Nicolas Cantu to Star in CG-Animated Feature “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem”

Posted on March 4, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

It’s turtle time for Nicolas Cantu.

The 19-year-old Latino actor will lend his voice to the CG-animated theatrical feature Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem from Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon Movies and Point Grey Productions.

Seth Rogen, who voices mutant warthog Bebop, made the announcement at the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards on Saturday night in an appearance alongside lead cast members Micah Abbey, Shamon Brown Jr., Cantu and Brady Noon.

Abbey will voice Ninja Turtle Donatello, with Brown Jr. as Michelangelo, Cantu as Leonardo and Noon as Raphael.

Others lending their voices to the film heading to theaters on August 4 include Hannibal Buress as Genghis Frog; Rose Byrne as Leatherhead; John Cena as Rocksteady; Jackie Chan as Splinter; Ice Cube as Superfly; Natasia Demetriou as Wingnut; Ayo Edebiri as April O’Neil; Giancarlo Esposito as Baxter Stockman; Post Malone as Ray Fillet; Paul Rudd as Mondo Gecko; and Maya Rudolph as Cynthia Utrom.

The new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film is an original story following the crime-fighting Ninja Turtles as they protect the sewers and streets of New York City. After years of being sheltered from the human world, the Turtle brothers set out to win the hearts of New Yorkers and be accepted as normal teenagers through heroic acts. Their new friend April O’Neil (Edibiri) helps them take on a mysterious crime syndicate, but they soon get in over their heads when an army of mutants is unleashed upon them.

Jeff Rowe (The Mitchells vs. the Machines) directed the film, marking Nickelodeon’s first-ever CG-animated theatrical production. Point Grey Productions’ Rogen, Evan Goldberg and James Weaver produced, with the company’s Lukas Williams co-producing and its own Josh Fagen overseeing the project. Nickelodeon Animation and Paramount Animation President Ramsey Naito and Jason McConnell have overseen production for Nickelodeon, with Paramount to handle the film’s worldwide distribution.

“We are beyond thrilled by this world-class cast we’ve assembled to bring these iconic, beloved characters to life in a new chapter of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles universe,” said Naito in a statement. “This really sets a new bar for this globally celebrated franchise, and we can’t wait to show audiences this film.”

An enduring kids’ franchise created in 1984 by Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles began its life as a comic book series which spurred a hit animated TV show, a live-action series and numerous blockbuster theatrical releases. The property is a global consumer products powerhouse that has generated billions by way of toys, apparel, video games, DVDs and more. Nickelodeon most recently revitalized it with the CG-animated series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in 2012, with a 2D animated series titled Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles following in 2019.

Auli’i Cravalho to Star in Paramount’s Film Adaptation of Broadway Musical “Mean Girls”

Posted on December 10, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Auli’i Cravalho is on a mean streak…

The 22-year-old part-Puerto Rican actress/singer has joined the ensemble cast of Paramount Pictures’ new Mean Girls film based on the Tony Award-nominated Broadway musical.

Cravalho, who will portray Janis, will be joined by Angourie Rice, Reneé Rapp and Jaquel Spivey.

Lorne Michaels is producing with Tina Fey. Erin David, Caroline Maroney and Micah Frank are overseeing for Broadway Video, and Eric Gurian and Jeff Richmond for Little Stranger. Arturo Perez and Samantha Jayne are directing with Fey writing the adaptation.

The film is based on the stage musical Mean Girls written by Fey, with music by Richmond and lyrics by Nell Benjamin. Paramount Pictures is adapting the new film for Paramount+.

Best known for voicing the titular character in the Disney hit animated film Moana, Cravalho was most recently seen in Netflix’s feature film All Together Now directed by Brett Haley and as Ariel in ABC’s acclaimed television production of The Little Mermaid Live. She can currently be seen in Hulu’s Darby of the Dead.

Paramount Pictures Releases First Trailer for Rita Moreno’s “80 for Brady”

Posted on November 17, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a very Brady time for Rita Moreno…

Paramount Pictures has released the first trailer for the 90-year-old Puerto Rican actress’ new film 80 for Brady, which also stars Tom Brady, Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda and Sally Field.

Directed by Kyle Marvin, 80 for Brady is inspired by the true story of four best friends who take a life-changing trip to the 2017 Super Bowl LI to see their hero Brady play.

The film, which will open in wide release on February 3, also includes Sara Gilbert, Harry Hamlin, Glynn Turman, Bob Balaban, Ron Funches, Jimmy O. Yang, Billy Porter, Guy Fieri, Rob Corddry, Alex Moffa and Matt Lauria, among others.

