Daisy Edgar-Jones and Emilia Jones to Star in Irish Period Thriller Bad Bridgets from Kneecap Director Rich Peppiatt

 Twisters star Daisy Edgar-Jones and CODA breakout Emilia Jones are set to lead Bad Bridgets, a period revenge thriller from Kneecap filmmaker Rich Peppiatt.

The project marks Peppiatt’s follow-up feature after the success of Kneecap, which became the most-nominated debut in BAFTA history and earned seven British Independent Film Awards, five IFTAs, and the London Critics Circle honor for Breakthrough British/Irish Filmmaker.

Bad Bridgets will be introduced to buyers at November’s American Film Market. FilmNation is handling international sales, while WME Independent will oversee domestic rights.

The film is being produced by LuckyChap and Peppiatt’s own production company, Coup d’État. Production is scheduled to begin in spring 2026 in Northern Ireland and Ireland. The creative team already includes Oscar-winning production designer James Price (Poor Things) and acclaimed costume designer Kate Hawley (Crimson Peak).

Inspired by the book Bad Bridget: Crime, Mayhem, and the Lives of Irish Emigrant Women by Elaine Farrell and Leanne McCormick, the screenplay was developed with support from Queen’s University Belfast. The book explores the real stories of Irish immigrant women in the 19th century who were labeled “troublemakers” — a time when Irish women in prison even outnumbered Irish men, with some jailed for “stubbornness.”

According to producers, the film begins when a mysterious letter sends a young woman on a dangerous journey from famine-stricken Ireland to 19th-century New York. There, she finds herself among the so-called “Bad Bridgets,” Irish women making waves — and chaos — in the city.

Peppiatt is represented by WME, Anonymous Content, and MMB Creative.
Edgar-Jones is repped by UTA, B-Side Management, and Sloane Offer.
Jones is represented by CAA, Brillstein Entertainment Partners, and the U.K.’s Artist Rights Group.

Keanu Reeves and Tim Miller Reunite for Sci-Fi Thriller Shiver

 Warner Bros. Pictures has landed Shiver, a highly sought-after sci-fi project that brings together Keanu Reeves and Deadpool director Tim Miller.

The studio is in final negotiations to acquire the film, which is being described as having the tone and intensity of Edge of Tomorrow and The Shallows.

Matthew Vaughn, best known for the Kingsman franchise, will produce through his Marv Films banner alongside Aaron Ryder, whose recent credits include the romance All of You and the financial drama Dumb Money.

Written by Ian Shorr, Shiver is said to follow a down-on-his-luck smuggler who becomes entangled in a deadly double-cross during a job in the Caribbean Sea. Surrounded by corpses, mercenaries, and sharks, he soon discovers he’s trapped in a deadly time loop—and must find a way to break free.

Shorr’s previous work includes the 2021 Paramount+ sci-fi action film Infinite, starring Mark Wahlberg and Chiwetel Ejiofor, as well as the horror-comedy Office Uprising for the now-defunct streaming service Sony Crackle.

Miller, a former visual effects artist, made his directorial debut with Deadpool, the Ryan Reynolds-led antihero hit that shattered box office records and launched a franchise. He later directed Terminator: Dark Fate (2019), James Cameron’s return to the iconic cyborg saga, and created Netflix’s Emmy-winning animated anthology Love, Death & Robots.

Reeves, meanwhile, recently starred in Lionsgate’s Ballerina—a John Wick spinoff—and Aziz Ansari’s comedy Good Fortune. While neither performed strongly at the box office, Reeves remains in high demand with several major projects in development, including BRZRKR at Netflix, based on the Boom! Studios comic he co-created.

All major participants in Shiver—from the filmmakers to the producers—are represented by WME, which assembled the package before taking it to studio buyers.

Star-Studded Cast Expands for Sam Mendes’ Beatles Biopics

 Sam Mendes’ ambitious Beatles biopic project has added several new stars to its lineup. Mia McKenna-Bruce, Anna Sawai, and Aimee Lou Wood will join Saoirse Ronan in Sony Pictures’ upcoming Beatles films, scheduled for release in April 2028.

McKenna-Bruce is set to play Maureen Cox, wife of Ringo Starr; Sawai will portray Yoko Ono, John Lennon’s wife; and Wood will take on the role of Pattie Boyd, who was married to George Harrison. Ronan had previously been announced as Linda (Eastman) McCartney.

“Maureen, Linda, Yoko, and Pattie are four fascinating and unique figures in their own right,” Mendes said in a statement Friday. “I’m thrilled that we’ve been able to bring together four of the most talented women in film today to join this incredible project.”

