As the first studio to present at Cinema Expo 2010, Paramount certainly got exhibitors’ attention with a 3-D flying dildo and penis courtesy of Jackass 3-D.

Via a taped appearance, the Jackass crew led by Johnny Knoxville did a special intro to 3D footage from the film (which will roll out internationally starting October 13). Scenes included a gauntlet of stun guns and the aforementioned penis piloting a toy helicopter.

Paramount Pictures International President Andrew Cripps opened the session by running through some impressive numbers: $1.32bn taken internationally in 2009, Iron Man 2 now on more than $300m internationally, How To Train Your Dragon on $260m+, and Shrek Forever After’s $86m from its 20 initial markets. Cripps noted that Shrek Forever After is now the second-highest grossing film in Russian history (after Avatar), having grossed more than $50m there already.

Then Cripps and Roger Pollock, PPI’s executive vice-president of international distribution and operations, presented the footage and trailers as part of a pre-recorded news cast, a nod to potential awards-season contender Morning Glory. One of the highlights of the overall presentation was the special sizzle reel from that comedy, which stars Rachel McAdams, Harrison Ford, Diane Keaton and Patrick Wilson in the story of a complicated group of people working for a morning TV show. Producer JJ Abrams introduced the footage with a taped segment.

Gore Verbinski’s animated Rango (March 17, 2011) was hyped with footage as well as behind the scenes shots of cast members (including Johnny Depp and Isla Fisher) in the unusual production process (the actors were all in a room interacting and inspiring the characters, not in sound booths.) Verbinski said: “We have something kinda nuts. It’s got adventure and romance…but it’s also a little f***ed up.”

Paramount showed 2D and 3D footage from M Night Shyamalan’s The Last Airbender (launching July 8), footage from Dinner For Schmucks (August 5), a trailer for Middle Men (November 26), trailer for DreamWorks Animation’s Megamind (October 28); and scenes and a trailer from Little Fockers (December 22), which was boosted by a funny taped intro from Ben Stiller.

No footage was shown from Paranormal Activity 2 (now in production for an October 2010 release). And anyone hoping for early glimpses for most of the 2011 releases went home disappointed. No footage was shown from The Coen Brothers’ True Grit (Jan 5); the re-imagined Footloose (April 7); Kenneth Branagh’s Thor (May 4); Kung Fu Panda 2: Kaboom Of Doom (June 1); Captain America: The First Avenger (July 20); Cowboys & Aliens (Aug 3); and DWA’s Puss In Boots 3D (Oct 27).

Michael Bay, taped on the set of Transformers 3 (launching July 1, 2011), said: “I know I dissed 3D in the beginning when it was coming out, but I’m having the time of my life with it.” That news will cheer 3D fan boys, but alas, there were no images or footage of Rosie Huntington-Whiteley replacing Megan Fox.

The recently launched Super 8 trailer from Steven Spielberg and JJ Abrams was shown, but nothing more of the secretive project was revealed other than Abrams saying that it “could be something really special.”

No further details were revealed about the next Mission: Impossible film (Dec 14, 2011), but Abrams did say Brad Bird was “an amazing director” and he called the project “amazingly exciting.”

Cinema Expo continues through Thursday.

 

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