Motion Picture: Jon M. Chu To Direct ‘Hot Wheels’, Legendary Might Acquire Lionsgate Studios
john m. Chu - Emma McIntyre
Action/Horror/Fantasy/Sci-Fi: Past Lives star Greta Lee is writing and directing a film adaptation of The Eyes Are the Best Part by Monika Kim. She will be producing under Searchlight Pictures, alongside Matt Jackson, Joanne Lee, Lulu Wang, and Dani Melia. Monika Kim will serve as executive producer. The best-selling novel was praised by the New York Times, calling it a “delightfully gory tale.” It follows a young college student, Ji-Won, who has a strange vice: the consumption of human eyes. A release date has yet to be announced.
Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians/Wicked) is to direct a live-action Hot Wheels. He will produce the project through his company Electric Somewhere in collaboration with Bad Robot and Warner Bros. Chu, alongside his collaborators, hopes to bring a fresh take on the classic franchise by expanding the fictional world and adding new depth to the nostalgic characters.
Practical Magic 2, the sequel to 1998 film Practical Magic, directed by Susanne Bier and written by Akiva Goldsman and Georgia Pritchett, is coming next September. The film will star multi-generational actors, including Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, Joey King, Lee Pace, Maisie Williams, and others. Roles have not been officially revealed yet.
Kyla Pratt (The Proud Family) is starring in Lifetime's new movie Girl In The Cellar. She plays Rebecca, a concerned mother who takes a bold leap to control her daughter, played by Kelcey Mawema (Cruel Instruction). This is one of the many films produced by Lifetime, others from the franchise including The Girl Locked Upstairs, Girl in the Video, Girl in Room 13, Girl in the Basement, Girl in the Bunker, Girl in the Box, and Girl in the Shed.
Meagan Good will star and executively produce the Lifetime thriller I’ll Never Let You Go. She will play the role of Emily Westover, with the film set to debut on Saturday, August 16, 2025. Good has also starred in Lifetime hits Death Saved My Life and Buying Back My Daughter. She will star alongside Antonio Cupo, Thomas Cadrot, and Hana Destiny Huggins.
Mahershala Ali isn’t thrilled with the speed that Marvel's Blade is moving at. While recently promoting Jurassic World: Rebirth, he told reporters, “I’m ready. Let [Marvel] know I’m ready.” Although frustrated, Ali is still eager to start the project. Currently, there is no official release date or active production for the Blade reboot.
A24 and CMC Pictures are releasing an English dubbed version of the Chinese film Ne Zha 2 on Friday, August 22, 2025. The film is the highest grossing animated film in history and is directed by Yu Yang. Michelle Yeoh will be starring in the film, alongside Crystal Lee, Vincent Rodriguez lll, Aleks Le, and others. Michelle Yeoh has expressed her excitement about the project, stating, “Sharing this with audiences in English is such a joy, and I can’t wait for everyone to experience the wonder, hear, spectacular artistry, and magic of this film on the big screen.”
KiKi Layne opened up about her struggles while filming The Old Guard 2, returning as the role of Nile Freeman in the sequel to The Old Guard. She described it as being physically and emotionally demanding, requiring cortisone shots to get through her heavy-action scenes and reporting a hurt shoulder. However, Layne’s spirits are high and she cannot contain her excitement about the sequel. She expressed her pride in contributing to representation in Hollywood, saying the opportunity is bigger than herself. The Old Guard 2 premiered Wednesday, July 2, 2025, on Netflix.
Lily Gladstone will join the cast of Michael B. Jordan's upcoming film The Thomas Crown Affair, a remake of the 1968 film of the same name. This will be its third screen adaptation, produced by Charles Roven with Atlas Entertainment. Jordan’s Outlier Society will assist in production as well. The film will star Jordan, Taylor Russell, Kenneth Branagh, Danai Gurira, and others.
Ralph Barbosa - nbc
Comedy/Dramedy/Musical: Storm Reid (Euphoria/A Wrinkle in Time) will star in the Netflix comedy Roommates. The film is directed by Chandler Levack and produced by Adam Sandler's Happy Madison Productions, with Jimmy Fowlie and Ceara O’Sullivan co-writing. Filming began in June and will wrap up in August.
Reunion, a comedy film currently in development, will add Jake Choi and Ludi Lin to its cast. Choi is known for his breakout lead role in Netflix’s Single Drunk Female, while Lin has starred in Power Rangers, Aquaman, and Shang-Chi. Plot details have not been released yet.
Ralph Barbosa’s stand-up special, Ralph Barbosa: Planet Bosa, will be debuting on Hulu on Friday, August 8, 2025. This is his second special, following Cowabunga on Netflix. The program was directed by Jeff Tomsic and produced by Rotten Science, with Jeff Tomsic and Ralph Barbosa.
Ron Funches and Shondrella Avery are to join the cast of the upcoming animated film Harry and the Mutant Mid-Century Furniture. Set in 1962, the film follows a young boy, Harry, who befriends furniture pieces. Funches’s character details have not been released yet, but this film will add to his growing repertoire of voice acting roles, including Cooper in Trolls, King Shark in Harley Quinn, and Bloody in Inside Out 2.
Vanessa Hudgens - Karwai Tang
Drama: Vanessa Hudgens is to star in Quiet Storm, alongside actress Mira Sorvino and directed by Anthony Thorne. Hudgens will play a romance novelist in 1969 who navigates Hurricane Camille. Filming wrapped up this June in Toronto, and no release date has been announced yet. This is Hudgens’s first on-screen role since becoming a mother last year.
Antwan Tolliver and Roberta Colindrez will co-star in Apple’s feature film Being Heumann. The film will tell the story of the protests that led to the formation of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the first law put in place for Americans with disabilities. Tolliver will play Brad Lomax, who was an important figure and member of the Black Panther Party, and Colindrez is cast as Joni Breves.
Elegance Bratton is potentially directing a biopic about Arthur Ashe, a tennis and civil rights icon. The film would be produced by Hyde Park Entertainment Group, with Skydance Sports currently signed on as a co-producer and Kevin Willmott in charge of the screenplay.
Daniel Lim Ti Yan - Tommaso Boddi
Industry Update: AMC makes a bold move, announcing half-off tickets in effort to combat falling sales. The campaign started Tuesday, July 8, 2025, commencing the 50% movie ticket sale every Tuesday and Wednesday of the week. AMC will also provide a discount on small popcorn and drink combinations. CEO Adam Aron said, “First, our Discount Tuesday program will benefit from clear, concise messaging that resonates with value-seeking moviegoers. So, we are changing our Tuesday prices and our Tuesday consumer communications such that Tuesdays and Wednesdays will both feature the same 50% off pricing offer.” This is in response to surveys showing the increasing number of price-conscious customers, who now have cheaper at-home alternatives through streaming platforms.
Legendary is considering acquiring Lionsgate Studios in order to gain access to a stronger global distribution network and go beyond the North American market. The outcomes of this deal would combine top franchise IPs with a stronger network. No further announcement has been made, and it is unclear if this is formally in the works.
Daniel Lim Ti Yan is the next feature animator to watch, serving as a lead animator at DNEG Animation on Warner Bros. Originally beginning his career as a visual effects artist, he later found animation. Since then, Lim Ti Yan has worked on several projects, including Playmobil: The Movie, The Addams Family, Trouble, and Fireheart. His career is just getting started, but he has concerns with the growing competition generated by AI software.
