Aimee Garcia to Co-Write Untitled “47 Ronin” Sequel with AJ Mendez

Aimee Garcia has the write stuff…

The 42-year-old Puerto Rican and Mexican American actress and Lucifer star has been brought in to co-pen the upcoming untitled 47 Ronin sequel alongside New York Times bestselling author AJ Mendez for Universal 1440 Entertainment.

 

The action-fantasy film, which is being directed by Mulan‘s Ron Yuan, is thAimee Garciae follow up to the 2013 Universal Keanu Reeves movie which grossed over $151M WW.

The original film was directed by Carl Rinsch and written by Chris Morgan and Hossein Amini from a story conceived by Morgan and Walter Hamada. Also starring in that film were Hiroyuki Sanada, Tadanobu Asano, Rinko Kikuchi and Ko Shibasaki.

Based on Chūshingura, 47 Ronin tells a fictionalized account of the titular 47 rōnin, a real-life group of samurai in the 18th century who set out to avenge the death of their master who was killed by a merciless shogun.

“AJ and I are excited to write a diverse and inclusive action film,” said Garcia. “Director Ron Yuan’s vision to blend martial arts, horror, cyber-punk and action was inspiring and we’d like to thank the team at 1440 for being so supportive.”

“As creators of color, we’re honored to be part of a modern, multicultural story with powerful female leads,” said Mendez.

Garcia currently stars on Netflix’s Lucifer, new episodes of which are dropping on May 28, and she’ll also star in Marvel’s MODOK, premiering on Hulu on May 21.

Mendez’s pilot script Home landed on The Black List’s inaugural Latinx TV List in 2020. She’s a former championship wrestler with the WWE.

Garcia and Mendez are the co-authors of the comic book series Glow, based on the Netflix property, and Dungeons and Dragons for IDW Publishing, as well as Wonder Woman for DC Comics coming out in July.

The duo recently launched Scrappy Heart Productions to create diverse stories with universal themes across all media. Currently, Scrappy Heart is adapting Crazy Is My Superpower, based on Mendez’s bestselling memoir.

Oscar Isaac to Lend Voice to HBO Max’s “A World of Calm” Series

Oscar Isaac is helping bring the calm…

HBO Max has ordered A World of Calm, featuring the 41-year-old Guatemalan & Cuban actor’s voice.

Oscar Isaac

The series is based on Calm, a popular sleep and meditation app, and will be narrated by several big names like Isaac.

The 10-episode order, co-produced by Calm and Nutopia, is HBO Max’s first brush with the health and wellness space and 

From the creators of the Calm app and Nutopia, the series combines mesmeric imagery with narration by A-list stars like Isaac, Mahershala AliIdris ElbaNicole Kidman, Zoë KravitzLucy LiuCillian Murphy and Keanu Reeves.

Here’s the logline: A timely antidote for our modern lives, each half-hour episode takes audiences on an immersive visual journey into another world. Building on Calm’s Sleep Stories– bedtime stories for grown-ups – each relaxing tale is designed to transform how you feel. Viewers will be transported into tranquility through scientifically engineered narratives, enchanting music and astounding footage to naturally calm the body and soothe the mind.

“With the considerable amount of stress and chaos we are all experiencing at this particularly challenging time, we could all use a bit of guided relaxation, and A World of Calmis here to help,” said Jennifer O’Connell, EVP Non-fiction and Kids Programming at HBO Max.

“Although this collaboration has been in the works for many months,” said Nutopia CEO and founder Jane Root, “this series has been entirely created during quarantine using Nutopia’s worldwide network of award-winning cinematographers and filmmakers. We hope this series of serene stories will bring a sense of much needed calm to audiences.”

Added Calm co-founder and co-CEO Michael Acton Smith: “Calm started life as a meditation app, but the brand has evolved far beyond that. We are delighted to bring the magic behind our audio Sleep Stories to the screen for the first time. These experiences are visual Valium and will help people relax and unwind during these stressful times.”

