Signature Entertainment Acquires Rights to Luis Guzman’s Mob Crime-Drama “The Birthday Cake” in UK-Ireland & Australia-New Zealand

Posted on March 17, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Luis Guzmán will be having birthday cake on four islands…

Signature Entertainment has acquired the mob crime-drama The Birthday Cake, starring the 64-year-old Puerto Rican actor, for distribution in the United Kingdom-Ireland and Australia/New Zealand.

In addition to Guzman, the film also stars Ewan McGregor, Val Kilmer, William Fichtner, Emory Cohen, Aldis Hodge, Penn Badgley, Ashley Benson, Lorraine Bracco and Shiloh Fernandez.

Currently in post-production, the film comes from first-time feature director Jim Giannopoulos, whose past work includes music video collaborations with A$AP Rocky, Miley Cyrus and Kid Cudi.

The Birthday Cake follows Giovanni (Fernandez) who, on the 10th anniversary of his father’s death, reluctantly accepts the task of bringing a cake to the home of his uncle, a mob boss, for a celebration. Just two hours into the night, Gio’s life is forever changed after witnessing a murder and learning the truth about what happened to his late father.

Guzman’s previous credits include television roles on Shameless, Hightown and the film The Padre.

Rodriguez Cast in Cinemax‘s Drama Pilot “Blanco,” Starring Shiloh Fernandez

Posted on February 5, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Everything’s comin’ up Blanco-hot for Elizabeth Rodriguez…

The Latina actress, best known for her role as Carmen Morales on All My Children, has joined the cast of Cinemax‘s drama pilot Blanco, starring Shiloh Fernandez.

Directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo from a script by Mark Rosner, the pilot from Fox Television Studios and Lakeshore Entertainment centers on Ruben (Fernandez), an uptown gangster — nicknamed Blanco for being a light-skinned Dominican — who uses his status as a confidential informant to turn the tables on law enforcement and build his criminal empire.

Rodriguez, currently appearing on the Netflix Original Series Orange Is The New Black, will play New York Police Department detective Stephanie Gomez.

Along with Rodriguez and Fernandez, the cast includes Amaury Nolasco, Franka Potente, Sebastian Arcelus, Audrey Esparza, Erik LaRay Harvey, and Alex Hernandez.

Fresnadillo to Direct Cinemax’s Drama Pilot “Blanco”

Posted on November 23, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

It’s an extra special Blanco Christmas for Juan Carlos Fresnadillo…

Cinemax has given a pilot greenlight to Blanco, a drama pilot project to be directed by the 45-year-old Spanish filmmaker.

The project, which stars Shiloh Fernandez centers on Ruben (portrayed by Fernandez), an uptown gangster — nicknamed Blanco for being a light-skinned Dominican — who uses his status as a confidential informant to turn the tables on law enforcement and build his criminal empire.

Written by Mark Rosner, Blanco hails from 20th Century Fox Television Studios and Lakeshore Entertainment.

Fresnadillo’s credits include directing 28 Weeks Later and Intacto, which earned him a Goya Award for Best New Director in 2002.

Gomez Appears in Sexy Short Film for Flaunt Magazine

Posted on November 12, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Selena Gomez is wiggin’ out in sultry style…

The 21-year-old singer/actress and former Disney Channel star shows off her sexy side in a short film made for Flaunt magazine.

Gomez shows a whole lot of skin in a lacy bra while getting cozy with actor Shiloh Fernandez, who gets shirtless, in the black-and-white clip.

In the thee-minute video called Searching, Gomez sports a black wig as she plays Violet, while Fernandez portrays a character named Harry. She walks through the street in downtown L.A. wearing a white trench coat in another scene.

Created by Victoria Mahoney and executive produced by Amanda de Cadenet, the dark-toned video was filmed in one day at the iconic Rosslyn Hotel in Los Angeles. Photos from the high-fashion shoot for the magazine were released earlier.

Gomez’s “Spring Breakers” to Premiere at SXSW Film Festival

Posted on January 17, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

It looks like Selena Gomez will be spring breaking in Austin this March…

The 20-year-old half-Mexican American actress/singer’s highly anticipated Spring Breakers will have its United States premiere at the SXSW Film Conference and Festival in Austin, taking place March 8-16.

