Warner Bros to release The Suicide Squad on 5 August, The Conjuring 3 on 15 August in India: A round-up of film and TV announcements

The Suicide Squad to release in select Indian cities in India on 5 August 

Warner Bros will release The Suicide Squad, directed by James Gunn, in select Indian cinema halls on 5 August, according to a release issued Tuesday. The DC superhero action adventure stars Margot Robbie, Idris Elba, John Cena, with Sylvester Stallone and Viola Davis among others.

Action fantasy feature Mortal Kombat, another Warner Bros title that was released on 23 April in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, will now open in select cities on this Friday, 30 July.

Here is the announcement

Warner Bros’ horror mystery The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Devil Do It, starring Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga as real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, is also slated to be released in select cities on 13 August.

After a decline in COVID-19 cases in some parts of the country, states like Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have permitted the resumption of operations in cinema halls. Theatres in Delhi opened on Monday at 50 per cent occupancy.

Amol Palekar, Barun Sobti to star in ZEE5 original film 200

Streaming platform ZEE5 on Monday announced its new film, 200, featuring actors Amol Palekar, Barun Sobti and Sairat star Rinku Rajguru among others.

200 is directed by Sarthak Dasgupta and backed by Yoodlee Films- the film production arm of Saregama. According to the makers, the film will chronicle the “oppression and injustice suffered by Dalit women”.

200 also stars Sahil Khattar, Saloni Batra, Indraneil Sengupta and Upendra Limaye.

Leslie Odom Jr, Ellen Burstyn to star in first of The Exorcist reboot trilogy

One Night in Miami… star Leslie Odom Jr will star in the upcoming reboot of The Exorcist alongside veteran star of the horror classic feature film, Ellen Burstyn.

Burstyn, who played Chris MacNeil in the 1973 original directed by William Friedkin, will reprise her role in the new film.

According to The Hollywood Reporter , the reboot hails from Blumhouse and Morgan Creek Productions, in partnership with Universal and Peacock.

David Gordon Green, known for the 2018 slasher film Halloween, will direct the first of three planned movies.

The Exorcist sequel is being written by Peter Sattler and Green. Jason Blum, David Robinson, James Robinson, Green, Danny McBride and Couper Samuelson are attached as executive producers.

Universal and its streaming service Peacock acquired the worldwide rights to create new IP based on The Exorcist franchise in partnership with Blumhouse and Morgan Creek.

The first film in the trilogy will open in theatres on 13 October, 2023. Universal will play The Exorcist revival in cinema halls and digitally on Peacock.

Universal and Blumhouse previously collaborated on popular horror titles Get Out, Split and The Invisible Man.

Friedkin’s original film The Exorcist was a massive box office success which earned over $441 million in total, making it the highest domestic grossing horror film over a 48-year-long run.

Adapted from William Peter Blatty’s 1971 novel, the film revolved around a 12-year-old girl Reagan, played by Linda Blair, possessed by a demonic entity and her mother Chris’’ (Burstyn) attempt to rescue her through an exorcism conducted by two Catholic priests.

It also starred Max von Sydow, Lee J Cobb, Kitty Winn, Jason Miller and Jack MacGowran in his final film role.

The Exorcist was nominated for 10 Oscars, including best picture and director, and won in the best sound and the adapted screenplay category for Blatty. The film has led to multiple sequels and a media franchise including a television series.

Alexa Swinton joins Sex and the City revival

Child actor Alexa Swinton, whose latest film release is M Night Shyamalan’s Old, is set to star in And Just Like That…, the revival of popular 1990s HBO series Sex and the City.

The upcoming show will see franchise stars Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon, and Kristin Davis reprise their characters, Carrie Bradshaw, Miranda Hobbs, and Charlotte York Goldenblatt from the popular romance comedy drama series that aired on the cable network in 1998.

Based on a novel by Candace Bushnell, the original Sex and the City series was created by Darren Star.

