Good morning: In today's edition of The Industry, we look at:
Mark Ruffalo’s HBO show. Sydney Sweeney’s SXSW film. And Alexander Payne goes Danish.
Let’s go!
If you enjoy today’s edition, please hit the like button or leave a comment.
THE INDUSTRY TLDR
Mark Ruffalo stars in Brad Ingelsby’s FBI thriller Task.
Lionsgate will distribute Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ: Resurrection.
The Russo Brothers’ AGBO appoints three VPs.
David Leitch is in talks to direct Gears of War for Netflix.
Buffy reboot casts Ryan Kiera Armstrong; Sarah Michelle Gellar returns.
Teo Yoo (Past Lives) and Noomi Rapace lead cyber-thriller Stratagem.
Sydney Sweeney’s genre-bender Americana hits theaters August 22 via Lionsgate.
Michael J. Fox unretires to join Shrinking Season 3 on Apple TV+.
Lynne Ramsay’s Die, My Love debuts first clip at Cannes.
Neon promotes Ryan Werner to President of Global Cinema.
Jeremy Saulnier (dir: Rebel Ridge) is attached to direct Trigger Point for A24.
Alexander Payne directs his first foreign-language film, Somewhere Out There (in Danish).
Q1 2025 breakdown for ITV and Fremantle.
THE INDUSTRY NEWS
Brad Ingelsby (creator: HBO’s Mare of Easttown) returns with a new HBO series, Task. It sees Mark Ruffalo as a task force FBI chief who hunts down a group of thieves in a Philadelphia suburb.
The premise doesn’t sound like much, and even the trailer feels like it’s underselling it. But Ingelsby is a master of TV.
His Mare of Easttown takes psychic hold on you from the beginning of the series, suturing you to a less than likable hard ass Kate Winslet who other than being a damn good detecetive has very little going or her. Her police department is underfunded and the laughing stock of the town, her family doesn’t seem to like her all that much, and her greatest achievement was a basketball game decades earlier.
These all add up to a devastating character portrait, something I believe we’ll see in Ruffalo’s FBI agent and the thief he’s hunting, Tom Pelphrey (Laura Linney’s brother in Ozark).
Task release date: September.
Gentlemen, rev up your chainsaw guns: David Leitch (dir: Fall Guy) is in talks to direct Gears of War, Netflix’s big-budget film adaptation of the acclaimed Xbox video game series.
The game is about a squad of alien-killing mercs in power armor riding the line of sci-fi horror and ultra-gore military strategy. The script is being written by Jon Spaihts (Dune) with Leitch and his producing partner Kelly McCormick producing under their 87North banner, alongside the game’s developer.
Netflix aims to launch the franchise with a feature film, followed by an adult animated series and further expansions if successful. Out of all of the video game adaptations currently in the hopper, this one seems like a surefire hit. With over five games to pull lore from, if they can land this, you could be seeing a lot of gears for years and years. Trailer for the game.
Tidbits:
Mel Gibson’s sequel epic The Passion of the Christ: Resurrection is officially being distributed by Lionsgate. It’s a big win for the studio as the first film made $612M worldwide against a $30M budget. The sequel will focus on the 24 hours encompassing Jesus’ passion and the events that occurred three days between his crucifixion and resurrection.
Captain Marvel and Half Nelson filmmakers Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck are tapped to direct the sweeping astronaut romance story, Atmosphere. It is based on the book by acclaimed author Taylor Jenkins Reid (Daisy Jones and the Six). The live-action feature adaptation comes from the traditionally stop-motion animation studio Laika. It follows two pioneering female astronauts set at NASA in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s.
Big Little Lies meets Tiger King. Cowboy Films (The Last King of Scotland) has acquired TV rights to Cat Fight, the debut novel by Kit Conway. The suspense fiction story follows three suburban women who, throughout one summer, each use the growing hysteria around a big cat sighting to achieve their own agendas.
The Russo Brothers’ indie studio AGBO appoints three names to VP roles in an effort to expand their creative team. Seasoned television and film exec Cory Lanier will serve as Senior VP of TV, Netflix’s Veronica Hidalgo will take on the role of VP of Film, and John Swartz from Lucasfilm was named VP of IP Production.
Quinta Brunson’s Fifth Chance Productions (Abbott Elementary) has brought on Erin Wehrenberg as Head of Creative Affairs, bringing with her 30-plus years of industry experience. She previously served as SVP of Comedy Programming at ABC, working on the development and sale of influential comedies like Friends, The Office, 30 Rock, Freaks and Geeks, and most recently, Brunson’s Abbott.