Salma Hayek to Present at This Year’s Oscars

Salma Hayekwill be taking the Oscarsstage…

The 53-year-old Mexican actress and producer has been added to the list of presenters for the 92nd annual Academy Awards telecast on Sunday.

Salma Hayek

In addition to Hayek, who earned an Oscar nod for her portrayal of iconic Mexican painter Frida Kahlo in the 2002 film Frida, the new additions include Utkarsh AmbudkarBrie LarsonSpike LeeRay Romano, and Rebel Wilson

Previously announced presenters include James CordenPenélope CruzBeanie FeldsteinZack GottsagenDiane KeatonShia LaBeouf, George MacKaySteve MartinKeanu Reeves, Maya Rudolph, Zazie BeetzTimothée ChalametWill FerrellGal GadotMindy KalingJulia Louis-Dreyfus, Lin-Manuel MirandaAnthony RamosMark RuffaloKelly Marie Tran, Kristen Wiig and Sigourney Weaver.

The 92nd annual Academy Awards will be broadcast live on ABC on February 9 from the Dolby Theatre

Penelope Cruz to Present at This Year’s Oscars

Penelope Cruzhas a date with Oscar

The 45-year-old Spanish actress and Oscar winner is set to present at the 92nd annual Academy Awardson ABC

Penelope Cruz

Cruz, a three-time nominee who won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role in Woody Allen‘s Vicky Cristina Barcelona, joins a roster of new additions to the presenters roster that includes James CordenBeanie FeldsteinZack GottsagenDiane KeatonShia LaBeouf, George MacKaySteve MartinKeanu Reeves, Maya Rudolph and Sigourney Weaver.

Previously announced presenters include Zazie BeetzTimothée ChalametWill FerrellGal GadotMindy KalingJulia Louis-DreyfusLin-Manuel MirandaAnthony RamosMark RuffaloKelly Marie Tranand Kristen Wiig.

The Oscars will be televised live on February 9 from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.

Eréndira Ibarra to Star Opposite Keanu Reeves in “The Matrix 4”

Eréndira Ibarra is enterting the matrix…

The 34-year-old Mexican actress will be reuniting with Sense8 co-creator Lana Wachowski in the Warner Bros./Village Roadshow sequel The Matrix 4, which is expected to begin filming this year.

Eréndira Ibarra

Ibarra will be joining franchise returnees Keanu Reeves (Neo), Carrie-Anne Moss(Trinity), and Jada Pinkett Smith(Niobe) as well as newcomers Jessica HenwickNeil Patrick HarrisToby Onwumere, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, who is rumored to be playing young Morpheus. Henwick is buzzed to play a female Neo-like character.

Wachowski will direct and co-write the screenplay with Aleksandar Hemon and David Mitchell. Wachowski is producing with Grant Hill, who executive produced Matrix Reloaded and Matrix Revolutions. The Matrixtrilogy has grossed more than $1.6 billion at the worldwide box office.

Ibarra joined the first and second seasons of Netflix’s Sense8 in the role of Daniela Velázquez. 

She also starred in the Kate del Castillo Netflix series Ingobernable and the Amazon Prime series El CandidatoShe studied at the artistic studio in Casa Azul.

John Ortiz to Star in Transformers Spinoff “Bumblebee”

John Ortiz is transforming his resume…

The 49-year-old Puerto Rican actor is set to star opposite Hailee Steinfeld and Jon Cena in Paramount Pictures’ Bumblebee, the first spinoff of the Transformers franchise.

John Ortiz

It’s set in 1987, where Bumblebee, who is refuged in a junkyard, is discovered and revived by Charlie (Steinfeld) who, on the cusp of turning 18, is trying to find her place in the world.

The blockbuster film, which will open in theaters on December 21, 2018, has Travis Knight directing from a script by Christina Hodson.

Lorenzo Di Bonaventura, Michael Bay and Steven Spielberg are producing with Hasbro’s Brian Goldner and Stephen Davis.

