Oscar Isaac to Star in the Crime Thriller “In the Hand of Dante”

Oscar Isaac has a new project on his hand(s)

The 44-year-old Cuban-Guatemalan actor will star in the crime thriller In the Hand of Dantewith Oscar nominee Julian Schnabel directing and Martin Scorsese among the executive producers.

Oscar IsaacIsaac will star opposite Jason Momoa and Gerard Butler in the film, which is in production in Italy and recently landed an Interim Agreement from SAG-AFTRA allowing it to film during the actors strike.

Based on the novel by Nick Tosches, it follows the story of the original manuscript for The Divine Comedy emerging in the clutches of a black-market smuggling ring in the dangerous underbelly of New York City, and weary scholar Nick is called by the mob to authenticate it.

Overwhelmed by temptation, Nick defies the mafia and steals the manuscript in a frenzied bid to have it all. He follows a dark and violent path from a metaphorical Hell into Paradise with his love Giulietta, while a parallel tale unfolds: the odyssey of Dante himself, a man who is trapped in a loveless marriage with Gemma and bolstered only by his mentorship under an austere intellectual. He escapes to Sicily and creates his greatest work, immortalizing his lost love, Beatrice.

Nick and Dante’s timelines weave separate paths, and yet the two men are inextricably linked — both lose themselves chasing love, beauty and the very promise of the divine.

Scorsese will executive produce alongside DreamCrew, Screen Capital/Screen One and Tribune Pictures, with Isaac (through his production company Mad Gene Media) and Schnabel also executive producing.

Esai Morales Starring in the Western Thriller “Cottonmouth”

Esai Morales has a serious case of cottonmouth

The 60-year-old Puerto Rican actor will star in the Western thriller Cottonmouth, which entered production last week in Oklahoma after receiving a SAG interim agreement.

Esai MoralesIn addition to Morales, who most recently appeared in Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning, the cast also includes Martin SensmeierRon Perlman, Eric Nelsen, Jonathan Sadowski, Alyssa Wapanatâhk, James Landry Hébert and Kimberly Guerrero (The Glorias).

Brock Harris (Wild Game) is directing from a script he wrote alongside Jared Bonner.

Set in 1895, the film follows friends Ed and Frank (Sensmeier and Sadowski) who become brutal enemies in Oklahoma frontier territory when a rivalry develops over a woman (Wapanatâhk) who is set to inherit a prominent saloon. After a bounty hunter (Nelsen) makes Ed disappear to a tortuous prison run by a sinister warden (Perlman), he must learn the ways of an outlaw from a prison-mate (Morales) to escape and exact his revenge.

“Making a western in my home state is the ultimate blessing. With these legendary performers, we’re delivering a tall tale on sacred land,” said Harris. “Revenge is a dish best served with a smoking gun.”

Concourse and Rebullium recently teamed up on thriller Model House, which sold to Shout! Studios at TIFF and will see a rollout across multiple platforms, starting with a theatrical launch in early spring 2024.

Harris’ comedy film Dance Dads (2022) took home the audience award at the Austin Film Festival.

David Valdes to Star in the Indie Psychological Horror Film “Art of a Hit”

David Valdes is taking a Hit

The Latino actor will star in Art of a Hit (fka Excelsis), an indie psychological horror film directed by Gaelan Draper that’ll begin shooting in France this month under a SAG Interim Agreement.

David ValdesRyan Donowho will topline the film, which will also star Rob RacoCharlie SaxtonTim JoAllie MacDonald and James Earl.

Draper and Saxton co-wrote and are co-producing the film under their Dewey & Bug banner.

Set in 2003, the film follows a bygone rock band as they journey to a 1000-year-old French chateau to record with a reclusive super-producer in hopes of rebooting their career. But as tensions rise and tempers flare, they realize they are up against more than just the pressure to succeed.

Indie rock pioneer Adam Lasus is music directing the ’90s alternative-heavy soundtrack alongside music supervisor Linda Cohen.

