Scott Mescudi to Star in Sony Pictures’ Zombie-Themed Action Horror-Comedy “Hell Naw”

Scott Mescudi will be fightin’ the fashionable undead…

The 39-year-old half-Mexican American rapper, singer and actor, known by his stage name Kid Cudi, will star in Sony Pictures’ action horror-comedy Hell Naw.

Kid CudiEuphoria creator Sam Levinson is producing, with screenwriters Keith & Kenny Lucas writing the script, which is in early development.

Mescudi will also produce along with his partners Karina Manashil and Dennis Cummings through their Mad Solar banner.

The plot is being kept under wraps, but the film is reportedly set during Paris Fashion Week and there will be zombies.

“This movie has been five years in the making. I am telling the world now, this film will f*ck you up in all the best ways,” said Mescudi. “I have been a horror fan since I was 7 years old, The first horror movies I ever saw were Night of the Living Dead and Evil Dead. And from that point on, I was hooked on the feeling of being frightened. I’ve been wanting to get into this world creating my own stories for a long time, and now, and after years of working it out in my head, it’s finally happening. Sam, The Lucas Brothers and myself have really crafted a tale we feel everyone who’s a fan of horror and comedy will enjoy. You will laugh, oh yes you will, but the horror aspect of this movie will really be something to see. You will be shook. I promise. Y’all know I don’t play around.”

The project marks a major star vehicle for Mescudi, who recently added the Sonic the Hedgehog spinoff series Knuckles to his future slate, joining Idris Elba last week. He also has the John Woo action film  Silent Night

HBO Renews “Euphoria,” Starring Jacob Elordi, for Third Season

There’s more Euphoria in Jacob Elordi’s future…

HBO has ordered a third season of Euphoria, the Emmy-winning drama series starring Zendaya and the 24-year-old Spanish Australian actor from creator Sam Levinson.

Jacob Elordi, EuphoriaEuphoria’s renewal comes as its sophomore season continues to deliver ratings records for HBO and HBO Max. The Season 2 premiere currently boasts 14 million total viewers across all HBO platforms.

In Season 2, Zendaya returns as Rue, who’s relapsed since Jules (Hunter Schafer) left her for the city. With school back in session, Rue faces new obstacles to her sobriety and her relationship with Jules. Tensions also rise between Nate (Elordi), Maddy (Alexa Demie) and Cassie (Sydney Sweeney), while Lexi (Maude Apatow) takes on a creative venture.

Written, directed and executive produced by Levinson, Euphoria has been a hit critically and culturally.

Beyond trending on Twitter with nearly each episode, Euphoria took home three prizes at the 2020 Primetime Emmys, including Zendaya’s history-making Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series win.

At the 2021 Primetime Awards, Euphoria received three nominations.

“Sam, Zendaya, and the entire cast and crew of Euphoria have taken Season 2 to extraordinary heights, challenging narrative convention and form, while maintaining its heart. We couldn’t be more honored to work with this gifted, wildly talented team or more excited to continue our journey with them into Season 3,” said Francesca Orsi, EVP of HBO Programming.

Euphoria also features Nika King, Eric Dane, Angus Cloud, Algee Smith, Barbie Ferreira, Javon Walton, Dominic Fike, Storm Reid and Austin Abrams. Season 2 wraps on February 27.

The series, produced in partnership with A24, is based on the Israeli series of the same name that was created by Ron Leshem and Daphna Levin, from HOT.

HBO to Premiere Season 2 of “Euphoria,” Featuring Colman Domingo, in Early January

Colman Domingo is ready to remember this feeling in early 2022…

HBO recently unveiled the first poster for Euphoria season two starring Zendaya and the 52-year-old Guatemalan American actor.

Colman Domingo & Zendaya, EuphoriaThe season premiere is set for January 9, 2022.

Along with Zendaya and Domingo, the show also stars Hunter Schafer, Sydney Sweeny, Jacob Elordi and Storm Reid.