Ortiz’s upcoming film slate includes Paramount’s God Particle, produced by JJ Abrams and starring David OyelowoReplicas opposite Keanu Reeves, and Nostalgia with Jon Hamm.

Netflix Acquires Global Streaming Rights to Ramirez’s Thriller “Madre”

Life is but a stream for Daniela Ramírez

Netflix has acquired global streaming rights to Madre, Aaron Burns’ psychological thriller starring the 30-year-old Chilean actress.

Daniela Ramirez

Madre, which made its premiere at SXSW, marks Burns’ sophomore turn as feature director.

Madre stars Ramírez as a four-months-pregnant mother of a severely autistic boy (Matías Bassi). After a chance encounter with a gifted Filipino caretaker (Aida Jabolin), the young mother begins to suspect that the new nanny is using the language barrier to turn the boy against her. And then things get sinister.

Burns, who appeared in Roth’s pics The Green Inferno and Keanu Reeves-starrer Knock, Knock, directs Madre from his own original screenplay.

His comedy Blacktino was released in 2011, and before that he worked on visual effects for Grindhouse and Machete, among other credits.

Netflix will begin streaming Madre exclusively by the end of 2017.

Ramirez’s previous credits include La Poseída and Los Archivos del Cardenal.

Leguizamo Returning to Star Opposite Keanu Reeves in “John Wick 2”

John Leguizamo is back to his Wick-ed ways…

The 51-year-old Colombian actor and comedian is set to return for the sequel to the sleeper hitman-themed hit John Wick, starring Keanu Reeves.

John Leguizamo

Filming has just begun in New York and will head to Rome in the New Year. As with the original, John Wick 2 will be directed by Chad Stahelski.

The original film centered on an ex-hitman (Reeves) who is brought out of retirement as he seeks revenge on a group of gangsters who took everything from him. Plot details are being kept under wraps for the sequel.

In addition to Leguizamo, who starred as Aurelio in the original, the sequel will see the return of Bridget Moynahan, Ian McShane, Thomas Sadoski and Lance Reddick.

Newcomers to the film include Ruby Rose, Riccardo Scamarcio, Peter Stormare and Common.

Derek Kolstad (John Wick) wrote the screenplay.

The film will be released through Lionsgate’s Summit Entertainment.

The original grossed $130.9 million worldwide last fall.

Luna to Star in the Dystopian Love Story “The Bad Batch”

Diego Luna is part of a bad, bad batch

The 35-year-old Mexican actor has joined the ensemble cast of the dystopian love story The Bad Batch.

Diego Luna

Luna has been cast opposite Suki Waterhouse, Keanu Reeves and Jim Carrey in the Ana Lily Amirpour-directed film from Megan Ellison’s Annapurna Pictures and VICE.

Jimmy, Waterhouse will play the charter of Arlen, Reeves will play The Dream, and Carrey The Hermit.

Production is set to start in L.A. on the Texas wasteland cannibal tale next month. Luna will play

Winner of the Gotham Award for Breakthrough Director for her debut, the Iranian vampire feature A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night, Amirpour is also writing The Bad Batch.

de Armas to Star Opposite Jonah Hill in “Arms and The Dudes”

Ana de Armas is up in arms

The 26-year-old Cuban actress has landed a starring role opposite Miles Teller and Jonah Hill in Warner Bros.’ Arms and The Dudes.

Ana de Armas

The Todd Phillips film, which heads into production this month, revolves around two buddies who join forces as young adults to become successful international arms dealers until they find themselves well beyond their depth.

The film is based on a 2011 Rolling Stone article by Guy Lawson.

de Armas was at the Sundance Film Festival last month with her latest movie, Eli Roth’s Knock Knock, in which she stars opposite Keanu Reeves.

Her credits include the upcoming Roberto Duran biopic Hands of Stone and she’s shooting Gee Malik Linton’s mystery-thriller Daughter of God right now in New York City.