Apple to Release Season Three of “Echo,” Featuring Juan Pablo Raba, in November

Posted on October 2, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

There are more echoes in Juan Pablo Raba’s future…

Apple has announced the premiere date of Echo 3, the 10-episode action-thriller from Mark Boal that features the 45-year-old Colombian film, television and telenovela actor among the cast.

Starring Luke Evans and Michiel Huisman alongside Jessica Ann Collins, the series will premiere with the first three episodes of season three on Wednesday, November 23, followed by one new episode weekly every Friday through January 13, 2023.

The action series, filmed in Colombia with English and Spanish dialogue, follows Amber Chesborough (Collins), a young scientist who is the emotional heart of a small American family. When she goes missing along the Colombia-Venezuela border, her brother, Bambi (Evans), and her husband, Prince (Huisman) – two men with deep military experience and complicated pasts – struggle to find her against the backdrop of a secret war.

In addition to Raba, additional cast includes Martina Gusman as Violetta, a prominent political columnist, James Udom, Maria Del Rosario, Alejandro Furth and special guest star Bradley Whitford.

The show’s narrative is based on the series When Heroes Fly, created by Omri Givon, and inspired by the novel by Amir Gutfreund.

Echo 3 is produced for Apple TV+ by Keshet Studios, the US production arm of Keshet International. Boal serves as showrunner and director.

Pablo Trapero directed four episodes, including the pilot, and serves as an executive producer.

Netflix Releases Trailer for Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Directorial Debut Film “tick, tick…BOOM!”

Posted on October 4, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Lin-Manuel Miranda is readying for a BOOM’in release…

Netflix has released the trailer, key art and the first single from the film’s official soundtrack entitled “30/90” for tick, tick…BOOM!, the film directed by the 41-year-old Puerto Rican Tony Award-winning talent behind the hit musicals Hamilton and In The Heights.

An adaptation of Jonathan Larson’s autobiographical pre-Rent musical, the film stars Andrew Garfield as Larson.

Netflix’s tick, tick…BOOM! will premiere in theaters on November 12, 2021 and will hit streaming a week later on November 19th.

Garfield plays Jon, a young theater composer who’s waiting tables at a New York City diner in 1990 while writing what he hopes will be the next great American musical. As described by Netflix: Days before he’s due to showcase his work in a make-or-break performance, Jon is feeling the pressure from everywhere: from his girlfriend Susan (Alexandra Shipp), who dreams of an artistic life beyond New York City; from his friend Michael (Robin de Jesús), who has moved on from his dream to a life of financial security. Amidst an artistic community being ravaged by the AIDS epidemic, Jon feels the clock ticking and faces the question everyone must reckon with: What are we meant to do with the time we have?

Larson, of course, would not live to see the success of his “next great American musical,” dying at age 35 on Januaruy 25, 1996, the morning of Rent’s first Off Broadway preview. The cause of death was an aortic aneurysm caused by undiagnosed Marfan’s Syndrome.

The film, which also stars Joshua Henry, MJ Rodriguez, Bradley Whitford, Tariq Trotter, Judith Light and Vanessa Hudgens, will mark Miranda’s feature directorial debut.

In 2001, Miranda, then 21, was writing In The Heights when he attended an Off Broadway revival of tick, tick…BOOM! In 2014, Miranda, who would later say that Rent inspired him to begin writing musicals, portrayed Jon in a two-week Encores! production of tick, tick…BOOM!

tick, tick…BOOM!, with a screenplay by Steven Levenson based on Larson’s musical and choreography by Ryan Heffington.

The first single from the film’s official soundtrack entitled “30/90” is available here. Performed by Garfield and featuring additional vocals by Henry, Hudgens, Rodriguez, Shipp and de Jesús, the track is the lead offering from the full soundtrack of music written by Jonathan Larson as heard in the film

Netflix Releases Trailer for Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Feature Directorial Debut “tick, tick…BOOM!”

Posted on June 10, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Lin-Manuel Miranda is tickin’ ahead…

The first trailer has been released for tick, tick…BOOM!, directed by the 41-year-old Puerto Rican actor, singer, songwriter, rapper, director, producer, and playwright.

