Jaume Collet-Serra to Direct Blumhouse’s “The Woman in the Yard”

Posted on February 14, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Jaume Collet-Serra is hitting the yard…

The 49-year-old Spanish film director and producer and Black Adam filmmaker will direct Blumhouse’s The Woman in the Yard, starring and executive-produced by Danielle Deadwyler.

The project reteams Collet-Serra and Deadwyler, who recently collaborated on the Netflix thriller film, Carry On.

The film, which has a plot line under wraps, is set for theatrical release on January 10, 2025.

“I’ve been trying to find the right project to work on with Jaume, in our system, for over a decade. The Woman in the Yard is the perfect match, a film that’s ambitious in scope but modest in budget that combines Jaume’s vision with the incomparable Danielle Deadwyler. Together with my friend Stephanie Allain, this is a real dream team and I’m excited to collaborate with them on the film,” said Blumhouse boss Jason Blum.

The Woman in the Yard is written by Sam Stefanak. Blum and Allain are producers on the film. Collet-Serra, Deadwyler, Gabrielle Ebron, Scott Greenberg and James Moran are EPs. Haley Pigman and Jungyoon Kim are the executives covering the film for Blumhouse.

The Woman in the Yard is a Blumhouse production for Universal.

Collet-Serra’s other credits include House of Wax, Orphan and The Shallows, as well as the Liam Neeson-led thriller films Unknown, Non-Stop, Run All Night and The Commuter.

Jaume Collet-Serra to Direct the Action Thriller “Kate Warne”

Posted on October 19, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Jaume Collet-Serra is back in action…

The 49-year-old Spanish-American film director and producer will direct the action thriller Kate Warne for Amazon, MGM and Dwayne Johnson’s Seven Bucks Productions.

Collet-Serra is directing from script by Melissa Stack. Gustin Nash penned the first draft of the film built around Warne, a real-life Sherlock Holmes. She was the first female detective at the Pinkerton Agency and paved the way for future women in law enforcement and forever changed how detective work was done.

Seven Bucks’ Johnson, Hiram and Dany Garcia are producing.

Emily Blunt is also producing for her Ledburry Productions banner, but with an eye to star in the film. There are no current acting deals in place, according to Deadline.

Stack co-wrote Godmothered for Disney with Kari Granlund. Stack also penned The Other Woman for 20th Century Fox. She also wrote and is attached to direct Family Vacation at 20th.

Collet-Serra previously directed Seven Bucks’ Black Adam and Jungle Cruise.

His other credits include The Shallows, Non-Stop, The Commuter and Orphan.

Sarah Shahi Signs with Independent Artist Group & Untitled Entertainment

Posted on October 2, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Sarah Shahi is under new representation (and management).

The 43-year-old part-Spanish actress has signed with agency Independent Artist Group while inking a deal with Untitled Entertainment for management at the same time.

Shahi, who most recently starred in the hit Amazon Prime Video film Red, White & Royal Blue, is perhaps best known for leading Stacy Rukeyser’s show Sex/Life. She portrayed Billie Connelly, a Connecticut mother of two suffering a midlife crisis, whose wild child past winds up on a collision course with her very married present.

Inspired by BB Easton’s novel 44 Chapters About 4 Men, the drama wrapped up a two-season run in March.

Shahi’s Red, White & Royal Blue, based on Casey McQuiston’s bestseller, debuted as the streamer’s No. 1 movie globally in August and ultimately became one of its three most-watched rom-coms of all time.

Directed by Matthew Lopez, the film examines the complications that ensue when a romance blossoms between the son of the U.S. President (Taylor Zakhar Perez) and a British prince (Nicholas Galitzine). Shahi portrays Zahra Bankston, the deputy chief of staff for POTUS Ellen Claremont (Uma Thurman).

