As Paramount’s Distribution Chief Chris Aronson took the stage to open their CinemaCon 2025 presentation, he made it clear from the get-go that their slate is anchored by “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.” They’ve got a wide variety of projects on their slate, from animation to thrillers to franchises, but this year they say goodbye to a nearly 30-year series. Tom Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie entirely took over the last 30 minutes of their presentation.
Aronson is known among this Cinema United crowd of exhibitors for his over-the-top entrances. Last year, he entered the presentation in a chariot flanked by a crowd of Roman soldiers to celebrate “Gladiator II.” So when he calmly walked on stage in a normal suit and tie, the crowd almost booed. So naturally, a motorbike came up behind him, and a team of bikers performed a stunt show right there on the CinemaCon stage themed to “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.” But before looking toward that film or the rest of Paramount’s slate of films, Aronson took time to directly address the relationship between Paramount and exhibitors, encouraging them to take risks to better the audience experience. He discussed “giving audiences a premium experience, not just charging them a premium.” With fewer trailers, ads, longer-lasting matinee pricing, and discount days, Aronson pushed theater owners to try new things to draw in audiences. “Now is the time to turn your business upside-down.”
Paramount flew through their upcoming slate, spending limited time on films in 2026 and beyond, instead prioritizing 2025 releases. Briefly looking to 2026, Paramount didn’t spend much time. They mentioned projects in the works for next year, including “Children of Blood and Bone,” “Scream 7,” and “Untitled Trey Parker Matt Stone And Kendrick Lamar Film,” but didn’t offer new information on any of those films. Similarly, looking at Paramount Animation’s 2026 slate, President Ramsey Ann Naito announced the official title of the new “Airbender” film: “The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender,” but didn’t offer anything else. She also said “Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie” is coming next year, along with a sequel to “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem,” with Seth Rogen still involved.
Elsewhere on the animated front, two animated franchises get new entries this year. First up was “Smurfs,” featuring Rihanna. The movie looks like a generic entry, largely copying what “Trolls” did in their first film. Next up, Spongebob himself, Tom Kenny, took the stage alongside Mark Hamill as they teased “The Spongebob Movie: Search for Squarepants.” Hamill joked about how he voiced a character in an early “Spongebob Squarepants” episode, and he “did such a good job, they invited me back 18 years later.” The trailer for the movie showcases a similar animation style to the last few films, but with some big action scope as the Flying Dutchman (Hamill) makes his big-screen debut.
Continuing a common theme at this year’s CinemaCon, another Colleen Hoover adaptation got a showcase. While Paramount wasn’t ready to show actual footage from “Regretting You,” they sent in a behind-the-scenes clip of the cast, in which Willa Fitzgerald read some of the steamy portions of the book to Allison Williams. They didn’t discuss the film further, but “Regretting You” is dated for October 24th.
Also debuting this October is Derek Cianfrance’s “Roofman.” Channing Tatum came out to talk about the film, which he says manages to be both “devastatingly emotional” and “hilarious.” He celebrated Cianfrance, calling him the rare true artist. He then introduced the trailer, which looks nothing like Cianfrance’s previous films. It’s full of broader comedy bits, telling the true story of a bumbling thief (Tatum) who flees from the police and hides long-term in a Toys ‘R’ Us, where he eventually falls for one of the workers (Kirsten Dunst). It looks really funny and goofy, with only hints of something darker underneath. It’s much closer to something like “Logan Lucky” than “A Place Beyond The Pines.”
Much more in the straight-comedy camp was a reboot of “The Naked Gun,” directed by Akia Schaffer and starring Liam Neeson. The trailer has already premiered online, but it showcases the perfectly absurdist comedy that Schaffer has honed. It’s a perfect fit to bring back Leslie Nielsen’s legacy.
Finally, Tom Cruise took the stage. He led the crowd in a moment of silence for his friend Val Kilmer, who passed away two days ago. Honoring Kilmer, he encouraged the audience to spend a moment thinking about their favorite memories Kilmer had brought them over the years. Next, he turned to honoring another one of his closest friends, Christopher McQuarrie, who received CinemaCon’s 2025 Director of the Year award. Cruise dubbed him “a modern-day Irving Thalberg” and credited him not just for his effect on Cruise’s life and career but on the movie industry as a whole. When McQuarrie came out, he said that long-term success in Hollywood relies on two things: “vision and trust.” He said that he has both of those things in Cruise.
Before showcasing a new “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning” trailer, Cruise and McQuarrie thanked everyone who made those films possible. McQuarrie says, “We wouldn’t be here without the audience, and the audience wouldn’t be there without you,” he says to the theater owners in the crowd. Cruise honored the Paramount executives who brought “Mission: Impossible” to life all these decades, and each director, who Cruise named: “Brian De Palma, John Woo, J.J. Abrams, Brad Bird, Christopher McQuarrie, Chris McQ, Christopher McQ, and McQ.”
This entire presentation truly felt like a farewell to the 29-year-old franchise, as did the new footage, which had references and clips from each of the previous “Mission: Impossible” films. This may genuinely be goodbye for Cruise’s Ethan Hunt, although we never truly say goodbye in Hollywood.
Paramount focused on a big-budget 2025, mostly focused on franchises rather than new material. Big action flicks, a few animated films, and just a few smaller dramas make up 2025, with 2026 looking to be similar. While Aronson connected well to the needs of theater owners, he didn’t discuss the financials of any 2024 releases nor acknowledge the realities of the studio operating a streaming service. Without a “Top Gun: Maverick” sort of success for the last few years, it leaves one wondering when Paramount will be able to do it again.
What was your favorite announcement from Paramount Pictures’s presentation at this year’s CinemaCon? Which of their films are you most excited about? Let us know in the comments below or over on our Twitter account.
