The 32-year-old Cuban-Spanish actress will star opposite Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans in Joe and Anthony Russo’s big-budget action thriller The Gray Man for Netflix.
The Russos have been developing the project for awhile at Sony Pictures, and when the package went back on the market over the summer, Netflix was quick to acquire it and set Gosling and Evans to star. The film will be the biggest-budget film in Netflix’s history on the feature side.
The Russos penned the script with a recent polish by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely.
The Gray Man is the debut novel by Mark Greaney, published in 2009 by Jove Books. It also is the first novel to feature the Gray Man, freelance assassin and former CIA operative Court Gentry.
The action thriller will follow Gentry (Gosling) as he’s hunted across the globe by Lloyd Hansen (Evans), a former cohort at the CIA. The film is based on the first installment of the best-selling Gray Man book series.
de Armas has been on a roll as of late, going back to her Golden Globe-nominated performance in the murder mystery Knives Out. She also recently was seen in the Netflix pic Sergio, The Informerand The Night Clerk. With the Covid-19 pandemic delaying several films, her 2021 is expected to be equally busy as she can be seen in the next James Bond film No Time to Dieand the New Regency thriller Deep Water opposite Ben Affleck. She is also set to star in Blonde, where she portrays Norma Jean.
It’s the beginning of the end for Michelle Rodriguez.
Universal Pictures is planning to wrap up its Fast & Furious core film franchise, starring the 42-year-old Puerto Rican and Dominican American actress, with two final movies that will bring to a close a franchise.
The Fast & Furious films have revved their way to become the highest-grossing movie series in the studio’s history. Justin Lin, who’s in post-production onF9, is in talks to direct the final two installments and bring a saga that began nearly 20 years ago to a close.
It’s early days on when this will begin production but it seems likely they will tell a big story over two films that will focus on franchise patriarch Vin Diesel and bring back Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Jordana Brewster, Nathalie Emmanuel and Sung Kang.
F9 — which is the fifth film in the franchise directed by Lin and which premieres next Memorial Day — continues the storyline of the core cast and Charlize Theron, and adds John Cena, Helen Mirren, Grammy-winner Cardi B and reggaeton star Ozuna. They are just beginning to put the final two vehicles together. There’s speculation that Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham — core cast members who peeled off for the F&F spinoff Hobbs & Shawafter Johnson and Diesel had a falling out — will be back for the finale.
There’s also an opportunity to pull off the motorhead’s answer to Marvel’s Avengers, a configuration that might include Wonder Woman’s Gal Gadot, also part of the ensemble earlier in her career.
It might not have seemed probable back when The Fast & Furious launched the franchise in 2001 with Diesel and Paul Walker as lead-footed protagonists, but the entire series has eclipsed Jurassic Parkto become Universal’s biggest. The eight movies and the spinoff have grossed around $5.7 billion; Jurassic is also over $5 billion and has its next installment, Jurassic World: Dominion, shooting in London.
The Fast franchise survived the tragic death of cornerstone star Walker, but it’s always good to end the race before the vehicle runs out of gas. There are still plans for other movie spinoffs and TV shows, so there will be no call for the studio to be calling Kars for Kids to cart away a junker.
It is likely that the final two installments will be produced by Diesel through his One Race Films banner, Jeff Kirschenbaum, Lin, Neal Moritz, Joe Roth, Clayton Townsend and Samantha Vincent. They are the producers of F9.
Lin berthed his Perfect Storm Entertainment banner at Universal in a multi-year overall film and TV deal in late summer, and these two films will likely keep him busy for a long time.
Universal Pictures has announced plans to move F9, starring the 42-year-old Puerto Rican and Dominican American actress, to May 28, 2021, which is Memorial Day weekend.
The move comes after MGM moved its James Bond picNo Time to Die, starring Ana de Armas, to April 2, 2021 — which had been the release date for this latest installment of The Fast and the Furious franchise.
In March, F9 drove out of its original May 22, 2020 global day-and-date release amid the coronavirus lockdown. The studio had previously reserved that April 2021 date for Fast & Furious 10.
Justin Lin returns to direct F9 a cast that includes Rodriguez, who portrays Letty Ortiz, Vin Diesel, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Jordana Brewster, Nathalie Emmanuel, Sung Kang, Helen Mirren, Charlize Theron, Cardi B and Ozuna.