Last fall, Shahi last starred opposite Dwayne Johnson in Black Adam, which came in at No. 1 at the domestic box office for three straight weeks. In the superhero flick, which grossed close to $400 million globally, she portrayed Adriana, a university professor and freedom fighter who fights alongside Black Adam to restore freedom to her country.

She also received critical acclaim for her portrayal of Rachel Behnam, a street-smart investigator for the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office, in Showtime’s City on a Hill.

Her additional credits include series like The Rookie, Chicago Fire, Person of Interest and The L Word, along with the films For Your Consideration and Old School.

Shahi continues to be represented by attorney Lev Ginsburg of Ginsburg Daniels Kallis.

Noah Centineo Signs with William Morris Endeavor (WME)

Posted on September 18, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Noah Centineo has new representation…

The 27-year-old part-Puerto Rican actor has signed with William Morris Endeavor (WME) for representation.

Most recently, Centineo starred in and served as Executive Producer of the Netflix series The Recruit, which returns for a second season next year.

Centineo will also be featured in A24’s Dream Scenario, which made its debut to rave reviews at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival.

This year, Centineo launched production company Arkhum Productions alongside Head of Production Enzo Marc focusing on comedy and drama projects with an emphasis on social commentary. The Greatest Disaster in Cinema History will mark one of their first projects, with Centineo set to star.

In 2022, Centineo played Atom Smasher in Black Adam from the Warner Bros. DC Universe.

Centineo rose to fame in the popular Netflix trilogy To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, for which he won an MTV Movie & TV Award for Best Breakthrough Performance.

Sarah Shahi to Star in ABC’s Drama Pilot “Judgement”

Posted on March 16, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Sarah Shahi isn’t passing (on) judgement…

The 43-year-old part-Spanish actress and Sex/Life will star in and produce Judgement, ABC’s drama pilot from showrunner Joey Falco and 20th Television.

Shahi had been in talks for the project since January as ABC and the producers had to work through her commitment to Sex/Life, which she headlines.

Netflix just released the second season of the drama, inspired by BB Easton’s book 44 Chapters About 4 Men.

While there has been chatter for a while that this might be Sex/Life‘s final chapter, creator Stacy Rukeyser has shared hopes for a third season. If the show is renewed, Shahi will be able to reprise her role, subject to availability as Judgement now reportedly has her in first position.

Written and executive produced by Falco, Judgement is a high-stakes legal soap that redefines the genre by playing out over two timelines. Fifteen years from now, a woman (Shahi) being vetted for a Supreme Court seat recounts her experience at a prominent D.C. law firm in 2023, where the only thing more controversial than the cases was her messy love life, caught between two feuding brothers. Now, with a Supreme Court seat on the line, all of her darkest secrets are at risk of coming out, threatening her nomination, her reputation and her marriage.

We meet Shahi’s Mia Bahari in two distinct periods of her life. In one, she’s a brilliant, successful Appeals Court judge being vetted for the U.S. Supreme Court — so long as her dark and painful secrets don’t derail the nomination. In another, she’s a young spitfire of an attorney, painfully awkward at times but ingenious when it comes to navigating the many nuances of the law. She’s also caught romantically between two feuding brothers who are at the root of the very things she’s trying to hide from her Supreme Court investigators.

Falco executive produces with Melvin Mar, Jake Kasdan and Jordan Cerf. Paul McGuigan directs and also executive produces. 20th Television is the studio.

This marks Shahi’s return to ABC, where she had a major recurring role on The Rookie.

She also recently recurred on Showtime’s City on a Hill and was seen on the big screen in Warner Bros’ DC feature Black Adam alongside Dwayne Johnson.

Noah Centineo Launches New Company Arkhum Productions

Posted on January 13, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Noah Centineo is expanding his work behind the camera…

Following an active year that included starring roles in Black Adam and the Netflix series The Recruit, the 26-year-old part-Puerto Rican actor has launched his new company Arkhum Productions.

Arkhum will develop and produce material internally and with outside filmmakers and talent.

