of the Universe will debut in theaters on June 5.

Beekeeper 2

Jason Statham appeared in a video message to promote Beekeeper 2, which will debut in theaters on January 15, 2027. While "some people say less is more," Statham makes his feelings clear on that idea by saying, "I say more is more."

A new clip from the movie was shown, starting with a Cybertruck racing through the forest. A heavily guarded house is protected by an army, and the Cybertruck plows through the guards, but it is eventually shot up enough to be stopped.

It was revealed that Beekeeper was not driving, but a goon taped up, one who is freshly dead thanks to all the bullets. The footage then moved into a true trailer.

Dialogue sets up the villain as someone who wants to control the government, then clips of Statham's Adam Clay show him in action. The main clip shows footage from the middle of the streets as he ducks and weaves through cars.

Next came a wild shot of Clay, covered in bees, getting stung by them all to stop the bleeding following an intense action scene. An intense one-on-one standoff followed, ending with a flamethrower in the mouth of the goon as Clay said, "You don’t have to be so hot-headed." He then got into a new car, similar in concept to the Batmobile or a 007 car, which was loaded with custom weapons and tools. The next shot showed Statham's hero throwing what appeared to be "bee bombs" which were glass capsules that shatter and release bees.

James Bond

Courtenay Valenti, Head of Film at Amazon MGM Studios, took the stage to discuss where the studio is with James Bond. She explained in a long speech that the studio is "taking the time to do this with care and deep respect" and does not take the decision lightly. Working closely with Dune director Denis Villeneuve and a horde of producers, she hopes to set the stage "for something that's truly worthy of the Bond legacy."

“Now, I know you're all wondering when we're going to announce who's playing James Bond. Don't get too excited. Please know that we're taking the time to do this with care and deep respect. It is the dream of a lifetime for all of us to bring audiences this next chapter, and it’s a responsibility we don't take lightly. What I can tell you is this: when you pair one of the most beloved franchises in history with a world-class filmmaking team, including the brilliant director Denis Villeneuve, extraordinary producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman, executive producer Tanya Lapointe, and screenwriter Steven Knight, you’re setting the stage for something that’s truly worthy of the Bond legacy. That film is coming, and when the time is right, we'll have much more to share."

The Sheep Detectives

Hugh Jackman, Nicholas Braun, and Nicholas Galitzine took the spotlight at CinemaCon to promote the upcoming The Sheep Detectives, which debuts in theaters on May 8. Making a number of sheep puns, the speakers played disapproving sheep sounds every time one of them joked around.

This was followed by an extended version of the previously released trailer, which included a new funny scene showing the sheep freezing when they walked up to the edge of the road, unaware of what concrete was. Bryan Cranston's character was on the other side of the road, trying to urge them over. While the two sheep still can't bring themselves to cross, a literal chicken beats them to it, walking across the road.

A Colt Is My Passport

The Raid director Gareth Evans was announced as developing a remake of 1967's A Colt Is My Passport, teasing wild, stylized action in a story that follows a Vietnam War veteran on the run after assassinating a Detroit mob boss in the 1970s. This film does not have a confirmed release date.

How to Rob a Bank

After a large-scale performance with motor bikes and protestors with signs asking, "Who's hungry?," confetti fell from the sky and led into a trailer for How to Rob a Bank.

The trailer with a man in a wolf mask talking on YouTube for a channel called "How to Rob a Bank." "Always cause a diversion," he says, as they call in a fake bomb threat. John C. Reilly plays the detective hunting this group of influencers, and another clip shows them saying, "Make your outfit memorable and have fun with it."

Zoe Kravitz plays a hacker under house arrest whom the police go to to help track down this bank-robbing group, who are played by Nicholas Hoult, Pete Davidson, Anna Sawai, and Rhenzy Feliz. Another piece of dialogue from one of their Youtube videos says, "Rule number one, don't get shot. But if you do get shot, get shot in a bulletproof vest," as the masked wolf man raises a bulletproof vest on screen with a $19.99 label under it in a YouTube clip. This channel, which aims to teach its audiences how to rob banks, is well-known to the masses.

Director David Leitch came on stage with Davidson, who revealed that this group of robbers livestreams their crimes. "They're putting an end to green and corruption one heist, and one video, at a time," he said, before Rhenzy Feliz and Anna Sawai were confirmed to be the other two robbers. Leitch wanted to capture the energy of a manic YouTube video before a video message from the rest of the cast played.

How to Rob a Bank will debut in theaters on September 4.

Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother

After an appearance by Amazon's Head of Global Marketing, Sue Kroll, Bassam Tariq and Mahershala Ali came on stage to promote Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother, which does not have a release date. Ali plays a contract killer who is also a family man, and he describes this new movie as "brutally intimate" as well.

Ali's character appears angry with God over his wife's passing. He also has three kids, whom he has to raise alone while selling perfumes and cologne from his van and maintaining his job a hitman. The film will also feature Jon Chu as the villain, who seems to be a cult-leader-esque figure. It is chock-full of action, with fans potentially getting something from Ali similar to what he is expected to do in Marvel Studios' Blade.

Verity

Up next in the presentation was Verity, starring Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson, which had a new trailer premiere at CinemaCon.

Starting as an emotional film expected to tug at heartstrings, the plot quickly turns to horror, as things do not look good for Hathaway's Verity character. The film will be released in theaters on October 2.

Spaceballs 2

The presentation moved on to the eagerly-awaited Spaceballs 2, which was recently set for release on April 23, 2027. The film is directed by Josh Greenbaum and written by Josh Gad and Mel Brooks.

Rick Moranis' Dark Helmet gave a speech to the crowd, full of jokes, before multiple performers came on stage to celebrate the movie. He went off on how he wants nothing but dirty theaters for the film and how he does not know what VistaVision is. He also joked about Amazon MGM making a bid for Warner Bros. before admitting the joke might be a bit too late.

Greenbaum took the stage alongside stars Bill Pullman, Daphne Zuniga, Josh Gad, Lewis Pullman, and Rick Moranis. Moranis was escorted on stage by Spaceball troopers in black and grey suits.

Greenbaum asked Moranis what it was like to come back to this movie, and Gad jokingly took the response. Bill Pullman then praised his son for his role in this movie before pointing to Gad and thanking him.

Lewis Pullman joked about the rigorous process that got him cast in the film, which began when he was born, one of many jokes in the presentation. Moranis responded to another question before getting cut off in a video message by co-star Keke Palmer, who introduced the first footage from the movie.

Starting with a clear rip-off of Rey and Poe from Star Wars' sequel trilogy in one of the first shots, the trailer showed how they were following up on the promise of making a second movie from the original 1987 film. There, Mel Brooks' Yogurt was quoted as saying, "God willing, we'll all meet again in Spaceballs 2: The Search for More Money."

The trailer showed off footage of the Paramount and Warner Bros. lots as the narrator said, "Studios are merging like old couples at a swingers party," prompting Amazon to make this movie. It was also described as "a movie that might one day, at worst, be used as a write-off," poking fun at movies like Batgirl and Coyote vs. Acme.

The narrator then joked about showing unfinished clips from the film that make no sense out of context, as that exact kind of footage played on the screen for viewers. Dark Helmet was then seen relieving himself at a urinal before a Na'vi from Avatar came up next to him with a loud and heavy stream. The villain turned to him and said, in the Na'vi language, "I see you."

Coming with a barrel full of laughs, the movie's official title was then revealed to be Spaceballs: The New One by Mel Brooks.

Highlander

Henry Cavill appeared in a video message to speak about his new Highlander movie, which does not have a release date. Coming from the movie's set, Cavill noted that the team is "halfway through production" before a behind-the-scenes reel played, with Cavill saying they are "creating something truly special."

Chad Stahelski's vision is teased in the footage, visually reminiscent of his work on the John Wick franchise. Fans also see Dave Bautista speaking with an accent, wearing a military suit, and sporting a beard and hair as he plays Kurgan. He shared that he was a massive fan of the original Highlander, calling this "a legacy role" for him.

Russell Crowe was seen telling Cavill, "This is your purpose… you are the one." Cavill also had to learn swords, driving, motorcycles, and guns for the role, and Stahelski described the movie as big and loud. The cast and crew were then heard saying one after the other, "There can only be one."

I Play Rocky

Director Peter Farrelly had his moment to shine at CinemaCon for his work on I Play Rocky, arriving on November 13. Calling it "a movie for dreamers," this film appears to be something like a Sylvester Stallone biopic, as a trailer played on screen.

The trailer showed Anthony Ippolito's version of Stallone being stubborn about starring in the Rocky movie, which Stallone also wrote in real life. The studio wants a star and keeps offering more and more money, but Stallone holds out and eventually gets the part. The film is clearly playing on the parellels between the inspiration of Rocky the movie and the real life story in getting it made.