Motion Picture: Halle Berry Set To Join Star-Studded Thriller, Sean Tretta Set To Reboot ‘The Creature From The Black Lagoon’
Sasha Calle - Axelle/Bauer-Griffin
Action/Horror/Fantasy/Sci-Fi: Teyana Taylor and Sasha Calle have joined the cast of RIP, a Netflix crime thriller directed by Joe Carnahan, starring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. The film follows a group of Miami cops whose trust unravels after discovering millions in cash at a stash house, sparking internal and external conflicts. Produced by Damon and Affleck’s company Artists Equity, the project is a follow-up to their 2023 successes, including Air and the Silver Bear-winning Small Things Like These. Taylor and Calle bring their recent critical acclaim from A Thousand and One and The Flash to the ensemble.
The Paramount horror film Primate has expanded its cast with 10 new actors, including Jessica Alexander, Victoria Wyant, Benjamin Cheng, Gia Hunter, and others, joining previously announced leads Troy Kotsur and Johnny Sequoyah. Details about the plot and characters are being kept under wraps. The film is produced by Walter Hamada, under his first-look deal with Paramount, alongside John Hodges and Bradley Pilz. Johannes Roberts, who co-wrote the script with Ernest Riera, will also direct the film. The project was first announced in July, with Sequoyah joining in August.
Oscar winner Halle Berry is in talks to join Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, and Barry Keoghan in Amazon MGM Studios’ adaptation of Don Winslow's Crime 101, directed by Bart Layton. The film, set for a theatrical release next year, revolves around high-level jewel thefts along the Pacific Coast, with police suspecting Colombian cartels but a detective focusing on a single thief. Pedro Pascal was previously attached to the project but left due to scheduling conflicts. Berry, known for her historic Oscar win and recent work on John Wick 3, is set to expand her film portfolio with this role.
Sean Tretta, Co-EP of Mayans M.C., is set to write the reboot of The Creature From the Black Lagoon for Atomic Monster and Universal. The screenplay will be based on a treatment by James Wan, Rafael Jordan, and Bryan Coyne. Wan is in early talks to direct, with the reboot aiming to deliver a modern, visceral horror take while honoring the original. The film will be produced by Atomic Monster, with Michael Clear and Judson Scott as executive producers. The 1954 original followed a prehistoric creature lurking in the Amazon, and spawned two sequels.
Patrick Muldoon, Kevin Interdonato, and Michael Beach will star in the action indie film Dirty Hands. Written and directed by Interdonato, the film is set in Chicago's criminal underworld and follows brothers Richie (Muldoon) and Danny (Interdonato) as they navigate a botched drug deal, the murder of a kingpin's son, and a rival gang seeking revenge, all while their boss (Beach) tries to clean up the chaos. Shooting begins next month in Chicago, with Interdonato producing through his Take No Prisoners Productions. This marks Interdonato's second project as writer-director-star.
Comedy/Dramady/Musical: Nearly a decade after Community ended, the long-awaited movie is still in the works, with Yvette Nicole Brown confirming her return as Shirley Bennett. Brown revealed the script is being reworked to reflect her involvement, but a full draft exists, and the movie will be filmed in Los Angeles, benefiting from California’s tax credits. The delay is largely due to cast members' busy schedules, with Joel McHale taking responsibility for the holdup. Despite these challenges, Brown emphasized that the entire cast is committed, and the project will happen. Dan Harmon and Andrew Guest are behind the script, which promises to be irreverent and funny.
John Boyega - Unique Nicole / Stringer
Drama: John Boyega and Danielle Deadwyler will star as Otis Redding and his widow Zelma in the upcoming biopic Otis & Zelma, directed by Channing Godfrey Peoples. The film, produced by Fifth Season, Homegrown Pictures, and Kinfolk Management + Media, explores the life of the iconic soul singer, known for hits like "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay," and his tragic death in a 1967 plane crash at age 26. Written by Donnetta Lavinia Grays, the film highlights the couple's 10-year love story and Zelma's efforts to preserve Otis' legacy. The project is backed by Zelma Redding and the Otis Redding estate and coincides with Redding's posthumous Hollywood Walk of Fame honor.
Magazine Dreams, a tense sports drama starring Jonathan Majors, has been acquired by Briarcliff Entertainment and will be released in theaters in early 2025. The film, written and directed by Elijah Bynum, follows aspiring bodybuilder Killian Maddox, who abuses steroids in his pursuit of sports stardom. After its premiere at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, the movie was initially picked up by Searchlight Pictures but was dropped following Majors’ conviction for domestic assault and harassment. Briarcliff’s CEO praised Majors’ performance as "compelling and transformative."
Beverly Glenn-Copeland - Transgressive Records
Documentary: Investigation Discovery (ID) is releasing a new documentary, Chris Brown: A History of Violence, on October 27 as part of its "No Excuse for Abuse" campaign. The film explores the pop star's history of legal issues, including domestic violence, assault, and sexual assault allegations, beginning with his 2009 assault of his then-girlfriend Rihanna. The documentary examines Brown's troubled childhood, the cycle of abuse, and raises the question of how he maintains his superstar status despite his violent record. Featuring expert commentary and survivor testimonials, a new accuser also comes forward in the documentary. Following the film, The View's Sunny Hostin will lead a discussion on intimate partner violence, reflecting her commitment to defending women and children.
Production companies Level Ground and Visitor Media are filming See You Tomorrow, a verité documentary about musician Beverly Glenn-Copeland, who recently announced his dementia diagnosis ahead of his final tour. Directed by Chase Joynt and produced by Samantha Curley and Sean O’Neill, the film follows Glenn-Copeland and his wife Elizabeth as they navigate his diagnosis while preserving his artistic legacy. The couple is working on a memoir, a children’s TV show, and digging through his archives for unreleased music. The documentary is set to wrap in the summer of 2025.
Ken Page - Jamie McCarthy
Industry Update: Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill on Monday that protects the entertainment industry’s loan-out company structure, which allows actors, writers, and crew members to be paid through personal service companies rather than as direct studio employees. This setup, which permits creatives to deduct expenses from their income taxes, was threatened by a California Employment Development Department (EDD) audit earlier this year. The new legislation, SB 422, clarifies that loan-out companies—not payroll services like Cast & Crew—are responsible for paying payroll taxes, preserving the industry’s current tax practices. Starting in 2026, payroll companies must file quarterly reports on payments to loan-outs to assist with tax collection. Hollywood unions supported the bill, which averts potential upheaval amid ongoing industry challenges.
Ken Page, known for his iconic voice role as Oogie Boogie in The Nightmare Before Christmas, passed away on September 30 at the age of 70. His death was announced by a friend on social media. Born in St. Louis, Page had a long and celebrated Broadway career, with standout performances in Guys and Dolls and Ain’t Misbehavin’. He also played Old Deuteronomy in Cats. Beyond Broadway, Page had a strong presence in TV, film, and voice acting, reprising Oogie Boogie in concerts and video games. Danny Elfman paid tribute, calling him a generous and talented soul.
Daniel Kaluuya will be honored with a statue in London’s Leicester Square, commemorating his breakout role in Get Out. The statue will depict the iconic 'Sunken Place' scene from the 2017 film, which helped solidify Kaluuya as one of the U.K.'s top actors. Kaluuya was chosen for the statue by a poll of 5,000 British film fans, receiving 20% of the vote. The statue will be unveiled in October as part of the "Scenes in the Square" trail, joining iconic figures like Harry Potter and Wonder Woman, and coinciding with Halloween and the U.K.’s Black History Month.