The company’s focus will be on comedy and drama projects with an emphasis on social commentary.

Centineo has also named producer Enzo Marc as Head of Production to oversee its current development projects and expand the company’s slate.

Previously, Marc was founder and executive producer of Roble Ridge Productions for five years, producing award-winning commercials, music videos and short films.

“Enzo and I share a taste and passion for filmmaking. We’ve spent years discussing films, personal projects, and our future ambitions. It’s only a natural next step to team up in this way through Arkhum,” Centineo said.

Centineo and Marc have The Greatest Disaster in Cinema History as the first film to be developed under the company banner.

The film, in which Centineo is set to star, follows a young, idealistic director who is in for a rude awakening after arriving in Los Angeles to pitch their first film, but when an actor hijacks their trip, they’re taken on a wild, all-in-one-night journey through the insane world of modern Hollywood.

Chris Hazzard and Mike Fontana are penning the script, with production set to start this fall.

Sarah Shahi to Executive Produce & Star in the Christmas Film “The Hollys”

Posted on December 15, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a Hollys, jolly Christmas for Sarah Shahi.

The 42-year-old part-Spanish American actress and breakout star of Black Adam will executive produce and star in the Christmas film The Hollys with Burr Steers attached to direct.

The film, co-written by Floriana Lima, Yolanda Pecoraro, and Ilaria Urbinati, will be produced by Denise Di Novi and Margaret French Isaac of Di Novi Pictures.

The story centers on Emma Holly (Shahi), a workaholic single mom whose life starts to unravel when she loses her job in the city as a successful food editor right before the holidays. Along with her young daughter, Emma is forced to move back into her childhood home in Connecticut with her old-fashioned housewife mom, whose husband just left her on Thanksgiving. In this multigenerational love letter to moms, the three Holly women will have to get through Christmas under one roof, learn to reconcile their differences and mend their fractured relationship in order to cook up a new future for themselves.

“DiNovi Films has a reputation for making insightful, timeless films that champion relevant and bold female narratives to become generation-spanning cinematic gems,” said Shahi. “Under the ingenious direction of Burr Steers, along with the eye of Denise Di Novi, Margaret French Isaac and the rest of the DiNovi team, it’s the perfect home to turn our Christmas tale into an instant classic to revisit year after year.”

Shahi stars alongside Dwayne Johnson in New Line/DC’s Black Adam, which was the No. 1 movie globally its first three weeks of release and has grossed $390M to date. She also stars in the lead role of Netflix’s hit series Sex/Life, which amassed more than 67 million viewers in its first season.

The series will return for Season 2 in 2023.

Shahi also has wrapped production on the Amazon film Red, White & Royal Blue, based on Casey McQuiston’s bestselling novel, and is working on a book.

“We are admirers of Sarah’s brilliant and honest performances, we are thrilled to partner with her and Burr on this evergreen holiday movie,” Di Novi and French Isaac said in a statement. “Combining the heartfelt wit and nuance from our writers with Burr’s comedic and visual excellence, we are excited to deliver a film starring Sarah that showcases working parents, family, togetherness, and all sides of the passion and love brought forth during the holiday season.

Daniella Pineda to Star in Amazon Freevee’s Half-Hour Period Comedy Pilot “Western”

Posted on October 14, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Daniella Pineda is heading west(ern)…

The 35-year-old Mexican American actress will star in Amazon Freevee’s Western, a half-hour period comedy pilot from Sony Pictures Television, Amazon Studios and Lord Miller.

Pineda will star opposite Guy Burnet, Luca Diaz and Anna Konkle in the project.

Written by Michelle Morgan, Western is set in the 1800s. It follows Polly (Konkle), a young high-society woman from Philadelphia who travels out west on a desperate quest for a husband only to discover that she has been catfished by a teenage boy (Diaz). Now stranded in 1866 Montana, Polly, along with the town’s other inhabitants, must find their place in this ever-changing new world, confronting and defying all expectations society has of them along the way.

