Moviefone Editorial

Author: Stephanie Topacio Long

  • Luke Wilson Joins ’12 Mighty Orphans’ Adaptation

    Luke Wilson Joins ’12 Mighty Orphans’ Adaptation

    Luke Wilson in Roadies
    Showtime

    The upcoming film adaptation of Jim Dent’s novel “12 Mighty Orphans” has found its Coach Rusty Russell.

    Luke Wilson has boarded the Great Depression-era drama, Deadline reports. He’ll star as a Texas football coach who leads a team of 12 orphans. Ty Roberts is directing the film from a script he adapted with Lane Garrison.

    Wilson’s character is a WWI vet and an orphan himself. His mother left him as a child, ultimately leading him to take a job coaching at a high school/orphanage as an adult. Coach Russell will turn his team into a contender for the Texas state championship.

    Wilson has had a busy acting career for the last two-plus decades. He was part of the ensemble cast of “Berlin, I Love You,” out earlier this year, and has multiple films on the way, including “The Goldfinch” and “Zombieland: Double Tap,” among others. He also has a recurring role in the upcoming DC series “Stargirl” and previously starred in Showtime’s “Roadies.”

    “12 Mighty Orphans” will be produced by Mike De Luca, Houston Hill, Angelique De Luca, and Greenbelt Films’ Brinton Bryan. Executive producers will be George Young Jr., Rhett Bennett, Greg McCabe, and J. Todd Harris. The project will begin production in the fall in Fort Worth, Texas.

    [via: Deadline]

  • Demi Lovato to Play Icelandic Songstress in Netflix’s ‘Eurovision’

    Demi Lovato to Play Icelandic Songstress in Netflix’s ‘Eurovision’

    Demi Lovato
    Demi Lovato/Facebook

    Prepare the spotlight — another big talent has joined Netflix’s “Eurovision.”

    With the comedy film in production, Will Ferrell has officially welcomed two-time Grammy nominee Demi Lovato to the cast. He made the announcement in an Aug. 20 birthday message that also showed off “a wonderful cake” he claimed to have made for her from scratch. Ferrell’s video also showed the singer-slash-actress blowing out the candles.

    Lovato has taken on the role of Katiana, “one of the best and most angelic singers in all of Iceland,” according to Netflix. She’ll star alongside Ferrell, Rachel McAdams, Pierce Brosnan, and Dan Stevens. The film follows aspiring musicians Lars (Ferrell) and Sigrit (McAdams) as they get the chance to represent their country at the world’s biggest song competition. Brosnan plays Lars’s dad, the most handsome man in Iceland, and Steven is a Eurovision contestant from Russia.

    Lovato started acting as a child and her breakout role was as Mitchie in the 2008 Disney Channel Original Movie “Camp Rock.” Her acting and music career took off from there, and her most recent film was 2018’s “Charming.” She also kicked off her “Tell Me You Love Me” world tour in 2018. “Eurovision” will give her another chance to share her acting and singing skills.

    “Eurovision” is written by Ferrell and Andrew Steele, and David Dobkin is directing. Ferrell is producing via Gary Sanchez Productions alongside Jessica Elbaum and Chris Henchy, while Adam McKay serves as executive producer. The comedy is in production now in the U.K. and Iceland.

    [via: Netflix Is a Joke/Twitter; h/t: EW]

  • Wanda Sykes, Mike Epps Team up for Netflix Comedy Series ‘The Upshaws’

    Wanda Sykes, Mike Epps Team up for Netflix Comedy Series ‘The Upshaws’

    Wanda Sykes; Mike Epps
    Courtesy of Netflix

    The streaming service announced Tuesday that it has ordered “The Upshaws,” starring Wanda Sykes and Mike Epps. They’re also set to executive produce, with Sykes serving as co-showrunner alongside Regina Hicks on top of that.

    The series will center on a working-class African American family living in Indiana.  They’ll be “struggling to make it work and make it right without the blueprints to do it,” according to Netflix. The streamer hasn’t revealed character details yet, so it’s unclear just how Sykes and Epps will fit into this fictional family.

    Netflix’s previously landed Sykes’s comedy special, “Wanda Skyes: Not Normal”; it premiered on the service in May. Her TV work includes roles on “The New Adventures of Old Christine” and “Black-ish,” among other series. Meanwhile, Epps starred in two Resident evil films and has appeared in series such as “Uncle Buck” and “Survivor’s Remorse.”

    Sykes, Epps, and Hicks will executive produce “The Upshaws” with Dan Spilo, Page Hurwitz, and Niles Kirchner.

    If you like comedy movies, here are the best comedies on Netflix right now.

