Anthony Ramos to Star in Kathryn Bigelow‘s Next Film at Netflix

Anthony Ramos is ready to thrill…

The 32-year-old Puerto Rican actor/singer has joined the cast of Kathryn Bigelow‘s next film at Netflix.

Anthony RamosThe untitled thriller also stars Idris Elba, Rebecca Ferguson, Jared Harris, Greta Lee, Tracy Letts, Moses Ingram and Gabriel Basso. Bigelow will direct.

The film’s title and plot remain under wraps, though Deadline.com sources have said that it will be set at the White House as a national crisis unfolds.

The project marks Bigelow’s first feature since the 2017 thriller Detroit, an awards contender produced and distributed by Annapurna Pictures.

Ramos is coming off the blockbuster hit Twisters, where he stars opposite Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones.

He can be seen next in the Marvel series Ironheart. 

His other recent credits include Dumb Money and Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.

Colman Domingo to Serve as a Presenter at This Weekend’s Screen Actors Guild Awards

Win or lose, Colman Domingo will be taking the stage at the SAG Awards

The 54-year-old Belizean-Guatemalan American actor, who is nominated for two SAG Awards, is among 30 presenters announced for the 30th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards set for Saturday in Los Angeles.

Colman DomingoDomingo is among a roster of presenters that includes America Ferrera, nominated for being part of the cast of Barbie, Idris Elba, Margot Robbie, Jessica Chastain, Erika Alexander, Emily Blunt, Danielle Brooks, Sterling K. Brown, Michael Cera, Robert Downey Jr., Fran Drescher, Phil Dunster, Billie Eilish, , Brendan Fraser, Taraji P. Henson, Troy Kotsur, Greta Lee, Melissa McCarthy, Cillian Murphy, Glen Powell, Issa Rae, Storm Reid, Tracee Ellis Ross, Alexander Skarsgård, Omar Sy, Hannah Waddingham, Naomi Watts and Jeffrey Wright.

More presenters will be announced later.

Elba will open the ceremony, which has been host-free since 2021, and Aniston will present the 59th SAG Life Achievement Award to legendary actor, singer, producer, writer and director Barbra Streisand.

Barbie and Oppenheimer lead with four nominations apiece in the film races, while on the TV side the last season of Succession scored five nominations to top the field.

Barbie and Oppenheimer are joined in the Cast category by American Fiction, The Color Purple and Killers of the Flower Moon, with each scoring multiple nominations.

The SAG Awards historically have been an almost certain predictor of future Oscars success. Last year, Everything Everywhere All at Once scored the ensemble Cast trophy as well as wins for Michelle Yeoh, Jamie Lee Curtis and Ke Huy Kwan — all four repeated the feat later at the Oscars, as did SAG Best Actor winner Brendan Frasier from The Whale.

Winners in SAG’s 15 categories will be announced Saturday, February 24 at the Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall in Los Angeles in a ceremony streaming live on Netflix.

Fred Armisen Joins Voice Cast of R-Rated Animated Film “Fixed” 

Fred Armisen is playing Fetch… Literally!

The 56-year-old half-Venezuelan American actor/comedian has joined the voice cast of Genndy Tartakovsky’s upcoming R-rated animated film Fixed.

Fred ArmisenIn addition to Armisen, who will portray Fetch, the voice cast also includes Adam DevineIdris Elba and Kathryn Hahn.

The film, which will be completed in September, is an adult comedy about Bull: an average dog who discovers he’s going to be neutered in the morning. As the gravity of this life-altering event sets in, Bull realizes he needs one last adventure with his pack of best friends as these are the last 24 hours with his balls.

New Line Cinema and Sony Pictures Animation are on board.

Fixed Movie“Some people might get uncomfortable,” said Tartakovsky. “In 2010, when I pitched it to Sony, we still needed a concept. Then, lightning struck. Right in that room, within five seconds, I went: ‘They find out one of their friends will get neutered!’ Everyone laughed and that was it,” he recalled.