The entire franchise, including spinoff Hobbs & Shaw, through nine movies counts $5.9 billion at the worldwide box office.
MGM’s latest James Bond film No Time to Die, starring the 32-year-old Cuban-Spanish actress, is officially moving to April 2, Easter weekend, and vacating its November 20 release date.
This puts the Bond film starring Daniel Craig on the same weekend with Universal Pictures’ F9.
“MGM, Universal and Bond producers, Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, today announced the release of No Time To Die, the 25th film in the James Bond series, will be delayed until 2 April in order to be seen by a worldwide theatrical audience. We understand the delay will be disappointing to our fans but we now look forward to sharing No Time To Die next year,” said the studio in a statement.
No Time to Die stands to make $1 billion worldwide, so the studio has pushed back the release date several times now in hopes of having it come out in an optimum, vibrant global marketplace.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences has released its annual list of invitations to join the organization, with the 26-year-old Mexican actress and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Indigenous Peoples among the 819 extended an invite.
Aparicio, one of Timemagazine’s100 most influential people in the world in 2019,earned an Oscar nod in the Best Actress category for her performance in Alfonso Cuarón‘s 2018 Spanish-language drama Roma. With the nomination for her actig debut, she became the first Indigenous American woman and the second Mexican woman to receive a Best Actress Oscar nomination.
But Aparcio isn’t the only Latino/a to make the list…
Other invitees in the Actors branch include Bobby Cannavale, who appeared in The Irishman, Overboard’s Eva Longoria, Knives Out star Ana de Armas and Gringo actor Yul Vazquez.
Invitees in the Music branch include Andrea Guerra (Hotel Rwanda) and Cuban-American jazz trumpeter Arturo Sandoval, who worked on the music for Clint Eastwood’s films Richard Jewell and The Mule.
The Directors branch sent out invitations to Latino filmmakers Icíar Bolláin (Spanish), Felipe Cazals (Mexican), Sebastián Cordero (Ecuadorian), Luis Estrada (Mexican), Alejandro Landes (Colombian-Ecuadorian),Jorge Alí Triana (Colombian) and Andrés Wood (Chilean).
This year’s new class demonstrates The Academy’s commitment to erasing the stigma of not being inclusive, particularly in terms of women, international members and underrepresented ethnic/racial communities.
The organization reports this year’s class breakdown is 49% international, 45% women, and 36% underrepresented ethnic/racial.
The overwhelming number of those invited to join the Academy end up accepting.
The total active membership in 2019 was 8,946, with 8,733 eligible to vote. Total membership including active, voting and retired was 9,794. Today’s additions will take the membership count past the 10,000 mark.
AMPAS says members can voluntarily disclose their race/ethnicity, sex or can choose “prefer not to.” So, demo stats may not be 100% accurate. AMPAS also “recognizes and respects” the personal choice in identification, but doesn’t track LGBTQ+ or differently abled, although a source says, while protecting privacy and not forcing answers, they are “working towards it.” In other words this is no longer your father’s Academy.
“We take great pride in the strides we have made in exceeding our initial inclusion goals set back in 2016, but acknowledge the road ahead is a long one,” said Academy CEO Dawn Hudson. “We are committed to staying the course.”
“The Academy is delighted to welcome these distinguished fellow travelers in the motion picture arts and sciences. We have always embraced extraordinary talent that reflects the rich variety of our global film community, and never more so than now,” said Academy President David Rubin.