Pineda is Bess. The sexy, tough as nails, quick as a whip proprietress of Sumner’s most popular saloon; a woman who isn’t intimidated by the male dominated wild west landscape but with a heart of gold hidden not too far below the surface.

Diaz portrays Henry Johnson. A 14 going on 45, a wiley, wild-haired pre-teen with a penchant for writing letters to unsuspecting women and an unexpected amount of depth coursing through his pubescent veins.

Tony Yacenda serves as executive producer and directs.

Pineda most recently starred in Jurassic World: Dominion reprising her role as Zia Rodriguez from Fallen Kingdom.

She’ll next be seen in the comedy feature In Town, which she also executive produced, and starring opposite Gerard Butler and Mike Colter in The Plane, for Lionsgate and Di Bonaventura Pictures.

On television, she recently starred in the Netflix series Cowboy Bebop.

Diaz, who has been acting since the age of 6, can be heard in the voice cast of the upcoming Black Adam film and in Transformers: Earth Spark for Nickelodeon.

He also has appeared in commercials for Sam’s Club, Audi and Subaru.

Jaume Collet-Serra to Direct Taron Egerton in Netflix & Amblin’s Action Thriller “Carry On”

Posted on July 28, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Jaume Collet-Serra is carrying on…

The 48-year-old Spanish film director and producer will direct the Netflix and Amblin action thriller Carry On.

Starring Taron Egerton, the thriller centers on Ethan Kopek, a young TSA agent who gets blackmailed by a mysterious traveler to let a dangerous package slip through security and onto a Christmas Day flight.

TJ Fixman penned the first draft of the screenplay, with Michael Green doing the most recent rewrite. Dylan Clark will produce.

The film marks the first production to come out of the overall deal Amblin signed with Netflix last June.

After doing big-budget tentpoles like Jungle Cruise and the upcoming Black Adam, Collet-Serra wanted to get back to his roots of straight-forward action thrillers like Non Stop and Unforgettable that put him on the map, and he saw Carry On as the perfect opportunity.

The director will be jumping back into developing his franchises next year but wanted to fit this project into his schedule and jumped at it while also having Green, who worked with him on several projects like Jungle Cruise, to give that final polish to script.

Sarah Shahi Signs with William Morris Endeavor (WME)

Posted on June 29, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a new endeavor for Sarah Shahi.

The 42-year-old part-Spanish actress and Sex/Life star has signed with William Morris Endeavor (WME) for representation.

Shahi portrays Billie Connelly in the provocative Netflix drama series which is heading into its second season.

Inspired by BB Easton’s self-published memoir 44 Chapters About 4 Men, Sex/Life is the story of a love triangle between a woman, Billie Connelly (Shahi), her husband, and her past, which takes a deliciously steamy new look at female identity and desire.

The series quickly became one of Netflix’s best performing shows and drew more than 67 million viewers in its first season.

Shahi received critical praise for her portrayal of DA’s office investigator Rachel Behnam in Showtime’s City on a Hill. She also starred in an episode of the Netflix Dolly Parton anthology series Heartstrings, in which each episode is based on a Dolly song.

She also starred alongside Nathan Fillion on NBC’s The Rookie, and in the Steven Spielberg-produced NBC series Reverie.

She also is known for her roles on CBS’ Person of Interest, USA’s Fairly Legal and Showtime’s The L Word. Her other television credits include Chicago Fire, Life with Damian Lewis, The Sopranos, Ray Donovan and Alias.

Shahi next stars in the anticipated Warner Bros./DC superhero feature Black Adam alongside Dwayne Johnson, set for release in October. She also has signed on to star in the upcoming Amazon film Red, White and Royal Blue, based on the best-selling book, and she is attached to executive produce and star in The Hollys, written by Floriana Lima, Yolanda Pecoraro, and Ilaria Urbinati, with Di Novi Pictures producing.

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