(Left) Andrew McCarthy in ‘Less than Zero’. Photo: 20th Century Fox. (Center) Lena Headey stars in ‘Normal’. (Right) James Lance in ‘Ted Lasso’, now streaming on Apple TV.
Preview:
Lena Headey, Andrew McCarthy & James Lance have been cast in ‘Wednesday’.
The third season of the Netflix hit is shooting now.
While there is no official plotline out there yet, the second season ended with Wednesday (Jenna Ortega) heading off with her Uncle Fester (Fred Armisen) to rescue roommate and friend Enid (Emma Myers) from being trapped as an alpha werewolf.
When will ‘Wednesday’ Season 3 hit Netflix?
You’d need Wednesday’s psychic abilities to guess that at this point, but we can presume that it’ll either hit later this year or (more likely) early in 2027.
The first part of ‘Wednesday’s second season left things on a cliffhanger with our heroine injured after her latest encounter with rampant “Hyde” creature Tyler Galpin (Hunter Doohan). It had a lot to live up to, and while the new batch of episodes certainly have their high points, there is a big issue at its heart.
While the producers, including showrunners Alfred Gough and Miles Millar could be forgiven for sticking to what they know, the endless use of the Hyde creature is a problem as things get repetitive. Also, the first few episodes feel like the tail end of Part One, before a new story randomly takes over, and the two plots fit somewhat uneasily.
The show remains as stylish and fun as ever, but the Hyde creatures are a weak spot –– some effects are decent, others are so cartoony as to truly stand out like a sore thumb.
As expected, Jenna Ortega remains the MVP of the show, her deadpan delivery as on point as always.
But she shares the spotlight with Emma Myers, who shines in particular when she’s swapping bodies with Ortega’s character for a chunk of an episode. The two performers are a delight playing each other, and it’s easily the most fun the season has.
Elsewhere, the Addams clan are used decently, though poor Luis Guzmán still gets the short end of the stick as Gomez. Gwendoline Christie gets to have more fun playing Principal Weems as a spirit guide than she ever truly did in the first season.
And while Lady Gaga’s cameo is fun in the moment, she’s more plot device than character.
Though the second part of the season doesn’t quite live up to the first (those confused storytelling approaches didn’t help), there is still entertainment to be derived from the watching Ortega do her thing.
The producers did at least find a way to weave (most of) the other Addams family members into the story, and the return of Gwendoline Christie’s Weems was a welcome, useful one.
‘Wednesday’ Season 2 Part 2 receives 75 out of 100.
‘Wednesday’ Season 2 Part 1 receives 8 out of 10 stars.
Arriving on Netflix on August 5th is the first part of ‘Wednesday’ Season 2, (four episodes, followed by a further four making up Part 2 on September 3rd).
If all the reporting on it and promotion for the show wasn’t enough to convince you, ‘Wednesday’s return for a second season on Netflix proves that it’s a giant sensation from the off, since it sports a tailored introductory sting featuring everyone’s favorite disembodied hand, Thing, interacting with the steamer’s logo.
‘Wednesday’, though, ultimately has a lot more than the sprawling fanbase to live up to –– it must deliver what audiences enjoyed about the first season while expanding the world and finding some new mysteries for our morbid heroine to explore.
On the evidence of the first part of the new season (split, as is the streamer’s custom, into two chunks premiering in this case roughly a month apart), ‘Wednesday’s child is still full of woe –– and mightily entertaining to boot.
Returning showrunners Alfred Gough and Miles Millar know what makes ‘Wednesday’ tick: plenty of Ortega’s deadpan delivery, a deadly mystery enveloping her and her classmates, plenty for animated body part Thing to handle and some brightness to balance the dour central figure in the form of Emma Myers’ peppy werewolf roommate Enid.
While the element of surprise is perhaps lacking this time, the focus is instead on easing us back into Nevermore Academy, with this year bringing the added notion of having Wednesday’s family –– that would be Morticia, Gomez, Pugsley and looming, groaning manservant Lurch (Joonas Suotamo) –– around on campus more than she would really prefer.
The mystery is another beguiling one, and several of the new characters fit seamlessly into the story.
Still, while the addition of the extended Addams family does draw a little too much focus, at least the writing team keeps the balance most satisfying, Gomez and Pugsley used sparingly while the fractured dynamic between Morticia and her daughter is pushed to the fore.
