Anne Hathaway's White Whale
Good morning: In today's edition of The Industry, we look at:
In The Industry News, Princess Diaries 3, shut up! Amazon puts the kibosh on Bosch. Sam Raimi gets Strange.
Actor Spotlight: Rachel McAdams needs help. Teyana Taylor in RIP. And Timothée Chalamet’s mom.
Festivals: American Film Market’s perfect gamble.
Indie Filmmaker Spotlight: Sylvain Chomet’s Magnificent Life. Sony Pictures Classics love penguins. And Mubi gets Queer.
International News: Los Frikis find utopia, and Diego Luna and Gael García Bernal share the screen.
Let’s go!
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THE INDUSTRY NEWS
We’re going back to Genovia with Disney officially announcing that Princess Diaries 3 is moving forward in development. Anne Hathaway returns with director Adele Lim (writer: Crazy Rich Asians) helming the film.
In a statement, Lim shared:
“As a diehard fan of the original Princess Diaries, I’m beyond excited to be a part of bringing the third iteration of this beloved franchise to life.”
The Joy Ride (2023) director’s most known work was her writing of the beloved Crazy Rich Asians (2018), which grossed $174 M domestically, becoming one of the most successful romantic comedies of all time.
While plot details haven’t been announced, the third film is expected to continue the story from the 2001 original, The Princess Diaries (trailer), and the 2004 sequel, Royal Engagement (trailer), rather than rebooting or changing the series.
It has not been confirmed if Hathaway will reprise her role as the lovable and down to earth Mia Thermopolis (makeover scene), an ordinary teen turned royal queen.
The actress posted the news to her Instagram account, which made long-time franchise fans even more excited about the heavily requested thirdquel.
Paramount dates bring clarity to their leading awards contenders and summer blockbusters. Here’s their revised slate:
Original release: Nov 27th
New Limited Release: Nov 29th
Expansion: Dec 13th
Synopsis:
During the 1972 Munich Olympics, an American sports broadcasting crew finds itself thrust into covering the hostage crisis involving Israeli athletes.
The film stars Peter Sarsgaard and has healthy awards prospects after premiering at Venice and Telluride.
Here’s the hyper-intense (Dutch) trailer.
Original: Aug 8, 2025
New: Feb 28, 2025
Synopsis:
A woman spends the night fighting for her existence as she slips down a rabbit hole contained inside a gift from a late-night visitor.
Bryan Bertino, The Strangers (2008) directs, and Dakota Fanning stars.
Original: Valentine’s Day 2025
New: July 18, 2025
Synopsis:
An animated musical film revolving around the iconic creations of Peyo.
Chris Miller (Puss in Boots) and Matt Landon direct. Voice cast includes Rihanna, Nick Offerman, Natasha Lyonne, Daniel Levy, Amy Sedaris, Nick Kroll, James Corden, Octavia Spencer, Sandra Oh, Alex Winter, Kurt Russell and John Goodman.
Original: July 18, 2025
New: August 1st, 2025
Synopsis:
Based off the widely popular comedy franchise The Naked Gun and television series "Police Squad!" by Jim Abrahams and David Zucker and Jerry Zucker.
Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson star.
Release date: Nov 21st, 2025
Synopsis:
Set in 2025, the story follows a man named Ben Richards while he participates in a deadly game show, called The Running Man, which sees him declared an enemy of the state and hunted by a ground of murderous hitmen.
The film is directed by Edgar Wright and stars Glen Powell and now Katy O'Brian (Love Lies Bleeding). The original 1987 film pitted convict Arnold Schwarzenegger against a pack of hitmen for televised entertainment (trailer).
Tidbits:
Heidi Schreck (Playwright: What The Constitution Means to Me) will write and EP Amazon MGM Studios' live-action She-Ra series, a He-Man Masters of The Universe spinoff with Nicole Kassell directing. This standalone adaptation is unconnected to the Netflix animated series.
Amazon is shutting down its expanded Bosch universe. They just axed two projects:
Who’s The Boss?
Original Synopsis: Thomas Laffont (John Carrrol), a retired detective helping Renée Ballard (Maggie Q) run the LAPD's cold case division.
Untitled J. Edgar Bosch spin-off project
Original Synopsis: Harry Bosch’s (Titus Welliver) former partner, Detective Jerry Edgar, who is tapped for an undercover FBI mission in Little Haiti, Miami. In this glamorous city, he is forced to balance his new life with the city’s gritty underbelly, while being chased by his mysterious past.
There is no word on why these have been shuttered, but the original rights owner, Sony Pictures Television, will have the option to shop this to other studios.
Filmmaker Samuel L. Pierce, at just 18 years old, inks an overall distribution deal for his newly formed production company Electric Shock with Random Media led by longtime exec Eric Doctorow. Throughout his career, Doctorow has worked with Paramount, Fox, MGM, and Miramax and has recently collaborated with Pierce on his comedy feature that he also starred in, The Get Rich Quick Scheme (2023, trailer). The new deal will cover Pierce’s upcoming sports drama Off The Line, which he wrote, directed, and stars in, and it is expected to premiere sometime this year.
