Salma Hayek to Reprise Kitty Softpaws Role in “Puss in Boots” Sequel “The Last Wish”

Posted on March 14, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Salma Hayek Pinault is pawing her way back to the big screen…

The 55-year-old Mexican actress will reprise the role of Kitty Softpaws in the long-awaited Puss in Boots movie sequel The Last Wish.

Hayek will re-team with Antonio Banderas, who voices the titular feline character, on the animated film.

Hayek and Banderas will contend with a third amigo this time around as Harvey Guillén (makes his franchise debut in the role of Perro, Kitty and Puss’ canine associate.

Also part of the A-list ensemble is Florence Pugh, Olivia Colman, Wagner Moura, Ray Winstone, John Mulaney, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Anthony Mendez and Samson Kayo.

The Last Wish follows the daring outlaw Puss in Boots as he discovers that his passion for peril and disregard for safety have taken their toll.

The original film, released in 2011, was a Shrek spinoff following Puss’ adventures prior to his debut appearance in Shrek 2. Puss in Boots made more than $149 million at the domestic box office, and close to $555 million worldwide.

Talks of a follow-up go as far back as 2014. Puss in Boots 2: Nine Lives & 40 Thieves was announced in June of that year with DreamWorks Animation setting a November release date. It was delayed by a month before it was removed from the schedule due to restructuring at DreamWorks.

After many more internal changes, The Last Wish finally received a September 23, 2022, release date with Banderas’ return confirmed.

Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado serve as director and co-director of The Last Wish, respectively; Mark Swift will produce.

The film is executive produced by Illumination founder and CEO Chris Meledandri. Universal is set to handle distribution.

The first trailer for the project will debut March 15.

Eiza González Signs with William Morris Endeavor (WME)

Posted on August 22, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Eiza González has new representation…

The 30-year-old Mexican actress/singer has signed with William Morris Endeavor (WME) for representation in all areas.

González rose to acclaim after her roles in El Rey’s series From Dusk till Dawn, in which she collaborated with Robert Rodriguez. She further increased her star power in the United States after appearing in Edgar Wright’s 2017 summer blockbuster Baby Driveras Darling, the heist girlfriend to Jon Hamm’s Buddy, in the $227M grossing movie.

González has scored roles in notable movies, including Nyssiana in the Rodriguez-directed 20th Century Fox sci-fi movie Alita: Battle Angel($404.8M WW), Madame M opposite Jason Statham and Dwayne Johnson in Hobbs & Shaw($759M WW), and the upcoming Legendary/Warner Bros. sequel Godzilla vs. Kongdue out on May 21, 2021.

She most recently starred in Sony Pictures’ Bloodshotopposite Vin Diesel and Guy Pearce, which earned her an Imagen Award nomination for Best Actress in a Feature Film.

González will next be seen opposite Rosamund Pike and Peter Dinklage in I Care A Lot, which will premiere at the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival.

The Mexico City native studied at the American School Foundation, the Edron Academy, M&M Studio and Televisa’s Centro de Educación Artística.’

Her breakthrough came in the teenage telenovela Lola: Érase una vezin 2007. González also starred in numerous additional series in Mexico. She signed with Universal Music, and recorded five albums.

Her other feature credits include Robert Zemeckis’ Welcome to Marwen, and voiceover credits in DreamWorks’ The Croods and 20th Century Fox’s Alvin and the Chipmunks and Horton Hears A Who!

Guillermo Del Toro Unveils Trailer for His Diego Luna-Voiced Series “DreamWorks Tales of Arcadia: 3Below”

Posted on October 8, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

Guillermo Del Toro is going 3 below…

The 54-year-old Mexican Oscar-winning filmmaker, screenwriter and producer has unveiled a first look at Netflix’s DreamWorks Tales of Arcadia: 3Below, the second chapter in the DreamWorks Tales of Arcadia.

del Toro, 3Below’screator and executive producer, shared details of the project at New York Comic Con. He was joined by voice talent Diego Luna, and fellow executive producers Rodrigo Blaas, Marc Guggenheim and Chad Hammes.

The series will feature Luna and Tatiana Maslany in the lead roles of Krel and Aja. Nick Offerman, Andy Garcia, Nick Frost, Alon Aboutboul, Chris Obi, Uzo Aduba, Cheryl Hines, Tom Kenny, Haley Atwell, Danny Trejo, and Ann Dowd will be lending their voices along with returning talent from Trollhunters including Emile Hirsch, Charlie Saxton, Lexi Medrano, Steven Yeun, Cole Sands, Kelsey Grammer and more.