On the directing front, Tim Burton is back, splitting episodes with Paco Cabezas, offers the requisite style and quirk we’ve come to expect from Wednesday. While not every effect is, er, effective (the Hyde remains some very plasticky CG work), others are still excellent (Thing in particular).
And a move to Ireland for the new season hasn’t impacted the show’s gothic charms, with an episode set at a nearby camp bringing up memories of Wednesday’s memorable time at summer camp in 1993 movie ‘Addams Family Values’.
With Ortega front and center as always, Wednesday herself remains a wonderful creation, all dark moods, gloomy zingers and a wealth of skills. This is a near-perfect blend of actor and role, and Wednesday’s journey this season allows her to deepen without changing too much.
Emma Myers also remains a delight as Enid, the perky werewolf roommate with the love of rainbow colors and, this year, a burgeoning love life. She balances well with Ortega and the two make a solid double act.
The returning members of the Addams clan (now regular cast members) are more of a mixed bag. Catherine Zeta-Jones is ever slinky and superb as Morticia, here handed her own deeper emotional throughline with different generational issues and a more active role in present-day Nevermore.
Luis Guzmán is similarly good as Gomez, though he has less to do (but does it all well). Isaac Ordonez is less convincing as Pugsley, but does at least have a fun plotline –– which also introduces some truly Burton-tastic animation for its backstory.
Previously unseen is Grandmama Hester Frump, Morticia’s mother, brought to vibrant, emotionally distant life by UK sitcom and acting legend Joanna Lumley. She fits smoothly into the wider ensemble.
Of the new recruits, Steve Buscemi makes for an appealing new principal, the goofy Barry Dort, a tireless campaigner for outcasts’ right who also has a hidden agenda, while Billie Piper works well as Isadora Capri, the new music teacher at the school.
There’s a fun, small supporting role for Christopher Lloyd (who played Uncle Fester in the live-action ‘Addams’ movies) and Thandiwe Newton provides mystery and power as the head of a nearby asylum which will become key to the plot in this early chunk of the season.
If it’s tough to follow a hit, ‘Wednesday’s second season so far shows little sign of the strain, bringing back what fans like about the show while layering in new mysteries and some worthwhile fresh faces.
Now it’s up the second batch of episodes to stick the landing…
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What’s the story of ‘Wednesday’ Season 2?
Wednesday Addams (Jenna Ortega), returns to prowl the Gothic halls of Nevermore Academy, where fresh foes and woes await.
This season, Wednesday must navigate family, friends and old adversaries, propelling her into another year of delightfully dark and kooky mayhem.
Armed with her signature razor-sharp wit and deadpan charm, Wednesday is also plunged into a new bone-chilling supernatural mystery.
In ‘Guns Up,’ Luis Guzman plays Ignatius, the right hand man of a mob boss and friend to Ray Hayes (Kevin James), a former cop who works as an enforcer for the organization and is looking to get out.
Guzman’s ability to move effortlessly from the serious to the comedic has landed him roles in dozens of films and TV shows, and he’s worked with directors like Steven Soderbergh and Paul Thomas Anderson multiple times. In addition to ‘Guns Up’ and the recent thriller ‘Havoc,’ Guzman will return this fall in Season 2 of the blockbuster Netflix series ‘Wednesday’ as Gomez, patriarch of the Addams family and father to the title character (Jenna Ortega).
Moviefone had the pleasure of speaking exclusively with this versatile actor about getting the role in ‘Guns Up,’ working with Kevin James and Christina Ricci, and what we can expect next from ‘Wednesday.’
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview.
(L to R) Kevin James, Christina Ricci and Luis Guzmán in ‘Guns Up’. Photo: Vertical.
Moviefone: Let’s start with ‘Guns Up.’ What struck you about this script and character?
Luis Guzmán: Well, it was funny. They called me on a Monday. They offered me the part on Monday and they said, “Can you fly in tomorrow to start shooting Wednesday?” I go, “Okay, guys, maybe it’d be a good idea that I read the script because you offered me the part. I have not read the script.” So I got the script later that day. I read it that night. I thought it was really cool and different. I liked the whole genre of action/comedy and the fact that I was going to have an opportunity to work with Kevin James and Christina Ricci and to do a scene with Melissa Leo. I was like, “Oh, wow, this is great.” But it also a lot also had to do with the writer/director, Edward Drake. I just dug his vibe, his flow. That got me really interested. I dug the character because initially in the beginning, there’s a mystery to this guy. Is he a bad guy? Because he seems like a bad guy. But as the movie progresses it’s like, oh, okay, it’s shifting. It’s shifting…So yeah, that kind of drew me in.