It’s a film adaptation of Jonathan Larson’s autobiographical pre-Rent musical.

Starring Andrew Garfield in the Larson-inspired lead role, Netflix’s tick, tick…BOOM! will hit the streaming service and theaters this fall.

Larson would not live to see the success of his “next great American musical,” dying at age 35 on January 25, 1996, the morning of Rent’s first Off Broadway preview. The cause of death was an aortic aneurysm caused by undiagnosed Marfan’s Syndrome.

The trailer begins with Garfield singing “Boho Days,” a song from the earliest incarnations of tick, tick…BOOM! It was the title song when Larson first performed the musical as a one-man show in 1990.

The film, which also stars Joshua Henry, MJ Rodriguez, Bradley Whitford, Tariq Trotter, Judith Light and Vanessa Hudgens, will mark Miranda’s feature directorial debut.

In 2001, Miranda, then 21, was writing In The Heights when he attended an Off Broadway revival of tick, tick…BOOM! In 2014, Miranda, who would later say that Rent inspired him to begin writing musicals, portrayed Jon in a two-week Encores! production of tick, tick…BOOM!

The film adaptation of Miranda’s In The Heights, directed by Jon M. Chu, hit theaters and HBO Max today.

Alice Braga to Star in Innovative Sci-Fi Film “Share”

Posted on May 4, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Alice Braga is ready to share, and share alike…

The 38-year-old Brazilian actress and producer will star in Share, an innovative sci-fi film from The Traveling Picture Show Company, Wavemaker Creative and award-winning commercial director Ira Rosensweig.

Braga will star opposite Melvin Gregg, Bradley Whitford and Danielle Campbell in the film.

Scripted by Benjamin Sutor, Rosensweig’s debut feature follows a man who awakens to find himself stripped of all his possessions, and trapped in a bare room. Aided by a primitive computer, he must learn to survive in his new isolated existence where entertainment is the only currency.

While the actors’ roles have not been disclosed, the indie will reportedly be brought to life using “unique and immersive” filmmaking techniques. Given that each character in the story is physically isolated, the shoot (which is currently underway) called for the construction of multiple identical sets with integrated camera systems, teleprompters, and live event technology.

The system designed for the project allows the actors to fully interact both with each other and the computer interface central to the story in real time, while giving the director and crew a precise pre-visualization of the finished product.

Braga recently lent her voice to Oscar-winning Pixar feature, Soul. On the television side, the actress currently stars in USA Network’s drama, Queen of the South.

She also recently appeared in the HBO series We Are Who We Are, from Luca Guadagnino.

Up next, she’ll appear opposite Margot Robbie, Idris Elba and Viola Davis in James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad.

Hulu Renews Alexis Bledel’s Drama Series “The Handmaid’s Tale” for Fifth Season

Posted on December 13, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Alexis Bledel will have more tale to tell…

Hulu has renewed its flagship drama series The Handmaid’s Tale, starring the 39-year-old half-Argentinian American actress, for a fifth season.

The news, which Bledel and her cast mates shared on social media, comes ahead of its Season 4 premiere on the streamer.

Based on Margaret Atwood’s novel of the same name, The Handmaid’s Tale follows the story of life in the dystopia of Gilead, a totalitarian society in what was formerly part of the United States.

The series, produced by MGM Television and internationally distributed by MGM, stars Elisabeth Moss, Joseph Fiennes, Yvonne Strahovski, Samira Wiley, Bledel, Ann Dowd, Max Minghella, Madeline Brewer, O-T Fagbenle, Amanda Brugel, Bradley Whitford, and Sam Jaeger.

In season four, June (Moss) strikes back against Gilead as a fierce rebel leader, but the risks she takes bring unexpected and dangerous new challenges. Her quest for justice and revenge threatens to consume her and destroy her most cherished relationships.

The drama was nominated for 54 Primetime Emmy Awards over its first three seasons, winning 15, including best original drama, the first drama series win from a streaming service, lead actress in a drama series for Moss and outstanding guest actress in a drama series for Bledel.

