At this year’s CinemaCon, Sony Pictures showcased two projects that break away from the superhero-driven blockbuster trend, signaling the studio’s commitment to innovative storytelling. These films, Darren Aronofsky’s Caught Stealing and Kogonada’s A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, offer audiences a chance to experience something fresh and distinctive amidst the sea of formulaic releases.
Caught Stealing, a crime thriller set in 1990s New York, is a daring departure for Aronofsky, who is renowned for his intense, often somber films like Mother! and Requiem for a Dream. The movie stars Austin Butler as a former baseball player drawn into the city’s criminal underworld. In the preview shown to theater owners, Butler’s character is seen navigating a perilous world of Russian gangsters, Orthodox Jewish businessmen, and a colorful cast of characters, including his mohawk-wearing friend played by Matt Smith. The film, which also stars Zoë Kravitz, Regina King, and Vincent D’Onofrio, promises a lighter tone than Aronofsky’s previous works, with the director aiming to create something “simply put, a lot of fun.”
Reflecting on the pre-9/11 era in New York, Aronofsky explained the appeal of this period: “It was a great time to be young and alive,” capturing the nostalgia of a less dire, more carefree time. The trailer highlights Butler’s character balancing a chaotic life filled with gangsters, romance, and bar tending—a stark contrast to the director’s usual heavy themes.
On the other hand, Kogonada’s A Big Bold Beautiful Journey takes audiences on a whimsical and romantic fantasy adventure. Starring Colin Farrell and Margot Robbie, the film follows two middle-aged characters who embark on a mystical journey through a magical portal, revisiting their past lives. The footage revealed at CinemaCon shows Farrell and Robbie walking through a forest doorway, only to find themselves in various surreal locations, including a lighthouse at sunset and Farrell’s high school halls. The narrative explores the complexities of relationships, with Robbie’s character warning, “However this plays out it ends in me hurting you,” to which Farrell’s character responds, “What if I hurt you?”
Kogonada, known for his thoughtful and visually poetic films, promises an experience that is “original, surprising, romantic, and moving.” The film’s success will undoubtedly rely on the star power of Farrell and Robbie, with Kogonada praising them as “two stars at the peak of their craft.”
Both films are set to release in 2025—Caught Stealing on August 29 and A Big Bold Beautiful Journey on September 19. Sony also teased its upcoming franchise projects, including Spider-Man 4 and reboots of Karate Kid and I Know What You Did Last Summer.
With these two films, Sony is making a bold statement that there’s still room for creativity and fresh narratives in an era dominated by familiar franchises.
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