Here’s a look at some of this year’s Latino invitees:
Actors Yalitza Aparicio – “Roma” Bobby Cannavale – “The Irishman,” “The Station Agent” Ana de Armas – “Knives Out,” “Blade Runner 2049” Eva Longoria – “Overboard,” “Harsh Times” Yul Vazquez – “Gringo,” “Last Flag Flying”
Casting Directors Libia Batista – “Eres Tú Papá?,” “Viva” Javier Braier – “The Two Popes,” “Wild Tales” Eva Leira – “Pain and Glory,” “Biutiful” Yesi Ramirez – “The Hate U Give,” “Moonlight” Yolanda Serrano – “Pain and Glory,” “Biutiful”
Directors Icíar Bolláin – “Even the Rain,” “Take My Eyes” Felipe Cazals – “El Año de la Peste,” “Canoa: A Shameful Memory” Sebastián Cordero – “Europa Report,” “Crónicas” Luis Estrada – “The Perfect Dictatorship,” “Herod’s Law” Alejandro Landes – “Monos,” “Porfirio” Jorge Alí Triana – “Bolívar Soy Yo,” “A Time to Die” Andrés Wood – “Araña,” “Violeta Went to Heaven”
Documentary Cristina Amaral – “Um Filme de Verão (A Summer Film),” “Person” Violeta Ayala – “Cocaine Prison,” “The Bolivian Case” Julia Bacha – “Naila and the Uprising,” “Budrus” Almudena Carracedo – “The Silence of Others,” “Made in L.A.” Paola Castillo – “Beyond My Grandfather Allende,” “Genoveva” Paz Encina – “Memory Exercises,” “Paraguayan Hammock” Mariana Oliva – “The Edge of Democracy,” “Piripkura” Iván Osnovikoff – “Los Reyes,” “La Muerte de Pinochet (The Death of Pinochet)” Tiago Pavan – “The Edge of Democracy,” “Olmo and the Seagull” Bettina Perut – “Los Reyes,” “La Muerte de Pinochet (The Death of Pinochet)” Marta Rodriguez – “Our Voice of Earth, Memory and Future,” “Campesinos (Peasants)”
Executives Ozzie Areu Barbara Peiro Frank Rodriguez Mimi Valdes
Film Editors Alejandro Carrillo Penovi – “Heroic Losers,” “The Clan” Alex Marquez – “Snowden,” “Savages”
Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Mari Paz Robles – “I Dream in Another Language,” “Cantinflas” David Ruiz Gameros – “Tear This Heart Out,” “Amores Perros” Susana Sánchez – “The Liberator,” “Goya’s Ghosts”
Marketing and Public Relations Inma Carbajal-Fogel Emmanuelle Castro Fernando Garcia Dustin M. Sandoval
Music Andrea Guerra – “The Pursuit of Happyness,” “Hotel Rwanda” Arturo Sandoval – “Richard Jewell,” “The Mule”
Producers Edher Campos – “Sonora, the Devil’s Highway,” “The Golden Dream” Nicolas Celis – “Roma,” “Tempestad” Alex Garcia – “Kong: Skull Island,” “Desierto” Enrique López Lavigne – “The Impossible,” “Sex and Lucia” Álvaro Longoria – “Everybody Knows,” “Finding Altamira” Mónica Lozano – “I Dream in Another Language,” “Instructions Not Included” Gabriela Maire – “Las Niñas Bien (The Good Girls),” “La Caridad (Charity)” Luis Manso – “Champions,” “Binta and the Great Gabriela Rodríguez – “Roma,” “Gravity” Mar Targarona – “Secuestro (Boy Missing),” “The Orphanage” Luis Urbano – “Letters from War,” “Tabu”
Production Design Sandra Cabriada – “Instructions Not Included,” “The Mexican” Estefanía Larraín – “A Fantastic Woman,” “Neruda”
Short Films and Feature Animation José David Figueroa García – “Perfidia,” “Ratitas” Oscar Grillo – “Monsters, Inc.,” “Monsieur Pett” Otto Guerra – “City of Pirates,” “Wood & Stock: Sexo, Orégano e Rock’n’Roll” Isabel Herguera – “Winter Love,” “Under the Pillow” Summer Joy Main-Muñoz – “Don’t Say No,” “La Cerca” Juan Pablo Zaramella – “Luminaris,” “The Glove”
Sound David Esparza – “The Magnificent Seven,” “The Equalizer”
Visual Effects Leandro Estebecorena – “The Irishman,” “Kong: Skull Island”
Members-at-Large Daniel Molina Carlos Morales Jesse Torres
With the coronavirus affecting the box office, MGM, Eon and Universal are postponing the next James Bondmovie, No Time to Die from its UK and international release date of April 2 and its U.S. Easter weekend global day-and-date of April 10.
The 25th 007movie will now open on November 25, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.
“MGM, Universal and Bond producers, Michael G Wilsonand Barbara Broccoli, announced today that after careful consideration and thorough evaluation of the global theatrical marketplace, the release of No Time to Diewill be postponed until November 2020. The film will be released in the U.K. on November 12, 2020 with worldwide release dates to follow, including the U.S. launch on November 25, 2020,” said a statement given exclusively to Deadline by the three studios.
The decision to move the film to November is purely an economic decision, and not one based on growing fears over the coronavirus.