80 for Brady was written by Emily Halpern & Sarah Haskins.

Rita Moreno to Star in “80 For Brady”

Posted on October 13, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Rita Moreno is getting in the game…

Paramount Pictures has announced that the 90-year-old Puerto Rican actress, dancer, and singer has joined the cast of 80 for Brady, its upcoming film starring seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady, Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, and others.

The film will open wide in theaters on February 3.

80 for Brady now is set to open against M. Night Shyamalan’s latest mystery-shrouded thriller Knock at the Cabin for Universal Pictures.

The film is inspired by the true story of four best friends who take a life-changing trip to the 2017 Super Bowl LI to see their Sally Field, Sara Gilbert, Harry Hamlin, Glynn Turman, Bob Balaban, Ron Funches hero Brady play.. The film’s starry ensemble also includes and Jimmy O. Yang.

Kyle Marvin, who co-wrote and starred in Sony Pictures Classics’ The Climb and more recently appeared in Apple TV+’s WeCrashed, is directing from a script by Emily Halpern & Sarah Haskins.

Fifth Season, formerly Endeavor Content developed the film with Brady and Academy Award winner Donna Gigliotti (Hidden Figures), with Paramount Pictures subsequently acquiring worldwide rights. Gigliotti and Fifth Season are producing with Brady through his production company, 199 Productions, with Marvin and Covino exec producing under their Watch This Ready banner, alongside Jeff Stott.

Tony Revolori to Star in “Scream 6”

Posted on July 15, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Tony Revolori is getting his scream on…

The 26-year-old Guatemalan American actor and Samara Weaving have been added to the cast of Scream 6.

Revolori and Weaving join an ensemble cast that includes Melissa Barrera, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding and Jenna Ortega, who toplined the fifth film in the franchise, along with Hayden Panettiere, Courteney Cox, Dermot Mulroney, Jack Champion, Liana Liberato, Devyn Nekoda, Josh Segarra and Henry Czerny.

The next installment in the horror franchise from Spyglass Media and Paramount Pictures will pick up with Sam (Barrera), Mindy (Brown), Chad (Gooding) and Tara (Ortega)—four survivors of the most recent batch of Ghostface killings—as they leave Woodsboro behind and start a fresh chapter.

Details as to the characters Weaving and Revolori will be playing have not been disclosed.

Radio Silence’s Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, who helmed the last Scream film, return as directors. James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick co-wrote the screenplay.

Revolori is best known for his collaboration with Wes Anderson on films like The Grand Budapest, The French Dispatch and the upcoming Asteroid City, and for his role as Flash Thompson in the most recent trilogy of Spider-Man films.

He stars in the Apple series Servant and will soon be seen in the Disney+ series Willow.

Andy Garcia Returning for “Book Club 2 – The Next Chapter”

Posted on May 31, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Andy Garcia is heading back to book club…

The 66-year-old Cuban actor will star opposite Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen, Mary Steenburgen, Don Johnson and Craig T. Nelson in Book Club 2, which has entered production in Italy.

Garcia and his cast mates will reprise their roles from the original film, Book Club, with Giancarlo Giannini, Hugh Quarshie and Vincent Riotta joining the sequel as new cast members.

The original 2018 film followed four lifelong friends—played by Keaton, Fonda, Bergen and Steenburgen—whose lives were forever changed after reading 50 Shades of Grey in their monthly book club. Paramount Pictures released it in May of 2018 and saw it gross upwards of $104M worldwide against its $14M budget.

The sequel will follow our four best friends as they take their book club to Italy for the fun girls trip they never had. When things go off the rails and secrets are revealed, their relaxing vacation turns into a once-in-a-lifetime cross-country adventure.

Bill Holderman has returned as director, having once again penned the script with Erin Simms.

Endeavor Content is financing and producing Book Club 2 – The Next Chapter, with Holderman and Simms also aboard as producers.

Focus Features will distribute the film in the U.S., with Universal Pictures International distributing it internationally.

Garcia will next star in Father of the Bride.

Tom Segura Signs with WME (William Morris Endeavor)

Posted on November 18, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Tom Segura has new representation…

The 42-year-old half-Peruvian American comedian, actor and podcaster has signed with WME (William Morris Endeavor) for representation in all areas.

Segura is best known for his Netflix specials Ball Hog, Disgraceful, Mostly Stories and Completely Normal.

While he’d planned to unveil an additional Spanish-language special on Netflix last fall, its release has been delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Segura previously released the hour-long stand-up albums White Girls With Cornrows and Thrilled in 2012 and 2010, respectively.

