Motion Picture: Orion Acquires Ran Ran Wang’s ‘if I Had Your Face,’ Kino Films To Distribute ‘Michael’ In Japan
Action/Horror/Fantasy/Sci-Fi: Orion has acquired the horror screenplay If I Had Your Face. Plot details of the film are not yet known, but it will be in the vein of Jordan Peele’s Get Out and will have two Asian female leads. The script was written by Ran Ran Wang, who is a Rideback Rise Resident who just completed the short film Recollectors. If I Had Your Face will be produced by Concordia Studio with Jonathan King and Ash Sarohia, and Hopscotch Pictures with Sukee Chew.
The trailer for the supernatural thriller The Deliverance has been released. Inspired by a true story, the film follows a mother (Andra Day) who fights a demonic force in her new house and works to save herself and her family from possession. The feature also stars Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Glenn Close, Anthony B. Jenkins, and Mo’Nique. It is directed by Lee Daniels (marking the second collaboration between Daniels and Day after The United States vs. Billie Holliday), written by David Coggeshall and Elijah Bynum, and produced by Daniels, Tucker Tooley, Pamela Oas Williams, Todd Critesm, and Jackson Nguyen. It will be released on Netflix on Aug. 30 after being released in select theaters on Aug. 16.
The cast in talks to star in the reboot of I Know What You Did Last Summer has been revealed. That cast comprises Camila Mendes (Riverdale/Upgraded), Madelyn Cline (Outer Banks/Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery), Tyriq Withers (Him/Atlanta), Jonah Hauer-King (The Little Mermaid/The Flatshare), and Sarah Pidgeon (The Friend/Stereophonic). Two of the original franchise’s stars - Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. - are also in talks to return; the original film the two starred in follows a group of friends bound by an accident being stalked by a maniac. The reboot is directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson (Do Revenge), produced by Neal Moritz, and written by Sam Lansky and Kaytin Robinson from a draft by Leah McKendrick. The film will be theatrically released on July 18, 2025 by Sony Pictures.
Kevin Feige spoke on the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe film Blade. Talking with BlackTree TV on the press tour for Deadpool & Wolverine, the Marvel Studios president mentioned that the upcoming Blade film will likely be rated R, saying that, like Deadpool, it would be necessary for a film about the character. Additionally, the executive mentioned that the most important thing for the studio regarding the making of Blade is to not rush its creation. Since the announcement of the film in July 2019, the Blade project has undergone multiple writers and directors; Mahershala Ali is attached to portray the titular character. It is currently set to be released on Nov. 7, 2025.
Siena Agudong - Daniel Zuchnik
Comedy/Dramedy/Musical: A comedy special from Roy Wood Jr. (Confess, Fletch/The Daily Show) is coming; the special will be released on Hulu and Disney+ internationally. The title of the special, and its release date, are unknown, but it will film in September at the Lincoln Theater in Washington, D.C., and will be Wood Jr.’s first special for Hulu. Upon release, the special will be part of a new comedy initiative from Hulu that will begin in November. The special will be directed by c. Craig and is being produced by Mainstay Entertainment and Jax Media.
The short film Summons premiered at the Los Angeles Shorts International Film Festival. Starring Jimmy O. Yang (Interior Chinatown/Love Hard), who also executive produces, Alexandra Shipp (Anyone But You/Barbie), Jamie Chung (Lovecraft Country/Sucker Punch), and Nichelle Hines (Junction/A Good Person), the romantic comedy short questions the process of marriage and courtship, and offers a spin on the “how we met” story. The short is written and directed by Ken Cheng, with Cheng and James Shin producing. It comes from HYBE America, Crab Club, Inc., and Pogi Studios.
Siena Agudong (The Resident Evil series/F9: The Fast Saga), Luke Eisner (Tall Girl/Grown-ish), Noah Lomax (The Tale/Safe Haven), Patrick Luwis (Barbie/The Dropout), and Matthew Sato (Doogie Kamealoha, M.D./Saved by the Bell) have joined the cast of the coming-of-age comedy The Upside of Unrequited. Based on Becky Albertalli’s book of the same name, the feature (which Albertalli executive produces) follows a teenager (Ayvan Williams) who has a crush on a co-worker (Lomax) but, in trying to get close with her sister (Jessica Belkin), has been set up with a partner (Eisner) by her sister. The film comes from Anna-Elizabeth and Hillary Shakespeare (The Shakespeare Sisters); they produce the film with Matt Luber and Lena Roklin. The Upside of Unrequited will begin production this summer in Maryland.
Taye Diggs - Eugene Gologursky / Stringer
Drama: Kino Films will distribute Michael in Japan. Internationally - sans Japan - the Michael Jackson biopic will be released by Universal; it will be released domestically by Lionsgate. The CEO of Kino Films and Kinoshita Group, Naoya Kinoshita, spoke on Kino Films’ distribution, saying that everyone at the company was honored to distribute the film. Michael’s director and producer, Antoine Fuqua and Graham King, respectively, both spoke positively about working with the company. The feature is also produced by the co-executors of the Michael Jackson estate, John Branca and John McClain. It stars Jackson’s nephew Jaafar Jackson, Colman Domingo, Nia Long, Miles Teller, Laura Harrier, and Juliano Krue Valdi.
Taye Diggs (All American/The Best Man) and Meagan Good (Divorce in the Black/Harlem) will star in Terry McMillan Presents: Forever, which was acquired by Lifetime; the two also executive produce the film with Charles Murray, McMillan, Richard Foster, and Chet Fenster. The film follows a man who has recently returned from military service who, after a surprising divorce, tries to win over the daughters of a policewoman who he has fallen for. The second film under the Terry McMillan Presents banner, the project is directed by Murray and written by Bart Baker. It will premiere on Aug. 24 at 8 p.m.
Prince - Michael Ochs Archives / Stringer
Documentary: A Netflix Prince documentary is “dead in the water.” The decision comes after representatives of the artist’s estate were dissatisfied with elements of the project’s first cut. Specifically, representatives noted that the documentary, which was directed by Ezra Edelman (O.J.: Made in America), contained factual inaccuracies, and that some events in the artist’s life had been “sensationalized.” While specifics about the inaccuracies are not known, it has been said that they are not revelations about drug use or sexual content. Others have said that the estate felt that the project was not positive enough.
Joaquin Castro - Vivien Killilea / Stringer
Industry Update: For the third annual year, Congressman Joaquin Castro has asked the public to suggest Latino films to be nominated for addition to the National Film Registry, which annually adds 25 films to its roster. In past years, Castro and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus have nominated, among other films, 2002’s Frida and 2011’s A Better Life. The initiative has resulted in the inclusion of 1977’s Alambrista!, 1982’s The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez, and 1997’s Selena in the registry. Nominations can be made at Castro’s website.
AMC Theatres is extending deadlines for debt due in 2026 to be due in 2029 and 2030. Currently having $4.5 billion in debt, the company will potentially repurchase up to $800 million of additional debt due in 2026 and up to $50 million of debt due between 2025 and 2027. Furthermore, the company transferred the leases and property of nearly 200 domestic theaters to new subsidiary Muvico, in order to allow it to exchange existing debt for new obligations from the locations.
