Eva Longoria to Star Opposite Ice Cube in Untitled Sci-Fi Film for Universal

Eva Longoria is breaking the Ice

The 45-year-old Mexican American actress, producer and director will star opposite Ice Cube in an untitled grounded sci-fi movie, with Patrick Aiello and Timur Bekmambetov producing. Rich Lee will direct from a script by Kenneth Golde.

Eva Longoria

Plot details are vague other then it being described as a grounded sci-fi film in the vein of District 9 already that touches on themes of privacy versus surveillance. Universal has greenlighted the film and has fast tracked it by having it go into production this month.

Universal landed the package last month and what really sealed the deal was the technology that Bekmambetov has been fine-tuning ever since signing his five-picture deal with the studio. The idea behind this format that was part of the presentation is a production that had the look of commercial event film but at the budget of a contained thriller. This new technology will allow for a fully remote production with all actors and crew working from their individual separate locations. So basically if Cube or Longoria wanted his part of the shoot to be done from his home, it could be done without a problem and with crew working from somewhere else.

The shoot would be a first of its kind at this scope and is not only done at a lower budget but also provides the safe working environment every studio is trying to achieve during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Longoria, who recently signed with WME, was most recently seen Dora and the Lost City of the Gold and Slyvie’s Love. She also set to star in Flamin’ Hot for Searchlight, the recently announced Spa Day for Sony and 24/7 for Universal, which she will also direct.

Extended Trailer Released for Luna & Matt Damon’s “Elysium”

Diego Luna is preparing to have a sci-fi summer…

The 33-year-old Mexican actor forms part of the cast of the Matt Damon-starrer Elysium, which recently saw its extended trailer released.

Diego Luna in Elysium

The sci-fi film is set in the year 2154, during a time when a new caste system is in place. Earth is populated by the have-nots, while the privileged live in a veritable utopia aboard a massive spaceship.

Earth-bound ne’er-do-well Max Da Costa (Damon) gets some souped-up surgery and invades the ship monitored by Secretary of Defense Delacourt (Jodie Foster). Much battling ensues.

Elysium is the second feature from writer-director Neill Blomkamp, who earned an Adapted Screenplay Oscar nomination for his 2009 debut District 9.

Along with Luna, Damon and Foster, Elysium stars Sharlto Copley, Alice Braga, Wagner Moura and Faran Tahir.

Sony Pictures will release the film on August 9.

Cordero’s “Europa Report” to be Released This Summer

Sebastián Cordero’s English-language debut Europa Report will debut online and in theaters this summer.

Sebastian Cordero

Magnet Releasing, which picked up the found-footage-thriller in February, has announced plans to release the 40-year-old Ecuadorian director’s film on video-on-demand on June 27 and in theaters on August 2.

Cordero’s English-language debut follows the crew of a spaceship exploring alien life on Jupiter’s fourth moon.

Europa Report

District 9’s Sharlto Copley leads the international cast that includes Michael Nyqvist, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Christian Camargo, Karolina Wydra, Anamaria Marinca and Daniel Wu.