Peacock Releases Teaser Trailer for Melissa De Sousa’s New Limited Series “The Best Man: The Final Chapters”

Posted on October 29, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

It’s the final chapter(s) for Melissa De Sousa.

Peacock has released the teaser trailer for its upcoming series The Best Man: The Final Chapters, starring the 55-year-old Panamanian American actress.

The limited series will premiere all eight episodes on December 22.

Based upon the eponymous Universal film franchise written and directed by Malcolm D. Lee, the series will catch up with Harper, Robyn, Jordan, Lance, Quentin, Shelby, Candace, and Murch as relationships evolve and past grievances resurface in the unpredictable stages of midlife crisis meets midlife renaissance.

In addition to De Sousa, the cast of The Best Man: The Final Chapters includes Morris Chestnut, Taye Diggs, Regina Hall, Terrence Howard, Sanaa Lathan, Nia Long and Harold Perrineau.

The Peacock original was filmed on locations like New York City, New Jersey and Dominican Republic. Malcom D. Lee of Blackmaled Productions is the creator of the Best Man franchise, which he co-developed, wrote, executive-produced, directed and served as a co-showrunner. Dayna Lynne North of Loud Sis Productions also co-developed, wrote, executive-produced and served as co-showrunner.

Directors for the series include Malcom D. Lee for four episodes, Charles Stone III, Robert Townsend and Stacey Muhammad.

Diego Calva’s Ensemble Film “Babylon” to Open in Wide Release Christmas Weekend

Posted on October 19, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Diego Calva will be spending the Christmas holiday in Babylon…

The 30-year-old Mexican actor’s latest ensemble project Babylon, starring Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt, will open in wide release in U.S. theaters on December 23.

The film was originally scheduled to open in limited release during the Christmas holiday, with its wide release on January 6.

Babylon will open in the wake of 20th Century Studios/Disney’s Avatar: The Way of Water on December 16 and will share the marquee nationwide with movies like Sony’s I Wanna Dance With Somebody, Universal/Dreamworks Animation’s Puss in Boots: The Last Wish and the expansion of United Artists Releasing’s drama Women Talking.

Set in the 1920s, during Hollywood‘s transition from silent films to sound films, the film follows Manny Torres (Calva) as he pursues a career within the industry, starting as a film assistant.

Written and directed by Damien Chazelle, the film was shot in Santa Clarita, CA, where many silent and early sound movies were made, like Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times.

In addition to Calva, Robbie and Pitt, the ensemble cast also includes Tobey Maguire, Olivia Wilde, Spike Jonze, Max Minghella and Jean Smart.

Anya Taylor-Joy to Star in Skydance’s “The Gorge”

Posted on October 14, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Anya Taylor-Joy is preparing for a Gorge-ous role…

The 26-year-old Argentine American actress will star opposite Miles Teller in Skydance’s The Gorge.

In addition, Apple Original Films has boarded the genre-bending love story.

Scott Derrickson will direct with Zach Dean penning the script, which he sold on spec to Skydance last year.

In addition to starring, Teller will serve as executive producer on the film.

Plot details are being kept under wraps other then it being described as a high-action, genre-bending love story.

The project gained some serious momentum this summer when Teller began eyeing it as his next film following the global success of his summer tentpole Top Gun: Maverick. Derrickson had been previously attached but was also weighing other projects following the success of one of the years biggest horror films The Black Phone but once Teller committed to the film, Derrickson was quick to name it his next directing job and the project was fast-tracked by Skydance.

Given Apple and Skydance’s first-look partnership, the studio looked to be in pole position to land the film and once Taylor-Joy signed on, Apple was quick to make it official.

Taylor-Joy, a SAG Award and Golden Globe winner, currently appears in David O. Russell’s Amsterdam.

The Queen’s Gambit star will next appear in the dark comedy The Menu, which also stars Ralph Fiennes and Nicholas Hoult.

She recently wrapped production on the highly-anticipated Furiosa, a spin-off film from George Miller, which is based on the character from Mad Max: Fury Road. She is also set to voice Princess Peach in Universal and Illumination’s Super Mario Bros. movie.

Eugenio Derbez Developing Workplace Comedy Series “They Came At Night” with ViX+

Posted on September 19, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

It’s Night time for Eugenio Derbez.

The 61-year-old Mexican actor/producer is developing the workplace comedy series They Came At Night with ViX+ under the first-look deal between 3Pas Studios and TelevisaUnivision.

They Came At Night is inspired by true events and offers a behind-the-scenes look at a group of underdogs who went on to create the critically acclaimed Spanish version of the 1930 horror classic, Dracula.

While Bela Lugosi filmed Dracula during the day on the Universal lot, at the end of each day another cast and crew arrived to make the same exact movie… only in Spanish.

Using the same sets, costumes, and a translated version of the script, the cast and crew of the Spanish Dracula filmed from dusk to dawn, and, against all odds, the critical consensus is that the Spanish version turned out to be the better film.