Bond is a day-and-date worldwide release, and with the franchise back in the hands of MGM fully post Sony’s distribution of the last four Daniel Craigmovies, along with Universal, all parties involved need to have all foreign territories working at their maximum in order for the latest Bond to be a continued box office success. For a tentpole of this size and scope, that kind of decrease in business would have a significant and detrimental impact on the film’s ultimate global take.
All together, the last four Craig 007 movies – Spectre, Skyfall, Quantum of Solaceand Casino Royale— have grossed $3.2B in the overall near $7B franchise, with Skyfallbeing the highest grossing film of all-time in the 58-year-old series at a whopping $1.1B. Failing at the box office is not an option for Bond, and for the studios to stick to their original release plan would be a disservice to their partners in exhibition.
No Time to Die features Craig in his fifth and final outing as the fictional MI6 agent. It’s directed by Cary Joji Fukunagafrom a screenplay by Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, Fukunaga and Phoebe Waller-Bridge.
Léa Seydoux, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Rory Kinnear, Jeffrey Wright, Christoph Waltzand Ralph Fiennes reprise their roles from previous films, with de Armas, who portrays Paloma, a CIA agent assisting Bond, joining the cast. Other new additions include Rami Malek, Lashana Lynch, Dali Benssalah, David Dencikand Billy Magnussen.
Antonio Banderas is gettin’ a little glory from mature audiences…
The AARP, formerly known as the American Association of Retired Persons, has announced the nominations for its 19th annual Movies for Grownups Awards, with the 59-year-old Spanish actor earning a nod.
Banderas is nominated for Best Actorfor his performance in Pedro Almodovar’s acclaimed Spanish-language film, Pain and Glory.
But Banderas isn’t the only Latino nominee…
Jennifer Lopez has earned a nod this year for Best Supporting Actress.
The 50-year-old Puerto Rican superstar, who earned a Spirit Awards nod earlier this month, received the nomination for her performance in Hustlers.
Fernando Meirellesis being called out…
The 64-year-old Brazilian filmmaker is nominated for Best Director for his celebrated work on Netflix’s The Two Popes.
Ana de Armashas earned some love from the AARP…
The 31-year-old Cuban and Spanish actress and her Knives Out cast mates are nominated in the Best Ensemble category.
Tony Danza will host the Movies for Grownups Awards ceremony on January at the Beverly Wilshirein Beverly Hills.
Earlier this month, the group chose Annette Bening to receive AARP’s MFG’s Career Achievement Award.
Here’s a look at this year’s nominees:
Best Picture/Best Movie for Grownups The Irishman Bombshell Marriage Story A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood Once Upon a Time in Hollywood The Farewell The Two Popes Little Women
Best Actress Isabelle Huppert, Frankie Helen Mirren, The Good Liar Julianne Moore, Gloria Bell Alfre Woodard, Clemency Renée Zellweger, Judy
Best Actor Antonio Banderas, Pain and Glory Robert De Niro, The Irishman Eddie Murphy, Dolemite Is My Name Jonathan Pryce, The Two Popes Adam Sandler, Uncut Gems
Best Supporting Actress Laura Dern, Marriage Story Nicole Kidman, Bombshell Jennifer Lopez, Hustlers Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey Zhao Shuzhen, The Farewell
Best Supporting Actor Jamie Foxx, Just Mercy Tom Hanks, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood Anthony Hopkins, The Two Popes Al Pacino, The Irishman Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Best Director Noah Baumbach, Marriage Story Fernando Meirelles, The Two Popes Sam Mendes, 1917 Martin Scorsese, The Irishman Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Readers’ Choice A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood Bombshell Downton Abbey The Irishman Joker Little Women Marriage Story Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Richard Jewell The Two Popes
Best Ensemble Bombshell Dolemite Is My Name Downton Abbey Knives Out Little Women
Best Intergenerational A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood Little Women Parasite The Etruscan Smile The Farewell
Best Buddy Picture A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood Ford v. Ferrari Just Mercy The Lighthouse The Two Popes
Best Screenwriter Noah Baumbach, Marriage Story Kasi Lemmons, Harriet Anthony McCarten, The Two Popes Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon A Time in Hollywood Steven Zaillian, The Irishman
Best Time Capsule Harriet Judy Little Women Motherless Brooklyn Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
If blondes have more fun, Ana de Armas is livin’ it up…
In a new image from the set of Netflix’s Marilyn Monroe film Blonde, the 31-year-old Cuban-Spanish actress is the spitting image of the late blonde bombshell.
