Award-winning filmmaker Jon Favreau will headline the annual CinemaCon Creative Community Luncheon, organizers announced. Favreau, director and producer of The Mandalorian and Grogu, stars Pedro Pascal, is set to appear Thursday, April 16, at Caesars Palace’s Octavius Ballroom in Las Vegas.
The luncheon discussion will be hosted by Matt Belloni, founding partner and editor of Puck News and host of the podcast “The Town.”
“Anticipation for a new ‘Star Wars’ movie on the big screen is sky-high, making this an incredible way to kick off the summer movie season,” said Michael O’Leary, president and CEO of Cinema United. “This event presents a great opportunity to hear from Jon Favreau, one of the most talented filmmakers working today.”
The luncheon, traditionally held on the final day of CinemaCon, will take place ahead of The Walt Disney Studiospresentation at 2:30 p.m. PT, closing out the week’s programming.
A cornerstone of CinemaCon, the luncheon gives the global exhibition industry direct access to leading filmmakers behind major theatrical releases. Past participants have included Glen Powell, Colman Domingo, Josh Brolin, Edgar Wright, Martin Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio, Elizabeth Banks, Jerry Bruckheimer, Patty Jenkins and Jon M. Chu.
This year’s luncheon is sponsored by Fathom Entertainment and D-BOX Technologies.
“The Mandalorian and Grogu” opens exclusively in theaters worldwide May 22, marking the first “Star Wars” theatrical release showcased at CinemaCon since 2019’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. The film also stars Sigourney Weaverand is produced by Favreau, Kathleen Kennedy, Dave Filoni and Ian Bryce, with music by Ludwig Göransson.
Hosted by Cinema United, CinemaCon runs April 13-16 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Official presenting sponsors for 2026 include The Coca-Cola Company and Barco.