Additionally, The Crystal Method created the main title theme that is heard in the opening credits video.

In 3Below,two royal teenage aliens, and their bodyguard flee a surprise takeover of their home planet by an evil dictator and crash land in Arcadia. Now on the run from intergalactic bounty hunters, they struggle to blend in and adapt to the bizarre world of high school all the while attempting to repair their ship so they can return and defend their home planet.

DreamWorks Tales of Arcadia: 3Belowpremieres on December 21 on Netflix.

Ortiz Lands Roles in “Going In Style” and “A Dog’s Purpose”

Posted on September 10, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

John Ortiz is ending the year with a bang, landing back-to-back film roles…

The 47-year-old Puerto Rican actor, director and producer will first star in New Line Cinema’s upcoming comedy Going In Style, directed by Zach Braff from a script by Theodore Melfi.

Ortiz will portray “Jesus,” a Mensa smart criminal who is socially responsible and deplores society’s treatment of the elderly.

He joins Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine and Alan Arkin, along with Ann-Margret, Peter Serafinowicz, Joey King and Christopher Lloyd, in the remake of the 1979 classic.

Ortiz will then follow up that film with the live action DreamWorks feature A Dog’s Purpose, based on the novel by W. Bruce Cameron.

The film is a series of vignettes directed by Lasse Hallstrom and starring Bradley Cooper (as the voice of the dog), along with Dennis Quaid, Britt Robertson, KJ Apa, Juliet Rylance and Peggy Lipton.

Ortiz stars in his segment as “Carlos”, a stern, all business cop who trains his dog to assist him in solving crime.

Ortiz can next be seen in Disney’s The Finest Hours, starring Chris Pine and Casey Affleck, and directed by Craig Gillespie, as well as Danny Boyle’s Steve Jobs.

He recently wrapped the indie A Woman, A Part starring opposite Maggie Siff and directed by Elisabeth Subrin.

Film Arcade Acquires U.S. Distribution Rights to Kid Cudi’s “James White”

Posted on April 22, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Kid Cudi’s latest project is headed to a theater near you…

The Film Arcade has acquired the U.S. distribution rights to the Josh Mond-directed James White, starring the 31-year-old part-Mexican American hip-hop singer/actor, whose real name is Scott Mescudi.

The film is a coming-of-age story about a young New Yorker struggling to take control of his self-destructive behavior in the face of momentous family changes.

James White also stars Christopher Abbott and Cynthia Nixon.

The film premiered at the 2015 Sundance Sundance Film Festival and won the Best of Next Audience Award.

Kid Cudi, who is starring in the film version of HBO’s series Entourage, previously starred in the premium cable network’s series How to Make It in America. He also appeared opposite Aaron Paul in the DreamWorks video game film adaptation Need For Speed.

Lopez Releases a Glamorous & Intergalatic Video for “Feel the Light”

Posted on March 21, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Forget “Jenny from the Block”… Jennifer Lopez is an intergalactic goddess who could be called “Jenny from the Milky Way.”

Following her show-stopping performance on American Idol, the 45-year-old Puerto Rican singer/actress has released the official music video for her new ballad “Feel the Light,” which is featured in the animated film Home.

Lopez, who voices the character Lucy in the Dreamworks animated adventure film, is seen flying through space while bedazzled with sparkling gems (a la “Waiting for Tonight” in the intergalactic-themed clip.

She also wears a white catsuit with sheer-paneling as she stands on what appears to be a spaceship against the backdrop of far-off galaxies.

In another part of the video JLo dances with some of the animated aliens from the film in a white party dress and skyscraper heels, showing them how to get their dance groove on.

Home will be released later this month, and also features the voices of Jim Parsons, Rihanna and Steve Martin.

It centers around Oh (Parsons), an alien on the run from his own people who lands on Earth and befriends Tip (Rihanna), helping her reunite with her mother Lucy (Lopez). The duo embark on an adventure together where Oh comes to understand that being different and making mistakes is all part of being human.

‘It’s the first movie I’ve been in that my kids had heard about before I told them,’ Lopez told Access Hollywood earlier this week.

Lopez noted that it was her first time releasing a ballad as a single.