Valdes’ previous credits include Dear White People, Speechless and Dr. Ken.

A24 Moves Release Date of Jacob Elordi’s New Film “Priscilla” to November

Jacob Elordi’s Blue Suede Shoes will have to wait an extra week…

A24’s Sofia Coppola-directed film, Priscillastarring the 26-year-old half-Spanish Australian actor, will now go wide on November 3 instead of October 27.

Jacob Elordi, Elvis, PriscillaThe news comes on the heels of a glowing world premiere out of the Venice Film Festival where the movie based on the Priscilla Presley’s memoir Elvis and Me grabbed a 94% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes.

With Dune: Part Two moving off of November 3, it creates more breathing room for others movies and availability of theaters. And, it’s also the last ‘official’ weekend of the Taylor Swift: Eras Concert movie.

Talent and creators of the film including Coppola, Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi are now cleared to promote the film since it was granted a SAG-AFTRA Interim Agreement ahead of its world premiere.

The film stars Spaeny as Priscilla and Elordi as Elvis. Coppola adapted the memoir. Producers are Coppola, Lorenzo Mieli and Youree Henley.

HBO Orders Half-Hour Comedy “The Franchise,” Featuring Daniel Brühl, to Series

Daniel Brühl is a franchisee

HBO has ordered to series the half-hour comedy The Franchise, featuring the 45-year-old Spanish-German actor.

Daniel BruhlFrom Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes, Armando Iannucci and writer Jon Brown, the series takes a wry look at superhero movie-making.

Work on the pilot was completed before the SAG-AFTRA strike began, and production on the series won’t begin until the strikes have concluded.

Himesh Patel and Aya Cash have joined as series regulars on the comedy, which revolves around the crew of an unloved franchise movie who fight for their place in a savage and unruly cinematic universe.

The Franchise shines a light on the secret chaos inside the world of superhero moviemaking to ask the question: How exactly does the cinematic sausage get made? Because every f*ckup has an origin story.

Patel and Cash are featured in the pilot, but their roles never were announced.

In addition to Brühl in a recurring role, the previously announced cast includes series regulars Jessica Hynes, Billy Magnussen, Lolly Adefope, Darren Goldstein, and Isaac Powell.

“With a deft touch only he can bring, Sam has brilliantly captured the romance and the reality of filmmaking today, said Amy Gravitt, EVP, HBO Programming, Head of HBO & Max Comedy. “Jon is superb at sending up worlds we think we already know. Together, with Armando, they have delivered a truly hilarious comedy ensemble. I can’t wait to see more.”

The series comes from the mind of Mendes and marks his first U.S. TV directorial project. He won a Best Director Oscar for American Beauty and earned three Academy Award nominations for 1917, for Best Picture, Director and Original Screenplay.

Patel stars as Daniel, Cash as Anita, Hynes as Steph, Magnussen as Adam, Adefope as Dag, Goldstein as Pat and Powell as Bryson. Brühl recurs as Eric.

The pilot was directed by Mendes and written by Jon Brown, who serves as showrunner.

Bella Thorne to Star in the Fantastical Indie Drama “The Tower”

Bella Thorne is towering ahead…

The 25-year-old half-Cuban American actress/singer will star opposite Jack Kilmer in The Tower, one of 102 projects to have been granted a SAG-AFTRA Interim Agreement following the launch of the actors strike.

Bella ThorneThe fantastical drama, from filmmaker Adam Sigal , will also feature Cam Gigandet and Chris Mullinax.

The film currently in production is billed as a dark tale about a mysterious mermaid trapped and forgotten for years in the water tower of a small Southern town.

Sigal described it as his “attempt to interpret the isolation and wanderlust I felt growing up in a small Southern town.”

The Tower is among the projects that began shooting shortly before the SAG-AFTRA strike launched and went on pause in the wake of the walkout until the securement of a SAG waiver.