Over the weekend, Warner Bros. Discovery announced the departure of their U.S. ad sales chief, Jon Steinlauf, who will be exiting the company by the end of the year. One of the most respected and well-known industry ad execs, Steinlauf navigated many major mergers for WBD and with this news coming as a surprise a replacement has not yet been found.
Sam Raimi is close to finalizing a deal to direct Doctor Strange 3 in the MCU. Doctor Strange and The Multiverse of Madness was one of the more fun Marvel films, and Raimi put his stamp on it. It was a bit camp and, at times, even dipped into horror, just like you would expect from the man behind The Evil Dead. In a long line of safe blockbusters, Strange 2 stuck out. I think this will be a fairly welcome choice among the fandom if it goes forward.
This chase scene leans into the horror quite well. Clip.
THE ACTOR SPOTLIGHT
Sam Raimi is making his much-wanted return to the horror genre with Send Help, starring Mean Girls’ Rachel McAdams. The Spiderman director has just been announced to direct the upcoming third Doctor Strange movie, however Send Help is scheduled to begin filming earlier in January of 2025.
Here’s the Synopsis:
A comedy-adventure horror about Linda, a female employee, and her irritating boss, Bradley. On a business flight, their plane crashes on an island with only the two of them making it out alive. Linda has serious survival skills, which means she’s Bradley’s only hope to stay alive.
The Canadian actress has played love interest Christine Palmer in the first two Doctor Strange movies (2016, 2022) and is expected to return for the third film. McAdams has showcased her versatility on screen with films like:
The Notebook (2004)
Starred in the viral Nicholas Sparks love story starring opposite Ryan Gosling
Wedding Crashers (2005)
Starred in the classic manic romcom with Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret (2023)
Starred as the titular Margaret’s mother in the Judy Blume film adaptation
Originally at Columbia Pictures now over at 20th Century Studios, Send Help is expected to get a theatrical release.
Tidbit:
J.K. Simmons will be joining his real life daughter Olivia Simmons in the cast of 109 Billion Followers. The plot follows a film student documenting a homeless man who believes he's the Grim Reaper. Others in the cast include Nina Arianda and Jake Ryan. Filming begins in November in New York City.
Teyana Taylor is now co-starring in Netflix’s Matt Damon and Ben Affleck-led crime thriller RIP. The film is directed by Joe Carnahan (writer/director: Smokin Aces, writer: Bad Boys for Life (2020).
Here’s the official synopsis:
A group of Miami cops whose trust begins to fray after they discover millions in cash in a derelict stash house. As outside forces learn about the size of the seizure, everything is called into question — including who they can rely on.
No word on who Taylor is playing.
Her most recent role was the lead of the Sundance U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic Winner A Thousand and One. She comes from a hip-hop dance background. She choreographed a Beyonce music video in 2006 and was the star Kanye West's stunning Fade music video, which is entirely comprised of a dancing routine.
RIP is currently filming.
SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher is playing Timothée Chalamet’s mom in A24’s Marty Supreme.
Here’s the official synopsis:
The real-life tale of Marty “Supreme” Reisman (Timothée Chalamet), considered one of the greatest ping-pong players of all time, winning 22 major titles in his nearly 60-year career.
Fran Drescher is best known for the titular Nanny in the 90's series The Nanny. Honestly, it's quite a 180 where the character was known as dim and a bit of a pushover; Drescher is neither of those things.
The cast of Marty Supreme is a hodgepodge:
Gwyneth Paltrow
Read our cover story on Paltrow’s return to acting: https://theindustry.co/p/gwyneth-paltrows-return-angelina
Abel Ferrara (dir: Bad Lieutenant (1992)
Kevin O’Leary (Shark Tank)
Tyler the Creator
Here’s a first-look photo of Timothee Chalamet as a ping pong hustler (Still).
For a deep dive into the film (and a clip of the person on which Chalamet’s character is based), go here: https://theindustry.co/p/safdie-brothers-uncut-sports
We usually have mixed feelings about publishing unauthorized first look photos. But from all angles, Darren Aronofsky’s new film Caught Stealing seems to be a pure return to form as a hyper-gritty NYC street film.
Here’s Matt Smith, who played the nebish and earnest Doctor in Doctor Who, almost unrecognizable:
We can’t wait to see the film materialize. For a little more on the project, read up here:
https://theindustry.co/p/austin-butler-gets-gritty
FESTIVALS
AFM (American Film Market) is kicking off next month, and two projects are launching:
Starring: David Arquette (Scream), Daniella Pick Tarantino (Quentin’s wife)
US Distributer: Saban Films
International Sales Agent: Bleiberg Entertainment
Synopsis:
Two gamblers released from prison decide to open an illegal casino, but get entangled with the mafia, with one gambler's (Arquette) girlfriend (Tarantino) caught in the middle.
Saban will release Q1 2025.
Starring: James Paxton (Twisters)
Dir: Peter Webber (Girl With The Pearl Earring)
Sales agent: Myriad
Synopsis:
A group of co-workers on a routine corporate team-building trip which transforms into a nightmare when they unwittingly become the prey of a rogue AI-driven drone.