Derbez is set to star in the comedy created and written by Rob Greenberg and Bob Fisher.

Production services on They Came At Night will be handled by 3pas Studios’ Mexican production services company, Visceral.

“I have not worked in scripted Spanish language TV comedy for well over ten years and was looking for something really special to come back,” Derbez said in a statement. “This story really jumped out at me because it tells the story of Latinos always having to accomplish more with fewer resources and harder conditions. It’s also a world we’ve never explored in Spanish language TV, Hollywood in the 30s but like every moment in US history, the Latinos were there and doing their part even if history forgot them. And of course, it’s ripe for so much humor…”

Alejandro Edda to Star in Kevin Costner’s Epic Western Film Saga “Horizon”

Posted on September 1, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Alejandro Edda is just beyond the horizon…

The 38-year-old Mexican–American actor has joined the ensemble cast of Kevin Costner’s epic Western film saga Horizon at Warner Bros/New Line.

Edda is among a list of new cast additions that includes Jena Malone, Tatanka Means and Michael Rooker.

The foursome join an expanding roster that includes Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Jamie Campbell Bower, Luke Wilson and Thomas Haden Church.

Costner will produce through his Territory Pictures, and direct and star in the period film, which he co-wrote with Jon Baird.

Horizon chronicles a multi-faceted 15-year span of pre- and post-Civil War expansion and settlement of the American West. Experienced through the eyes of many, the epic journey is fraught with peril and intrigue from the constant onslaught of natural elements, to the interactions with the indigenous peoples who lived on the land, and the determination and at many times ruthlessness of those who sought to settle it.

Costner returns to directing for the first time since his 2003 box office hit Open Range. With Horizon, Costner revisits Civil War-era America, the setting for his 1990 blockbuster and multi-Oscar winner Dances with Wolves, which he also directed, produced and starred in. That film won seven Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director for Costner.

Edda was last seen on the FX series Snowfall and is returning to Season 6 as a regular. He stars as El Chapo in the Netflix series Narcos: Mexico and starred opposite Tom Cruise in American Made and in Universal/Blumhouse’s The Forever Purge.

Tristan Mack Wilds to Star in Universal’s Music-Competition Feature Comedy “Praise This”

Posted on July 13, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Tristan Mack Wilds is ready for a little praise (this).

The 32-year-old half–Afro-Dominican American actor has been cast in Universal Pictures’ film Praise This, starring Chloe Bailey.

Also signing on for roles include Anjelika Washington, Quavo, Druski, Koryn Hawthorne and Jekalyn Carr.

Other new cast members include newcomers Kiara Iman Heffner and Ilario Grant, Birgundi Baker, Loren Lott, Crystal Renee Hayslett, Cocoa Brown, Vanessa Fraction and Kountry Wayne.

Praise This is a music-competition feature comedy set in the world of youth choirs, announced earlier this year as one of three Universal films coming to Peacock in 2023.

Tina Gordon is directing, having penned the latest draft of the script, which was based off an original idea by The Story Company.

Earlier drafts were written by Camilla Blackett and Brandon Broussard, Hudson Obayuwana and Jana Savage—the trio otherwise known as Murder Ink.

The film falls under Will Packer Productions’ first-look deal with Universal.

Production kicked off in Atlanta in June.

Wilds currently stars in the Apple TV+ series Swagger. Past credits include the Spike Lee miniseries Miracle’s Boys, the critically-acclaimed HBO series The Wire, the award-winning feature Half Nelson, The Secret Life of Bees and George Lucas’ Red Tails.

Humberly González to Star in Screen Gems & Alloy Entertainment’s Thriller “Horrorscope”

Posted on July 2, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Humberly González is checkin’ her horrorscope…

The 25-year-old Venezuelan actress will star in Screen Gems and Alloy Entertainment’s film Horrorscope, based on Alloy’s same-name novel, written by Nicholas Adams.

Gonzalez will appear opposite leads Jacob Batalon, Alana Boden, Adain Bradley and Avantika. Wolfgang Novogratz will also star in the project.

Anna Halberg and Spenser Cohen wrote the script and will make their feature film directorial debut.

Leslie Morgenstein and Elysa Koplovitz Dutton are producing through Alloy, along with Scott Glassgold of Ground Control. Cohen and Halberg are also on board to executive produce.

The story follows a group of college friends who, after getting their horoscopes read, begin dying in ways connected to their fortunes. Are their fates fatal or can they change what’s written in the stars?

The film is set for a fall start and is being overseen by Scott Strauss, Michael Bitar and Lariah Perara at Screen Gems.

González recently wrapped shooting Season 2 of the Netflix series Ginny & Georgia reprising her breakout role as Sophie. She will next be seen opposite Jason Momoa in the Netflix feature Slumberland. She also recently starred in the Universal feature Nobody and the Netflix series Jupiter’s Legacy.