Of his project’s ability to move forward amidst the dual SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes, Sigal said, “It breaks my heart that there are so many actors, writers and crews unable to work at the moment, and I realize how fortunate we are to have the opportunity to finish this film. I am incredibly grateful to SAG for continuing to support independent film, and as soon as we wrap, the cast of The Tower and I will be out there on the picket lines beside our fellow actors and writers, fighting for what they deserve.”

Rising to fame with her starring role on Disney Channel’s Shake It Up, Thorne has since appeared in numerous films including BlendedAlvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip, Netflix’s The Babysitter and its sequel, Amityville: The Awakening and Infamous.

Jared Leto Earns Two Screen Actors Guild Awards Nominations

Life’s a SAG for Jared Leto

The Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations have been revealed, with the 50-year-old part-Spanish American actor/singer earning two nods.

Jared LetoLeto, who previously won a SAG Award in 214 for his performance in Dallas Buyers Club, is nominated in the Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role category for his performance in House of Gucci.

It’s the second year in a row Leto is nominated in the category. Last year, he earned a nod for his supporting role in The Little Things.

He’s also nominated in the Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture for being part of the ensemble cast of House of Gucci, alongside fellow Latinx nominee… Mexican actress Salma Hayek, who was previously nominated in the Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role for her work in Frida.

Javier Bardem could earn his third SAG Award this year…

The 52-year-old Spanish Oscar-winning actor, who previously won two SAG Awards in 2008 for No Country for Old Men, is nominated in the Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role for his performance as the legendary Desi Arnaz in Being the Ricardos.

Ariana DeBose is celebrating her first-ever SAG Awards nomination…

The 30-year-old part-Puerto Rican actress and Broadway star, who won her first Golden Globe this past weekend, is nominated in the Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role for her acclaimed work as Anita in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story.

Eugenio Derbez and Scott Mescudi, aka Kid Cudi, have both earned the first SAG Awards nominations of their careers. Derbes and Mescudi will compete in the Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture category.

Derbez is nominated for his work in CODA, while Mescudi is nominated for his role Don’t Look Up.

Oscar Isaac has earned his first SAG Awards nod.

The 42-year-old Guatemalan & Cuban actor is nominated in the Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series category for his work in Scenes from a Marriage.

Will the third time be the charm for Mark Indelicato?

The 27-year-old part-Puerto Rican actor, who was previously nominated for SAG Awards as part of the ensemble cast of ABC’s Ugly Betty, is nominated in the Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series for his work on HBO’s Hacks.

Selena Gomez is officially a SAG Awards nominee.

The 29-year-old Mexican American actress/singer has picked up her first-ever SAG Awards nomination in the Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series for her performance in Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building alongside her cast mate and fellow first-time SAG Awards nominee Aaron Dominguez.

Cristo Fernández could take home his first-ever SAG Award.

The 30-year-old Mexican actor and former professional footballer is nominated in the Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series for Ted Lasso.

Nestor Carbonell and Joe Pacheco are celebrating their first SAG Awards nods…

The Latino actors are nominated in the Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series for being part of the acclaimed cast of Apple TV’s The Morning Show.

Alexis Bledel is hoping her third SAG nomination will result in a win…

The 40-year-old half-Argentinian American actress is nominated in the Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series category for The Handmaid’s Tale. She was previously nominated in 2019 and 2020 for being part of the cast of the series.

This year’s nominations were announced on Instagram Live by Rosario Dawson and Vanessa Hudgens on Wednesday.

After going virtual last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the SAG Awards will this year air live on TNT and TBS on Sunday, February 27 at 8:00 pm ET/5:00 pm PT from Barker Hangar in Santa Monica.

Helen Mirren will receive the Life Achievement Award at the 28th annual ceremony.

