Penélope Cruz In Talks to Star in Netflix’s Upcoming Nancy Meyers Film “Paris Paramount” (Working Title)

Penélope Cruz could be starring in a comedy soon…

The 48-year-old Spanish Oscar-winning actress is in talks to star opposite Scarlett Johansson, Michael Fassbender and Owen Wilson in the big-budget Netflix comedy marking Nancy Meyers’ return to directing, Deadline can confirm.

Penelope CruzSources say actor deals have not yet closed, as budgeting is still being worked through. Netflix had no comment.

The film currently titled Paris Paramount, which tells the story of an above-the-line filmmaking duo who reunite (begrudgingly) on set after falling in and out of love with one another.

Meyers will direct from her own script and also serve as producer on the film, which sources tell us is at a budget exceeding $100M.

The project will mark her first as director since The Intern, a buddy comedy of sorts starring Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway, which was released by Warner Bros in 2015.

Most recently appearing in films including Emanuele Crialese’s L’immensitàOfficial Competition with Antonio Banderas, and Pedro Almodóvar’s Oscar-nominated Parallel Mothers, Cruz will next be seen starring opposite Adam Driver in Michael Mann’s Ferrari.

An Academy Award-nominated writer, director and producer best known for her work in the rom-com space, Meyers has also previously helmed features including It’s Complicated, The HolidaySomething’s Gotta GiveWhat Women Want and The Parent Trap.

Disney Releases Teaser Trailer for Rosario Dawson’s “Haunted Mansion”

Rosario Dawson is ready to thrill

Disney has released the teaser trailer for Haunted Mansion, its theme park attraction-turned-creepy comedy adventure film starring the 43-year-old Puerto Rican and Cuban American actress and activist.

Rosario DawsonJustin Simien directs a cast that includes LaKeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito, Dawson, Chase W. Dillon and Dan Levy, with Jamie Lee Curtis and Jared Leto. Kate Dippold wrote the script.

The plot centers on a woman (Dawson) and her son (Dillon) who enlist a motley crew of so-called spiritual experts to help rid their home of supernatural squatters.

The opening shot of the trailer and some hat(box)-tips inside the house will be familiar to all who have been to Disneyland, and the comic-fright balance seems right especially thanks to the vibe put out by Stanfield and Wilson, with Roy Orbison’s “House Without Windows” playing in the background.

Simien introduced the film originally last summer at Comic-Con, where fans saw a fuller trailer for the film based on the ride that debuted at Disneyland in 1969 with characters including Madame Leota, the skeletal Bride and the cloaked Hatbox Ghost. Eddie Murphy starred in a 2003 movie version.

“For me, there was something about that ride I felt was there in the [new] script,” said Simien, who worked at Disneyland one summer and said Haunted Mansion was his favorite ride. “It was funny and full of interesting characters, but with a dark edge to it. I just related to it. It felt I knew how to make it. I love New Orleans and I felt I had a responsibility here to make sure all the little Easter eggs are there.”

Haunted Mansion will hit theaters on July 28.

Rafael Casal Lands Major Role in Second Season of Disney+’s Marvel Series “Loki”

Rafael Casal is joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe

The 36-year-old part-Spanish and Cuban American actor will appear in a major role in the upcoming second season of Disney+’s Marvel series Loki.

Rafael CasalA representative for Marvel declined to comment on the casting, but word of Casal’s addition started trickling out when a photo from the set of Season 2 leaked online.

It features Casal walking alongside Tom Hiddleston and Owen Wilson, who are back, reprising their roles as anti-hero Loki and Mobius, respectively.

Details about Casal’s character are being kept under wraps; online speculation includes a hypothesis that he could be playing Zaniac.

Following strong reviews and record viewing numbers for the original installment, Loki became the first Marvel series for Disney+ to get a second season.

Loki is set in a Marvel Cinematic Universe-adjacent world, in which the God of Mischief is a fish-out-of-water when he lands in trouble with the bureaucratic TVA (Time Variance Authority) after absconding with the Tesseract.

Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead are co-directing a majority of the episodes in the new season. Hiddleston and Michael Waldron, who wrote and served as showrunner in Season 1, executive produce. Eric Martin is penning all six episodes.

Casal, along with Daveed Diggs, co-wrote, produced and starred in the 2018 movie Blindspotting.

The two co-created and executive produce Starz’s Blindspotting series spinoff, which debuted earlier this year, with Casal as showrunner and reprising his role from the movie.

The series, which has been renewed for a second season, earned an Indie Spirit Award and Gotham Award nominations for Best New/Breakthrough series.

Casal’s acting credits also include Good Lord Bird, Bad Education and Are You Afraid of the Dark?

Maluma Becomes First Musician to Design Limited-Edition Bottle for Hennessy V.S.O.P.

Maluma is bottling up his artistic talent…

The 28-year-old Colombian singer-songwriter is celebrating his three-year partnership with cognac brand Hennessy with the release of a special, limited-edition bottle.

The neon-hued Hennessy V.S.O.P bottle, designed entirely by Maluma — who becomes the first musician ever to design a limited-edition bottle for Hennessy V.S.O.P. — is a reflection of the singer-songwriter’s culture and roots.

“That was the most important thing for me,” Maluma, who partnered with Hennessy back in 2019, tells Billboard via Zoom. “That they give me the opportunity to come up with how the bottle would look. Not only because I’d be the first musician to do so, but because I wanted to tell my story with the design. If you look closely, you can see the buildings that identify my city, Medellín. That’s always been my plan, to take my city and my culture to a global level. I always want everyone to know where I come from.”

Jasmin Allen, senior vice president, Hennessy U.S., said in a statement: “Hennessy has a long history of championing and celebrating those who push the limits of potential, and Maluma’s journey is the perfect personification of our brand ethos.  With this collaboration, we continue our legacy embracing Maluma’s expansive perspective in this Hennessy V.S.O.P limited edition — where quality meets unapologetic originality.”

In tune with Hennessy’s “Never Stop. Never Settle” motto, Maluma — whose 2021 Papi Juancho Tour grossed a grand total of $24 million and is featured as narrator in the newly released Amazon Prime documentary Mi Selección Colombia — most recently scored his first-ever entry on Billboard‘s Regional Mexican Airplay chart thanks to “Cada Quien,” his collaboration with Grupo Firme.

“I’ve always been a fan of regional Mexican music, of ranchera and mariachi,” he says about scoring a No. 1 on the tally. “Being on a Mexican chart in the U.S., well that’s a big deal. I always dreamt of that. When I travel to Mexico, it’s like being at home, I feel part of it, and I am very grateful to Grupo Firme for making this possible.”

Additionally, the “Hawái” singer will make his debut on the big screen on February 11 with Marry Me, starring alongside Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson. He’s also featured on the film’s soundtrack, which is set to drop Friday. Originally slated to be released in 2021, Maluma is eager for fans to see his acting chops in the rom-com. “I feel happy, I feel very proud. It’s the beginning of a new journey because I didn’t act before and doing it next to Jennifer and Owen, it’s such a big deal. I want to keep acting. I love it and it’s part of my art.”

The Hennessy V.S.O.P Limited Edition by Maluma design is now available nationwide for a limited time only.

Visit Hennessy.com for more information.

Rosario Dawson to Help Reveal This Year’s SAG Awards Nominations

Rosario Dawson is helping with a big reveal…

The 42-year-old Puerto Rican and Cuban American actress and activist will team up with Vanessa Hudgens to announce this year’s SAG Awards nominations on Wednesday, January 12, at 10:00 am ET/7 am PT via Instagram Live.

Rosario DawsonThis marks the second consecutive year the SAG nominations will be announced via Instagram Live as part of the @sagawardsInstagram Stories.

With the Golden Globes mired in a diversity scandal, resulting in a non-telecast of the awards show on NBC, the SAG Awards this year reps the first big awards show to honor the best of actors and actresses in television and film for 2021.

SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher will give an introduction before the SAG nominations are revealed.