Sam Levinson is executive produce alongside Drake, Future the Prince, Ron Leshem and Daphna Levin, Tmira Yardeni, Ravi Nandan, Kevin Turen, Hadas Mozes Lichtenstein, Mirit Toovi, Yoram Mokadi and Gary Lennon. Augustine Frizzell directed the pilot and are co-executive producers. A24 Television is also producing.

Euphoriadirected by Levinson, follows Zendaya’s Rue Bennett, a drug addict fresh from rehab who’s struggling to make sense of her future. Her life changes dramatically when she meets Jules Vaughn (Schafer), a girl who recently moved to town following her parents’ divorce and like Rue is searching for where she belongs. They navigate the intense dramas of drugs, sex, identity, love and friendship in their small town. The season 1 finale, which saw Rue and Jules part ways, was followed by two special episodes centering each of the friends.

The series received nominations for the British Academy Television Award for Best International Programme, and the TCA Award for Outstanding Achievement in Drama. For her performance, Zendaya won a Primetime Emmy Award and Satellite Award for Best Actress in a Drama Series.

For his performance, Domingo received an Imagen Award for Best Supporting Actor – Television (Drama).

Ana de Armas’ “Deep Water” to Open on Hulu in the United States

Ana de Armas will be heading into deep waters on Hulu

The Adrian Lyne-directed erotic thriller Deep Water, starring the 33-year-old Spanish Cuban actress and Ben Affleck, will open domestically on Hulu, according to Deadline.com.

Ana de Armas

 

Amazon will stream the film overseas.

The 20th Century Studios/New Regency film was pulled from the Disney theatrical release calendar last week. It was originally set to hit theaters on Jan. 14, 2022.

No word yet on a streaming date.

Deep Water, based on the Patricia Highsmith novel, reps Lyne’s first directorial since 2002’s Unfaithful. 

He was Oscar nominated in 1988 for Best Director for Paramount’s Fatal Attraction starring Glenn Close and Michael Douglas, which was a huge hit at the time grossing over $320M WW.

Deep Water is reportedly being sent to streaming given the weak theatrical marketplace for adult fare currently.

Affleck and de Armas star as Vic and Melinda Van Allen, a married couple whose mind games with each other take a twisted turn when people around them start turning up dead. The couple staves off divorce in a loveless marriage by allowing each to take lovers, but it becomes messy as Highsmith exposed the surface façade of American suburban life.

Zach Helm and Sam Levinson adapted the book. Tracy Letts, Rachel Blanchard, Dash Mihok, Lil Rel Howery, Jacob Elordi, Kristen Connolly and Jade Fernandez also star.

HBO Releases Trailer for Upcoming Special Episodes of Colman Domingo & Zendaya’s Series “Euphoria”

There’s more euphoria in Colman Domingo’s near future…

HBO has released the first trailer for a pair of special episodes of Euphoria, starring the 51-year-old half-Guatemalan American actor and Emmy-winner Zendaya.

Colman Domingo & Zendaya, Euphoria

While it’s not a full-fledged sophomore season of the acclaimed HBO original series, the special episodes will give fans a chance to catch up with the show’s characters.

The first episode is titled “Part 1: Rue” and will stream on HBO Max on December 6 at 9:00 pm.

The brief trailer picks up after the Season 1 finale, in which Rue (Zendaya) uses cocaine and relapses after her girlfriend Jules (Hunter Schafer) gets on a train and leaves her after their high school winter formal. Rue sits in a diner contemplating her life when she runs into Ali (Domingo), whom she met at her Narcotics Anonymous meetings.

Euphoria creator Sam Levinson wrote and directed the first special episode, and HBO has yet to announce the release date or title for the second episode.

Back in September, Zendaya became the youngest person to win an Emmy for best lead actress in a drama for her work on the show. Euphoria was nominated for six categories in total, taking home awards in contemporary makeup and original music and lyrics in addition to Zendaya’s win.

The show is produced in partnership with A24 and based on the Israeli series of the same name, which was created by Ron Leshem and Daphna Levin.

Jenna Ortega In Talks to Star in the Horror Thriller “X”

X marks the spot for Jenna Ortega.

