Good morning: In today's edition of The Industry, we look at:
Adele Acts, Farrell Fights, and 2AM disbands.
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Hello… It’s Adele in a movie!
“The Rolling in the Deep” singer is set to make her acting debut in Tom Ford’s adaptation of Cry to Heaven, based on the Anne Rice novel.
This isn’t a cameo, it’s full acting territory. Although no word on her role, we have a sneaking suspicion it may be the character of Christina, an English noblewoman, who at one point breaks into a duet with her lover, a former member of Italy’s castrati. For those unfamiliar, castrati is the practice of castrating young boys to preserve their singing voices.
This tortured romance is fertile territory for Adele.
Her sweet yet heart-twisted sound is why she was selected to create the title song for Skyfall, the most emotionally tortured James Bond film in the 26-film series. That song won her the Oscar.
But Adele’s soulfulness pervades not just her music but also her on-screen presence.
Just watch her in the Someone Like You music video, and she’ll remind you of a long-lost French film star.
Adele joins a growing number of musicians who have jumped into film. All eyes may be on Ariana Grande right now, just a week out from her highly anticipated performance in Wicked: For Good, but several artists have leveraged their musical roots into critically acclaimed acting careers:
Lady Gaga (A Star Is Born)
Jennifer Hudson (Dreamgirls)
Queen Latifah (Chicago)
While the industry often pigeonholes talent, I applaud Tom Ford for the bold casting choice. He himself has navigated to a different medium than the one that made him famous. His textural, cinematic directorial ventures, A Single Man (2009) and Nocturnal Animals (2016), feel well-equipped to showcase Adele’s acting debut.
The Cry to Heaven cast will also include Nicholas Hoult and Adolescence’s Owen Cooper.
For More:
Skyfall performance.
Someone Like You music video.
THE INDUSTRY TLDR
Colin Farrell stars in the Russo Brothers’ new action-thriller Ordained.
Disney CFO Hugh Johnston extends contract through 2029.
House Productions adapts David Szalay’s Booker Prize-winning novel Flesh for BBC Film.
Netflix developing high-school hockey drama starring Michelle Monaghan.
Apple TV sets outlaw-biker saga Nomad, starring Jason Momoa.
Webtoon Ent & Warner Bros. Animation will co-produce 10 animated Webtoon series.
Katie Sinclair promoted to Head of Film & TV at Jude Law’s Riff Raff Entertainment.
Mads Mikkelsen joins animated feature Dreamworld.
Kurt Russell returns for Apple’s Monarch: Legacy of Monsters S2.
Michael C. Hall boards spy thriller Stratagem, his first film role in 5 years.
AFM: Tim Blake Nelson to star in Where the Sparrows Fly.
2AM (prod co: The Materialists) disbands.
Intrinsic Value Films launches authorized Gene Wilder biopic Gene.
FilmNation & 101 Studios sign multi-year pact for international sales.
Magnolia acquires Good Boy and Operation Napoleon – Tears of the Wolf.
Watermelon Pictures picks up Traces of Home, the debut doc by Colette Ghunim.
LuckyChap International launches with Mediawan.
THE INDUSTRY NEWS
Colin Farrell will lead the Russo Brothers (dir: Avengers) new action-thriller Ordained. Written by Derek Kolstad (John Wick), the story follows a priest hunted by mobsters after hearing a crime confession, only for them to discover his secret, violent past.
With Farrell’s Emmy nomination for The Penguin, this is kind of elevating the Russos’ more recent non-Avengers fare. The biggest analogue to this would be their film, Netflix’s The Gray Man, starring Ryan Gosling. While it had some great character moments between Gosling and the antagonist, Chris Evans (Captain America), it couldn't avoid being pegged as a “streamer movie,” or worse, even a second-screen movie. Compounding those bad habits with the droll flop Electric State, the Russos need a win outside of the Marvel universe.
Farrell has had his fair share of action movie success, and he brings that bravado to a duo that very much needs a strong theatrical showing. Who knows, this could be the start of an exciting partnership.
