‘Wicked’ Director Jon M. Chu to Be Honored at CinemaCon Luncheon With Cultural Impact Award

One year after Universal Pictures debuted the first look at footage from his upcoming two-part musical Wicked at CinemaCon, Jon M. Chu is heading back to Las Vegas for the National Association of Theater Owners’ official convention.

Chu will be the guest of honor at an annual filmmaker 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 in the Octavius Ballroom, will also feature a sit-down conversation with Chu.

The filmmaker luncheon will follow hot on the heels of Universal and Focus Features’ studio presentation on Wednesday at which the companies will present their upcoming slates. With Chu confirmed for the luncheon, it would not be a surprise to see him make a mark on the Colosseum main stage by presenting additional footage from Wicked ahead of the first installment’s release on Nov. 27.

Chu’s directing career dates back to the early aughts. His credits include Step Up 2: The Streets, Step Up 3D, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Jem and the Holograms, Now You See Me 2, Crazy Rich Asians and In the Heights along with a slew of music videos and documentary features like Justin Bieber’s Believe. He’s got a big year taking shape in 2024 with the rollout of Wicked, and it was just announced that on July 23, Chu will release a memoir, Viewfinder: A Memoir of Seeing and Being Seen, in partnership with Random House and co-author Jeremy McCarter.

The Universal and Focus presentation will feature remarks by Donna Langley, chairman, NBCUniversal studio group and chief content officer; Peter Levinsohn, NBCUniversal Studio Group chairman of global distribution; Jim Orr, Universal Pictures president of domestic distribution; Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, Universal Pictures International president of international distribution; Peter Kujawski, Focus Features chairman; and Lisa Bunnell, Focus Features president of domestic theatrical distribution.

CinemaCon will be held at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas from April 8-11. The event hosts north of 6,000 motion picture professionals from all corners of the industry including exhibition, distribution, marketing, promotion, equipment and concession areas. The International Cinema Technology Association (ICTA) and National Association of Concessionaires (NAC) are on board as trade show partners, with Coca-Cola serving as the official presenting sponsor.