MF: Ignatius seems like he’s there to facilitate whoever’s in charge at the moment, but at the same time it feels like he’s also got the big picture in mind.
LG: Absolutely. So like I said, for me in that sense, it was quite fun. It was a good shoot. It was a really good crew of people, considering all the action that was going on, the shooting and all that stuff. Nobody got hurt. We had great, great stunt coordinators on the show who kept everybody safe. For me that made it really cool. I just really dug how organic it was because I don’t like to be predictable, and this film, again, just gave me the opportunity to just do my thing and have fun.
Kevin James in ‘Guns Up’. Photo: Vertical.
MF: Kevin is mainly known for comedy. Is it interesting to play opposite a guy like him and watch him do something that he’s not known for, and also to play off that yourself and see how he’s trying to stretch himself?
LG: See, I never think about those things because then again, for me, it becomes a little predictable. I, personally, like to be organic. Even though I know Kevin is maybe a comedic actor, I’m not thinking about him as a comedic actor. I’m thinking about him in that moment, in that role, and what’s going on, what’s happening, what are we doing?
MF: What’s the first thing you do when you get to set on the first day? How do you prepare?
LG: I just show up. For me, always, the first day is the hardest day because you are just trying to find the vibe. Because again, I always find that on my first day, I’m discovering things. Once I start working and whoever else I’m working with, and I get the flow back from them, then that really triggers me into what I’m going to do, how I’m going to approach all this stuff. So that’s how basically it works for me.
(L to R) Christina Ricci and Kevin James in ‘Guns Up’. Photo: Vertical.
MF: Any particular days on this shoot that you remember as being especially challenging, or when something funny and unexpected happened?
LG: Well, my first night of shooting actually, we shot underneath the Bayonne Bridge. We’re on the water, and it’s night, and [it was] just beautiful. You saw the Manhattan skyline in the background and it was just a beautiful shot. You appreciate that because there’s a certain artistry to that. Also, it was dark. I’m making this whole speech to all these bad guys, wannabes, and stuff like that, and I’m owning it. I’m owning that moment. But like I said, it was just such a beautiful setting.
MF: You are an actor who is constantly working. Is it a satisfying feeling for you to have such a long career and be as busy as you are?
LG: Oh, man, it is 100% satisfying. It kind of blows me away because I always tell my friends and family, it’s nice to be wanted, but it’s also the fact that I have established myself and I get phone calls to do this and to do that. I mean, Jesus Christ, man, just for me right now, I’m just playing this iconic role of Gomez on ‘Wednesday.’ The great John Astin did it, the wonderful Raul Julia did it. Here I am doing it. I’m just honored and blown away. Listen, I’ve been doing this for a long time. I pinch myself every day. I’m like, wow. So again, it’s nice to be wanted but, and I’ve said this many times, I’ll say it again. I guess the biggest asset that I have about myself is being humble, and that’s why I keep getting called back to do stuff. I show up not only to be an artist, but to complement other artists, whether they’re a director, actors, producers, makeup, hair, wardrobe. It’s all a beautiful artistic collaboration and I’m just honored to be a part of all that.
Luis Guzmán on the set of ‘Wednesday’ season 1. Photo: Netflix.
MF: You and Christina didn’t get to interact on Season 1 of ‘Wednesday,’ but was it fun to work with her on ‘Guns Up’ and also maybe talk about that connection?
LG: Well, it was great working with her on ‘Guns Up.’ I think we just mentioned [‘Wednesday’] on the first day. But I got to tell you, man, Christina was so laser-focused on this. I love her character. I love the reveal of her character. She was really spot on, 100% committed to what she was doing. So for me, again, it was fun working with her.
MF: You mentioned John Astin and Raul Julia playing the part of Gomez. What do you do to make the role your own?