Nominations for the Outstanding Action Performances by Television and Film ensembles will follow, with announcements made by SAG Awards Committee members Jason George and Elizabeth McLaughlin.

The 28th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards will be simulcast live on TNT and TBS on Sunday, February 27, 2022 at 8:00 pm ET / 5:00 pm PT from The Barker Hangar in Santa Monica.

Dawson recently starred in the Hulu series Dopesickand stars next in the Disney+/Lucasfilm series Ahsoka as Ahsoka Tano and the HBO Max/DC series DMZ

She’s filming Disney’s new Haunted Mansion movie with Owen Wilson, Tiffany Haddish, LaKeith Stanfield and Danny DeVito.

Her feature credits include Harmony Korine’s KidsSpike Lee’s He Got Game and The 25th Houras well as Alexander, Rent, Clerks II, Top Five, Trance, Unstoppable and Men in Black II, as well as the Sin City franchise.

For her performance in Seven Pounds, she won Best Actress in a Motion Picture Award at the 2009 NAACP Image Awards.

Jennifer Lopez to Star in Netflix’s Sci-Fi Thriller “Atlas”

Jennifer Lopez will be fighting to save the world…

The 51-year-old Puerto Rican superstar will star in and produce the Netflix sci-fi thriller Atlas.

Jennifer Lopez

The film will be directed by Brad Peyton, with Aron Eli Coleite is writing the most recent draft of the script based off Leo Sardarian’s original script.

Joby Harold and Tory Tunnell will produce for Safehouse Pictures along with Peyton and Jeff Fierson for ASAP Entertainment, as well as Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas and Benny Medina joining Lopez to produce through Nuyorican Productions.

The film follows Atlas, a woman fighting for humanity in a future where an AI soldier has determined the only way to end war is to end humanity. To outthink this rogue AI, Atlas must work with the one thing she fears most — another AI.

“I’m so honored to be working with Jennifer, Elaine and the rest of the team at Nuyorican Productions along with our partners Joby and Tory at Safehouse,” Peyton said. “Having the chance to direct Jennifer in the title role of this movie is a dream come true, as I know she’ll bring the incredible strength, depth and authenticity we’ve all come to admire from her work. Furthermore, Jeff and I are so excited to be back working with Scott, Ori and the entire team at Netflix. They have been nothing short of amazing to work with and we are blessed to have the opportunity to make another movie on the service.”

The film falls under the newly announced creative partnership between Lopez’s Nuyorican Productions and Netflix where Lopez, producing partner Goldsmith-Thomas and longtime manager Medina will produce a slate of films, television series, scripted and unscripted content, with an emphasis on projects that support diverse female actors, writers and filmmakers.

The first two announced projects both starring Lopez include The Mother, which is directed by Niki Carpo, and The Cipher, based on the novel by Isabella Maldonado.

Lopez can be seen next in the Universal rom com Marry Me opposite Owen Wilson and also has the Lionsgate action comedy Shotgun Wedding. Both films come out in 2022.

Michael Peña to Star Opposite Owen Wilson in Paramount’s “Secret Headquarters”

Michael Peña has a secret project

The 45-year-old Mexican American actor will star opposite Owen Wilson in Paramount’s Secret Headquarters.

Michael Peña

Directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman, the film will also star Walker Scobell, Momona Tamada, Keith L. Williams, Abby James Witherspoon and Kezii Curtis.

Jerry Bruckheimer will produce.

Joost & Schulman and Josh Koenigsberg are writing the current draft.

The story is based on an original screenplay by Christopher Yost, who was the sole previous writer on the project. Chad Oman is also producing for Bruckheimer Films. Orlee-Rose Strauss is exec producing.

The film is a high-concept family action movie about a kid who discovers the secret headquarters of the world’s most powerful superhero hidden beneath his home and must defend it with his group of friends when villains attack. Details behind who Peña would be playing are unknown.

The film is set to bow on August 12, 2022.

Peña was most recently seen in Warner Bros.’ live-action hybrid Tom & Jerry and can be seen next in the Roland Emmerich film Moonfall for Lionsgate.