“Back then, adult animation was all about The Simpsons, maybe Family Guy. Now, it’s much more popular and accepted.”

Still, the goal wasn’t to shock, he admits, but to make “a classic movie.”

“Like Lady and the Tramp or 101 Dalmatians, but rated R. If you can look past the balls and the buttholes, you will find a very sweet, charming, sincere story of friendship and romance.”

The film’s unique combination of naughty and nice has attracted Adam Devine, who will voice Bull, and Elba, who will take on his buddy Rocco.

They are joined by Bobby Moynihan (voicing Lucky), Beck Bennett (Sterling), River Gallo (Frankie) and Michelle Buteau (Molasses).

“When Kathryn decided to do it, she told us: ‘I want to be just like the guys. I don’t want to be the sweet girl in the background who doesn’t have any depth to her. Make her a little raunchier.’ Hiring her made this character come alive,” admitted producer Michelle Murdocca. Christian Roedel co-produces.

“I have been doing this for 30 years and when you find someone who knows comedic timing as a voice actor, it’s everything. It makes our job so much easier,” added Tartakovsky.

“Also, I like the voices to disappear. When Idris is doing Rocco, you may recognize him, but then you just settle in.”

Despite its contemporary humor, Fixed actually celebrates the glories of 2D hand-drawn animation.

“It has become a lost art. These days, everything is computer-generated. It was my dream to do this,” he says, calling it a love letter to Bugs Bunny or Tex Avery, or even 1950s Disney. Murdocca added:

“It became this homage. We were able to secure animators we never thought we would be able to get. That’s when it became very exciting.”

Still, Tartakovsky – who co-writes with Jon Vitti – also mentions The 40-Year-Old Virgin” and Knocked Up among his inspirations, especially when developing the “camaraderie” between the characters. As well as his own friends.

“One guy is loud, one nerdy, another one is, well, a little slower,” he howled.

“We have known each other since high school, so when we are making fun of each other, everything is exaggerated. These are caricatures of real people and then we adjusted them to be a little more real.”

At the end of the day, he just wants people to laugh.

“Comedy is the hardest thing, always, but in animation, you create it from nothing. It’s why I got into it. I could draw a little stick figure running, my friends would look over my shoulder and laugh. It’s such an amazing illusion,” he admitted.

“We have four layers of humor here: The raunchy stuff, the physicality, some character humor and dog owner humor. We don’t talk about pop culture; we don’t make fun of the Kardashians. It’s only within this one world.”

The world that includes such places like “The Hump House,” where Bull and his friends end up as well. But it’s nothing compared to the film’s explosive ending, which – teased Tartakovsky – is “raunchy, very sexual but also very heartfelt.”

“Most studios would go: ‘Maybe we make the film, but you can’t have that scene.’ But it defines this movie! I said I wasn’t doing the film without it and luckily, we found the right partners,” he said.

“Doing kids television for most of my career, I have a boundary. I will hit it, but I will never cross it. For this movie, everything had to be over that boundary.”

Scott Mescudi to Star Opposite Idris Elba in Paramount+ & SEGA’s Series “Knuckles” 

Scott Mescudi is hedge-ing his bets…

The 39-year-old half-Mexican American rapper, singer and actor, also known by his stage name Kid Cudi, has joined the cast of the Paramount+ and SEGA series Knuckleswith Idris Elba set to reprise role of titular character.

Scott “Kid Cudi” MescudiMescudi is among a roster of new cast additions that includes Edi Patterson, Julian Barratt and Ellie Taylor.

Adam Pally, who appeared in the most recent Sonic the Hedgehog sequel will reprise his role of Walt Whipple with Rory McCann guest starring. In addition, Tika Sumpter will guest star, reprising her role as Maddie.

The series is currently in production and will follow Knuckles on a hilarious and action-packed journey of self-discovery as he agrees to train Wade as his protégé and teach him the ways of the Echidna warrior.