Here’s the complete list of the 2022 SAG Awards nominees:

Film categories:

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Belfast — Caitríona Balfe, Judi Dench, Jamie Dornan, Jude Hill, Ciarán Hinds, Colin Morgan
CODA — Eugenio Derbez, Daniel Durant, Emilia Jones, Troy Kotsur, Marlee Matlin, Ferdia Walsh-Peelo
Don’t Look Up — Cate Blanchett, Timothée Chalamet, Leonardo Dicaprio, Ariana Grande, Jonah Hill, Jennifer Lawrence, Melanie Lynskey, Scott Mescudi, Rob Morgan, Himesh Patel, Ron Perlman, Tyler Perry, Mark Rylance, Meryl Streep
House of Gucci — Adam Driver, Lady Gaga, Salma Hayek, Jack Huston, Jeremy Irons, Jared Leto, Al Pacino
King Richard — Jon Bernthal, Aunjanue Ellis, Tony Goldwyn, Saniyya Sidney, Demi Singleton, Will Smith

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
Jessica Chastain (The Eyes of Tammy Faye)
Olivia Colman (The Lost Daughter)
Lady Gaga (House of Gucci)
Jennifer Hudson (Respect)
Nicole Kidman (Being the Ricardos)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
Javier Bardem (Being the Ricardos)
Benedict Cumberbatch (The Power of the Dog)
Andrew Garfield (Tick, Tick … Boom!)
Will Smith (King Richard)
Denzel Washington (The Tragedy of Macbeth)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
Caitriona Balfe (Belfast)
Cate Blanchett (Nightmare Alley)
Ariana DeBose (West Side Story)
Kirsten Dunst (The Power of the Dog)
Ruth Negga (Passing)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
Ben Affleck (The Tender Bar)
Bradley Cooper (Licorice Pizza)
Troy Kotsur (CODA)
Jared Leto (House of Gucci)
Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Power of the Dog)

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture
Black Widow
Dune
The Matrix: Resurrections
No Time to Die
Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

TV categories:

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
The Handmaid’s Tale 
— Alexis Bledel, Madeline Brewer, Amanda Brugel, Ann Dowd, O-T Fagbenle, Joseph Fiennes, Sam Jaeger, Max Minghella, Elisabeth Moss, Yvonne Strahovski, Bradley Whitford, Samira Wiley
The Morning Show — Jennifer Aniston, Shari Belafonte, Eli Bildner, Nestor Carbonell, Steve Carell, Billy Crudup, Mark Duplass, Amber Friendly, Janina Gavankar, Valeria Golino, Tara Karsian, Hannah Leder, Greta Lee, Julianna Margulies, Joe Marinelli, Michelle Meredith, Ruairi O’Connor, Joe Pacheco, Karen Pittman, Victoria Tate, Desean K. Terry, Reese Witherspoon
Squid Game — Heo Sung-Tae, Jun Young-Soo, Jung Ho-Yeon, Kim Joo-Ryoung, Lee Byung-Hun, Lee Jung-Jae, Oh Young-Soo, Park Hae-Soo, Anupam Tripathi, Wi Ha-Jun
Succession — Nicholas Braun, Juliana Canfield, Brian Cox, Kieran Culkin, Dagmara Dominczyk, Peter Friedman, Jihae, Justine Lupe, Matthew Macfadyen, Dasha Nekrasova, Scott Nicholson, David Rasche, Alan Ruck, J. Smith-Cameron, Sarah Snook, Fisher Stevens, Jeremy Strong, Zoë Winters
Yellowstone — Kelsey Asbille, Wes Bentley, Ryan Bingham, Gil Birmingham, Ian Bohen, Eden Brolin, Kevin Costner, Hugh Dillon, Luke Grimes, Hassie Harrison, Cole Hauser, Jen Landon, Finn Little, Brecken Merrill, Will Patton, Piper Perabo, Kelly Reilly, Denim Richards, Taylor Sheridan, Forrie J. Smith, Jefferson White

