Zoe Saldana to Receive “Star of the Year” Award at CinemaCon

Zoe Saldana is a shining star

The 43-year-old Puerto Rican and Dominican American actress will be among the honorees at CinemaCon’s Big Screen Achievement Awards.

Zoë SaldañaSaldana will receive a CinemaCon Star of the Year award as The Adam Project star prepares for the release of a slate of projects that includes a new David O. Russell filmKeyhole Garden, the Avatar franchise and a new Guardians of the Galaxy installment.

The Big Screen Achievement Awards will be held at CinemaCon headquarters at Caesars Palace on April 28 and will be hosted by Entertainment Tonight veteran Kevin Frazier from inside the Colosseum. The awards are designed to shine a spotlight on the big-screen achievements of actors and filmmakers.

Other honorees include Robert De NiroBilly Eichner, Abby Ryder Fortson and Glen Powell.

Additional honors are expected to be announced.

“CinemaCon may be the only time during the course of the year where the exhibition community gets to thank the creative world for providing the very best in the world of movies,” said Neuhauser. “Our roster of honorees this year represents an incredible scope of talent and to have one of the most legendary actors in the history of film being honored, that of course being Robert De Niro — well, it really doesn’t get better than that.”

The news comes just days before the big event that sees Hollywood studios and cinema operators gather in Las Vegas for the annual convention hosted by the National Association of Theatre Owners.

This year, all five major Hollywood studios plus Lionsgate and Neon will be touting their upcoming slates during their time on stage inside the Colosseum at Caesars Palace.

CinemaCon, expected to draw upward of 6,000 guests, runs April 25-28. Partners this year include both the International Cinema Technology Association and National Association of Concessionaires.

Cannavale to Star in Marvel/Disney’s Superhero Film “Ant-Man”

Bobby Cannavale has landed a Marvelous role…

The 43-year-old half-Cuban American actor and Emmy-winnner has joined the cast of Ant-Man, which has begun filming in San Francisco.

Bobby Cannavale

Directed by Peyton Reed, the film stars Paul Rudd as Scott Lang, a con man who grows into a hero by helping his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym (portrayed by Michael Douglas) pull off a heist that will save the world. Lost alum Evangeline Lilly plays Hope Van Dyne, Pym’s daughter.

No word yet on Cannavale’s character in the film.

Additionally, Michael Peña, Abby Ryder Fortson, David Dastmalchian, Wood Harris, Gregg Turkington and rapper-actor T.I. have also been cast in Ant-Man.

Marvel’s Kevin Feige is producing and Louis D’Esposito, Alan Fine, Victoria Alonso, Michael Grillo and Stan Lee are executive producers on what Disney/Marvel have set up as their next superhero franchise hot off the successful launch of the Guardians of the Galaxy property.

In addition to California’s Bay Area locale, filming will also take place in Atlanta.

Ant-Man is slated for a July 17, 2015 release.