Bledel has earned two additional Emmy nods for her performance on the series.

Sofia Carson’s “Songbird” Will Be Available on Premium VOD in December

Posted on November 17, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Sofia Carson’s latest project will be right at your fingertips soon…

The 27-year-old Colombian American actress/singer’s Songbird, which was acquired by STX earlier this year, will be skipping theaters in exchange for a premium VOD release starting on Friday, December 11.

STX picked up the KJ Apa-Carson pandemic thriller produced by Invisible Narratives back in August. The movie was one of the first to shoot in Los Angeles during the pandemic under COVID-19 safety guidelines.

The film now will be available for $19.99 for a 48-hour rental on all transactional platforms. Following Songbird‘s nesting on PVOD, it will premiere on a major streaming service in 2021.

From producer Michael Bay and director Adam Mason, Songbird follows Riverdale‘s Apa as Nico, a bicycle messenger in a post-apocalyptic near future where COVID-19 has mutated to COVID-23. He’s smitten with his girlfriend Sara (Carson), who he hasn’t been able to see during the pandemic. Complicating life greatly is that the government is snatching up people who have the virus and tossing them into camps. Demi Moore, Craig Robinson, Bradley Whitford, Peter Stormare, Alexandra Daddario and Paul Walter Hauser also star.

Mason co-wrote the script with Simon Boyes.

“The pandemic has affected every aspect of our business, from production to release, but Songbird demonstrates that a nimble studio like STX can find effective and profitable ways to make their movies work,” says STXfilms Motion Picture Group chairman Adam Fogelson. “The show must go on. Songbird is a thrilling movie that will speak to audiences in this moment as it keeps them on the edge of their seats.”

STX & Invisible Narratives Release Trailer for Sofia Carson’s Pandemic Thriller “Songbird”

Posted on October 30, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a (song)bird’s eye view of Sofia Carson’s latest project…

STX and Invisible Narratives have released the trailer for their upcoming pandemic thriller Songbird, starring the 27-year-old Colombian America actress/singer.

“Sometimes we have to do things we don’t want, to survive,” says Demi Moore’s enigmatic baddie in trailer for the film.

Riverdale‘s KJ Apa stars as Nico, a bicycle messenger in a near post apocalyptic future where COVID-19 has mutated to COVID-23. He’s smitten with his girlfriend Sara (Carson), and it looks like these two haven’t been able to see each other for a while. Complicating life greatly is the fact that the government is snatching up people who have the virus and tossing them into camps. Take a look.

There’s an all-star cast here with Moore, Bradley Whitford, Alexandra Daddario, Paul Walter Hauser, Craig Robinson and more in this feature directed and co-written by Adam Mason, with Simon Boyes co-writing.

STX captured Songbird‘s UK and North American rights at the end of August. No release date has been announced yet.

The film was one of the first features to be shot this past summer in Los Angeles during quarantine, paving the way for production safety protocols.

Soledad O’Brien to Talk About The Media on This Week’s Episode of Peacock’s Late-Night Comedy “Wilmore”

Posted on October 20, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Soledad O’Brien is ready to talk ship with Larry Wilmore.

The 54-year-old half-Afro-Cuban American broadcast journalist and executive producer will appear on this week’s episode of Wilmore, the Peacock late-night comedy fronted by Wilmore.

The episode, which will focus on the media, will also feature The West Wing star Bradley Whitford and Saturday Night Live’s Chris Redd.

O’Brien is the host of Matter of Fact, a nationally syndicated talk show produced by Hearst Television. She is chairwoman of Starfish Media Group, a multi-platform media production company and distributor that she founded in 2013. She’s also a member of the Peabody Awards board of directors, which is presented by the University of Georgia‘s Henry W. Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication.

She previously worked as an anchor for CNN, and has worked as a correspondent for Al Jazeera America and HBO‘s Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel.

Wilmore is going into his sixth show since launching on the streamer. Other topics he has tackled include protests, voter suppression, police, class, and comparing where we are to the 2016 presidential election.

Guests have included U.S. women’s soccer co-captain Megan Rapinoe, Charlamagne Tha God, Andrew Yang, Roy Wood Jr. and Chloé Hilliard as well as his Peacock peer Amber Ruffin.