Directed by Harmony Korine, Spring Breakers stars Gomez as one of four college girls who end up in jail after robbing a restaurant in order to fund their spring break vacation, only to find themselves bailed out by a drug and arms dealer who wants them to do a little dirty work.

In addition to Gomez, the film stars Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Benson and James Franco.

Meanwhile, Uruguayan director/screenwriter Fede Álvarez’s Evil Dead remake will have its world premiere at the festival.

Based on the cult classic from director Sam Raimi, the film centers on five friends, holed up in a remote cabin, who discover a Book of the Dead that unwittingly summons up dormant demons, which possess the youngsters in succession until only one is left to fight for survival.

The film stars Jane Levy, Shiloh Fernandez, Lou Taylor Pucci, Jessica Lucas and Elizabeth Blackmore.

Tri-Star Releases Trailer for the Alvarez-Directed “Evil Dead”

Posted on October 25, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Death becomes Fede Alvarez…

Following the release of Tuesday’s teaser trailer, TriStar Pictures has released the official trailer for The Evil Dead remake, which is being directed by the 34-year-old Uruguayan filmmaker.

The red band trailer for Evil Dead, which stars Jane Levy, Shiloh Fernandez, Jessica Lucas, Lou Taylor Pucci and Elizabeth Blackmore, centers on Mia, a young woman struggling with sobriety who heads to a remote cabin with her brother and a group of friends, where the discovery of a Book of the Dead leads to danger and horror.

Evil Dead is set to open in theaters on April 12, 2013.

Alvarez Teases His “The Evil Dead” Remake

Posted on October 23, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Fede Alvarez is putting his spin on an Evil classic…

The 34-year-old Uruguayan filmmaker is directing a remake of Sam Raimi’s The Evil Dead horror film, the first of the franchise’s three films. It’s Alvarez’s first full-length feature film. He’d previously directed the short films Panic Attack!, El cojonudo, El último Alevare and Los pocillos.

Sony‘s TriStar Pictures has released a teaser trailer in advance of the release of the updated film’s official trailer on Wednesday.

The original films revolve around the Necronomicon Ex-Mortis, a fictional Sumerian text which wreaks havoc on a group of cabin inhabitants in a wooded area in Tennessee. The protagonist, Ashley J. “Ash” Williams, played by Bruce Campbell, is the only character left alive by the end of the series.

Alvarez’s re-do, starring Suburgatory’s Jane Levy and Shiloh Fernandez centers on Mia, a young woman struggling with sobriety who heads to a remote cabin with her brother and a group of friends, where the discovery of a Book of the Dead leads to danger and horror.

Raimi and Campbell are both involved in the reboot, serving as producers on the film.

Evil Dead will be released on April 12, 2013.

Tapia’s Tragic Story Headed to the Big Screen

Posted on August 22, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

He’s was as one of the most successful Chicano boxers… And now a new biopic will shine a spotlight on Johnny Tapia’s life and death.

Entitled Johnny, the indie film—based on true events of Tapia’s early years—will shed new light on his tragic story. The five-time world champion boxer started fighting in the ring at age nine, becoming a star in the late 1990s after winning titles in the WBO Super flyweight and WBO Bantamweight divisions.

Tapia’s life had a streak of tragedy even as he fought to stand his ground against what life threw at him. His father was murdered while he was still in the womb and his mother was brutally kidnapped, raped and murdered when he was eight.

Tapia’s childhood traumas led to a life of drug addiction. When he was 40, Tapia suffered an overdose from cocaine abuse, and his brother-in-law and nephew were killed in a car accident on the way to see him at the hospital.

Red Riding Hood actor Shiloh Fernandez has signed on to play Tapia, who was found dead in his Albuquerque home on May 27, 2012 at the age of 45.

Eddie Alcazar is directing the indie, and co-writing the script with Bettina Gilois.

Filming onJohnny, which was already in development for months before his recent passing, is expected to start in 2013.

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