The four films — one told from the perspective of each Beatle — also star Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney, Harris Dickinson as John Lennon, Joseph Quinn as George Harrison, and Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr.

While casting for roles such as Cynthia Lennon, Brian Epstein, George Martin, and Ravi Shankar has not yet been announced, the production has secured full life story and music rights from Apple Corps Ltd. and The Beatles. The filmmakers will have access to the band’s complete catalog, though it’s unclear which songs will be featured.

Mendes developed the concept of four interconnected theatrical films to capture the scope of the legendary band’s journey and cultural impact. He is producing alongside Pippa Harris and Julie Pastor from Neal Street Productions, with Alexandra Derbyshire also serving as producer.

Sony Pictures will finance and handle global theatrical distribution for the Beatles biopic series.

Hollywood’s October Box Office Crashes to 27-Year Low Amid Weak Lineup and Flops

Halloween proved extra frightening for Hollywood this year—at least financially. North American box office revenue for October 2025 is expected to total around $425 million, marking the industry’s worst October in 27 years, according to Comscore. The only exception remains October 2020, when pandemic restrictions held revenue to just $55 million.

The last time numbers were this bleak was October 1997, when ticket sales hit $385.2 million (unadjusted for inflation). Since then, October had grown into a reliable moneymaker—reaching a record $832.8 million in 2018 thanks to Venom, A Star Is Born, and Halloween—but 2025 reversed that momentum dramatically.

A Perfect Storm of Problems

Industry analysts cite a mix of factors for the steep decline: lingering production delays from the labor strikes, a sluggish late summer, and an overall shortage of compelling releases. Traditionally, October has been a breather between the summer blockbuster season and the holiday rush—but in recent years, it’s become a spot for high-profile launches and Oscar hopefuls.

This year, however, few titles connected with audiences. Disney’s long-awaited Tron: Ares led the month with just $63.4 million domestic, the weakest performance for an October opener (outside the pandemic) since Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit in 2005.

Another major disappointment was Dwayne Johnson’s The Smashing Machine, directed by Benny Safdie and distributed by A24. Despite early awards buzz, the R-rated drama grossed only $11.4 million domestically and $19.7 million worldwide—one of the lowest totals of Johnson’s career.

A Few Unexpected Bright Spots

Without Taylor Swift’s surprise concert event The Official Release Party of a Showgirl, the numbers would have been even worse. The pop superstar’s film pulled in $34.2 million during its opening weekend, easily outperforming The Smashing Machine. Anime also delivered rare wins: Chainsaw Man: The Movie opened to a strong $18 million, outpacing Black Phone 2, while Demon Slayer: Infinity continued to bring in steady returns.

Meanwhile, Disney’s Deliver Me From Nowhere, a Bruce Springsteen biopic starring Jeremy Allen White, opened below expectations at $8.9 million domestically. And Warner Bros.’ Mortal Kombat II, once slated for late October, was postponed to May 2026—leaving a gaping hole in the release schedule.

Looking Ahead

Comscore analyst Paul Dergarabedian noted that October’s collapse followed a weak August and September, leaving the fall movie season without momentum. “Now all eyes are on early November releases like Predator: Badlands and The Running Man to carry us into the holiday corridor,” he said.

The hope is that Thanksgiving and Christmas blockbusters—Wicked: For Good (Nov. 21), Zootopia 2 (Nov. 26), Avatar: Fire and Ash (Dec. 19), and The SpongeBob Movie (Dec. 19)—will reignite audience enthusiasm and keep 2025’s domestic total from falling below last year’s $8.9 billion.

Still, optimism is cautious. As Dergarabedian put it: “There are a lot of variables. The industry needs a hit—or two—to turn this around before the year ends.”

Sydney Sweeney, Jacob Elordi & Chase Infiniti Among 2025 Virtuosos Award Honorees at Santa Barbara Film Fest

 The Santa Barbara International Film Festival has announced eight standout performers who will receive the 2026 Virtuosos Award, recognizing breakthrough performances from the past year. The honorees include Jacob Elordi, Chase Infiniti, Amy Madigan, Wagner Moura, Renate Reinsve, Sydney Sweeney, Teyana Taylor, and Jeremy Allen White.

The awards ceremony will take place on Sunday, February 8, 2026, at Santa Barbara’s historic Arlington Theatre. Each of the honorees will sit down for an individual and group conversation moderated by TCM host Dave Karger, who returns for his 16th year as moderator. The evening will conclude with the presentation of the awards by a surprise guest.