  • Ronda Rousey Suffered a Nasty Hand Injury on ‘9-1-1’ Set

    Ronda Rousey Suffered a Nasty Hand Injury on ‘9-1-1’ Set

    Ronda Rousey in Furious 7
    Universal Pictures

    It’s been less than a week since news broke that Ronda Rousey was joining “9-1-1” Season 3, and she has already shed blood for the show.

    TMZ reported Tuesday that the MMA fighter badly injured her hand while filming a scene in Mexico last week. Once the word was out, Rousey shared more details about the “freak accident” that occurred. It turns out that a boat door fell on her hand during a scene, almost severing one of her fingers. The wildest part, though, is that Rousey, being used to a lot of pain, didn’t even look to see the extent of the problem until after the director yelled “cut.” At that point, actual first responders had to be called into action.

    Rousey posted a photo on Instagram on Tuesday, and it’s not pretty. (You can see it here, if you’re curious.) In her caption, she explained more about her grisly injury.

    “So the word is out I nearly lost my finger shooting @911onfox,” sh wrote in part. “Freak accident, first take of the day a boat door fell on my hand, I thought I just jammed my fingers so I finished the take before looking (I know it sounds crazy, but I’m used to live audiences and never showing pain unless I’m supposed to) after a break in the action I told our director the situation and was rushed via ambulance to the hospital where they promptly reattached my bone and tendon with a plate and screws.”

    Gruesome as the injury was, Rousey was back on set and filming the next day. Clearly, it takes more than a nearly severed finger to keep her down.

    “9-1-1” Season 3 premieres Monday, Sept. 23 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Fox.

    [via: TMZ; Ronda Rousey/Instagram]

  • Disney Pushes Release Dates for ‘Cruella,’ ‘The Woman in the Window’

    Disney Pushes Release Dates for ‘Cruella,’ ‘The Woman in the Window’

    101 Dalmatians
    Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

    Disney has new plans for debuting two much-anticipated movies: Both “Cruella” and “The Woman in the Window” have been pushed to later theatrical release dates.

    Out this fall was supposed to be “The Woman in the Window,” on Oct. 4. Now, however, the Amy Adams-starrer has been delayed to May 15, 2020, as Variety reports. Meanwhile, “Cruella,” the live-action film based on the infamous fur-coat-loving “One Hundred and One Dalmatians” villain, has given up its Dec. 23, 2020 slot for one on May 28, 2021.

    There’s no word yet on what prompted the delay for “Cruella,” which stars Emma Stone. The “Woman in the Window” move comes as less of a surprise, though, per Deadline, as there are plans for reshoots. With its new release date, “The Woman in the Window” will now open the same weekend as Warner Bros.’s “Scooby” and Lionsgate’s untitled Saw film. It remains to be seen what competition “Cruella” will have.

    Alas, we’ll have to settle in for longer waits.

    [via: Variety; Deadline]

  • ‘The Walking Dead’ Star Christian Serratos May Join Netflix’s ‘Selena: The Series’

    ‘The Walking Dead’ Star Christian Serratos May Join Netflix’s ‘Selena: The Series’

    Christian Serratos in The Walking Dead
    AMC

    Selena fans could fall in love with Christian Serratos.

    The “Walking Dead” actress has landed the role of iconic Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla-Perez, according to Vulture intel. She’ll star in Netflix’s “Selena: The Series,” which the streaming service announced in December. Serratos is still in talks to join, according to Variety‘s sources. (Netfix has not commented on the reports.)

    The series is set to run for two seasons and will tell Quintanilla-Perez’s life story. The synopsis teases that “as Mexican-American Tejano singer Selena comes of age, she must make tough choices to hold on to family, true love and music.” By playing the decorated music artist, Serratos will get to follow in the footsteps of Jennifer Lopez, who memorably portrayed her in 1997’s  “Selena.”

    Serratos currently stars in another TV series, AMC’s “The Walking Dead,” playing Rosita. She joined in Season 4 in a recurring role before later being upped to series regular. Additionally, she starred in the Twilight movies as Angela and has also had roles in films such as “Flight 7500” and “Pop Star.”

    “Selena: The Series” was developed with the Quintanilla family, and the show’s executive producers include her father, Abraham Quntanilla Jr.; her sister Suzette Quintanilla; and family lawyer Simran A. Singh. Also serving as executive producers are writer Moises Zamora, Jaime Davila, and Rico Martinez. Campanario Entertainment is set to produce. So far, no release date has been announced.

    [via: Vulture; Variety]

  • James Corden Set to Host ‘The Late Late Show’ Through 2022

    James Corden Set to Host ‘The Late Late Show’ Through 2022

    CBS

    CBS doesn’t need to find a new host for “The Late Late Show” anytime soon.

    James Corden is officially planning to stick with his late-night gig through 2022. He has wrapped up advanced negotiations that began in May by signing a new deal with CBS, Variety reports. The multi-hyphenate had been nearing the end of his original contract, as it was due to end following the 2019-2020 TV season.