LG: Well, my approach is quite simple. I am a loving husband, a loving father. I love my family. Being an outcast is something that I’m proud of. I use the word organic a lot, but that’s how I approach it. Listen, you get to work with Jenna Ortega, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Isaac Ordenez who plays my son, and we really click so well together. It’s a beautiful family. So for me, like I said, because you see how Raul and Anjelica Huston did their roles, you saw how John Astin did his role, and it’s just a continuation of love.
(L to R) Luis Guzmán and Isaac Ordonez in season 1 of ‘Wednesday’. Photo: Netflix.
MF: What can we expect in Season 2 of ‘Wednesday’?
LG: They blew the lid off it. The first season was pretty spectacular. I told the writers, “How are you guys going to outdo this?” Believe me, they went beyond it. I was blown away. Audiences are going to be so, so happy to see the show come back. Tim Burton, Alfred Gough and Miles Millar and their team of writers really outdid themselves. Just the best cast, the best crew. It’s a real collaboration of artists and it’s beautiful.
MF: Finally, you’ve worked multiple times with great directors — Steven Soderbergh, Paul Thomas Anderson, Brian De Palma. Do you see a similarity between the way they work or the vision that they have, and do you see that in some of the newer directors that you work with these days?
LG: I think they’re all different because they approach their artistry differently. All their visions are different. What they have in common is that they’re all artists, but they all do their thing differently and the outcome is wonderful.
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What is the plot of ‘Guns Up’?
When a job goes horribly wrong, an ex-cop and family man who moonlights as a mob henchman has one night to get his family out of the city.
Yes, we’re back in reboot territory, since studios –– in this case Sony –– are still hunting for recognizable IP to churn through their development process and pump out new takes on older titles.
The young women quickly form a bond, but as Allison starts to rethink her engagement, Hedra grows jealous and hostile. As Allison learns new details about her roommate’s life, Hedra gets violent in her efforts to get Sam out of the picture.
With Hedra turning more menacing by the minute, Allison finally understands what she’s up against…
While the movie didn’t exactly click with critics, audiences were happy to move in, with the $16 million-budgeted film scoring more than $48 million worldwide at the box office.
And in an age when we’re all unsure about who or what to trust, and so much happens through apps, it still feels like a pertinent story.
Nothing has been said yet about who might take the main role and who would be the psycho roommate, but we can see Russell and Ortega in those parts respectively.
Yet who knows? With no director or writer attached, who is to say that the new movie might mix up the story so that it’s a little less clear who is who?
Rising star Ortega might currently be best known for Netflix’s ‘Addams Family’ spin-off series ‘Wednesday,’ which has been a giant hit for the streaming service and is returning later this year for a second season.
This is what she told Variety about the status of the second run:
“We’re still in the edit. I was doing ADR for it two weeks ago That’s the funny thing about these jobs is you’re done, you wrap, but you’re not really done. So, I’ll probably be working on it until the end. I feel like we kind of had a little bit more trust, and therefore, we felt like we could do bigger, more elaborate sequences, which is nice.”
And here’s what she said about progress on the third, which has yet to be commissioned but is surely a no-brainer:
“We haven’t gotten an official thumbs up or anything like that, but I know that the writers are messing around and throwing out ideas. With a show like that, you kind of want to get ahead of the game.”
Elsewhere, Ortega has been seen in the likes of the recent ‘Scream’ movies (though she’s not back for the new one) and ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.’
Coming up, she has new thriller ‘Hurry Up Tomorrow,’ about an insomniac musician who encounters a mysterious stranger, leading to a journey that challenges everything he knows about himself.
That one, directed by Trey Edward Shultz and co-written by/co-starring The Weeknd, will be in theaters on May 16th.
It’ll be followed by Taika Waititi’s latest, ‘Klara and the Sun,’ a fable about a robot girl designed to help humans prevent loneliness. The movie doesn’t yet have a release date.
And ‘Death of a Unicorn’ recently premiered to great acclaim at the SXSW festival.
Written and directed by Alex Scharfman, it also stars Paul Rudd, Anthony Carrigan and Richard E. Grant in the story of Father-Daughter duo Elliott and Ridley, who hit a unicorn with their car and bring it to the wilderness retreat of a mega-wealthy pharmaceutical CEO.
It’ll be in theaters on March 28th.