He’ll kick off his latest world tour, I’m Coming Everywhere on December 31, with two shows at the Hawaii Theater Center in Honolulu, and will continue touring throughout 2022.

Segura’s film credits include Paramount Pictures’ comedy Instant Family, in which he starred opposite Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne, comedian Steve Byrne’s The Opening Act, Justin Dec’s horror-thriller Countdown and Cameron Van Hoy’s crime drama Flinch.

He’s appeared on the television side in The Cabin with Bert Kreischer, Workaholics, Happy Endings and more.

Segura also has his own podcast network, Your Mom’s House Studios, which he runs with his wife, comedian Christina Pazsitzky. It’s home to the hit podcasts Your Mom’s House, which he co-hosts with Pazsitzky, and 2 Bears 1 Cave, which he co-hosts with Bert Kreischer, among others. Notably, YMH Studios was one of the first networks to create successful livestream podcast events as a creative outlet amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, which has disrupted the stand-up scene to varying degrees over the last 20 or so months.

Segura was previously with ICM Partners.

Kalinda Vazquez to Write “Star Trek” Film for Paramount Pictures

Posted on March 6, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Kalinda Vazquez has landed an out of this world opportunity…

The Latina television writer and producer has been set by Paramount Pictures to write a Star Trek film.

JJ Abrams’ Bad Robot is producing.

Vazquez has written on Star Trek: Discovery, and insiders say this is a blind deal for an original movie that she hatched, one that expands her role in the Star Trek Universe.

Vazquez was a co-executive producer on Fear the Walking Dead. She also got her name from the original Star Trek series, after a character from the second-season episode “By Any Other Name.” In the 1968 episode, the character’s name was Kelinda.

Vazquez just made a splash in teaming with Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin on an HBO series adaptation of the Roger Zelazny sci-fi novel Roadmarks.

Vazquez’s television credits include Marvel’s Runaways, Once Upon a Time, Nikita, Human Target and Prison Break, and she recently adapted Barrier, based on a Brian K. Vaughan graphic novel, for Legendary Television.

Netflix Acquires Rights to Latest “My Little Pony” Film, Co-Directed by José Luis Ucha

Posted on February 15, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Netflix is ponying up for José Luis Ucha’s latest project…

The streaming service has picked up the global rights, excluding China, to the Latino director and writer’s My Little Pony film.

Paramount Pictures was originally set to release the movie on September 24.

The film, hailing from eOne’s animation outfit Boulder Media, was directed by Ucha and Rob Cullen, with co-director Mark Fattibene.

A streaming date is planned for later this year.

The last My Little Pony: The Movie in 2017, released via 2017, earned $21.9M domestic and $60.3M WW.

The My Little Pony toy franchise was first launched in 1981, with the brand reportedly grossing over $1 billion annually in retail sails by 2014.

Ucha’s previous projects include Invizimals, Canimals and Bernard.

Melissa Barrera to Star in “Scream 5”

Posted on August 17, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Melissa Barrera is ready to Scream…

The 30-year-old Mexican actress, who recently ended her three-season run on Starz’s Vida, has landed akey role in Scream 5.

Barrera is the first new cast member to be announced for the anticipated Spyglass Media and Paramount Pictures relaunch.

Friends alum and legacy cast member Courteney Cox will be reprising her role in the franchise as dogged reporter Gale Weathers alongside David Arquette, who is coming back as Dewey Riley. Neve Campbell, who portrayed Sidney Prescott in the slasher film, told press in May that she was in talks to join the movie.

Cameras are due to roll in Wilmington, North Carolina, this fall and the project is due to wrap by year’s end. Additional casting is underway on the ensemble horror.

Scream 5 is being directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett from a screenplay by James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick.

Creator Kevin Williamson and Chad Villella are executive producing.

The Scream franchise, through four films dating back to 1996, has grossed more than $600M at the global box office. The late Wes Craven directed all four movies. Williamson wrote the original film as well as Scream 2 and Scream 4.

Barrera, who was named to Variety’s 10 Latinxs to Watch list earlier this year, will next appear in Warner Bros.’ film adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Tony Award-winning Broadway musical hit In The Heights. That film is due for release next year.

This fall she’ll star as the title character in the film Carmen, the modern-day reimagining of the classic opera. The movie will mark the feature debut of Black Swan choreographer Benjamin Millepied and will feature music from composer Nicholas Britell and Grammy winner Julieta Venegas.

Hispanically Yours

Celebrating the Latino Influence

Tag Archives: Paramount Pictures