Elordi and Sweeney—known for their work together on Euphoria—are being recognized for their performances in Frankenstein and Christy, respectively. Infiniti and Taylor are honored for their roles in One Battle After Another. White, star of The Bear, earns the award for his portrayal of Bruce Springsteen in Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, marking his first leading role in a major studio film. Veteran actress Madigan is recognized for her striking performance in Weapons. International honorees Moura (Brazil) and Reinsve (Norway) are being celebrated for their acclaimed turns in The Secret Agent and Sentimental Value, respectively.

“This year’s Virtuosos are as impressive as they are diverse,” said Karger. “We have three international stars, two major TV icons, two rising talents from Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest film, and a veteran performer with an Oscar nod from 40 years ago. I’m thrilled to be back for my 16th year to celebrate them all.”

Previous Virtuosos recipients include Kieran Culkin, Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande, Lily Gladstone, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Austin Butler, Troy Kotsur, Riz Ahmed, and Zendaya.

The 41st Santa Barbara International Film Festival will run from February 4–14, 2026. Other previously announced honorees include Adam Sandler, who will receive the Jay Kelly Award.

“Wicked: For Good” Set to Cast a $115M–$120M Spell Over Thanksgiving Box Office

 Universal’s Wicked: For Good—the sequel to the hit adaptation of the beloved Broadway musical about the witches of Oz—is projected to soar to an enchanting $115 million to $120 million opening over Thanksgiving weekend, according to early box office tracking. That would mark yet another record-breaking debut for a Broadway musical brought to the big screen.

The film, directed by Jon M. Chu and starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, hits North American theaters on November 21, just ahead of the holiday, and will premiere globally the same day. Market research firm NRG currently pegs the domestic opening at around $115 million, but industry insiders suggest it could easily edge closer to $120 million, given the strong awareness and audience excitement.

Sources say advance ticket sales for For Good are outpacing those of the first Wicked film, although Universal is keeping expectations moderate at $115 million.

Last year, the original Wicked shattered records with a $112.5 million domestic debut—the biggest ever for a movie musical—and went on to gross nearly $750 million worldwide. The sequel once again brings together producer Marc Platt, director Jon M. Chu, and stars Grande and Erivo, who reprise their roles as Glinda the Good Witch and Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West. Both actresses, along with the film itself, are expected to be major contenders in this year’s awards race.

Unlike last Thanksgiving, when Gladiator II shared the spotlight with Wicked, this year’s holiday weekend belongs solely to Wicked: For Good as the only major studio tentpole debuting. The following week, Disney’s Zootopia 2 will join the box office lineup.

More details to come as Wicked: For Good prepares to work its magic.

Mia Goth, Dan Stevens, and Zach Galifianakis Star in Jonathan Krisel’s Dark Comedy “Hey Bear”

 Mia Goth, Dan Stevens, and Zach Galifianakis are set to star in Hey Bear, the feature directorial debut of Portlandia co-creator Jonathan Krisel.

Billed as a “coming of rage” story, the film follows Claire (Goth), a woman determined to avenge her husband Gregory’s (Stevens) death after he’s killed by a bear. When she learns the bear wasn’t euthanized but instead relocated, she sets out to hunt it down. Along the way, she partners with a park ranger named Putt (Galifianakis), whose personal agenda adds unexpected twists to their quest.

Written by Emmy Award winner Carrie Kemper (Beef), Hey Bear blends dark humor and emotional depth as Claire’s grief-driven mission evolves into a journey of self-discovery.

HanWay Films is managing international sales and will introduce the project to buyers at the upcoming American Film Market in Los Angeles (Nov. 11–16). WME Independent and UTA Independent Film Group are handling North American sales.

“There’s nothing more exciting than finding a project that pushes boundaries with its originality,” said HanWay CEO Gabrielle Stewart. “Despite its wild premise, you can’t help but connect to Claire’s emotional journey as she reclaims her life through grief. With Mia Goth, Dan Stevens, and Zach Galifianakis, this is a dream cast that will make audiences laugh, feel, and gasp in shock.”

The film is produced by Alix Madigan (Winter’s Bone), with Carrie Kemper and Danica Radovanov serving as executive producers.

Krisel is represented by UTA and Mosaic; Kemper by UTA; Goth by WME, Curtis Brown, and Jackoway Austen; Galifianakis by Brillstein Entertainment Partners and UTA; and Stevens by CAA and Julian Belfrage Associates.