    With Corden as host, “The Late Late Show” has seen plenty of success. It has been nominated for the Emmy for Outstanding Variety Talk Series four years in a row and earned two Creative Arts Emmy Awards. It also won in the Best Talk Show category at the 2016 Critics’ Choice Television Awards.

    The show’s popularity has led to Corden being in high demand. He’s had voice roles in films like “Trolls,” “Peter Rabbit,” and “Smallfoot” as well as appeared in “Ocean’s 8,” the upcoming “Cats,” and more. We suspect he’ll continue to be busy, so it’s good that CBS has locked him down now.

    Corden is currently hosting his fifth season of “The Late Late Show.” It airs weeknights at 12:37 a.m. ET/PT on CBS.

    [via: Variety]

  • Tracy Morgan Boards Eddie Murphy’s ‘Coming 2 America’

    Tracy Morgan Boards Eddie Murphy’s ‘Coming 2 America’

    Tracy Morgan in The Last O.G.
    TBS

    Attracting high-profile actors has not been a problem for the “Coming to America” sequel.

    Tracy Morgan is a new addition to the comedy starring Eddie Murphy, according to The Hollywood Reporter. News of his casting comes as “Coming 2 America” prepares to begin production in late August. Morgan will appear in the film alongside original stars Murphy, Arsenio Hall, James Earl Jones, and Shari Headley, as well as his fellow newcomers Wesley Snipes, Leslie Jones, and Kiki Layne.

    The sequel picks up years after the original 1988 comedy. It follows Murphy’s Prince Akeem as he returns to Queens, New York, at the request of his dying father to meet the son he never knew he had and bring him into the royal fold. Jones will play the mother of Prince Akeem’s son, while Morgan portrays her hustler brother Reem.

    Morgan has a history of success in comedy. He made a name for himself as a “Saturday Night Live” cast member and one of the stars of “30 Rock,” and he currently stars in the TBS series “The Last O.G.” Some of his films include “What Men Want,” “Fist Fight,” and “The Night Before.”

    “Coming 2 America” — with its cast of comedy heavy-hitters — is being directed by Craig Brewer. Its producers include Murphy, Kevin Misher, and Kenya  Barris.

    [via: THR]

  • ‘Fast & Furious 9’ Adds ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ Star Michael Rooker

    ‘Fast & Furious 9’ Adds ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ Star Michael Rooker

    Michael Rooker as Youndu in Guardians of the Galaxy series
    Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

    For all that “Fast & Furious 9” is jam-packed with big stars, there’s still room for another.

    The cast has grown again, with Michael Rooker buckling up for the ride. The actor has joined the cast of the ninth film in the car action franchise, Deadline reports. He’ll portray a character named Buddy.

    Production began in June, so Rooker is a bit of a latecomer to the project. Of course, it’s better late than never. He’ll get to appear in the film alongside longtime Fast and Furious vets Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, and Chris “Ludacris” Bridges. Also returning are Nathalie Emmanuel from “Furious 7” and “Fast 8” alums Charlize Theron and Helen Mirren. Meanwhile, John Cena, like Rooker, will make his debut in the franchise.

    Rooker already has another major film series on his resume. He’s starred in two Guardians of the Galaxy movies as the blue-skinned buccaneer Yondu. The actor also memorably played Merle Dixon on “The Walking Dead.”

    “Fast & Furious 9” is directed by Justin Lin, whose story was turned into a screenplay by Dan Casey. The action flick is slated to hit theaters on May 20, 2020.

    [via: Deadline]

  • A Drew Barrymore Talk Show Pilot Is in the Works

    A Drew Barrymore Talk Show Pilot Is in the Works

    Netflix

    With Netflix’s “Santa Clarita Diet” behind her, Drew Barrymore is exploring new projects, and one of them is a possible talk show.

    The one-time Golden Globe winner is set to shoot a pilot for the project this week, Variety reports. It’s for CBS Television Distribution and would be syndicated. The hour-long episode will be filmed in New York, but beyond that details remain under wraps.

    Even without knowing what to expect, we’re intrigued. Barrymore has proven willing to do some fun things on camera in the past, like that time she helped a “Santa Clarita Diet” fan propose to his girlfriend. We’re sure there’s more where that came from.

    Hosting a talk show is an idea that has interested Barrymore for at least the past few years. She flirted with a deal with Warner Bros. in 2016, sources told Variety at the time. No agreement was signed, and it looks like this new project is already further along; the other never made it to the pilot stage.

    While Barrymore hasn’t added talk show host to her resume yet, she has added reality TV judge. She was on “The World’s Best,” which premiered on CBS in February. She’ll now get her chance to do something different, so we’ll see if the pilot ultimately moves forward.

    [via: Variety]