Legendary Bonnie and Clyde (1967) musical composer Charles Strouse has passed away at 96. He’s been behind Broadway hits like Bye Bye Birdie, Annie, and the iconic score for Bonnie and Clyde. He will be missed.
THE ACTOR SPOTLIGHT
Sydney Sweeney is a small-town southern girl with big dreams in Americana, which premiered at SXSW. The trailer veers into David Lynch/Coen Brothers territory but way more genre. We’re continually impressed by how Sweeney can reinvent herself for each character. Lionsgate releases August 22nd.
Teo Yoo, who mashed our heart into little pieces with his chronic, wise sadness in A24’s Past Lives, stars in Stratagem across from Noomi Rapace. He plays a super genius cyber-security tech who may hold the secrets to stopping a massive cyber breach. We love Yoo in this role, he has a stoicness that allows us to enter his thoughts in an astonishing way (Past Lives end scene). David Lancaster (Whiplash) produces.
Hulu’s Buffy reboot has cast this generation’s newest slayer in Ryan Kiera Armstrong (Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, Firestarter). In the 20th Television and Searchlight TV series, Armstrong will star alongside Sarah Michelle Gellar, who will be reprising her role and was instrumental in deciding who will be her new right-hand.
Dawson’s Creek star James Van Der Beek has joined Prime Video’s Legally Blonde prequel series, Elle. Young actress Lexi Minetree will play the titular role, with Van Der Beek starring in a recurring role as the city’s new mayoral candidate and current school district superintendent. The Hello Sunshine series is currently in production.
Al Pacino has joined the ensemble cast of Maserati: The Brothers. An incredibly star-studded cast already consisting of Anthony Hopkins and Andy García in the biopic about the founders of Maserati. Though a cameo, Pacino’s role adds prestige to the biopic directed by Bobby Moresco. Global premiere: Fall 2025.
Shōgun's Cosmo Jarvis will play the titular role in the biopic Young Stalin.
The director stated:
“This isn’t a portrait of power — it’s a descent into the fire that forged it. With Cosmo, we have a lead actor who understands danger, charm and the fractures of identity.”
Access Entertainment (Conclave, Zone of Interest) produces.
Michael J. Fox unretires from acting to join the cast of Apple TV+’s Shrinking Season 3. No word on the role, but it’s amazing to see Fox return from acting after Parkinson’s halted him from taking on more roles. It may have something to do with the immense outpouring of passion he showed in the poignant biographical doc Still: a Michael J. Fox Movie (2023, trailer). Fox doesn’t quit, and we won’t quit on loving him.
There are new additions to The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping cast!
Three-time Emmy nominee Lili Taylor (The Conjuring) will play Mags, an incredibly sweet older woman who was one of the first ever victors of the Hunger Games.
Rising Stranger Things actress Maya Hawke will play Wiress (previously played by Amanda Plummer), a quirky victor who is assigned to mentor a young Haymitch.
American Born Chinese breakout star Ben Wang will portray a new character named Wyatt Callow, a tribute from District 12.
The dystopian prequel and fifth installment of the franchise will play in theaters beginning on Nov. 20th, 2026.
Joe Don Baker, known for tough-guy roles in Walking Tall and James Bond films, died May 7 at 89. The Texas-born actor’s career spanned decades, from Broadway to iconic vigilante and cop roles in film and TV. He leaves behind a legacy of gritty, memorable performances. He will be missed. His turn in the Living Daylights -clip.
Agathe Rousselle, breakout star of Titane, has joined Apple TV+’s ambitious heist series 12 12 12, co-starring Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan. Rousselle will next appear in Laurent Slama’s A Second Life, premiering at Tribeca.
Two SNL alums, Will Forte and Colin Jost, along with Kumail Nanjiani (Silicon Valley), have joined Nate Bargatze in The Breadwinner, a TriStar comedy directed by Eric Appel (Son of Zorn). Bargatze plays a dad struggling with domestic life after his wife (Moore) strikes it big on Shark Tank. Sony releases on March 13, 2026.
Leo Woodall (White Lotus) and Emilia Jones (CODA) join Dominic Sessa (The Holdovers) for A24’s Anthony Bourdain biopic, Tony. No word on who they will play. But Sessa will play a young Bourdain.
FESTIVALS
As Cannes kicked off a few days ago (full breakdown), it’s too early to see if there are any frontrunners. However, a few of the films have dropped first looks:
Die, My Love (Official Selection)
Director/Co-Writer: Lynne Ramsay (We Need to Talk About Kevin)
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Robert Pattinson
Producer: Martin Scorsese
Urchin (Un Certain Regard)
Writer/Dir: Harris Dickinson (Babygirl)
Cast: Frank Dillane
And The President’s Cake (Cannes Directors’ Fortnight) clip.
