Introduction to Warner Bros’ Slate Presentation
Warner Bros may have existed for more than 100 years, but it is still going strong. Yesterday, at the Cineeurope Convention in Barcelona, the company’s newly promoted President of Global Theater Distribution, Jeff Goldstein, introduced the new creative leadership at Warner Bros Pictures Animation and DC Studios. The meeting was a celebration of the company’s successes and a look into its future plans.
Congratulations and Celebrations
Goldstein’s promotion to his new global role after a lifelong career at Warner Bros was celebrated by the Cineeurope’s Andrew Sunshine from Film Expo Group in a touching and personal introduction. Goldstein congratulated the assembled cinema operators across Europe on their investments in upgrades, stating that they have redefined the film experience and reminded the audience why the big screen is still important.
Current Successes and Future Plans
Warner Bros Motion Picture Group, under the current leadership of Pam Abdy and Mike de Luca, has a good story to tell with successive hits like "A Minecraft film", "Sinner", and "Final Goal: Blood Lines". Goldstein trumpeted a market share of Warner Bros of 28% among the major studios at the global box office in 2025. The company signaled a title for the immediate priority for the summer, James Gunn’s "Superhuman", with electronic advertising boards in the foyer of the main auditorium and a presentation of the first half hour of the film.
Animation and DC Studios
A clobic segment for activities at Warner Bros Pictures Animation was introduced by its President, Bill Damaschke, who joined the company in 2023 after earlier stints at Dreamworks Animation and Skydance Media. Damaschke created a theatrical moment by inviting the audience to discover an envelope with a red-white striped paper hat under their seats, promoting the upcoming film "The Cat in the Hat". A filmed segment with choreographer Chris Scott explained how he developed dance movements that could create viral moments on TikTok and YouTube for "The Cat in the Hat".
Slate Presentation
The slate presentation started with a first look at "F1" (aka "F1: The Film") and a filmed message from director Joseph Kosinski. Next, the presentation turned to genre with a trio of titles from New Line Cinema, including "Weapons", "The Magic: Last Rites", and "Mortal Kombat II". Other films presented included "A Fight for Another", "Wuthering Heights", and "The Bride!". The presentation ended with a rock guitarist performing a solo version of the "Superhuman" theme music.
Presented Titles
Some of the titles presented by Warner Bros at Cineeurope include:
- F1 (Dir. Joseph Kosinski)
- Weapons (Dir. Zach Cregger)
- The Magic: Last Rites (Dir. Michael Chaves)
- Mortal Kombat II (Dir. Simon McQuoid)
- One Battle After Another (Dir. Paul Thomas Anderson)
- The Cat in the Hat (Dirs. Alessandro Carloni, Erica Rivinoja)
- Wuthering Heights (Dir. Emerald Fennell)
- The Bride! (Dir. Maggie Gyllenhaal)
Additional titles mentioned include "The Mom", "Supergirl", "Tone", "Animal Lovers", "Flowervale Street", "Remain", "Dune: Part Three", "Godzilla X Kong: Supernova", and "The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum".
