LAS VEGAS (April 9, 2026) – CinemaCon®, the world’s largest convention for the global cinema industry and the official convention of Cinema United, revealed today the honorees for the 2026 Big Screen Achievement Awards, taking place on April 16 at The Dolby Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. This year’s honorees are James Cameron (Cinema United Spirit of the Industry), Queen Latifah (Cultural Impact in Film), LaKeith Stanfield (Star of the Year), Adam Scott (Award of Excellence in Acting), Noah Centineo (Star of Tomorrow), and Catherine Laga’aia (Rising Star of 2026).
Designed to recognize the remarkable achievements of the extraordinary talent behind the movies made for the theatrical experience, the Big Screen Achievement Awards afford an opportunity for the global theatrical exhibition industry to show their gratitude to the performers and filmmakers who bring the magic of movies to their screens.
“Our industry is at its best when those in it come together to celebrate the power of seeing a movie on the big screen,” said Michael O’Leary, President and CEO of Cinema United. “This includes the incredibly talented people both in front of and behind the camera, whose work is at the heart of what makes the moviegoing experience so powerful and enduring. The films from this year’s honorees will undoubtedly capture the imaginations of audiences around the world, and we are proud to honor their achievements.”
The Big Screen Achievement Awards, hosted by CinemaCon’s official co-presenting sponsor The Coca-Cola Company, takes place at The Dolby Colosseum at Caesars Palace, and represent the finale to the world’s premier showcase of theatrical exhibition, CinemaCon. Hosting the awards this year will be Entertainment Tonight’s Nischelle Turner.
James Cameron’s upcoming film, Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (Live in 3D), opens in theaters on May 8, 2026 via Paramount Pictures. Captured during her sold-out world tour, the film brings an innovative new concert experience to the big screen from one of the most celebrated and successful artists of her generation. Presented in immersive 3D, the film is directed by Cameron and Billie Eilish.
Queen Latifah returns next year as the voice of Ellie in Ice Age: Boiling Point, due in theaters on February 5, 2027. A dinosaur-and-lava-filled madcap adventure, Ice Age: Boiling Point takes Manny, Sid, Diego, Ellie, Scrat and the rest of the herd to visit never-before-seen corners of the treacherous Lost World. Latifah is a GRAMMY® Award-winning musician, Oscar®-nominated actress, producer and entrepreneur with a career spanning music, film, and television. Since making her big screen debut in Spike Lee’s Jungle Fever, Latifah has delivered standout performances in such films as Set it Off, Living Out Loud, Chicago, Bringing Down the House, The Secret Life of Bees, Hairspray, Mad Money, The Last Holiday, Beauty Shop, Girls Trip and Miracles from Heaven — to name just a few. On the small screen, she received an Emmy Award nomination, Golden Globe win, and a SAG Award win for her role in Life Support. Other television credits include Living Single, Steel Magnolias and Bessie for which she received an Emmy Award nomination, Golden Globe nomination and a SAG Award. Most recently she led the hit CBS series The Equalizer.
LaKeith Stanfield can be seen next month starring in NEON’s I Love Boosters, releasing in theaters on May 22, 2026. Written and directed by Boots Riley (Sorry To Bother You), Stanfield stars opposite Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie, Taylour Paige, Poppy Liu, Eiza González, Will Poulter, Don Cheadle, and Demi Moore in a film about a crew of professional shoplifters who take aim at a cutthroat fashion maven. An Academy Award nominee whose work spans film, television and music, Stanfield is best known for his work in Judas and the Black Messiah, Get Out, Sorry to Bother You, Knives Out, Uncut Gems, The Harder They Fall, Selma, and Snowden. On television he is widely known for his role in the FX series Atlanta.
Adam Scott stars in Hokum, NEON’s supernatural horror film arriving in theaters May 1, 2026. When novelist Ohm Bauman (Scott) retreats to a remote inn to scatter his parents’ ashes, he is consumed by tales of a witch haunting the honeymoon suite. Disturbing visions and a shocking disappearance force him to confront dark corners of his past. Widely known for his role in Step Brothers, Scott’s other film credits include Madame Web, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Black Mass, The Vicious Kind, Sleeping With Other People, Bachelorette, The Disaster Artist, Our Idiot Brother, Monster-In-Lay, Knocked Up, and The Aviator. Scott has earned Emmy, Golden Globe , Screen Actors Guild, Film Independent Spirit and Critics’ Choice Award nominations for his starring role in Apple TV’s Severance. Other notable small screen work includes Parks and Recreation, Big Little Lies, Party Down, and The Good Place.
Noah Centineo will star in Paramount Pictures’ Street Fighter, coming to theatres on October 16, 2026. Filmed for IMAX®and set in 1993, Street Fighter is set to bring the battle from the arcade to the big screen with Hadoukens, roundhouses, and all your favorite characters. In addition to Street Fighter, Centineo is currently in production on John Rambo and will star in and produce the live-action Gundam. His additional film credits include Union County, Warfare, The Recruit and Black Adam. In 2023, Centineo founded Arkhum Productions alongside Enzo Marc producing such films as Our Hero, Balthazar and the upcoming Iconoclast, Meta, and Listen. Centineo rose to fame in the popular trilogy To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before and the series The Fosters.
Catherine Laga’aia will make her big screen debut in Moana, Disney’s live-action reimagining of the beloved Oscar®-nominated animated adventure opening exclusively in theaters on July 10, 2026. Moana (Laga’aia)answers the Ocean’s call and, for the first time, voyages beyond the reef of her island of Motunui with the infamous demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson) on an unforgettable journey to restore prosperity to her people. Prior to landing the role of Moana in a worldwide search, Laga’aia appeared in the limited series The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart and will next be seen in the 2027 the feature film thriller Crashout.
Approved press images for award honorees can be downloaded here.
About Cinema United
Founded in 1948, Cinema United is the largest exhibition trade organization in the world, representing more than 31,000 movie screens in all 50 states, and more than 30,000 screens in 80 countries worldwide. Its membership includes theatres of all sizes, from the largest cinema chains to one-screen theatres in cities and towns around the world. For additional information, please visit cinemaunited.org. Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn and X/Twitter.
About CinemaCon
CinemaCon® attracts upwards of six thousand motion picture professionals from all facets of the industry – from exhibition and distribution to the equipment and concession areas – all on hand to celebrate the moviegoing experience and the cinema industry. The Coca-Cola Company and Barco are the official co-presenting sponsors of CinemaCon® 2026. For more information, visitcinemacon.com. Follow CinemaCon on Facebook, Instagram, X and TikTok.
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