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
Brian Cox (Succession)
Billy Crudup (The Morning Show)
Kieran Culkin (Succession)
Lee Jung-jae (Squid Game)
Jeremy Strong (Succession)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series
Jennifer Aniston (The Morning Show)
Jung Ho-yeon (Squid Game)
Elisabeth Moss (The Handmaid’s Tale)
Sarah Snook (Succession)
Reese Witherspoon (The Morning Show)

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
The Great 
— Julian Barratt, Belinda Bromilow, Sacha Dhawan, Elle Fanning, Phoebe Fox, Bayo Gbadamosi, Adam Godley, Douglas Hodge, Nicholas Hoult, Florence Keith-Roach, Gwilym Lee, Charity Wakefield
Hacks — Rose Abdoo, Carl Clemons-Hopkins, Paul W. Downs, Hannah Einbinder, Mark Indelicato, Poppy Liu, Chris McDonald, Jean Smart, Megan Stalter
The Kominsky Method — Jenna Lyng Adams, Sarah Baker, Casey Thomas Brown, Michael Douglas, Lisa Edelstein, Ashleigh Lathrop, Emily Osment, Haley Joel Osment, Paul Reiser, Graham Rogers, Melissa Tang, Kathleen Turner
Only Murders in the Building — Aaron Dominguez, Selena Gomez, Jackie Hoffman, Jayne Houdyshell, Steve Martin, Amy Ryan, Martin Short
Ted Lasso — Annette Badland, Kola Bokinni, Phil Dunster, Cristo Fernández, Brett Goldstein, Brendan Hunt, Toheeb Jimoh, Nick Mohammed, Sarah Niles, Jason Sudeikis, Jeremy Swift, Juno Temple, Hannah Waddingham

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
Michael Douglas (The Kominsky Method)
Brett Goldstein (Ted Lasso)
Steve Martin (Only Murders in the Building)
Martin Short (Only Murders in the Building)
Jason Sudeikis (Ted Lasso)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
Elle Fanning (The Great)
Sandra Oh (The Chair)
Jean Smart (Hacks)
Juno Temple (Ted Lasso)
Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series
Murray Bartlett (The White Lotus)
Oscar Isaac (Scenes From a Marriage)
Michael Keaton (Dopesick)
Ewan McGregor (Halston)
Evan Peters (Mare of Easttown)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series
Jennifer Coolidge (The White Lotus)
Cynthia Erivo (Genius: Aretha)
Margaret Qualley (Maid)
Jean Smart (Mare of Easttown)
Kate Winslet (Mare of Easttown)

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Comedy or Drama Series
Cobra Kai
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
Loki
Mare of Easttown
Squid Game

Omar Chaparro to Star Opposite Josh Duhamel in the Action Film “Blackout”

Omar Chaparro is blacking out…

The 45-year-old Mexican actor/comedian will star in the action movie Blackout, which is scheduled to get underway this week in Mexico City.

Omar Chaparro

Chaparro will star opposite Josh Duhamel, Abbie Cornish and three-time Oscar nominee Nick Nolte in the film.

Blackout will follow Cain (Duhamel), who wakes up in a Mexican hospital with no memory. After meeting Anna (Cornish), he discovers who he is but soon finds himself fighting for his life as several warring cartel factions attack him, each looking for something he has stolen. Cain looks towards co-worker and mentor, DEA Agent McCoy (Nolte), for answers.

The Patriot Pictures feature will be directed by Sam Macaroni, director of the VR fight sequences on John Wick: Chapter 3 – ParabellumScript comes from Van B. Nguyen.

The production will be following SAG COVID-19 protocols.

Chaparro’s previous credits include How to Be a Latin Lover, Detective Pikachu and No Manches Frida.

Gael Garcia Bernal to Star as Saul Armendariz, aka the Liberace of Lucha Libre, in the Biopic “Cassandro”

Gael García Bernal is hitting the ring to play a Lucha Libre legend.

