Several live-action updates came out last week, pertaining to the Marvel universe and an A24 production that has everyone wondering what it will be about. It’s been a while since a Barney film was announced, but it seems like The Bear alum will be in charge of writing its script. Aside from this surprising news headline, Anora walked away victorious from last night’s Academy Awards, marking a major win for independent filmmaking in the midst of the digital era. If you need to catch up on all the recent news stories coming out of Hollywood, here is a handy round-up with everything you might’ve missed.
Tuesday
Ayo Edebiri To Write and Star in Daniel Kaluuya and A24’s Live-Action ‘Barney’ Movie
After her breakout role in The Bear, Ayo Edebiri‘s career has skyrocketed, with her starring in the upcoming A24 horror film Opus and in the live-action Barney film. The latter casting announcement was recently divulged, with Edebiri not only snagging a role in the film but also being hired as a screenwriter. She is responsible for penning the script, which will likely bring a comedic spin to the purple dinosaur that became a popular figure on children’s TV. There is still no hint as to what the project will be about, even though it has been in the works since 2019. Now that Edebiri is attached to write the story, we can only hope this will speed up the process for the film to get made. The only other thing we know about it is that Academy Award winner Daniel Kaluuya is producing the film.
Related
You’ll Never Guess Who’s Writing and Starring in Daniel Kaluuya’s ‘Barney’ Movie
A24’s bringing the heat.
‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Will Begin Filming This Spring
The Russo Brothers are heading back on set soon to kick-start production on Avengers: Doomsday. The siblings gave a filming update during their interview with Deadline last week, stating that they will go to London to work on it in April. The duo also revealed that they will film Avengers: Secret Wars and Avengers: Doomsday at the same time. As of late, the Russos have released a Netflix original entitled The Electric State, which has Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Patt teaming up with a robot in a post-apocalyptic reality. Aside from this, they have also wrapped filming for Stranger Things‘ final season, which will premiere later this year.
Related
The Russo Bros. Confirm ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Filming Start Date
The film will see Robert Downey Jr. return to the MCU.
Kathleen Kennedy Will Retire From Lucasfilm Later This Year
Lucasfilm is getting ready for a major shift, as president Kathleen Kennedy is reportedly preparing to retire. After leading the creative direction of Star Wars for the past decade, the future of the franchise might be in another person’s hands. Kennedy was selected by George Lucas to become co-chair in 2012, later becoming president when Disney acquired the rights to the company. She’s backed up films like The Force Awakens and Rogue One, while also contributing to spin-off series that continued to explore the galaxy far and far away. It’s been six years since a Star Wars project has made it to the big screen, with The Mandalorian & Grogu expected to come out in 2026.
Related
Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy Reportedly Set To Retire This Year
The long-time Hollywood producer has been president for 13 years.
Wednesday
Blake Lively Asks Anna Kendrick To Do ‘Another Simple Favor’ In Sequel’s Trailer
After Stephanie (Anna Kendrick) goes on a quest to find out what happened to her best friend Emily (Blake Lively), the duo is set to reunite for the latter’s wedding bash. Another Simple Favor‘s trailer sees them sipping martinis at Capri, where Emily is getting married to an Italian businessman. Yet, as one would imagine from the plot of the previous installment, murder and mystery will make this ceremony event filled with twists and turns. The sequel helmed by Paul Feig is set to premiere at SXSW this weekend, before arriving on Prime Video on May 1. Other than Kendrick and Lively, Henry Golding and Andrew Rannells will be reprising their roles from the first film.
Related
Anna Kendrick Gets Roped Into Doing ‘Another Simple Favor’ for Blake Lively in New Trailer
The film premieres in May.
Thursday
Zendaya to Voice ‘Shrek’s Teen Daughter in the Franchise’s Upcoming Sequel
Zendaya is about to enter the world of animation by voicing a character in Shrek 5. The actress is set to play Shrek and Fiona’s teenage daughter Felicia. The news about Zendaya’s involvement came out in the form of a sneak peek into the upcoming sequel, with the main characters looking at the magic mirror and reacting to online memes, proving that a lot of time has passed since we’d last seen them grace our screens. Shrek 5 is coming out over 15 years after the release of the previous installment, meaning that there have been some significant changes to Far, Far Away. Although the plot has yet to be divulged, Mike Meyers, Cameron Diaz, and Eddie Murphy will all reprise their roles.
Related
‘Shrek 5’ Just Cast Zendaya — And You’ll Never Guess Who She’s Playing
Let’s have a round of applause for Far, Far Away’s finest.
Two-Time Oscar Winner Gene Hackman Passes Away at 95
Another Hollywood legend passed away at the end of last week, leaving behind a lasting cinematic legacy. Two-time Oscar-winner Gene Hackman was known for his several onscreen contributions in films like Superman, The French Connection, and Wes Anderson‘s classic, The Royal Tenenbaums. The actor and his wife were found dead at their home, with police currently investigating what happened to the couple. The news about Hackman’s passing led many of his former colleagues to pay their respects online, including Josh Brolin and Francis Ford Coppola. The latter shared the following message:
“The loss of a great artists, always cause for both mourning and celebration: Gene Hackman a great actor, inspiring and magnificent in his work and complexity. I mourn his loss, and celebrate his existence and contribution.”
Related
‘Superman’ and ‘The French Connection’ Star Gene Hackman Dead at 95
Hackman, his wife, and dog were found dead in New Mexico.
Friday
Nicholas Sparks Announces ‘A Walk to Remember’ Reboot 23 Years After the OG Film Released
Not everything needs a reboot, but given the current climate of the Hollywood biz, more and more studios are focusing on recreating films that they know have an established following. Nicholas Sparks‘ tearjerker romance, A Walk to Remember, is one of them. The author just announced that he is partnering with Monarch Media to offer an updated look at the early 2000s adaptation led by Mandy Moore and Shane West. Sparks is said to be working with the producers of the OG film in the retelling of his bestselling novel. Although fans aren’t pleased with the news, more details have yet to come to light about who will be cast in the lead roles and how the reboot will set itself apart from its beloved predecessor.
Related
Nicholas Sparks’ Tear-Jerker Romance ‘A Walk to Remember’ Gets the Reboot Treatment
Shane West and Mandy Moore starred in the original film.
Sunday
‘Anora’ Sweeps the 2025 Oscars, Taking Home the Award for ‘Best Picture’
Last night marked the 97th edition of the Academy Awards, and we finally figured out what title earned the accolade for Best Picture. Anora, an indie following a sex worker who sees her life turned upside down after marrying a Russian oligarch, was recognized in the award shows’ major categories. The film received five golden statues for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Editing, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Actress. Sean Baker walked away with a historical win, becoming the first person to earn four golden statues in a single night for the same project. During one of his speeches, the director took the time to highlight the importance of movie theaters and advocated for filmmakers to continue making movies for the big screen. He said:
“Movie theaters, especially independently-owned theaters, are struggling, and it’s up to us to support them. During the pandemic, we lost nearly 1,000 screens in the US. And we continue to lose them regularly. If we don’t reverse this trend, we’ll be losing a vital part of our culture.”
Related
‘Anora’ Takes Home 5 of 6 Academy Awards Nominations, Snags Most Project Wins of the Night
The film took home Best Actress and Best Picture.
