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Hollywood relocated to Las Vegas this week for CinemaCon, the world’s largest annual convention for film industry professionals and media. The event, focused on studio showcases, industry networking, and exclusive trailer previews, brought big news for several high-profile literary adaptations.
🏛️ The Odyssey: The countdown to Hot Greek Summer is officially on, as Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of Homer’s epic tale is set for release July 17. Nolan treated CinemaCon attendees to an exclusive look at extended footage that included the Trojan horse and a first glimpse of the Cyclops. Matt Damon stars as Odysseus, with Anne Hathaway as Penelope and Tom Holland as their son Telemachus. Lupita Nyong’o, Robert Pattinson, Zendaya, Jon Bernthal, and Elliot Page are among the absolutely stacked cast, which also features Charlize Theron as Helen of Troy.
🤖 Klara and the Sun: Taika Waititi’s adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s 2021 novel told from the perspective of an “artificial friend” made headlines when the deal was announced in 2023, and we’ve been worried about it ever since. Jenna Ortega stars as Klara alongside Amy Adams as the mother of the girl Klara assists. Sony Pictures revealed this week that the film will hit theaters October 23.
📘 Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum: Warner Bros. and New Line unveiled the cast for the next installment in the Lord of the Rings extended universe. Leading the headlines is Jamie Dornan, who will have big shoes to fill as Strider (aka Aragorn), since Viggo Mortensen has declined to return to the role. Leo Woodall and Kate Winslet have joined the cast, which also includes Lee Pace, returning to his role as Thranduil. Ian McKellen and Elijah Wood will reprise their iconic turns as Gandalf and Frodo. The film is currently set for release December 17, 2027.
🔥 Children of Blood and Bone: Paramount shared a first look at footage from its long-awaited adaptation of Tomi Adeyemi’s beloved YA fantasy novel. While the teaser is not yet available online, there’s plenty reason to be excited: the cast includes Cynthia Erivo, Idris Elba, Amandla Stenberg, Damson Idris, and Regina King, just to name a few. Adeyemi co-wrote the screenplay with Gina Prince-Bythewood, who also directed the film. It hits the big screen January 15, 2027.
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👻 Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol: No one asked for this, but Paramount is doing it anyway. The studio shared a first look at Johnny Depp (why???) playing Scrooge in its upcoming adaptation of Charles Dickens’s holiday classic. We can only hope studio heads will be visited by three ghosts and have a change of heart before the film’s planned release on November 13.