The 18-year-old Puerto Rican and Mexican American actress is in final talks to star opposite Scott Mescudi (aka Kid Cudi) and Mia Goth in X, the next horror thriller from director Ti West.

Jenna Ortega

The film will be a co-production between A24 and BRON Studios, who will also co-finance.

West will write and direct the pic with A24, Jacob Jaffke, Kevin Turen, Sam Levinson, and Ashley Levinson producing through their Little Lamb Productions. Mescudi will executive produce.

Plot details are being kept under wraps but the film is expected to bare similarities of West’s past films that put him on the map.

Production is expected to start at the top of 2021.

Ortega was most recently seen in the Netflix sequel, The Babysitter: Killer Queen, and several films she has coming out in 2021 including Paramount and Spyglass’s Scream 5, which has her as one of the leads.

Mescudi was most recently seen in HBO and Luca Guadagnino series We Are Who We Are, earning some of the best reviews of his career. On the film side, he was last seen in Bill & Ted Face The Music. He can be seen next in the drama Dreamland opposite Gary Oldman.

Ana de Armas In Talks to Star in Film Adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s Novel “Deep Water”

Ana de Armasmay soon find herself in deep water…

The 31-year-old Cuban-Spanish actress is in talks to star opposite Ben Affleck in the film adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s novel Deep Water.

Ana de Armas

The film, to be directed by Adrian Lyne, is described as an erotic thriller, right in the wheelhouse Lyne established with such blockbusters as Indecent ProposalFatal Attraction, and 9 1/2 Weeks. The filmmaker has long been intrigued with this project, first setting it up with Fox 2000back in 2013. New Regency bought control of the property last year, and this gives them another plum project to go with the James Gray-directed Ad Astra with Brad Pitt, and the Robert Eggers-directed The Lighthouse.

Affleck and de Armas are in negotiations to play Vic and Melinda Van Allen, an attractive young married couple whose mind games with each other take a twisted turn when people around them start turning up dead. The couple staves off divorce in a loveless marriage by allowing each to take lovers, but it becomes messy as Highsmith exposed the surface facade of American suburban life.

Zack Helm and Sam Levinson have adapted from the Highsmith novel.

Lyne is eyeing a November production start on Deep Water, which will be fully financed by New Regency

Pending all the pieces falling into place, the plan is for the film to go through its deal with Fox/Disney.

de Armas is having her moment in Hollywood. She is about to begin shooting the Andrew Dominik-directed Netflix film Blonde, in which she plays iconic actress Marilyn Monroe, with talks going on for Adrien Brody to play Arthur Miller and Bobby Cannavale to play Joe DiMaggio in a fictionalized look at her life. Dominik worked for years on this project, and looked at many actresses for the role of Monroe. He was intrigued when he saw de Armas in Blade Runner 2049, and they worked long and hard with a dialect coach to lose her Cuban accented inflection for Monroe’s breathy delivery before a screen test pleased Netflix and Plan B’s Brad PittDede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner. She follows that film with the James Bond 25 film.

Bella Thorne to Star in the Indie Revenge Thriller “Leave Not One Alive”

Bella Thorne is coming Alive

The 20-year-old half-Cuban American singer/actresswill star opposite Academy Award winner Melissa Leo in Leave Not One Alive, an independent revenge thriller written and directed by Jordan Galland.

Bella Thorne

The film, currently filming in New York, hails from Ace Pictures Entertainmentand DeerJenJake Weary, Michael Potts, Benedict Samuel, Kevin Corrigan and I Feel Pretty’s Adrian Martinez co-star.

The plot follows a theater actress, Lillian Cooper (Leo) whose son (Weary) dies mysteriously. When the investigating officer (Potts) rules the cause of death an accidental overdose, Lillian conducts her own investigation which leads her to an unlikely alliance with her son’s former drug dealer (Thorne). On her quest for answers, Lillian hallucinates some of the iconic characters she’s played on stage which serve as her inner voice, urging her to avenge her son’s death.

Throne starred alongside Patrick Schwarzenegger in Midnight Sun. She’ll next appear in Sam Levinson’s Assassination Nation and Xavier Dolan’s The Death and Life of John F. Donovan.