Cruz Attached to Star in Todd Solondz’s New Project “Love Child”

Penélope Cruz is getting ready for Child’s play…

The 42-year-old Spanish actress is attached to star in Todd Solondz’s new project Love Child.

Penelope Cruz

Cruz would star opposite Edgar Ramírez, who starred in the Roberto Duran boxing biopic Hands of Stone.

Solondz, the man behind Wiener Dog and Welcome To The Dollhouse, writes and directs the project, which is described as a dark and hilarious twist on the classic Oedipal theme.

The story follows 11-year-old Junior, a delusional aspiring Broadway star with an inappropriate obsession with his mother Immaculada. After orchestrating an accident that nearly kills his abusive father, he encourages Nacho, the handsome man living in the family’s guesthouse, to court his mother and become his new dad. But when the two fall in love, Junior becomes so jealous that he is no longer the subject of his mother’s attention that he hatches a plan to frame Nacho for his father’s murder.

The film is currently in pre-production.

Cruz recently joined the cast of Kenneth Branagh’s Murder On The Orient Express, based on Agatha Christie’s beloved murder mystery novel. She’ll join an ensemble cast including Michael Peña, Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo and Judi Dench. She’s also in Escobar with husband Javier Bardem in a film that examines the love affair between drug lord Pablo Escobar and Colombian journalist Virginia Vallejo.

Ramirez recently starred alongside Emily Blunt in The Girl On The Train, adapted from Paula Hawkins’ bestselling book, and Gold with Matthew McConaughey, the adventure mining story. He’s also got a role in Netflix’s sci-fi pic Bright with Will Smith and Noomi Rapace.

Garcia-Rulfo to Star in “Murder On The Orient Express” Remake

Manuel Garcia-Rulfo is about to Express himself…

The 35-year-old Mexican actor has been cast in Fox’s Murder On The Orient Express, the remake based on Agatha Christie classic novel to be directed by Kenneth Branagh.

Manuel Garcia-Rulfo

Garcia-Rulfo, who will portray Marquez, joins an all-star cast that includes Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Daisy Ridley, Judi Dench, Penelope Cruz, Michael Peña, Josh Gad and Leslie Odom Jr. as well as Branagh.

Garcia-Rulfo, who made his first major American film with Bless Me, Ultima, last starred in Antoine Fuqua’s The Magnificent Seven. He also recently completed shooting on Soldado.

His other credits include appearance in the film Cake and in the television series From Dusk till Dawn: The Series.

Cruz to Star in “Murder on the Orient Express” Remake

Penelope Cruz has to Orient herself with a new project…

The 42-year-old Spanish actress is set to star in the Murder on the Orient Express remake.

Penelope Cruz

Cruz joins a powerful ensemble cast that includes Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Daisy Ridley, Michael Pena, Judi Dench and Josh Gad along with Kenneth Branagh, who is starring as detective Hercule Poirot and also directing the film.

Based on the beloved 1934 Agatha Christie novel, the mystery begins after an American businessman is murdered aboard the train and the investigator tries to solve the murder, finding out eventually that 13 people all had something to do with the murder victim.

Cruz is currently shooting Escobar with husband Javier Bardem in the movie that examines the love affair between the drug lord Pablo Escobar and Colombian journalist Virginia Vallejo.

Peña Starring in “Murder On The Orient Express” Remake

Michael Peña is taking the rails…

The 40-year-old Mexican American actor has signed on to star in Murder On The Orient Express, the 20th Century Fox remake of the Agatha Christie classic that’s being directed by Kenneth Branagh.

Michael Peña

Peña joins a cast that includes Josh Gad, Johnny Depp, Daisy Ridley, Michelle Pfeiffer, Judi Dench and Branagh as famed detective Hercule Poirot.

The film is expected to begin production in November.

Blade Runner 2 scribe Michael Green adapted from Christie’s novel.

Disney Releases New Trailer for “Cinderella” Featuring a Peek at Bonham Carter as the Fairy Godmother

Cinderella isn’t the only one getting a makeover…

Disney has released a sneak peek at its upcoming live-action fairy tale Cinderella, featuring Helena Bonham Carter as the Fairy Godmother getting her own magical makeover.

Helena Bonham Carter in Cinderella

The clip was released on New Year’s Eve, appropriately enough, at the stroke of midnight.

In addition to a closer look  Bonham Carter’s chartacter, the 60-second video — posted on the movie’s official Twitter account — offers more glimpses at the infamous glass slippers, the coach and other iconic images associated with the fairy tale.

Kenneth Branagh directs the live-action retelling of the classic story, starring Cate Blanchett as the wicked stepmother and Downton Abbey‘s Lily James as Ella.

When the trailer for the movie was released in November, it was viewed 4.2 million times on YouTube and 33 million times on Facebook in the first 24 hours, the biggest showing in history for a Disney movie, excluding Marvel Comics releases.

Cinderella opens in theaters on March 13.

Bustamante’s Debut Feature “Ixcanul” to Premiere at the Berlin Film Festival

Jayro Bustamante
 is headed to Germany…

The Guatemalan director’s first feature film Ixcanul has been chosen as one of the first seven films for the 65th Berlin Film Festival Competition program.

Ixcanul

The film, which Bustamante wrote, centers on a 17 year-old Mayan Kaqchikel girl named Maria, who lives with her parents in a coffee plantation on the side of an active volcano in Guatemala. She’s part of an arranged marriage she doesn’t want but can’t escape her fate.