“It’s very weird for me not to move,” she laughed.

Kid Cudi to Appear in the Psychological Thriller “Meadowland”

Posted on August 19, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Kid Cudi is heading to the Meadowlands…

The 30-year-old part-Mexican American hip-hop artist-turned-actor, whose real name is Scott Mescudi, has been cast in the psychological drama Meadowland.

Directed by award-winning cinematographer Reed Morano in her directing debut, the film centers on Sarah (Olivia Wilde) and David (Luke Wilson), a New York couple dealing with the unthinkable after their son disappears.

No word yet on who Kid Cudi will portray in the psychological thriller.

In addition to Kid Cudi, Wilson and Wilde, the film also stars Giovanni Ribisi, Mark Feuerstein, Kevin Corrigan and Juno Temple.

Meadowland is currently in production.

Additionally, Kid Cudi wrapped the films James White and Two Night Stand.

Trailer Released for Dreamworks’ 3D Animated Film “Home,” Featuring the Voices of Lopez and Rihanna

Posted on June 14, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Jennifer Lopez is heading Home for her latest project…

Dreamworks has released the first trailer for Home, the 3D aliens-hiding-on-Earth tale featuring the voices of the 44-year-old actress/singer and American Idol judge.

Based on Adam Rex‘s children’s book The True Meaning of Smekday, the Tim Johnson-directed centers on an overly optimistic, yet inept,alien race named Boov, led by Captain Smek, that invades Earth to hide from their mortal enemy and make it a new home.Convinced they are doing a favor, they begin to relocate the human race, but one resourceful girl, Tip (voiced by Rihanna), manages to avoid capture.When on the run, she’s accompanied by a banished Boov, named Oh (Jim Parsons), who has accidentally notified the enemies of his whereabouts.

Lopez voices the character of Tip’s mother.

Home is set for a March 27, 2015 release via 20th Century Fox.

Kid Cudi to Star in the Film Version of HBO’s “Entourage” Series

Posted on February 20, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Kid Cudi has found a new entourage…

The 30-year-old part-Mexican American singer-songwriter and actor has been cast in the film version of HBO’s hit series Entourage.

Kid Cudi, whose real name is Scott Mescudi, will portray Ari Gold’s (Jeremy Piven) new assistant now that Lloyd (Rex Lee) has moved up to rep.

It’s the latest role on an HBO-based project from Kid Cudi, who previously starred on the cable network’s comedy series How to Make It in America.

He’s about to appear opposite Aaron Paul in the DreamWorks video game adaptation Need For Speed.

Kid Cudi just wrapped the films James White and Two Night Stand.

He’s also set to perform at this year’s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

Bardem to Portray Spanish Conquistador Hernan Cortes on the Big Screen?

Posted on January 6, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Javier Bardem could soon be experiencing Montezuma’s revenge…

The 44-year-old Spanish Oscar-winning actor has reportedly expressed interest in starring as Spanish explorer and conquistador Hernan Cortes, the man who caused the fall of the Aztec Empire, in the film Montezuma.

The film, one of Hollywood’s fabled projects that Steven Spielberg hopes to direct, will be rewritten and produced by Steve Zaillian, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Montezuma, explores the complicated relationship between Cortes and the Aztec emperor Montezuma.

The original script was written in the 1960s by Dalton Trumbo, the screenwriter who was part of the Hollywood Ten and was blacklisted in the 1950s. It was intended to reteam the writer with star Kirk Douglas, who starred in Trumbo’s classic Spartacus.

The project fell by the wayside but now has found a home, decades later, with DreamWorks.

Spielberg has been looking for a project to direct since shelving Robopocalypse last year. He had intended to direct Bradley Cooper in American Sniper but parted ways with Warner Bros. over budgetary differences. (Clint Eastwood is now on board to direct that project, which should shoot this year.)

Spielberg is notorious for developing, some might even say overdeveloping, projects but not pulling the trigger. But Zaillian and Spielberg have a long history, and the two made Schindler’s List into a Oscar-winning hit. It is, however, unclear what other projects Spielberg is developing in addition to Montezuma that might vie for his attention.

Also unclear is where the project will ultimately land. DreamWorks has a first-look deal with Disney and its movies are released under the Touchstone label. Disney will get first crack at the project and if it passes, Fox could be a possible home as Zaillian and his shingle, Film Rites, have their first-look there.

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