At the Cannes IMAX press conference, a few goodies were announced:
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey will be shot 100% on IMAX cameras
Next-gen camera system 30% lighter and quieter, with a better turnaround time for dailies
Greta Gerwig’s Narnia will get a 14-day exclusive release in IMAX theaters
First IMAX foreign doc is Patrouille de France, following a year in the life of the French Air and Space Force aerobatics team (these guys put Top Gun to shame - clip)
Here’s the latest and greatest at the Cannes Market. Including a new project with Maika Monroe replacing Margaret Qualley: https://theindustry.co/p/cannes-market-2025
Tidbit:
Bond. James Bond Jr., Roger Moore’s son, Christian Moore (AP: And the Winner Isn’t), has launched Consortium Media Finance, a new prod co. One of their first projects is Rogue Male, an espionage franchise based on this novel. It’s nice to see Christian picking up his father’s mantle.
INDIE FILMMAKER SPOTLIGHT
Jeremy Saulnier’s trigger finger. Saulnier is attached to direct Trigger Point, a spec crime drama series for A24. No word on plot or cast, but A24 picked this up for a clean half a million from writer Harrison Query (Heads of State). Joe Hipps (former head of TV at Fifth Season) will EP.
This is a big win for Saulnier, who went through hell and back to make his latest film, Netflix’s Rebel Ridge, which turned out to be a massive hit, netting 31.2M views in a week. If you’re not one of those viewers, it’s a revenge action story with the heart of a samurai film. Methodical character work done by Aaron Pierre (trailer). We look forward to Trigger Point picking up steam.
Amid a packed Cannes lineup for Neon, film marketing giant Ryan Werner has been named the new president of global cinema. Werner will lead the company’s release strategies and fully oversee all theatrical distribution, hoping to sharpen Neon’s already impressive marketing and award positioning. The publicity pro previously launched his own boutique agency back in 2014, Cinetic Marketing, with credits spanning five Best Picture Oscar winners and six of the past ten Palme d’Or laureates.
Former SVP, Courtney Ott, who joined the agency in 2016, will now take over after Werner’s departure. She has overseen countless national PR and awards campaigns, including press strategy, as well as international festival support.
Ott shared:
“I am honored to be continuing to work alongside an incredible team at Cinetic Marketing, and to keep building on what Ryan started many years ago. The passion and inspiration for supporting filmmakers will continue to be our priority.”
She will take on her new promotion immediately.
Tidbits:
Always sad when this happens, but an indie production company Yale Entertainment (Mel Gibson’s Bandit, Uma Thurman’s The Kill Room) has folded due to bankruptcy. We wish founders Jordan Yale Levine and Jordan Beckerman the best of luck on their future endeavors.
IFC has acquired U.S. rights to Over Your Dead Body, a dark action-comedy directed by Jorma Taccone and starring Jason Segel and Samara Weaving. The film follows a couple plotting to kill each other during a remote getaway. It is an English language adaptation of the Norwegian film I Onde Danger.
Dave Bautista stars in Trap House, Aura Entertainment’s first theatrical release. The action-comedy hits theaters November 14, backed by Ridley Scott’s Scott Free and Capstone.
Waltzing With Brando, starring Billy Zane as Marlon Brando, finally gets US distribution from Iconic Releasing (Terrifier 3). The resemblance is uncanny in the new trailer. Release date Sept 19th.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
ITV and Fremantle Q1 2025 earnings. Full breakdown:
https://theindustry.co/p/itv-and-fremantle-q1-2025
Alexander Payne (dir: The Holdovers) takes a great creative swing. He directs his first foreign language film, Somewhere Out There. It stars Renate Reinsve (The Worst Person in the World) and will be in Danish. No plot details, but I can’t think of any established American directors who have gone and made a film entirely in a foreign language. Any good examples? Shoot us an email.
Quiver Distribution (Daisy Ridley’s Cleaner) picks up Hunting Jessica Brok, a South African action-thriller, for U.S. theatrical release on Sept. 19. Directed by Alastair Orr, the film follows a Black Ops veteran forced back into violence to save her daughter (South African Taken).
ON THIS DAY
1929. Wings wins first Academy Award for Best Picture.
That’s all for the week. See you Monday!
Written by Gabriel Miller, Spencer Carter, and Madelyn Menapace.
Editor: Gabriel Miller.
Follow us on: Facebook | Instagram
Want to advertise with us? Email: clarke.scott@theindustry.co