Tidbits:
Disney’s CFO Hugh Johnston, a 34-year PepsiCo veteran, extends his contract through early 2029. He had been hired in 2023 after Disney’s stock went down by 27%, hitting a nine-year low. Since he’s been around, the stock has been up nearly 40%. CEO Bob Iger has expressed confidence in Johnston, highlighting his leadership experience and expertise in global brands.
House Productions (Conclave) is taking on Flesh, David Szalay’s 2025 Booker Prize-winning rags-to-riches story for a feature adaptation. The propulsive novel set in Hungary traces the life journey of a man named István from childhood to old age. BBC Film is also attached to produce Flesh.
Netflix is developing an untitled eight-episode high school hockey drama set in South Dorothy, Minnesota. A high school hockey team rebuilds after a tragic bus crash, with Harper Sullivan (Michelle Monaghan) stepping in as coach. Created by Nick Naveda (Words on Bathroom Walls) and produced by Shawn Levy (Deadpool and Wolverine).
Apple TV is developing Nomad, a New Zealand outlaw-biker drama from Kurt Sutter (Sons of Anarchy) and Chris Collins (John Wick: Chapter 3). Jason Momoa is set to star as the series follows a biker split between two families and destinies. Collins will showrun, with Sutter, Momoa, and Brian Mendoza EPing. Sons of Anarchy was a huge hit, so it’s interesting to see Sutter return to his roots.
Webtoon Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation will co-produce ten animated adaptations of hit Webtoon series for global distribution. The deal expands Webtoon’s animation ambitions, with creators retaining their IP. Initial titles include The Stellar Swordmaster, Hardcore Leveling Warrior, Down to Earth, and Elf & Warrior. More projects will follow.
Mini Tidbits:
Jude Law’s Riff Raff Entertainment (The Order) promotes Katie Sinclair to Head of Film and TV. Sinclair most recently worked on the Riff Raff Netflix miniseries Black Rabbit and will continue to manage the company’s upcoming slate.
Former Netflix advertising exec Peter Naylor joins TV firm Nielsen as chief client officer. After leading sales at streamers like Netflix and Hulu, Naylor will work with advertisers and publishers for all digital channels at Nielsen.
Science rules! Mega-YouTuber Mark Rober partners with Samsung TV Plus for a FAST channel, Mark Rober. This will be comprised of his YouTube content. Similar moves have been made recently by David Letterman.
Cancellations:
Nickelodeon’s Dora
Nickelodeon’s Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
FX’s English Teacher (cancelled after S2)
Trailers:
20th Century Studios’ The Devil Wears Prada 2
Teaser - oh yeah, it’s fun!
Release: May 1, 2026
Lionsgate’s The Housemaid
Cast: Sydney Sweeney, Amanda Seyfried
Release: Dec 19
HBO’s It’s Florida, Man (S2)
Guest stars: Tiffany Haddish, Taika Waititi
Release: Nov. 28
Universal’s The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
Voice Cast: Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Pratt, Brie Larson, Benny Safdie, Jack Black
Release: April 3, 2026
Max’s The Family McMullen
Release: Dec 5
Cairo Film Festival’s The Silent Run
THIS JUMPS TO THE TOP OF MY LIST OF FILMS I CAN’T WAIT TO SEE:
Briarcliff’s Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die
Dir: Gore Verbinski (Pirates of the Caribbean)
Cast: Sam Rockwell
Release: Feb 13
THE ACTOR SPOTLIGHT
Mads Mikkelsen (Another Round, The Hunt) has joined the animated feature Dreamworld, directed by Polish VFX artist and producer Daniel Markowicz. ‘
The film follows Jake and Jenny confronting dream-villain Vagapulga.
Mads is an incredible talent for animation, but as of late, he’s been doing it a lot more. Recently, he lent his voice to an animated children’s movie, North, but back in 2010, he voiced the character of Sniff in the Moonmins movie. Mikkelsen appears to have no qualms about making content for kids in between more serious fare.
Lightcraft and Kinostar (sales) previewed footage at AFM ahead of next year’s delivery.
