‘Expats’ Star Ruby Ruiz to Lead James J. Robinson’s Directorial Debut ‘First Light’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Star of the sitcom W1A Hugh Bonneville will return for its spin-off after a seven year hiatus.The mockumentary, which ran for three series, saw Hugh play lead character Ian Fletcher who became the Head of Values at the BBC. Jessica Hynes starred as Ian’s hapless PR, Siobhan. Also appearing across the show were the likes of Jason Watkins, Monica Dolan, Hugh Skinner, Bridgerton’s Jonathan Bailey and David Tennant as the narrator.

EXCLUSIVE: Production studio Vanishing Angle has announced the production of the ensemble drama Under The Lights, directed by Miles Levin in his directorial debut. Based on an award-winning script by Levin, the film is produced by Vanishing Angle’s Natalie Metzger, and is executive produced by Levin, Matt Miller and Carlos Quesada. UTA is handling world sales. 

Olivia Colman and John Lithgow are leading Jimpa, a movie about a trans non-binary teenager visiting their gay grandfather from Sophie Hyde (Good Luck to You, Leo Grande), with Protagonist Pictures launching international sales at Cannes.

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent Hassie Harrison (“Yellowstone”), Jai Courtney (“Terminator Genisys”) and “Heartbreak High’s” Josh Heuston, soon to be seen in “Dune: Prophecy,” will star in the horror thriller “Dangerous Animals.” Adding edge to the package, Australia’s genre auteur Sean Byrne (“The Loved Ones,” “The Devil’s Candy”), one of the highest rated horror directors of all time on Rotten Tomatoes, is directing “Dangerous Animals” which will be brought onto the Cannes market by David Garrett’s Mister Smith Entertainment. Starting principal photography on Australia Gold Coast on May 7, “Dangerous Animals” is produced by London and Sydney-based Brouhaha Entertainment, behind Karim Aïnouz’s “Firebrand” and Guy Pearce-led “The Convert,” sold by Mister Smith, in conjunction with LD Entertainment (“Jackie,” “Ben Is Back”), Oddfellows Entertainment and management-production firm Range Media Partners.

So many celebrities have traveled down to Miami, Florida to attend the Formula One Grand Prix of Miami this weekend!

Katcy Stephan Ben Schnetzer has joined the cast of the upcoming Lily James-led film inspired by the story of Bumble founder and former CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd, from 20th Century Studios and Ethea Entertainment. Schnetzer recently completed the film “The Yellow Tie,” a biopic on the famed Romanian conductor Sergiu Celibidache. He plays the young version of the legendary classical music conductor, with John Malkovich co-starring as the older version.

“I’ve felt that being called ‘niche’ is a compliment, actually,” Monkey Man star Sobhita Dhulipala tells Deadline.

Martin Freeman-starring series “The Responder” has revealed first-look photos of its anticipated second season. Produced by Fremantle’s Dancing Ledge Productions, it’s set to debut on BBC iPlayer and BBC One on May 5 and will be available on BritBox this summer. Fremantle is handling global distribution.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Prolific Philippines-based Epicmedia Productions has come on board “The Passport,” a Malaysian coming of age story about a Tamil family and their punk rock daughter. Production is by Malaysia’s Sixtymac Pictures. Currently at financing stage, the project will mark the directing debut of Ananth Subramaniam, whose short films have played at BiFan and Fantasia, and whose works explore his Tamil-ancestral identity and family within the context of a multi-layered genre.

Adam Scott is set to make his directorial debut!

Another day, another buzzy project to hit the Cannes Market. Deadline reports that Adam Scott will have a package for his feature directorial debut for sale on the Croisette next month: “Double Booked,” a revenge thriller set to star Sterling K.

EXCLUSIVE: Here’s a nice one. Emmy nominee Adam Scott (Severance) is set to star in and direct his first feature, Double Booked, alongside Oscar nominee Sterling K. Brown (American Fiction), Zazie Beetz (Atlanta), and Alexandra Daddario (The White Lotus).

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Cinephil has sold Arun Bhattarai and Dorottya Zurbó’s feature documentary “Agent of Happiness” to a wide range of key international territories ahead of the film’s Hot Docs debut this weekend. Deals are confirmed in the U.K.

Annika Pham South Australian Anthony Frith’s close encounter with “Sharknado” prodco The Asylum in “Mockbuster” is among five handpicked titles to be showcased at the Adelaide Film Festival Goes to Cannes showcase, held at Cannes Marché du Film on May 17. The five works in progress range from queer adult anime, comedic doc, and traditional non-fiction to family dramas, helmed mostly by newcomers, and reflect the dynamic filmmaking community of Southern Australia, set to tempt potential co-financiers in Cannes.

The trailer for Zoe Kravitz‘s directorial debut, Blink Twice, has debuted online!

Sharareh Drury When Ally Lewber joined the cast of “Vanderpump Rules” in Season 10 as James Kennedy’s new girlfriend, the chances for drama could not have been any higher. Kennedy had recently ended an engagement with fellow cast member Rachel Leviss, and the history of exes mingling with new partners on the series has historically not gone over well. However, the 28-year-old has been a refreshingly calm addition.

A movie based on the life of the late Chris Farley is in the works!

Carlos Aguilar Two parallel but inevitably intersecting stories make up Italian-born director Marco Perego‘s debut feature “The Absence of Eden,” a strikingly shot and superbly acted immigration drama. But for all its commendable on-screen elements, it’s the screenplay that Perego co-wrote with Rick Rapoza that falls short, traversing overly familiar and rather sordid tropes related to a divisive political issue.

The 19th edition of the International Youth Media Summit (IYMS) will be held in Zanzibar in July. 

Un Certain Regard title “Việt and Nam” by Vietnamese auteur Trương Minh Quý. Shot on 16mm stock, the film is a drama about two young miners who must complete a mission before fate pulls them apart. “In the depths of the underground coal mines, where danger awaits and darkness prevails, Nam and Việt, both young miners, cherish fleeting moments, knowing that one of them will soon leave for a new life across the sea.