Jon Favreau Headlines CinemaCon as Star Wars Returns to Theaters With Mandalorian and Grogu

Filmmaker Jon Favreau is set to take center stage at this year’s CinemaCon Creative Community Luncheon, bringing renewed Star Wars momentum to the annual gathering of global exhibition professionals.

This year’s luncheon carries added weight for exhibitors as the industry looks to major franchises like Star Wars to drive theatrical momentum. For more coverage from the event, visit our CinemaCon hub.

Favreau, director and producer of The Mandalorian and Grogu, will headline the luncheon on Thursday, April 16, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. The conversation will be hosted by Matt Belloni, founding partner of Puck News and host of the podcast The Town with Matt Belloni.

“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. I want to thank Jon, Matt Belloni for hosting, as well as the entire teams at Disney and Lucasfilm for helping ensure this luncheon will be the talk of CinemaCon.”

Traditionally held on the convention’s final day, the Creative Community Luncheon will lead directly into The Walt Disney Studios presentation later that afternoon, helping close out the week’s programming on a high note.

As a cornerstone of CinemaCon, the luncheon offers attendees a rare chance to hear directly from the filmmakers and creatives behind some of the industry’s most anticipated theatrical releases. Past speakers have included Martin Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio, Patty Jenkins, Edgar Wright, Elizabeth Banks, and Jerry Bruckheimer, among others.

This year’s luncheon is sponsored by Fathom Entertainment and D-BOX Technologies.

Opening exclusively in theaters worldwide on May 22, The Mandalorian and Grogu represent a significant milestone as the first Star Wars theatrical release represented at CinemaCon since Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker in 2019. The film stars Pedro Pascal and Sigourney Weaver, and is produced by Favreau alongside Kathleen Kennedy, Dave Filoni, and Ian Bryce, with music by Ludwig Göransson.

Hosted by Cinema United, CinemaCon 2026 runs April 13 through April 16 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, drawing thousands of industry professionals from across exhibition, distribution, and filmmaking.