Christopher Nolan is Universal
Good morning: In today's edition of The Industry, we look at:
In The Industry News, Christopher Nolan’s new project, Paul Feig’s Housemaids and Jax gets the Axe.
Actor Spotlight: Timothée Chalamet becomes known, Sylvester Stallone goes for gold and Dragon Ball Z.
Indie Filmmaker Spotlight: Neon goes shoplifting, and Sony Pictures Classics is Swift, and Magnificent.
Let’s go!
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THE INDUSTRY NEWS
Christopher Nolan reteams with Universal for his new film, due out in Summer 2026. Matt Damon is in talks to star. This would be his third Nolan film after Oppenheimer and Interstellar. There’s no word on the plot; as per usual, Nolan keeps this under lock and key. I remember when people were convinced that Inception was about disruptions of the moon’s gravity.
This would cement Nolan’s relationship with Universal after their film Oppenheimer made $976 M worldwide and won seven Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor.
Here’s a breakdown of the studios Nolan has worked with:
(10) Warner Bros.
Tenet (2020)
Dunkirk (2017)
Interstellar (2014), International only
The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Inception (2010)
The Dark Knight (2008)
The Prestige (2006), select international territories
Batman Begins (2005)
Insomnia (2002)
(2) Universal
Oppenheimer (2023)
Untitled Project (2026)
(1) Paramount
Interstellar (2014), Domestic only
(1) Disney as Touchstone Pictures
The Prestige (2006)
Although it’s no shock that Nolan is working with Universal again, the studio must be celebrating that he didn’t return to Warner Bros.
Filming is expected to begin early next year. IMAX release is coming on July 17, 2026.
Sega Sam Hargrave and Shinobi: More mining of long-dead video game franchises. Sega's Shinobi franchise is being adapted into a film directed by Sam Hargrave for Universal. Ken Kobayashi is writing the screenplay based on the 1987 arcade game about ninja Joe Musashi. The franchise, spanning 14 games, has sold 5 million copies globally.
Shinobi Original trailer
Here's an interesting look at the series progression. Clip.
The film will be produced by Marc Platt Productions and Story Kitchen. This all follows Universal’s success with video game adaptations like The Super Mario Bros. Movie and Five Nights at Freddy's. Constantly chasing that gold-spinning coin.
Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried are set to headline the new Paul Feig (Dir: Bridesmaids) feature, The Housemaid, from Lionsgate.
Synopsis:
Millie (Sweeney) lands a job as a housemaid to wealthy couple Nina (Seyfried) and Andrew before learning that the pair hide dangerous secrets.
The upcoming psychological thriller is based on author Frieda McFadden’s best-selling 2022 novel, which has sold over 1 million copies, with The Boys producer Rebecca Sonnenshine penning the script.
Adam Fogelson, chair of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, stated:
“A great filmmaker and a great cast with a great script from a great book is a terrific place to start. My prior work experiences with Paul and Amanda have been nothing short of spectacular, and Sydney is as talented and compelling as can be.”
The Anyone but You (2023) actress is set to star next in Apple’s thriller film Echo Valley opposite Julianne Moore. Seyfried is most known for her role in the Mamma Mia film franchise but received rave reviews for her performance in the Hulu miniseries The Dropout (2022).
Feig, who worked with Lionsgate previously on the popular dark comedy A Simple Favor (2018), is also working on its sequel, which is in development and now expected to premiere next spring.
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Tidbits:
TV couple Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos are the first to snag the rights to thriller novel, My Darlings for Amazon MGM Studios. Hitting the shelves just yesterday, Marie Still’s new book was bought by the TV couple’s Milojo Productions with James Griffiths (Dir. Stumptown), who is attached to direct and EP the upcoming satirical murder series.
Crazy Monsters, Angry Gods, and Dwayne Johnson feature in the new Moana 2 trailer. The Disney sequel reunites Moana and Maui three years later for an expansive new voyage alongside a crew of unlikely seafarers. Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced, directed by Megamind (2010) director David G. Derrick.
Trailer Here. There’s a beautiful bond between Moana and her younger sister that tugged at my heartstrings.
Release date: November 27th.
Moana (2016) took in $643 M at the box office. The live-action Moana will begin filming this summer and is expected to make waves with its premiere in July of 2026.
Jax gets the Axe. Jax Media, who specialized as a robust production services team on many hit comedies like Broad City, Search Party, Russian Doll was always able to deliver high quality at low costs (a coveted asset in the industry) but their development team was less successful failing to gain many greenlits as the industry has consolidated. As such their development team is departing including TV Head Dave Binegar.
Imagine Entertainment owns 100% of Jax Media and will continue its own TV Development as usual working on the next season of Emily in Paris.
Gladiator II is premiering in London for the Royal family and 30 regional cinemas on November 13.