Bustamante’s short films have earned him acclain at a number of film festivals. The most recent, Cuando sea grande, premiered at the Clermont-Ferrand Festival in 2012, where it landed the CNC (Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée) quality award and was aired on television networks in France, Sweden and the Netherlands.

The film stars María Mercedes Croy, María Telón, Manuel Antún, Justo Lorenzo and Marvin Coroy.

Also in the Berlinale mix is Kenneth Branagh’s live-action Disney film Cinderella, although it’s playing out of competition. Lily James plays the titular role, while Helena Bonham Carter portrays the fairy godmother.

Other films that made the first cut include Peter Greenaway’s Eisenstein In Guanajuato. Shot in Mexico, the film stars Stelio Savante, Lisa Owen and Maya Zapata. It follows Eisenstein as he spends 10 days in 1931 in Guanajuato, Mexico, where he falls in love. His sensual experiences there turn out to have been crucial in his life and his films. From being a formal filmmaker with films about conceptual ideas, his trip to Mexico humanizes Eisenstein as a filmmaker, and his films become more sympathetic to the human condition.

Berlinale runs from February 5-15.

Here’s a look at the selected film featuring Hispanic talent in front of and/or behind the camera:

Cinderella
U.S.
By Kenneth Branagh
with Cate Blanchett, Lily James, Richard Madden, Stellan Skarsgård, Holliday Grainger, Sophie McShera, Derek Jacobi and Helena Bonham Carter
International premiere – Out of competition

Eisenstein In Guanajuato
The Netherlands / Mexico / Belgium / Finland
By Peter Greenaway
With Elmer Bäck, Luis Alberti
World premiere

Ixcanul (Ixcanul Volcano)
Guatemala / France
By Jayro Bustamante
With María Mercedes Coroy, María Telón, Manuel Antún, Justo Lorenzo, Marvin Coroy
World premiere – Debut feature

Disney Releases Trailer for Bonham-Carter’s “Cinderella”

Helena Bonham-Carter is making dreams come true…

Helena Bonham-Carter

Disney has released a new trailer for the Kenneth Branagh-helmed live-action film Cinderella, starring the 48-year-old part-Spanish actress as the fairy godmother.

Downton Abbey‘s Lily James stars in the title role, and Cate Blanchett plays the evil stepmother, Lady Tremaine. Richard Madden stars as the Prince, Derek Jacobi portrays the King, and Stellan Skarsgård is the King’s scheming adviser.

Cinderella opens in theaters on March 13.

Gloria & Emilio Estefan to Appear at This Year’s Tony Awards

Emilio and Gloria Estefan may be bringing their life story to The Great White Way in the near future… But first they’ll be appearing as part of Broadway’s biggest night.

The Estefans will be appearing at this year’s Tony Awards.

Gloria Estefan Emilio Estefan

In addition to the multi-Grammy winning musicians and producers, the upcoming ceremony, honoring the best of Broadway will also feature appearances by Bradley Cooper, Kevin Bacon, Carole King, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Will Ferrell, Liev Schreiber, Emmy Rossum, Kate Mara, Zachary Quinto, Zachary Levi, Lucy Liu, Clint Eastwood, Patricia Clarkson, Leighton Meester, Ethan Hawke, Zach Braff, Matt Bomer, Anna Gunn, Tony nominee Audra McDonald, Fran Drescher, Wayne Brady, Kenneth Branagh, Tony Goldwyn, Vera Farmiga and Alessandro Nivola, it was announced Tuesday.

Hugh Jackman will hosted this year’s show.

The 68th annual Tony Awards, presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing, will broadcast live from New York City’s Radio City Music Hall on June 8 on CBS.

Disney’s “Cinderella,” Starring Bonham Carter, Gets March 2015 Release Date

Helena Bonham Carter will be making fairy tales come true in March 2015.

Disney has scheduled its live-action version of Cinderella, which will star the 46-year-old part-Spanish actress as the fairy godmother, for release on March 13, 2015.

Helena Bonham Carter

Along with Bonham Carter, the cast for Cinderella – to be directed by Kenneth Branagh – includes Lily James, Cate Blanchett and Richard Madden.

Bonham Carter is currently filming the BBC drama Burton and Taylor, the latest re-telling of the Richard BurtonElizabeth Taylor romance.

Carter to Portray the Fairy Godmother in Disney’s Live-Action Version of “Cinderella”

Helena Bonham Carter is about to make one princess’ wish come true…

The 46-year-old part-Spanish actress’ has landed the high profile role of the fairy godmother in Disney’s live-action version of Cinderella.

Helena Bonham Carter

Kenneth Branagh is directing the film project, which sees Lily James in the title role, Cate Blanchett as the wicked stepmother and Game of ThronesRichard Madden as the prince.

Sophie McShera (Downton Abbey) and Holliday Granger (The Borgias) are set to play the stepsisters.

The fairy godmother will be getting more screen time in this version than in Disney’s classic animated movie, with the character disguised as an old beggar who watches over Cinderella before revealing herself as the magical being she truly is.

Cinderella will be shot this fall in London.

Bonham Carter previously played the Red Queen in another Disney film, 2010’s Alice in Wonderland. She also appears in the studio’s big summer tentpole, The Lone Ranger, which reunites her with Johnny Depp, whom she starred with in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.