Jennifer Lopez to Star in & Produce Netflix’s Action Feature “The Mother”

Jennifer Lopez has landed a mother of a role…

The 51-year-old Puerto Rican superstar is reteaming with Netflix to star in and produce the action feature The Mother.

Lopez will play a deadly female assassin who comes out of hiding to protect the daughter she gave up years before, while on the run from dangerous men. The project is reportedly in the spirit of the Luc Besson classic The Professional.

Misha Green penned the original screenplay with revisions Andrea Berloff.

Lopez is producing with Elaine Goldsmith Thomas for Nuyorican Productions; Benny Medina; Roy Lee and Miri Yoon for Vertigo Entertainment; as well as Green. Catherine Hagedorn will serve as EP with Courtney Baxter as Associate Producer.

Niki Caro is in talks to direct.

Lopez is starring in and producing the Netflix adaptation of the Isabella Maldonado novel The Cipher In that movie, Lopez will play FBI agent Nina Guerrera, who is pulled into a serial killer’s case after he leaves complex codes and riddles online, which are linked to his recent murders.

Lopez recently performed at the U.S. Presidential Inauguration of Joe Biden. She is currently filming Lionsgate’s Shotgun Weddingand will be seen in Universal’s musical-driven romantic comedy Marry Me with Owen Wilson, which is set for theatrical release on May 14.

In 2019, Lopez scored her biggest domestic opening for a live-action feature at the box office and stateside hit with STX’s Hustlers ($33.1M opening, $105M domestic B.O.), a role which earned her a second Golden Globe nomination, as well as a supporting actress SAG nomination.

Maluma Makes History as First Male to Grace the Cover of ELLE Magazine

It’s a historic first for Maluma

The 26-year-old Colombian singer/songwriter and heartthrob has made history as ELLE magazine’s first-ever solo male cover.

Maluma, ELLE Magazine

Maluma shares the February cover spotlight with Jennifer Lopez, who graces a separate cover of the magazine.

Maluma’s cover features the global superstar rocking green hair.

Maluma, ELLE Magazine

Although the Colombian singer-songwriter’s world tour was suspended last year due to the coronavirus pandemic, Maluma’s popularity has continued to skyrocket with a high octane performances at the MTV Video Music Awards and the American Music Awards, a “Hawái” remix with The Weeknd and more.

Maluma, ELLE Magazine

“Jennifer, she’s not only a work partner — I would say she is my friend,” Maluma said of J.Lo during the interview. “She is someone I admire, and she is someone I’ve followed since I was a little kid. So for me, being part of this movie was almost surreal. It was a big surprise when they called me, but I was ready for it.”

In May, Maluma and Lopez will star alongside Owen Wilson in the rom-com Marry Me.

Jennifer Lopez to Star Opposite Armie Hammer in the Lionsgate Action-Comedy “Shotgun Wedding”

It’s wedding bells and shotgun shells for Jennifer Lopez

The 51-year-old Puerto Rican superstar will star opposite Armie Hammer in Lionsgate’s action-comedy Shotgun Wedding.

Pitch Perfect’s Jason Moore will direct from a screenplay by Mark Hammer and Liz Meriwether.

“Jennifer and Armie’s irresistible magnetism, separately and together, make them the perfect pairing for this action comedy,” said Erin Westerman, president of production for Lionsgate’s Motion Picture Group. “They are both incredibly funny actors that can also deliver on the action, but what sets this movie apart is the way their infectious chemistry commands the screen. You can’t take your eyes off them.”

The film follows Darcy (Lopez) and Tom (Hammer), who gather their lovable but very opinionated families for the ultimate destination wedding just as the couple begin to get cold feet. And if that wasn’t enough of a threat to the celebration, suddenly everyone’s lives are in danger when the entire party is taken hostage.

Lopez will produce the film alongside her Nuyorican Productions’ colleagues Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas and Benny Medina.

Production is expected to begin early next year. The film will be presented at the upcoming AFM.

Lopez can be seen next in highly-anticipated Universal rom-com Marry Me opposite Maluma and Owen Wilson.

She recently received rave reviews for her work in the STX film Hustlers.