Taylor Russell in ‘Bones and All’. Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
Russell, meanwhile, is recognizable from the ‘Escape Room’ movies and indie drama ‘Waves,’ and made an impression opposite Timothée Chalamet in Luca Guadagnino’s cannibal drama ‘Bones and All.’
More recently, she has worked on a new thriller called ‘Hope’ for director Na Hong-jin.
The movie, charts what happens mysterious discovery is made on the outskirts of the remote harbor town. The residents find themselves in a desperate fight for survival against something they have never encountered before.
She’s also attached to a new version of ‘The Thomas Crown Affair’ (the third, for those keeping score) which Michael B. Jordan is preparing to direct and star in.
When will the new ‘Single White Female’ move into theaters?
Sony hasn’t yet confirmed the film at all, let alone when it might actually hit our screens.
The show, starring ‘Scream’s Jenna Ortega, ranks as the most-watched English language show that the streaming service has ever released and was nominated for 12 Emmys, winning four.
So naturally, fans have been clamoring for any word of when it might be back on our screens. And while there is still no properly confirmed date (see below), we do at least know that the second season exists, albeit in raw form as Netflix has marked the end of production on the latest batch of episodes by posting a suitably spooky shot of Ortega.
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She’s posing, in true Wednesday form, in what appears to be a graveyard, with a gothic gate and two robed statues carrying lanterns behind her. What were you expecting? Rainbows and kittens? Storm clouds and a pet cemetery are more her style.
While this is the first official picture from the new season, we have had a previous first look behind-the-scenes clip released as part of Netflix’s Geeked Week celebrations…
And the biggest recent news for the new season is the announcement that Lady Gaga will be appearing in a relatively small role.
What has happened with ‘Wednesday’ Season behind the scenes?
Cast and crew of Netflix’s ‘Wednesday’. Photo: Netflix.
Given the sheer level of excitement around the first season (Netflix took the rare step of releasing actual figures since it had something to crow about: ‘Wednesday’ notched up most hours viewed in a week with 341.2 million hours, tied the record with fellow genre powerhouse ‘Stranger Things’ fourth season for the most viewed show in 83 countries and stands as one of only three titles to cross 1 billion hours viewed on the service within one month, along with ‘Squid Game‘/ and the aforementioned ‘Stranger Things.’
That prompted the company to spawn all manner of merchandising and real-world “experiences” and naturally to commission a second season.
The production for Season 2 shifted (for budget and scheduling reasons) from Romania to Ireland, and it had to accommodate a few challenges, including a delayed start due to star Ortega’s schedule on Tim Burton’s ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.’
It’s worth noting that Burton is also involved in ‘Wednesday’ as an executive producer as well as directing several episodes.
Alfred Gough and Miles Millar serve as the series’ showrunners, keeping things on track through the new season.
Who else will appear in ‘Wednesday’ Season 2?
(L to R) Catherine Zeta-Jones as Morticia Addams, Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams, Luis Guzmán as Gomez Addams, and Isaac Ordonez as Pugsley Addams in Netflix’s ‘Wednesday.’
The first season told the tale of Wednesday’s enrollment at the Nevermore Academy, where she discovers she has inherited her mother’s psychic abilities, allowing her to solve a local murder mystery.
Season 2 will pick up the threads of that, while plunging her into a new mystery, likely with fresh creatures to deal with. The expanded roles for her family members means we can expect more of the Addams clan this time around.
And we predict potential dancing, given the viral TikTok “Wednesday dance” that spread across social media in 2022 following the release of Season 1.
Will Netflix choose to go all ‘Stranger Things’/‘Cobra Kai’ and spread the new episodes out across different chunks? That remains to be seen, but you just know they’ve considered it.
When will ‘Wednesday’ Season 2 land on Netflix?
The streaming service has yet to confirm a formal date, but the show is confirmed to return in 2025.
Though she’s one of the most recognizable people in the music world and has certainly made an impact on film (particularly in ‘A Star is Born’), having Lady Gaga in a project is not always a guarantee of success, as the team behind ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ might be able to tell you (in between the wailing, gnashing of teeth and rending of garments over the movie’s lackluster box office).
Still, given that her song “Bloody Mary” was used by TikTokers recreating the dance scene from ‘Wednesday’s first season, it somehow makes sense that she’ll be making a cameo appearance in the second.