Martin Sheen & His “The West Wing” Cast Mates to Reunite for ‘When We All Vote’ Special on HBO Max

Posted on August 26, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Martin Sheen is returning to the West Wing…

Aaron Sorkin is reuniting his The West Wing cast, including the 80-year-old half-Spanish American actor, for the first time in 17 years with a special for HBO Max.

Sheen, Rob Lowe, Dulé Hill, Allison Janney, Janel Moloney, Richard Schiff and Bradley Whitford are getting back together with Sorkin and Thomas Schlamme for A West Wing Special to Benefit When We All Vote.

The special will feature a theatrical performance of Hartsfield’s Landing, an episode from the NBC drama’s third season that featured Sheen’s President Barlet playing chess against Sam (Lowe) and Toby (Schiff), while the Chinese are playing war games in the Taiwan Strait and Josh (Whitford) is nervous about the 42 votes in a remote New Hampshire town’s election, which always predict the winner of that state’s primary.

It marks the second high-profile special of a classic NBC series produced by Warner Bros. set to air on HBO Max following the much-delayed Friends reunion special.

The West Wing reunion has long been in the works with Schiff saying in June that the gang was getting back together in support of Black Lives Matter following the death of George Floyd. The crew have reunited in various forms, including at ATX in Austin, for The West Wing Weekly podcast, and for an ad for Bridget Mary McCormack, a candidate for Michigan’s Supreme Court. However, this is the first time that it will air on television.

The team behind the Warner Bros. Television-produced series have organized the reunion to raise awareness for and support When We All Vote, a non-profit, nonpartisan organization co-chaired by Michelle Obama, which was founded to increase participation in every election in America.

WarnerMedia will make a donation to When We All Vote.

Michelle Obama will make a guest appearance in the special, while additional cast members and special guests from the worlds of public service and the arts will be announced in the coming weeks.

A West Wing Special to Benefit When We All Vote will shoot over multiple days at the Orpheum Theatre in Downtown Los Angeles in early October. Sorkin will write original exclusive material for the special, while Schlamme will serve as director of the production.

“Tommy and I are incredibly excited to be getting The West Wing cast back together for this staged reading and to support When We All Vote in their efforts to get all of us involved in this election,” said Sorkin.

“With A West Wing Special to Benefit When We All Vote, we are excited to revisit this legendary series and offer our passionate fans something that is substantial, meaningful and unforgettable, while also promoting an important message for our time,” added Sarah Aubrey, head of original content, HBO Max. “Combined with WarnerMedia’s donation to When We All Vote, this special not only entertains, but also help ensure the organization can carry forth its mission to increase voter participation in every election.”

Sheen appeared on 140 episodes of The West Wing from 1999-2006. The won a Golden Globe for his portrayal of fictitious U.S. President Josiah “Jed” Bartlet.

Jenna Ortega to Star in “Scream 5”

Posted on August 20, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Jenna Ortega could just scream…

The 17-year-old Puerto Rican and Mexican American actress has been cast in Spyglass Media Group and Paramount Pictures’ upcoming Scream 5.

Ortega, who recently starred in season two of Netflix’s You, joins franchise cast members David Arquette and Courteney Cox, who’ll reprise their respective roles as Dewey Riley and Gale Weathers, as well as newcomer Melissa Barrera.

The production will shoot in Wilmington, North Carolina.

Scream is being directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett from a screenplay by James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick.

Scream creator Kevin Williamson and Chad Villella are executive producing.

Throughout four installments, the Scream franchise counts over $600M at the global box office. The films were directed by late horrormeister Wes Craven with Williamson penning the original film as well as Scream 2 and Scream 4.

Ortega previously starred on the CW’s Jane the Virginas Young Jane.

She can next be seen in Yes Day starring Jennifer Garner and The Babysitter: Killer Queen with Bella Thorne.

Ortega recently wrapped filming on Songbird opposite Demi Moore and Bradley Whitford, which was one of the first notable feature productions to shoot in Los Angeles after the pandemic shutdown.

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