The series takes place between the films Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Sonic the Hedgehog 3, marking the next installment of the hit franchise, which is slated for December 20, 2024.

All of the key creative team from the previous films are returning for the series, including Jeff Fowler, the films’ director, who is directing the pilot episode, as well as Neal H. Moritz, Toby Ascher, John Whittington and Toru Nakahara, who serve as executive producers on the series. Elba also serves as executive producer.

Additional directors for the series include Ged Wright, Brandon Trost, Jorma Taccone and Carol Banker.

Whittington, who penned Sonic the Hedgehog 2, wrote the pilot and is the head writer for the series. The other series writers include Brian Schacter and James Madejski.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 earned over $190 million in domestic box office, and over $214 million internationally for a combined total gross of over $405.4 million. On Paramount+, the sequel marks the top-performing Kids & Family film on the service and is also one of the service’s most re-watched films.

Alice Braga to Star in Robert Rodriguez’s Thriller “Hypnotic”

Alice Braga has landed a hypnotic role…

The 38-year-old Brazilian actress has joined the cast of Robert Rodriguez’s thriller Hypnotic, starring Ben Affleck.

Alice Braga

Cameras are set to roll starting on September 20, in Austin, Texas, after the film’s original start date in April 2020 was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and then insurance issues.

Hypnotic will follow a detective who becomes entangled in a mystery involving his missing daughter and a secret government program while investigating a string of high-end crimes.  

The film is written by Sin City and Alita: Battle Angel filmmaker Rodriguez and Max Borenstein. Rodriguez, Studio 8 CEO Jeff Robinov and Studio8’s Guy Danella and John Graham are producing with Solstice.

Solstice has already sold the film well into international markets and is due to release Hypnotic in the U.S.

Braga will next be seen in The Suicide Squad, alongside Margo Robbie, Idris Elba and Viola Davis. She’s known for her starring role in the long-running USA Network series Queen Of The South, Luca Guadagnino’s limited series We Are Who We Are, and was one of the lead voices in Oscar-winning Pixar film Soul.

Javier Bardem In Talks to Portray Desi Arnaz in Amazon & Aaron Sorkin’s “Being the Ricardos”

Javier Bardem may soon be saying, “Lucy, I’m Home!”

The 51-year-old Spanish Oscar-winning actor is in talks to play Desi Arnaz opposite Nicole Kidman as Lucille Ball in Amazon and Aaron Sorkin’s Being the Ricardos.

Javier Bardem

The film centers on the relationship between the I Love Lucy stars. Having penned the screenplay, Academy Award winner Sorkin also will direct the film from Amazon Studios and Escape Artists.

The film is set during one production week of I Love Lucy — Monday table read through Friday audience filming— when Lucy and Desi face a crisis that could end their careers and another that could end their marriage.

Sorkin originally was going to pen the script only, when Cate Blanchett was circling, but after enjoying himself on the drama The Trial of the Chicago 7, he decided to attach himself as a director as well over the summer.

After The Trial of the Chicago 7 bowed on Netflix in October, Being the Ricardos began to gain momentum with Kidman and Bardem quickly interested in the couple behind television’s first family. Deals still need to close for both actors, but even if and when they do, when production will start is still up in the air as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to push productions throughout the country.

After years as one of Hollywood’s most prolific screenwriters with such classics as A Few Good Men, Moneyball and his Oscar-winning The Social NetworkSorkin has found himself more and more behind the camera as well. His directing debut was the drama Molly’s Game starring Jessica Chastain and Idris Elba, and he followed that up with The Trial of the Chicago 7.

Bardem most recently starred in The Roads Not Taken and can next be seen in Legendary’s DuneHe also is set to play King Triton in Disney’s live-action The Little Mermaid.

