Osgood Perkins, Nicolas Cage Team With Paramount for New ‘Longlegs’ Movie

Osgood Perkins is making a new movie called Longlegs, which is a follow-up to his previous mystery horror thriller. That earlier movie, Longlegs, became the highest-grossing independent film in the past ten years.

This time, the movie isn’t being handled by Neon, the original distributor, but instead by Paramount Pictures, which is owned by Skydance.

 Paramount has bought the rights to the new Longlegs movie. Perkins is writing, directing, and producing this new project. Nicolas Cage is returning as the star and also as a producer.

Other producers on the project include Brian Kavanaugh Jones from Range Media, Chris Ferguson, who works with Perkins at their production company Phobos, and Dave Caplan from C2, who helped fund the first Longlegs movie.

Even though details about the new movie are still under wraps, sources say it isn’t a sequel but is set in the same world as the original Longlegs.

The original Longlegs movie, released by Neon in 2024, was a big surprise.

 It made a lot of money and helped make Perkins a known name in horror filmmaking. Maika Monroe, who played the lead role, also gained recognition. She was an FBI agent with special abilities who investigated murder-suicides linked to a serial killer known as Longlegs. Cage played Longlegs in a very unusual and intense performance.

The movie earned over $128 million worldwide, which is impressive considering its low budget of under $10 million.

 It combined elements like the occult, mind control, Satanic worship, creepy dolls, and a crime procedural, making it a rich story with lots of potential for more stories.

Sources say that Neon stepped away when the new project’s size and budget went beyond what they usually handle.

Paramount has been focusing heavily on horror movies under its new leadership.

 They have two production companies that specialize in horror: one run by J.D. Lifshitz and Raphael Margules, who made Barbarian, and another run by Walter Hamada, who is behind the upcoming movie Passenger, set for a May 22 release. They also have a first-look deal with Parker Finn, the director of the Smile movies. Additionally, they are reviving the Paranormal Activity franchise, with James Wan and Jason Blum producing, thanks to the success of Scream 7, which made over $211 million.

Perkins has directed other horror films like The Monkey and Keeper, and he has finished production on The Young People, a new scary movie that stars Nicole Kidman, Lola Tung, and Nico Parker.

Nicolas Cage’s next movie is Spider-Noir, an Amazon Prime Video series that starts in May.

 Later this year, he will play football legend John Madden in David O. Russell’s movie Madden.

Perkins is represented by CAA, Untitled, and Lichter Grossman, while Cage is represented by WME, Stride Management, and Goodman Genow.

CinemaCon Day 2 Highlights | Warner Bros. Goes Big With Dune, DC, and Lord of the Rings; Plus Updates From NEON and GKIDS

Godzilla Minus Zero Unleashed

GKIDS started Day 2 with a preview of Godzilla Minus Zero, the next movie in the series after the 2023 Oscar-winning Godzilla Minus One.

 On stage, director Takashi Yamazaki said his goal with this next film is to keep the theater experience alive. He explained that Godzilla only becomes the monster people know when it's shown in a big theater, with the seats shaking. To do that, Godzilla Minus Zero is being filmed in IMAX and takes place two years after the events of Minus One, continuing the story of the Shikishima family.

Check out the first Godzilla Minus Zero teaser here

NEON Introduces Promising Indie Hits

We've already been keeping an eye on Adam Scott's horror thriller Hokum (5/1) and Boots Riley's crime comedy I Love Boosters (5/22), both of which had new trailers.

 But NEON's presentation also highlighted a couple of other titles we'll be adding to our Watchlist...

A Place in Hell (Christmas)

Andrew Scott, Michelle Williams, and Daisy Edgar-Jones star in this cat-and-mouse thriller directed by Chloe Domont (Fair Play).

 Williams plays a rising defense attorney who becomes the target of an ambitious new associate (Edgar-Jones).

Hope (Coming Soon)

A Korean sci-fi thriller starring Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander, which will be screening at Cannes this year, from director Na Hong-jin (The Wailing).

 NEON, who just signed on as the film's US distributor, shared a wild sneak peek that made the audience laugh. We'll have to wait for the trailer to be released.

Warner Bros.

 Came With Big News About Dune, DC, Lord of the Rings, and More

We’re no longer just excited about the DC Universe.

 With a successfully rebooted Superman behind us, it’s time for co-studio heads James Gunn and Peter Safran to prove their vision connects with fans who’ve followed superhero content for years.