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According to Variety, while the producers had hoped she might take on a bigger role, she’s only going to be a small part of the show. Still, a cameo is better than nothing if you want people talking about your show.
Not that ‘Wednesday’ necessarily needs the help: the series, starring Jenna Ortega, ranks as the most-watched English language show that Netflix has ever released and was nominated for 12 Emmys, winning four.
Season 1 had to be delayed due to the double punch of the writers’ and actors’ strikes last year, and Ortega’s filming schedule on ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.’
(L to R) Catherine Zeta-Jones as Morticia Addams, Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams, Luis Guzmán as Gomez Addams, and Isaac Ordonez as Pugsley Addams in Netflix’s ‘Wednesday.’
The first season told the tale of Wednesday’s enrollment at the Nevermore Academy, where she discovers she has inherited her mother’s psychic abilities, allowing her to solve a local murder mystery.
Season 2 will pick up the threads of that, while plunging her into a new mystery, likely with fresh creatures to deal with. The expanded roles for her family members means we can expect more of the Addams clan this time around.
When will ‘Wednesday’ Season 2 land on Netflix?
The streaming service has yet to confirm a formal date, but the show should return next year.
Adam Driver and Lady Gaga in ‘House of Gucci’. Photo: Universal Pictures.
(Left) Natalie Portman. (Right) Jenna Ortega attends the world premiere of Netflix’s ‘Wednesday’ on November 16, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Presley Ann/Getty Images for Netflix.
Preview:
Jenna Ortega and Natalie Portman are in talks to star in ‘The Gallerist.’
Cathy Yan co-wrote and would direct the movie.
It’ll follow an art gallery owner with a desperate plan.
While not every movie that Jenna Ortega has appeared in since ‘Wednesday’ helped her profile skyrocket has been a winner, you just know that any filmmaker would be happy to have her even consider appearing in their work.
And before you ask, no “gallerist” does not mean someone who is prejudiced against art galleries; it means the owner/manager of one.
What’s the story of ‘The Gallerist’?
Natalie Portman attends Netflix’s ‘May December’ Los Angeles premiere at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on November 16, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Natasha Campos/Getty Images for Netflix.
Per Deadline, ‘The Gallerist’ will follow a desperate art gallery owner who attends the Art Basel show (an annual shindig featuring over 250 of international galleries showing the works of more than 4,000 artists) in Miami with an audacious plan to sell a dead man at the show.
At least, that’s the basic logline for the movie, which Yan co-wrote alongside James Pedersen (‘High Heat’). It could, in other hands, be a ‘Weekend at Bernie’s’–style romp, though we have a feeling Yan will be opting for a sharper, more satirical edge to her movie.
There’s no word on exactly what either actor would play in the movie –– our guess at this point is Portman as the gallerist –– and it remains to be seen if they hop aboard at all, as their deals have yet to close.
And the actor has also been working with Burton on Season 2 of ‘Wednesday,’ which should be hitting Netflix next year.
On the movie front, she has found time for a role in Taika Waititi’s next film, ‘Klara and the Sun,’ will be seen in musical mystery thriller ‘Hurry Up Tomorrow’ and worked on ‘Death of a Unicorn.’
There have also been rumors that she’ll be part of the cast for J.J. Abrams’ mysterious new movie.
She has a voice role in new Roald Dahl animated adaptation ‘The Twits’ and recently finished work on Guy Ritchie’s new fantasy adventure movie ‘Fountain of Youth.’
When will ‘The Gallerist’ be on screens?
While ‘The Gallerist’ appears to be gaining momentum, it has yet to lock in a distribution home, so we’ll have to wait and see when it might arrive in theaters or on streaming.
(L to R) Mikey Madison and Natalie Portman in ‘Lady in the Lake,’ premiering July 19, 2024 on Apple TV+.
Jenna Ortega as Cairo Sweet in the Psychological Thriller film, ‘Miller’s Girl,’ a Lionsgate release. Photo courtesy of Zac Popik.
Preview:
Jenna Ortega is reportedly in final talks for J.J. Abrams’ new film.
Glen Powell is making his own deal to star.
Warner Bros. is backing the new movie.
If we know anything about J.J. Abrams, it’s that the man loves a mystery. In fact, he became famous for his “mystery box’” filmmaking as both a director and producer.