Roku Acquires Quibi’s Programming, Including Nicole Richie’s “Nikki Fre$h” Series

Nicole Richie is freshening up Roku

Roku has acquired the exclusive global distribution rights to the portfolio of Quibi’s programs, including the 39-year-old part-Mexican American actress & television personality’s series Nikki Fre$h.

Nicole Richie

In its biggest original programming foray to date, Roku’s acquisition covers most of the recently shuttered mobile-only streaming venture’s library, while some daily news shows aren’t part of the package.

A key draw for Roku is the talent, a roster including Richie, Idris Elba, Kevin Hart, Liam Hemsworth, Anna Kendrick, Chrissy Teigen and Lena Waithe.

The lineup includes titles like Most Dangerous Game, Dummy, Murder House Flip and the Reno 911 reboot, starring Carlos Alazraqui.

Financial terms weren’t disclosed, though the valuation is said to be less than $100 million, according to insiders. Roku shares rose 5% to $398.60 on the news. At one point early in the trading day, they reached $402.81, an all-time high.

The programming will be available for free starting later this year. Shows will have advertising, as they did on the $5-a-month Quibi service, and they’ll be housed on the Roku Channel. The hub for free and premium streaming channels, including 150-plus free live, linear offerings, has become a mainstay of the company’s strategy since Roku launched it in 2017. By the fourth quarter of 2020, it was being viewed by households representing an estimated 61.8 million people, the company said, double its reach at the end of 2019.

“The most creative and imaginative minds in Hollywood created groundbreaking content for Quibi that exceeded our expectations,” said Quibi Founder Jeffrey Katzenberg. “We are thrilled that these stories, from the surreal to the sublime, have found a new home on The Roku Channel.”

Oscar Isaac to Lend Voice to HBO Max’s “A World of Calm” Series

Oscar Isaac is helping bring the calm…

HBO Max has ordered A World of Calm, featuring the 41-year-old Guatemalan & Cuban actor’s voice.

Oscar Isaac

The series is based on Calm, a popular sleep and meditation app, and will be narrated by several big names like Isaac.

The 10-episode order, co-produced by Calm and Nutopia, is HBO Max’s first brush with the health and wellness space and 

From the creators of the Calm app and Nutopia, the series combines mesmeric imagery with narration by A-list stars like Isaac, Mahershala AliIdris ElbaNicole Kidman, Zoë KravitzLucy LiuCillian Murphy and Keanu Reeves.

Here’s the logline: A timely antidote for our modern lives, each half-hour episode takes audiences on an immersive visual journey into another world. Building on Calm’s Sleep Stories– bedtime stories for grown-ups – each relaxing tale is designed to transform how you feel. Viewers will be transported into tranquility through scientifically engineered narratives, enchanting music and astounding footage to naturally calm the body and soothe the mind.

“With the considerable amount of stress and chaos we are all experiencing at this particularly challenging time, we could all use a bit of guided relaxation, and A World of Calmis here to help,” said Jennifer O’Connell, EVP Non-fiction and Kids Programming at HBO Max.

“Although this collaboration has been in the works for many months,” said Nutopia CEO and founder Jane Root, “this series has been entirely created during quarantine using Nutopia’s worldwide network of award-winning cinematographers and filmmakers. We hope this series of serene stories will bring a sense of much needed calm to audiences.”

Added Calm co-founder and co-CEO Michael Acton Smith: “Calm started life as a meditation app, but the brand has evolved far beyond that. We are delighted to bring the magic behind our audio Sleep Stories to the screen for the first time. These experiences are visual Valium and will help people relax and unwind during these stressful times.”

Nicolás Pereda’s Narco Culture-Themed Film “Fauna” to Premiere at This Year’s Reimagined Toronto Film Festival

Nicolás Pereda is bringing the faunato this year’s reimagined Toronto Film Festival.

The 38-year-old Mexican filmmaker’s latest film Fauna will be among the film’s screened at the festival, which is North America’s largest festival.

Nicolás Pereda

The film is an exploration of the impact of “narco” culture on Mexican society.