The 41-year-old Mexican actor/filmmaker will star in Cassandroan independent feature from Oscar winning and two-time Emmy nominee filmmaker Roger Ross Williams.

Gael García Bernal

Cassandro tells the true story of Saúl Armendáriz, a gay amateur wrestler from El Paso who rises to international stardom after he creates the “exotico” character Cassandro, the “Liberace of Lucha Libre,” and in the process upends not just the macho wrestling world but also his own life.

Armendáriz at the age of 15 quit school and began training for Lucha Libre, beginning his professional wrestling career in 1988 under the mask as Mister Romano. Ultimately he would abandon the character and take on the exotico character of Baby Sharon. Exoticos are male wrestlers who dress in drag.

Ultimately, Armendáriz would take the new ring name of Cassandro, from a Tijuana brothel keeper Cassandra whom he appreciated.

In January 1991, after bad press that he was going to wrestle El Hijo del Santo in the UWA World Welterweight Championship, Armendáriz reportedly attempted suicide by cutting his wrists with a razor blade, but was saved.

The title match occurred a week later and Armendáriz credits it as the match that earned him the lucha libre community’s acceptance.

While Cassandro failed to win the UWA World Welterweight Championship from El Hijo del Santo, he managed to win his first title, the UWA World Lightweight Championship in October 1992, by defeating Lasser, becoming the first exótico in history to hold a championship in UWA.

Bernal, who will star in M. Night Shyamalan’s new secret movie from Universal, will shoot that movie first before stepping into the ring for Cassandro, which is eyeing a November start in Mexico.

Cassandro will rep the feature narrative directorial debut for Williams, who took home the Oscar for his short docu Music by Prudence in 2010, and recently was nominated at the Emmys a second time, this time in Outstanding Documentary/Nonfiction Special category for the HBO doc The Apollo. That movie, which made its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival last year, follows the historic and famed Harlem NYC venue and its legacy.

“As a filmmaker, my own life experience has inspired my passion to tell inspirational stories about outsiders and uplift the voices of people we don’t normally see on screen. The true story of Cassandro, Saúl Armendáriz, was one I knew I wanted to tell from the moment I met him. I look forward to being able to bring Saúl’s story to a wide audience,” said Williams.

Williams wrote Cassandro with Emmy-winner David Teague and Julián Herbert (Satelite).

Bernal is a two-time Golden Globe nominee and winner for the Amazon series Mozart in the JungleHe was part of the SAG ensemble nominated cast of Paramount’s Babeland a BAFTA nominee for Focus Features’ 2004 The Motorcycle Diaries

The filmmakers are reportedly in talks with Amazon to acquire Cassandro once complete, but that deal is contingent on several factors before it’s a negative pick-up.

Ricky Martin Among the Presenters for This Year’s SAG Awards

Life’s a SAGfor Ricky Martin… 

The 47-year-old Puerto Rican singer and actor has been added to the list of presenters for Sunday’s SAG Awards at the Beverly Hilton.

Ricky Martin

He’s part of a second group of presenters that includes AwkafinaAlex BaldwinMatt BomerLaverne Cox, Richard MaddenTracy MorganChris Pineand Keri Russell.

Previously announced presenters include the top stars from five of this awards season’s biggest movies, who will introduce clips from their films that are nominated for the marquee Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picturetrophy.

They are:

A Star is Born
Bradley Cooper
Sam Elliott
Lady Gaga

Black Panther
Angela Bassett
Chadwick Boseman

BlackKklansman
Adam Driver
John David Washington

Bohemian Rhapsody
Ben Hardy
Gwilym Lee
Rami Malek
Joe Mazzello

Crazy Rich Asians
Henry Golding
Ken Jeong
Constance Wu
Michelle Yeoh

Megan Mullally will host the silver anniversary SAG Awards ceremony, which will air live from Los Angeles’ Shrine Auditoriumon TNT and TBSstarting at 8:00 pm ET on Sunday.