It’s perhaps not shocking then, that much about his next movie –– his first as a director since 2019’s ‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’ –– is being kept under wraps.
But according to Deadline, we are at least learning –– assuming it all works out –– who could end up starring, as both Jenna Ortega and Glen Powell are reportedly making deals to appear.
Can the polar bear from ‘Lost’ be far behind? Okay, probably not, but you can already sense Abrams’ old friend and frequent cinematic lucky charm Greg Grunberg waiting to see how he might be included.
(L to R) Composer Michael Giacchino and director J.J. Abrams on the set of ‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.’ Photo courtesy of Michael Giacchino’s Twitter.
As we mention above, this one is a big ol’ mystery. No plot details have emerged (there was some chatter about it being a time travel tale, but that has since been denied) and the title remains locked in a vault somewhere.
Abrams wrote the script for the new movie and his Bad Robot company is naturally involved to produce. It’ll be released by Warner Bros’. but beyond that… your guess is as good as ours.
What else are Jenna Ortega and Glen Powell working on?
Glen Powell as Tyler in ‘Twisters’, directed by Lee Isaac Chung.
Ortega is in high demand of late thanks to her star-making turns in the recent ‘Scream’ outings and Netflix’s ‘Wednesday’.
Next up for her in terms of release date is a reunion with ‘Wednesday’ director Tim Burton for ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’, with the supernatural comedy sequel due to premiere at the Venice Film Festival ahead of its September 6th arrival.
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She’s also part of the cast for Taika Waititi’s sci-fi pic ‘Klara and the Sun’ and Alex Scharfman’s comedy ‘Death of a Unicorn’ which also stars Paul Rudd and Will Poulter. Finally, she’s been busy shooting a second season of ‘Wednesday’.
As for Powell, he’s enjoying success on screen with ‘Twisters’, which is doing solid business. The actor has been working on comedy thriller ‘Huntington’ and will star for Edgar Wright in a remake of ‘The Running Man’ and John Lee Hancock’s legal true story ‘Monsanto’. Plus, he’s been talking of late of having been told the date he’ll need to be ready to shoot another ‘Top Gun’ movie.
When will the new Abrams movie be in theaters?
Among the many details that Abrams and co. are keeping quiet for now is any potential release date for the movie. We have to assume that someone at Abrams’ level can demand not to lock down a date until he’s ready to commit to something, though Warners will no doubt hope this can hit cinemas as soon as possible.
Jenna Ortega attends the world premiere of Netflix’s ‘Wednesday’ on November 16, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Presley Ann/Getty Images for Netflix.
Cast and crew of Netflix’s ‘Wednesday’. Photo: Netflix.
Preview:
‘Wednesday’ is now in production on Season 2.
Christopher Lloyd and Billie Piper are among the new cast additions.
The likes of Catherine Zeta-Jones and Luis Guzman are now series regulars.
With such a big reaction to ‘Addams Family’ spin-off dramedy ‘Wednesday’s first season, you can imagine Netflix’s frustration on not being able to strike while the pop cultural iron is at its hottest, with the writers and actors’ strikes putting paid to a potential 2023 shoot.
But, following a location switch to Ireland, the show has finally gotten back into the swing of things, and cameras are now rolling on Season 2, as a fun video featuring disembodied hand Thing delivering scripts reveals…
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And the start of production is not the only piece of news to emerge from the show today, as, following on from word of Steve Buscemi joining the cast, a slew of actor announcements was revealed by the streaming service.
And then we have the new guest stars, including the exciting likes of Christopher Lloyd, who has his own ‘Addams Family’ connection, having played Uncle Fester in the two ‘Addams’ movies. But with Fred Armisen already established as Fester in ‘Wednesday’, we’ll have to wait and see who he’s playing.
Here’s what ‘Wednesday’ show-runners Al Gough and Miles Millar said about the new cast:
“We are thrilled that the entire Addams family will be enrolling in Nevermore Academy this season along with a dream cast of icons and new faces.”
Tim Burton will be back as the main director for the new season alongside Paco Cabezas and Angela Robins.
When will ‘Wednesday’ Season 2 be on Netflix?
The streaming service has yet to reveal when the show will return to its servers, but we’re guessing as soon as (in)humanely possible, given that ‘Wednesday’ is the Most Popular English TV series on Netflix with 252.10 Million Season 1 views.