It’ll be Fauna’s official global premiere. An excerpt from the film was screened as part of the “Works in Progress” section of the Los Cabos International Film Festival in 2019,and won the Cinecolor Mexico Award.

This year’s edition will run from September 10–19. As expected, the festival will look different due to the coronavirus.

Organizers say the 45th TIFF will be “tailored to fit the moment,” with a combination of physical screenings and drive-ins, digital screenings, virtual red carpets, press conferences and industry talks. 

There’ll be considerably fewer movies — a selection comprising 50 new features — and the festival isn’t expecting large numbers of international press or industry to attend in person.

In addition to Pereda’s Fauna, this year’s strong crop of early movies confirmed to screen at the festival are the Kate Winslet-starrer AmmoniteThomas Vinterberg’s Another RoundConcrete Cowboy with Idris ElbaGood Joe Bell starring Mark WahlbergSuzanne Lindon’s Spring BlossomTrue Mothers by Naomi Kawase and Halle Berry’s directorial debut BruisedMore titles will be announced over the summer.

The movies will play over the event’s first five days as physical, socially distanced screenings. There will also be five programs of short films, interactive talks, film cast reunions, and Q&As with cast and filmmakers.

However, the festival has acknowledged that its plans for an in-person festival will be contingent on the local government’s “reopening framework to ensure that festival venues and workplaces practice, meet and exceed public health guidelines.” Large gatherings still aren’t permitted in Toronto.

TIFF temporarily closed its year-round offices and cinemas at TIFF Bell Lightbox in March due to the pandemic. The organization is now taking steps to prepare for reopening and working with medical advisors and public health officials to ensure safe conditions.

Meanwhile, TIFF is launching a bespoke digital platform for the festival. The organization has partnered with Shift72 on the platform, which will host digital screenings, talks and special events.

The Industry Conference will be online-only this year, with screenings for press and industry taking place on the digital platform only. The fest says there will be “advanced security and anti-piracy measures, access to buyers, and opportunities for networking.”

For 2020, TIFF says it will welcome 50 filmmakers and actors as TIFF Ambassadors to help the festival deliver its program. They will include Ava DuVernayTaika Waititi, Anurag KashyapNicole KidmanMartin ScorseseNadine LabakiAlfonso CuarónTantoo CardinalRiz Ahmed, Isabelle HuppertClaire DenisAtom EgoyanPriyanka Chopra, Viggo MortensenZhang ZiyiDavid OyelowoLulu Wang, Rosamund PikeSarah Gadon and Denis Villeneuve.

TIFF will also present its annual TIFF Tribute Awards, acknowledging and celebrating outstanding contributors to the film industry. 

Now in its third year, TIFF’s Media Inclusion Initiative will continue to accredit eligible black, indigenous, people of color, LGBTQ+ and female emerging film critics. New this year, TIFF is also offering companies and individuals the opportunity to gift industry access to 250 underrepresented emerging filmmakers from around the world.

First Trailer Released for Bardem & Sean Penn’s Action Thriller “The Gunman”

Javier Bardem is back to his baddie ways…

The 45-year-old Spanish actor and Oscar winner goes head to head against Sean Penn in The Gunman, as witnessed in the film’s first official trailer.

Javier Bardem

In the film helmed by Taken director Pierre Morel, Penn stars as a former Special Forces soldier and military contractor suffering from PTSD. He tries to reconnect with his longtime love, but first must go on the run from London to Barcelona and across Europe in order to clear his name.

Bardem, who won an Academy Award for portraying a psychopathic assassin in No Country for Old Men, stars as Penn’s old associate, who isn’t about to let him walk serenely off into the sunset.

The action thriller is based on the Jean-Patrick Manchette novel The Prone Gunman.

In addition to Penn and Bardem, the film also stars Idris Elba, Ray Winstone and Mark Rylance.

Open Road Films will release The Gunman in theaters on March 20, 2015.