A year after Universal Pictures presented the first look at footage from its upcoming two-part musical Wicked at CinemaCon, Jon M. Chu returns to Las Vegas for the official convention of the National Association of Theatre Owners. Chu will be the guest of honor at an annual filmmakers luncheon during which he will receive a Cultural Impact in Filmmaking Award for a "visionary approach to storytelling and his commitment to representing diverse voices and perspectives." The Fathom-sponsored event, scheduled for April 11 at the Octavius Ballroom, will also include a conversation with Chu.
The filmmakers luncheon will follow immediately after the Universal Studios and Focus Features presentation on Wednesday, where the companies will introduce their upcoming films. Also, with Chu confirmed for the luncheon, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him make a mark on the Coliseum's main stage presenting additional footage from Wicked ahead of the first installment's Nov. 27 release.
His credits include Step Up 2: The Streets, Step Up 3-D, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Jem and the Holograms, Now You See Me 2, Crazy Rich Asians and In the Heights along with a host of music videos and documentaries such as Justin Bieber's Belive. It looks like he will have a big 2024 with the release of Wicked, and it was just announced that on July 23, Chu will publish a memoir, Viewfinder: A Memoir of Seeing and Being Seen, in association with Random House and co-author Jeremy McCarter.
In fact, CinemaCon will take place at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas from April 8-11. The event hosts more than 6,000 film professionals from all corners of the industry, including exhibition, distribution, marketing, promotion, equipment and concession areas.