Kurt Russell will return for Season 2 of Apple TV+’s Godzilla Monsterverse spin-off Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, reprising his role of Officer Lee Shaw alongside Wyatt Russell.
Season 1 ended with an older Shaw lost in the Hollow Earth. An exciting cliffhanger was potentially spoiled by this announcement.
Apple continues to bring in big names like Kurt and Wyatt to bolster their shows. Even the auxiliary spinoffs of major IP get the star treatment.
The 10-episode second season brings back the main cast, with Chris Black as showrunner and Legendary/Toho continuing production. Season 1 trailer here.
Tidbits:
Michael C. Hall trades Dexter’s blood-soaked intensity for the sleek intrigue of spy thriller Stratagem. The high-stakes espionage film will be directed by Michael Idov (The Humorist). Hall has recently been busy with the numerous ongoing Dexter spinoff shows, making Stratagem his first film role in almost five years. Production is set to begin early next year with Highland Film Group handling international sales at AFM.
Scary Movie 6 is a bit of a family affair. The Wayans family returns in force for the new iteration, with Marlon, Shawn, and Keenen Ivory Wayans writing alongside Rick Alvarez, Damon Wayans Jr., and Kim Wayans joining the cast. This really does feel like a return to form for the franchise. Paramount releases it on June 12, 2026.
Eva Longoria will host and EP NFL Hometown Eats, a three-part Roku series blending football culture with iconic local food. It’s been great to watch Longoria move from a reality TV personality to a Desperate Housewives star, then establish herself as a film director (Flamin’ Hot), and now back around to a cooking show travel host.
Mini Tidbits:
ABC is sticking to who they know, bringing back Station 19 actress Jaina Lee Ortiz as a series regular for the network’s upcoming drama series RJ Decker. The series is based on the 1987 novel Double Whammy by Carl Hiaasen, with Ortiz set to play the volatile daughter of a corrupt state senator.
Eli Roth’s new horror is Ice Cream Man. Ari Millen (Orphan Black) stars as a deadly ice cream man terrorizing a summer town. Roth directs, appears in the film, co-writes, and produces. The first look is definitely creepy.
And a first look poster for the RRR director’s new film starring Priyanka Chopra.
FESTIVALS AND DOCS
Some more AFM projects/deals:
Where the Sparrows Fly
Dir/Wri: Anthony Baden Saggers (Man is the Devil)
Star: Tim Blake Nelson (O Brother, Where Art Thou)
Prod: Doug Metzger (Dances with Wolves) and Nelson’s Red Barn Films (Bang Bang)
Sales Rep: Alliance Media Partners
Synopsis:
After a failed con-act results in the death of his partner; a swindling card-sharp finds himself pursued through the wilderness as he slowly begins to lose his grip on reality.
Easttree Media, a new U.K.-founded investment company backed by BlackRock, is launching to buy passive profit participations in major film and TV titles, allowing creators, producers, and studios to monetize all or part of their long-term income rights while treating these participations as a new investment asset class.
EST N8 (Tenement) has obtained international sales rights to The Invisible Half, the debut feature film from Japanese writer-director Masaki Nishiyama. The pickup continues the LA-based sales agent’s streak of suspenseful thriller and horror films.
Storyboard Media’s The Calling Witch gives U.S. rights to Vantage Media (What Remains). The chilling take on a sinister child’s folklore story, the film comes from director Mark Wilson (Wade in the Water) and is expected to be released by Vantage early next year.
INDIE FILMMAKER SPOTLIGHT
After 98 clients, 20 films, two Oscar nominations, and more than one cultural moment, production and management company 2AM is closing.
This is a gut punch for indie cinema as these guys had a rare financing deal with A24 that led to them creating indie gems that touched the culture, including:
Past Lives
Babygirl
The Materialists
The company was founded by David Hinojosa (previously working at Killer Films alongside Christine Vachon), Christine D’Souza Gelband (an Endeavor Content partner), and Kevin Rowe, a lit manager who is now joining Entertainment 360.
Intrinsic Value Films (prod co: Tesla) is showcasing Gene, its authorized Gene Wilder biopic.
Find out more here…
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