Motion Picture: Cynthia Erivo To Direct ‘Saturation Point’, ‘Italianna’ Starring Regé-Jean Page And Halle Bailey Begins Production
Henry Golding - Steve Granitz
Action/Horror/Fantasy/Sci-Fi: Cynthia Erivo is producing an adaptation of the science fiction thriller Saturation Point, written by Adrian Tchaikovsky. She will be producing the film through her production company Edith’s Daughter, in collaboration with producer Solome Williams. Erivo is known for her role as Elphaba in Wicked and her legacy on Broadway (The Color Purple, Cathay, Petra). This will be Erivo’s 3rd large production project as she begins to establish an influential role behind the scenes, as well as on camera.
Matt Gomez Hidaka has booked a new film, Send a Scare, where he will be starring alongside Victoria Justice and Robbie Amell. The film will be directed by Josh Trank. Currently, the film is in pre-production, so an official release date hasn’t been disclosed. Hidaka can also be seen in director Ari Aster’s latest nouveau western film Eddington, releasing Friday, July 18, 2025.
Vin Diesel recently confirmed a release date of the final Fast & Furious film, with the promise of reuniting the characters Dom and Brian O’Conner. He stated that under three conditions, he would agree to give the finale of the series in April 2027. Firstly, the franchise would return to Los Angeles. Diesel also wanted to refocus the premise of the film on car culture/street racing. Finally, the reunification of characters Dom and Brian O’Conner. While actor Paul Walker passed away in 2013, his character, Brian O’Conner, has appeared various times in recent films through the use of CGI technology and his brothers acting as stand-ins. It remains unclear how the final installment will bring the character into the final film.
Henry Golding has hesitated to take over the role of James Bond. Alongside Theo James, Aaron Pierre, Regé-Jean Page, and Iris Elba, Golding is one of the top contenders. Golding said his hesitations are related to cultural pressure, stating, “Maybe I’m just a pussy. I don’t know. But I think I would love it so much if there wasn’t that overhanging cultural pressure.” It was revealed that Denis Villeneuve (Dune/Blade Runner 2049) is set to direct the next iteration of the spy movie. No other announcements have been made and it is unclear what to expect from the new adaptation, nor what the James Bond world will look like post-Daniel Craig.
Aziza Scott - Alberto Rodriguez
Comedy/Dramedy/Musical: Aziza Scott is the latest addition to the cast of Italianna, a film set to release in April 2026. Best known for her roles in Home Before Dark, The Fosters, and Insecure, Scott will star alongside Halle Bailey and Regé-Jean Page. The movie is set to target a Gen Z audience, hoping to highlight love and aspirations seeking to escape their daily lives in search of beauty, meaning, and possibility on the Italian coast.
Starring Regé-Jean Page and Halle Bailey, Romantic Comedy Italianna is set to release on April 10th, 2026. Filming has already begun to take place, and will be shot in multiple locations: Tuscany, Rome and Los Angeles. While an official trailer hasn’t been released yet, the film will highlight love, romance, discovery and travel. The film is directed by Kat Coiro, known for her work on She‑Hulk: Attorney at Law and Marry Me. The screenwriters for this film are Ryan Engle, Kristin Engle and Johanna Byer.
Taye Diggs - Eugene Gologursky/Stringer
Drama: Actor Taye Diggs (All American/Private Practice) recently wrapped up shooting Another Man’s Wife in Atlanta. The film follows a married couple, Maya and Thomas, facing a financial crisis, and the emotional turmoil that results when Maya decides to remarry. Taye Diggs will star as Brendan, a millionaire who offers to help the couple’s situation. The final release date for the film has not been revealed yet.
Ray Fisher is to star in Apple TV+ original drama Being Heumann. Fisher will play Chuck Jackson, who was a member of the Black Panther Party. He will star alongside Ruth Madely and Mark Ruffalo. Other notable stars also include Dylan O’Brien and Madeline Delp.The film will depict the real event of the 28-day sit-in at the San Francisco Federal Building, which resulted in the mandation of federal space accessibility. Being Heumann will highlight the complexity and intersectionality of civil rights and disability.
Documentary: A 30 minute documentary, Reclaim the Flag, is set to release on Thursday, July 17, 2025. The film, directed by Alexis Bittar and produced by Bruce Cohen, highlights the American experience through a queer perspective and delivers a message that represents a larger idea. The main premise, notes that the flag is connected to ultra-patriotism, suggesting that only some are allowed to be proud.The film aims to capture the relationship that the LGBTQ+ community currently has with the American flag and how it can be used to uplift rather than stifle. Harper Steele says, “I feel like we’re under attack right now” when asked how they feel about the United States. The film brings together 50 leaders from the LGBTQ+ community, and offers a plan for action to form a new representation, one rooted in unity and power. Many well known faces, including George Takei, Lena Waithe, Gus Kenworthy, Jim Parsons, Marc Jacobs, Isaac Mizrahi, King Princess, Gottmik, and Harper Steele, are featured in the documentary.
Maureen Hingert - ANL/Shutterstock
Industry Update: The NALIP accelerator program is set to include a wide variety of projects from Latino film producers. As a non-profit, NALIP is an important organization that uplifts Latino voices in the entertainment industry through events, development programs and organized support for industry workers. The full 2025 lineup includes Boat People directed by AlIens Plancher, Gen Doom directed by Juliana Toloza Serna, In an Orderly Fashion directed by Adrian Cardenas, Kuebi and the Jolobu Plant directed by Carlos Carrera, La Casa de Luz directed by Alexis C. Garcia, My Teen Mom Is Trippin’ directed by Gabriela Revilla Lugo, Norma directed by Christina Ramirez, Pursuit of Touch produced by Danny Ramirez and Tom Culliver, Saint Death (Working Title) directed by Chica Barbosa and Thiago Zanato, Teorema directed by Esteban Orozco, The Middle directed by Sylvia Ray, and Wishes Sink in Man Made Lakes directed by Faye Ruiz.
Brenda Song is propelling the momentum of her acting career as she continues to break into higher profile productions and serious roles. While most famously known for her role as London Tipton on Disney’s The Sweet Life Of Zack And Cody, she accredits her transition from Disney to more mature roles when she starred in David Fincher’s The Social Network. Song continues to be a driving force in paving the way for representation on and off the screen. She said, “We are the source of all our stories that should be represented in the media… For me, it’s just to keep pushing to be fighting for our stories — to be told to not just be behind the camera, but behind the scenes.”
Actress Maureen Hingert passed away on Monday, June 30, 2025, at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena, California, at the age of 88. Hingert represented what is now Sri Lanka in the 1955 Miss Universe pageant, where she finished as the second runner-up. Soon after, she moved to Los Angeles and later went on to star in films, including Gun Fever, The Rawhide Trail, Fort Bowie, and Gunmen From Laredo. Hingert is survived by her daughter.
