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Jenna Ortega's 'Hurry Up Tomorrow' trailer presentation at CinemaCon featured a live performance from The Weeknd

Jenna Ortega's 'Hurry Up Tomorrow' trailer presentation at CinemaCon featured a live performance from The Weeknd

Those attending CinemaCon in Las Vegas started their day with a surprise performance from The Weeknd! It took place during Lionsgate's presentation, which included a new trailer for Hurry Up Tomorrow. Jenna Ortega, who called the singer "our incredibly talented friend and collaborator," and director Trey Edward Shults also took the stage to discuss the new psychological thriller. 

A musician plagued by insomnia is pulled into an odyssey with a stranger who begins to unravel the very core of his existence. 

While performing, Abel Tesfaye expressed, "I can’t believe I’m looking at Mark Hamill right now, that’s crazy! The force is with you, brother." The movie will be released in theaters on May 16 and is loosely tied to his recent album of the same name. 

Tesfaye, who co-wrote and produced as well, previously opened up to Variety about how he and Reza Fahim got Shults involved: "I gave him [the script], and said, 'I need you to see yourself in this film, that’s really the only way it’s gonna work.' He did, and he brought in a whole new element that’s very personal to him as well."

On stage, Shults revealed that the two of them are "like family now" and that they "jive and push each other." He called the project a singular, visceral cinematic experience that is "very soulful."

As for Ortega, she shared that Annie is short for anima, which refers to the feminine part of the brain. "She’s kind of Abel, in a sense," she explained. The actress continued to share that the film "feels like an experience or a feeling. When you go into [Hurry Up Tomorrow] with that mentality, it makes a lot of sense.”

The cast also includes Barry Keoghan, who was friends with Tesfaye beforehand. "He was always number one on my list for his role. What makes him different from Jenna is that his talent is so raw, it just comes so naturally to him," he commented

Sophia Soto

Sophia Soto is a writer and interviewer with a passion for all things entertainment. She is a Senior Reporter at The Nerds of Color and contributes to Yardbarker, Screensphere, Den of Geek, What to Watch, Nerdtropolis, and Temple of Geek. You can see her past work on Remezcla, Young Hollywood, Looper, Paste Magazine, Primetimer, Soundsphere, and Starry Constellation Magazine

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