Director Ridley Scott stated:
“It feels only right that the UK premiere of Gladiator II is taking place in aid of the Film and TV Charity, an organization that works tirelessly to support the UK industry. I think it will live up to your expectations.”
The Managing Director of Paramount Pictures in the UK, John Fletcher stated:
“We are hugely excited and honored that Gladiator II will be the 72nd Royal Film Performance. We feel this worthy charity is a fantastic partner...”
Gladiator II will officially release to the UK Nov 15 and the US Nov 22nd. Here’s the trailer.
Also, Ridley Scott is writing Gladiator 3.
The streaming gods have canceled two shows and renewed one. Here’s the breakdown:
Cancelled
Renewed
Netflix’s The Night Agent, returns for Season 3
Respected industry managers Bill Butler and Michelle Kittrell are joining upstart production/management company, Amplified, which was founded earlier this year. Butler and Kittrell have been instrumental in growing the NY offices of talent agencies, Gersh and Industry, working with a roster of A list clients, many of whom have been with them for decades.
More Scary Stories André Øvredal, director of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, is working on a secret horror project at Paramount Pictures. There are no further details at the moment, not even a name but Øvredal's previous film successes include Mortal (2020) and The Last Voyage of the Demeter (2023). A master at horror.
THE ACTOR SPOTLIGHT
A Complete Unknown fixed a lot of the worries that we had from the first teaser. It gives us more Chalamet doing a passing BD impersonation, particularly the Like A Rolling Stone snippet that teases Dylan's electric guitar era; pretty humorous in hindsight that his rock n roll era was such a tame one.
Tame is a word that comes to mind again when we look at the delivery of these lines; it all seems a bit safe. There were apparently reshoots immediately after its first screening and audiences complained that it needed a generous cut. But I will admit this trailer promised a great story about a great man, and it looks like it's in good hands. You can be beautiful, or you can be ugly, but you can’t be plain.
You can read more about maybe a slightly more cynical impression of the teaser and Biopics as a whole here:
https://theindustry.co/p/complete-unknown
One thing that I did not like however was the brief appearance of a rail-thin Johnny Cash. It feels weird to see anyone aside from Joaquin Phoenix; everyone else is a bit of a caricature.
Watch the A Complete Unknown Trailer here.
In theatres Dec 25th.
Tidbits:
HBO announces It’s Florida, Man is an unscripted comedy series exploring bizarre Florida stories through reenactments by stars like Anna Faris, Sam Richardson and Jake Johnson. Blending real-life interviews and comedic reenactments. If you love Drunk History this one is for you, and the stories are truly unbelievable. It’s Florida, Man premieres October 18 on HBO and Max. Check out the trailer.
John Wick’s Ms. Perkins (Adrianne Palicki) stars in a director's indie debut, The Wolf and the Lamb.
Here’s the official synopsis:
During the 1870s western expansion, a widowed school teacher (Cassandra Scerbo, ABC's The Rookie) is searching for her only son (Jaydon Clark), the latest child to go missing in a tight-knit mining camp. But when the son miraculously returns, he is more monster than man.
No word on Palicki’s role but we love her intensity battling Keanu Reeves in John Wick (shootout clip).
The Wolf and the Lamb is currently shooting in Montana.
Do we need another Sylvester Stallone action movie where he plays a generic tough guy? Lionsgate/Grindstone seem to think so in their new film Armor. Stallone plays the wildcard leader of a crew, taking out an armored truck for some gold. The entire film seems to center on this. Trailer.
For my money, the best version of this was done in The Usual Suspects, where the crew knocks over a cop car full of dirty money (clip).
Doc Harris, the original English-language narrator for Dragon Ball Z, died at 76 following surgery. Starting in Canadian radio, he became a renowned voice in anime, narrating series like Monster Rancher and Eat-Man '98. But he was possibly best known for being the original english narrator for Dragon Ball Z. His gravely tone and elegant way with words was the best way to cap off an episode and left fans of the popular anime fiending for the next action-packed episode. He will be missed.
Next time on Dragon Ball Z. Clip.
The upcoming Netflix action series, Man on Fire, adds Alice Braga (Queen of the South, Dark Matter), Scoot McNairy (A Complete Unknown), and Paul Ben-Victor (Nobody Wants This, The Wire) to its cast. The eight-episode thriller is originally based on novels by A.J. Quinnel and later the 2004 Denzel Washington film adaptation (trailer); the series will also feature Bobby Cannavale (Boardwalk Empire) and Billie Boullet (A Small Light). Led by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Aquaman) as a former special forces mercenary now struggling with PTSD, Braga will join as a series regular, and McNairy and Ben-Victor will have recurring roles.
No word on the release date.
Hugh Grant in A24’s Heretic couldn’t be any more creepy. Heretic shows two Christian missionaries invited into the house of Mr. Reed (Grant) who quickly realize that the sinister homeowner isn’t about to let them leave.