Here’s a first look image. Much of the film was shot in a Serbian forest.
AFM kicks off on Nov 5th.
Tidbits:
David Harbour (Stranger Things) stars in the animated film Night of the Zoopocalypse which kicked off the Sitges Film Festival, a fantasy festival held in Barcelona.
Official synopsis:
A wolf and mountain lion team up when a meteor unleashes a virus turning zoo animals into zombies. They join forces with other survivors to rescue the zoo and stop the deranged mutant leader from spreading the virus.
Here’s the half goofy, half-disturbing trailer.
Viva Pictures (100% Wolf) will release this family film in the U.S. on March 7, 2025.
INDIE FILMMAKER SPOTLIGHT
Set to be his first animated film in 15 years, French writer/animator Sylvain Chomet’s The Magnificent Life of Marcel Pagnol is expected to be completed in the next few months, with a premiere next year.
The Official Synopsis below seems like it would compliment Chomet’s (dir: The Triplets of Belleville) beautifully lifelike and extremely intricate style:
In 1955, 60-year-old Marcel Pagnol is a well-known and acclaimed playwright and filmmaker. When the editor-in-chief of ELLE magazine commissions a weekly column about Pagnol's childhood, he sees this as a great opportunity to go back to his artistic roots: writing. Realizing his memory is failing him and deeply affected by the disappointing results of his last two plays, Pagnol starts doubting his ability to pursue his work. That is until Little Marcel - the young boy he used to be - appears to him as if by magic. Together, they will explore Marcel Pagnol's incredible life and bring back to life his most cherished encounters and memories...
Chomet is most known for the formative, fatalistic Oscar-nominated, tragically constructed, and heart-achingly impressionistic comedy The Triplets of Belleville (2003, trailer).
While working on Pagnol, Chomet snuck in a Looney Tunes-inspired cartoon starring the Joker, featured as the introductory scene of Todd Phillips’ Joker: Folie a Deux (and it may have even been the best part).
Chomet’s upcoming decade-in-the-making passion project is currently set for a France release date of Oct. 15th, 2025.
The Penguin Lessons, has sold to Sony Pictures Classics for distribution in North America and a slew of other territories including the Middle East, Turkey, Asia, India, Japan, and South Korea. Peter Cattaneo directs, best known for the delightfully raucous The Full Monty (1997).
The Penguin Lessons premiered at TIFF.
The official logline reads:
An Englishman (Steve Coogan) who was disappointed after going to work in a school in Argentina, but his life changes after he finds a small penguin who becomes his friend and teacher of life's most important lessons.
In addition to Steve Coogan (Alan Partridge), Jonathan Pryce also stars as the school’s headmaster, Buckle.
Sony Pictures Classics stated:
“The Penguin Lessons is grounded in historical events, and yet it’s timeless. It’s richly entertaining and deeply moving in all the right ways, and is sure to resonate with audiences everywhere.”
Currently, there is no trailer or release date.
Tidbits:
Kino Lorber will distribute Riefenstahl, a doc about the director of the Nazi propaganda film Triumph of the Will.
The film premiered at Venice, where it won the Cinema & Arts Award. It also played at Telluride.
Kino plans their North American release for early 2025. Here’s a link to the trailer.
Mubi goes Queer. The distributor/streamer that is currently in theaters with their first theatrical release, The Substance, picked up a slew of territories for the Daniel Craig film Queer (dir: Luca Guadagnino)
Here’s the full list:
UK, Ireland, Canada, Latin America, Germany, Austria, Benelux, Spain, Turkey, and India, and all rights excluding theatrical in Italy.
I had the pleasure of seeing Queer at the NYFF on Friday and it is incredible. More thoughts coming soon.
No word on the release date. A24 acquired the US rights at the start of the Venice Film Festival.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
The Peanut Butter Falcon directors Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz's new film, Los Frikis, was just picked up for limited US release by Wayward/Range.
Here’s the official synopsis:
Aa coming-of-age story set in early 90s Cuba where a group of punk rockers in search of freedom deliberately inject HIV to live at a government-run treatment home so they can create their own utopia.
Phil Lord and Chris Miller (Dir: 21/22 Jump Street, The Lego Movie) serve as producers.
The film will be released on Christmas Day.
Actors Diego Luna and Gael García Bernal reunite on screen as a sleazy manager and a down and out boxer, respectively, whose friendship is tested when they learn they have to take a dive in the next fight.
This is not an alternative universe plot of Pulp Fiction but instead La Máquina.
The two actors first met on screen in the electric and sexually charged friendship in the sensual Y Tu Mamá También (2001, dir: Alfonso Cuarón, trailer).
Here’s a full NY Times interview of the actors riffing with pure kinetic energy on the conception of La Máquina.
Here’s the trailer.
The series hits Hulu (US) and Disney+ (Internationally) on October 9th.
ON THIS DAY
1971. The French Connection, directed by William Friedkin and starring Gene Hackman and Roy Scheider, premieres in the US (Academy Awards Best Picture 1972).
See you tomorrow!
Written by Gabriel Miller, Spencer Carter, and Madelyn Menapace.
Editor: Gabriel Miller.