Twelve-year-old Swinton is attached to play Rose Goldenblatt, the younger daughter of Davis’ Charlotte and Harry Goldenblatt, played by Evan Handler, in the series from the streaming platform HBO Max, reported Deadline .

Jai Courtney joins Chris Pratt in Amazon series The Terminal List

Actor Jai Courtney has boarded the cast of Hollywood star Chris Pratt-led Amazon conspiracy-thriller series The Terminal List.

The show, based on Jack Carr’s bestselling novel of the same name, will be directed by Antoine Fuqua, who has also co-written the script with David DiGilio. The story follows James Reece (Pratt) after his entire platoon of Navy SEALs is ambushed during a high-stakes covert mission.

“Reece returns home to his family with conflicting memories of the event and questions about his culpability. However, as new evidence comes to light, Reece discovers dark forces working against him, endangering not only his life but the lives of those he loves,” the plotline reads.

According to Variety , Courtney will appear in the recurring guest star role of billionaire kingpin Steve Horn. The show also features actors Constance Wu, Taylor Kitsch and Jeanne Tripplehorn.

The Terminal List is a co-production from Amazon Studios and Civic Center Media in association with MRC Television. Pratt executive produces the series along with Fuqua and DiGilio.

Pawan Kalyan and Rana Daggubati’s film to have a Sankranti 2022 release

Pawan Kalyan will be playing Bheemla Nayak in the Telugu remake of Malayalam film Ayyappanum Koshiyum, according to The News Minute . The film, that also stars Rana Daggubati, is currently in progress and will arrive in cinemas on Sankranti 2022.

Eva Longoria to direct, produce single-camera comedy at ABC

Eva Longoria is set to direct and produce a single-camera Mexican comedy set at ABC network.

Being developed by Grace Parra Janney and Josh Bycel, the series is described as a multi-generational comedy about an upper middle class family handling grief, identity, and a reevaluation of their roles following the death of the family’s patriarch.

According to Variety , the untitled series is inspired by Janney’s own large Mexican American family in Texas.

Longria executive produces under her Unbelievable Entertainment banner along with Ben Spector.

“I’ve been a huge fan of Josh’s work since our time together on Telenovela and Grace and I share similar ‘Texican’ backgrounds. At Unbelievable we are always pushing to tell real and authentic stories so I’m particularly proud to share one that is not unlike my own family’s experience," Longoria said.

Vikrant Massey, Radhika Apte to topline crime thriller Forensic

Vikrant Massey and Radhika Apte will feature in the lead roles in upcoming crime thriller film Forensic. Backed by Soham Rockstar Entertainment Pvt Ltd. and Mini films, the movie will be directed by Vishal Furia, the makers said in a statement.

The project reunites Furia and Massey after the critically-acclaimed season one of Disney+ Hotstar show Criminal Justice.

Massey, who most recently featured in Netflix hit Haseen Dillruba and comedy drama 14 Phere, said Forensic has an intriguing script. “I have always believed in the story being the front-runner for a film and when director Vishal Furia, narrated the script to me, I was intrigued as an actor and as a member of the audience,” the actor said.

Apte said Forensic hits “all the right notes” and she is confident that the movie will click with the audiences. “I am looking forward to start this project and work with a talented co-star like Vikrant and our director Vishal who has such a clear and interesting vision for this film,” she added.

Furia said the team hopes to deliver an entertaining, edge of the seat thriller to the audience. “I am so humbled by the fact that two powerful actors like Vikrant and Radhika are on board. They are kind of performers who elevate the material they have been given. And I am so grateful to my producers for the support they have shown on me. I am truly working with a dream team and together we aspire to make a dream film for the viewers,” he said.

Deepak Mukut of Soham Rockstar Entertainment Pvt Ltd will produce the movie in collaboration with Mansi Bagla and Varun Bagla under their banner Mini Films. Hunar Mukut will serve as co-producer.

Forensic will go on floors later this year.

(With inputs from agencies)