The British character actor, predominantly known for his comedic timing, nonchalant sarcasm, and irrepressible charm in mostly romcoms, has taken significant risks in diversifying his portfolio in the later years of his long career.
Read more about the transformation here:
https://theindustry.co/p/forrest-gump-gets-big
Latest Heretic trailer. The film hits theaters Nov 8th.
David Schwimmer stars in Disney+ and Hulu’s Goosebumps: The Vanishing. Here’s the teaser trailer with some icky VFX on Schwimmer. Premiere date Jan 10th. We hope that Schwimmer’s Sundance film Little Death (prod: Darren Aronofsky) gets distribution. He’s wildly unhinged in the film, an experiment in extreme psychosis:
https://theindustry.co/p/darren-aronofsky-finds-his-softness
Nicholas Pryor, who played Tom Cruise’s overly finicky dad in Risky Business, has passed away at 89. Cruise has something to tell him in this clip. He will be missed.
INDIE FILMMAKER SPOTLIGHT
Boots Riley is directing a new project for Neon, I Love Boosters. The film stars his frequent collaborator LaKeith Stanfield as well as Keke Palmer and Demi Moore.
Here’s the official synopsis:
A ring of enterprising boosters (aka shoplifters or equal opportunists), who take aim at a cutthroat fashion maven.
It will be shot in the fall.
Riley's 2018 Sundance directorial debut Sorry to Bother You is an insanely piercing magical realism satire on capitalism. His follow-up was the Amazon series I’m a Virgo, about a 13-foot-tall Black man coming of age in a society that sees him as an outsider. It also captures Riley’s zaniness.
As a filmmaker, he is one of the strongest satirists of American power structures. However, despite both Sorry to Bother You and I’m a Virgo having incredible starts, their third acts were less than satisfying.
If his latest project is wholly cohesive, it could be headed for an Oscar.
Killer Films’ On Swift Horses, starring Jacob Elordi and Daisy Edgar-Jones, has landed at Sony Pictures Classics for North America, Latin America, Turkey, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, India, Italy, Australia, and New Zealand.
Synopsis:
Muriel and her husband Lee are about to begin a bright new life, which is upended by the arrival of Lee's brother. Muriel embarks on a secret life, gambling on racehorses and discovering a love she never thought possible.
This is director Daniel Minahan’s first feature since 2001. He’s mostly been directing TV such as Game of Thrones, House of Cards and Fellow Travellers.
Minahan stated:
“I am thrilled that On Swift Horses has found a home at SPC, it’s truly an honor to be a part of their remarkable and acclaimed library. These are all the films that made me want to be a filmmaker.”
The film premiered at Special Presentations in TIFF. No word on a trailer or release date.
There’s something very off about the Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point trailer. This IFC film starring Michael Cera, Francesca Scorsese, Maria Dizzia feels too feel good. I sat through the entire trailer waiting for the other shoe to drop. I would have loved it to tilt towards the bottleneck claustrophobia of The Bear’s wild Thanksgiving episode (Fishes), which shared more than enough DNA with the remarkable Krisha (A24, 2015). But alas, it feels very milquetoast.
IFC’s faire is typically raunchier or more horrific so I’m happy to be proven wrong when this releases on November 8th.
Tidbits:
John Boorman, the 91-year-old classic filmmaker, is bringing to life The Honey Wars, an upcoming animated “dark fantasy” film based on a story he created for his children. It has been a decade since his last film, the British war drama Queen and Country (2014), but his next is said to be more of a passion project and a personal tale, developed by Dublin animation company Kavaleer Productions.
Playing POTUS, a documentary by Josh Greenbaum (Will & Harper) exploring presidential parodies and their influence on American politics. Featuring iconic comedians like Alec Baldwin, Dana Carvey, Maya Rudolph, and Will Ferrell, the film examines 60 years of satirical impressions, showing their impact on democracy and political figures. Greenbaum is kind of setting himself up to be the defacto SNL documentarian.
Drew Hancock, director of the upcoming buzzy Companion, will write and direct My Wife and I Bought a Ranch, a supernatural horror film for Amazon MGM Studios. Produced by 21 Laps, Atomic Monster, and Ground Control, it follows a couple facing a malevolent spirit. Hancock's buzzworthy debut Companion seems like it's already opening doors even though it won't hit theaters until Jan 10th, 2025.
Sony Pictures drops a trailer for The Magnificent Life of Marcel Pagnol by the director of Triplets of Belleville. The film will be released in 2025.
ON THIS DAY
Guillermo del Toro born in Guadalajara, Mexico. Happy 60th!
See you Thursday.
Written by Gabriel Miller, Spencer Carter, and Madelyn Menapace.
Editor: Gabriel Miller.