de Armas, a natural brunette, stepped out in a full Marilyn ensemble, complete with hair and makeup, and people were honestly shocked by the similarities. It was like the late actress was brought back to life! The hair and makeup department nailed every aspect of Monroe’s look, from the red lipstick to the perfectly coiffed hair. It helps that de Armas exudes the sensuality and appeal of the Hollywood icon.
de Armas stars opposite Bobby Cannavale and Adrien Brody in the film. The former is set to don the New York Yankeesjersey as the famous Joe DiMaggio, while Brody is stepping into the character of Arthur Miller, Marilyn’s husband of nine months.
Blonde will delve into the life of the Hollywood starlet, as well as the relationships that captivated the press.
The 31-year-old Cuban-Spanish actress is in talks to star opposite Ben Affleck in the film adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s novel Deep Water.
The film, to be directed by Adrian Lyne, is described as an erotic thriller, right in the wheelhouse Lyne established with such blockbusters as Indecent Proposal, Fatal Attraction, and9 1/2 Weeks. The filmmaker has long been intrigued with this project, first setting it up with Fox 2000back in 2013. New Regency bought control of the property last year, and this gives them another plum project to go with the James Gray-directed Ad Astra with Brad Pitt, and the Robert Eggers-directedThe Lighthouse.
Affleck and de Armas are in negotiations to play Vic and Melinda Van Allen, an attractive young married couple whose mind games with each other take a twisted turn when people around them start turning up dead. The couple staves off divorce in a loveless marriage by allowing each to take lovers, but it becomes messy as Highsmith exposed the surface facade of American suburban life.
Zack Helm and Sam Levinson have adapted from the Highsmith novel.
Lyne is eyeing a November production start on Deep Water, which will be fully financed by New Regency.
Pending all the pieces falling into place, the plan is for the film to go through its deal with Fox/Disney.
de Armas is having her moment in Hollywood. She is about to begin shooting the Andrew Dominik-directed Netflix film Blonde, in which she plays iconic actress Marilyn Monroe, with talks going on for Adrien Brody to play Arthur Miller and Bobby Cannavale to play Joe DiMaggio in a fictionalized look at her life. Dominik worked for years on this project, and looked at many actresses for the role of Monroe. He was intrigued when he saw de Armas in Blade Runner 2049, and they worked long and hard with a dialect coach to lose her Cuban accented inflection for Monroe’s breathy delivery before a screen test pleased Netflix and Plan B’s Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner. She follows that film with the James Bond 25 film.
The producers of Bond 25 have revealed key cast and production details from Jamaica, the iconic location for previous Bond films including Dr. No and Live and Let Die.
Broadcasting live on Twitter, the production confirmed incoming cast including the 30-year-old Spanish/Cuban actress.
de Armas previously starred in another high-profile film, Blade Runner 2049, which earned her a Saturn Awardnomination for Best Supporting Actress.
In addition to de Armas, other cast members include Rami Malek, Lashana Lynch, Billy Magnussen, David Dencik, and Dali Benssalah.
Returning franchise cast members include Ralph Fiennes, Lea Seydoux,Naomie Harris, Jeffrey Wright, Rory Kinnearand Ben Whishaw. Daniel Craig returns as James Bond.
A title wasn’t revealed but producer Barbara Broccolisaid the film will start in Jamaica where “Bond is not on active service, he is enjoying himself. We’ve got quite a ride in store for him.” His peace is short-lived when his old friend Felix Leiter from theCIA turns up asking for help. The mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist turns out to be far more treacherous than expected, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology.
The production has already shot in Norway and will head over to the UK’s Pinewood studio then onto Matera in Italy. The movie will be the first Bond to use IMAXcameras.
Cary Joji Fukunagais writer-director. Malek is expected to portray the film’s villain.
The film recently had a release date change from February 14 2020 to April 8 2020. Additional writers on the script were today confirmed as Neil Purvis, Robert Wade, Scott Z Burnsand Fleabag‘s Phoebe Waller-Bridge.
MGM will release the film domestically through their United Artists Releasingbanner on April 8. It will go through Universal Pictures International and MGM in the UK and internationally from April 3, 2020.