Luis Gerardo Méndez Signs with United Talent Agency (UTA)

Posted on March 24, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Luis Gerardo Méndez has new representation…

United Talent Agency (UTA) has signed the 40-year-old Mexican actor and producer, one of Mexico’s biggest stars, for representation in all areas.

Méndez is an actor, writer and producer best known for exec producing and starring in Netflix’s first Spanish-language original comedy series, Club de Cuervos.

He most recently appeared in the third season of Netflix’s Narcos: Mexico, as well as in Los Enviados for Paramount+, where he’s currently under a first-look producing deal for Spanish-language projects.

Méndez will next be seen in a starring role in the Netflix limited series, Belascoaran, and in Netflix’s Me Time, with Kevin Hart and Mark Wahlberg, which is slated to premiere later this year.

He will soon begin filming the Peacock limited series, The Resort, which was written and will be directed by Andy Siara.

The actor made his entrance into the U.S. feature marketplace opposite Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston in the Netflix original film Murder Mystery, which was the streamer’s most-watched original feature at the time of its release.

He was also previously seen in Sony’s Charlie’s Angels opposite Kristen Stewart, and executive produced and starred in Half Brothers for Universal and Focus Features, with that project marking his first English-speaking starring role.

In Mexico, he has starred in several successful features, including Cantinflas and Nosotros Los Nobles, the latter of which is the second most successful film of all time at the Mexican box office.

In addition to his television and feature roles, the actor has also appeared in the Mexico City stage play Privacidad, which he produced alongside Diego Luna, and starred in several international campaigns for global companies such as Verizon, Pepsi and Toyota.

Bobby Cannavale to Star Opposite Bill Burr in the Comedy “Old Dads”

Posted on March 5, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Bobby Cannavale is reporting for (old) dad duty…

The 51-year-old half-Cuban American actor will star in the original comedy film Old Dads.

Written, directed and co-starring comedian/actor Bill Burr, the film centers on a middle-aged father (Burr) and his two best friends (Cannavale and Bokeem Woodbine) who after selling their company to a millennial, find themselves out of step and behind the times as they hilariously struggle to navigate a changing world of culture, career and fatherhood.

Burr and Ben Tishler penned the script and are producing with Bill Block, Monica Levinson and Mike Bertolina.

Production on the film, Burr’s feature directorial debut, kicked off in Los Angeles this week.

Miramax has come aboard to produce in conjunction with Burr’s All Things Comedy.

“I’m very excited to start shooting Old Dads,” said Burr. “This comedy is based on my own and my co-writer, Ben Tishler’s, lives. Miramax has been awesome to work with and I think people are really going to like this movie.”

“Burr is one of the top comedic voices of his generation and he has written a script that’s not just unwaveringly funny, but also full of heart and unfiltered cultural commentary,” added Miramax CEO Bill Block. “We’re thrilled to be collaborating with him and this fantastic cast, including Bobby Cannavale and Bokeem Woodbine.”

Cannavale will next be seen in Andrew Dominik’s Marilyn Monroe film Blonde, toplined by Ana de Armas, also featuring in Netflix’s upcoming Big Mouth spin-off Human Resources.

The actor recently featured in the casts of Illumination and Universal’s Sing 2 and Hulu’s Nine Perfect Strangers. He’s also appeared in such series as Homecoming, Mr. Robot, Angie Tribeca, Will & Grace, Master of None, Vinyl, Nurse Jackie and Boardwalk Empire.

His additional film credits include Superintelligence, The Jesus Rolls, The Irishman, Motherless Brooklyn, Ant-Man and Ant-Man and the Wasp, Ferdinand, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, I, Tonya, The Fundamentals of Caring, Daddy’s Home, Danny Collins, Annie, Adult Beginners, Chef, Blue Jasmine, Win Win, The Other Guys, Brief Interviews with Hideous Men, Paul Blart: Mall Cop, Snakes on a Plane, Fast Food Nation and The Station Agent.

Melissa De Sousa Signs with Mainstay Entertainment

Posted on December 2, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Melissa De Sousa has new management…

The 54-year-old Panamanian American actress has signed with Mainstay Entertainment for management.

De Sousa, best known for her role as the infamous Shelby in Universal’s The Best Man and The Best Man Holiday, films will next be seen starring opposite Morris Chestnut in the Peacock limited series The Best Man: The Final Chapters based on the films, which set to begin shooting in 2022.

Also on the television side, De Sousa recently wrapped the first season of Our Kind of People opposite Chestnut for Fox.

Her other recent credits include recurring as Chief Ana Lopez on CW’s Black Lightning and as the pill popping journalist Mirta Herrera on Showtime’s On Becoming a God in Central Florida, opposite Kirsten Dunst.

De Sousa continues to be repped by A3 Artists Agency and Meyer & Downs.

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