Transformers Age of Extinction Character Poster Wahlberg - P 2014
Barcelona – An assault on the senses in the shape of the world premiere of Michael Bay’s Transformers: Age of Extinction hit attendees at Paramount Pictures International’s slate showcase at the CineEurope conference in Spain on Wednesday.
The studio unspooled the latest addition in the global franchise, featuring Mark Wahlberg’s entry into the Transformers’ universe of explosions, robots and more explosions.
Paramount Pictures International svp, EMEA Edward Ryan walked CineEurope attendees through the studio’s rollout plans for 2015 and beyond.
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Ryan sent Paramount president of international for theatrical Anthony Marcoly’s apologies for not being able to attend the event in Barcelona because of the global rollout of Transformers 4, which kicks off in Hong Kong a day after the CineEurope screening.
Paramount’s presentation played up the studio’s 3D movie releases, franchise entries and reboots of library classics.
Ryan dubbed the 2014 release plan as “summer’s triple pack,” confidently predicting that Transformers will be the “biggest movie” of the season.
The second movie in the studio’s triumvirate of tentpole releases — all to be offered in 3D versions internationally — will be Hercules, starring Dwayne Johnson as the legendary Greek demigod.
Johnson sent a taped message to detail the movie and his desire to play a character he remembers from his childhood, before introducing exclusive and extended footage from the Brett Ratner-directed movie.
The studio also screened the movie’s trailer in 3D on the giant RealD-installed, 21-meter screen at the show.
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Then it was the turn of Megan Fox to make an intro via taped message. Her recording showcased Paramount’s third 3D summer tentpole: the reboot of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, also produced by Bay.
The studio aired footage from the film that showed the moment when Fox first meets the mutant ninjas in person. The movie will premiere later this summer.
Ryan then trotted through the studio’s plans for 2015, which include the The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water in 3D for a January/February start, Hot Tub Time Machine 2 and The Gambler, starring Mark Wahlberg.
Paramount also brought a sizzle reel for Michael Bay’s Project Almanac, about a group of high school kids who make a time machine.
That marked the end of the clips and showreels before the screening of Transformers, with Ryan first listing a host of upcoming big-budget projects planned for the remainder of 2015, including Terminator: Genesis, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger as the robot assassin; Friday the 13th in 3D; and Mission Impossible 5, directed by Chris McQuarrie and starring Tom Cruise.
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For 2016, Ryan promised Paranormal Activity 5, a new take on Ben Hur directed by Timur Bekmambetov, the return of Eddie Murphy for Beverly Hills Cop, Transformers 5, GI Joe 3, Hansel and Gretel 2 and Star Trek 3.
CineEurope is operated by FilmExpo Group, which is owned by THR‘s parent company, Guggenheim Partners. The annual convention runs June 16-19 in Barcelona.