Safran took to the stage to show an extended scene from Craig Gillespie’s upcoming Supergirl, featuring Milly Alcock and Jason Momoa (as Lobo).

 He also reminded the crowd that Gunn’s Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow is about to start filming. Outside CinemaCon, we also got news yesterday that Adria Arjona has just been cast in the sequel in a mystery role (rumors suggest possibly Maxima, or maybe a more iconic DC character...).

Clayface (10/23/2026)

The big reveal from DC was an early look at Clayface, a horror thriller produced by Mike Flanagan (The Haunting of Hill House, Doctor Sleep), which positions the Batman nemesis as an anti-hero.

 The trailer emphasized that Clayface has a full-on body horror vibe, something fresh for the DC Universe.

The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum (12/17/27)

Perhaps the biggest news came directly from Middle-earth: Elijah Wood and Ian McKellen will return to play Frodo Baggins and the wizard Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, an interquel set between the Hobbit and LOTR sagas.

 While we already knew Viggo Mortensen wouldn’t return to play Aragorn, WB revealed Jamie Dornan (The Fall, The Tourist) will pick up the mantle, though the character will be known as “Strider,” a nickname given to Aragorn early in his ranger era. How Andy Serkis will balance directing the film and skulking around in Gollum’s motion capture suit is the sort of longform story we can’t wait to listen to as the breathlessly anticipated movie is released in December 2027.

Digger (10/2/26)

Prepare for Tom Cruise to repair our broken world and potentially win his first-ever Oscar in the process.

 Cruise will play a pot-bellied oil man bent on saving the world he helped destroy in Digger, the new movie from Alejandro G. Iñárritu, a filmmaker who specializes in pulling career-best performances from Hollywood icons. Iñárritu’s dark comedy floored the CinemaCon crowd with an exclusive trailer reveal in advance of its October 2, 2026 release date.

Evil Dead Burn (7/24)

Horror fans will be thrilled to learn the teaser for the upcoming Evil Dead Burn was a bit much for the CinemaCon crowd to stomach, prompting presenter Patton Oswalt to joke about how graphic it was.

 We’re eagerly awaiting the eventual red band trailer drop, as Sam Raimi’s undead franchise continues to show signs of life after the success of 2023’s Evil Dead Rise.

Ti amo!

 (2027)

Warner Bros. really wants to work with Sean Baker, the studio spun up a new indie-minded label, Clockwork, to release the filmmaker’s follow-up to Anora.

 Ti amo!, which Baker teased as his “love letter to the Italian sex comedies of the ’60s and ’70s,” is expected to shoot this year for a 2027 release. We hope Baker will stick to his guerilla filmmaking style, which often skips securing filming permits, as he works within the studio system.

Dune: Part Three (12/18/26)

The evening concluded with WB showing off the first seven minutes of Dune: Part Three, introduced by director Denis Villeneuve and stars Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, and Jason Momoa.

 The director explained how he made the film much earlier than he had expected, and accelerated the timeline due to the passion of the Dune fandom. Villeneuve also shared how Part Three differs from its predecessors, saying, "I wanted to do something new and avoid walking in my own footsteps. This is a thriller, more action-packed and emotional." Seriously, we don’t need any more hype. The spice flows again this December!

Osgood Perkins, Nicolas Cage Team With Paramount for New ‘Longlegs’ Movie

   

Osgood Perkins is working on a new Longlegs movie, which will be a follow-up to his mystery horror thriller that became the highest-grossing independent film of the past decade.

This time, the movie isn't going through Neon, the original distributor.

 Instead, it's heading to Skydance-owned Paramount Pictures.

Paramount has acquired the rights to this new mystery Longlegs project.

 Perkins will write, direct, and produce it. Nicolas Cage is coming back as the star and a producer.

Also producing are Brian Kavanaugh Jones from Range Media, Chris Ferguson, Perkins’ partner at their company Phobos, and Dave Caplan from C2, who helped finance the first movie.

Paramount and Perkins aren’t giving out many details, but sources say this is not a sequel.

 It's something that's set in the same world as Longlegs.

Longlegs was a surprise hit when it came out in 2024, thanks to Neon.

 It made Perkins a well-known horror director and launched Maika Monroe as a rising star. She played an FBI agent with psychic powers who investigates a string of murder-suicides in Oregon linked to a serial killer called Longlegs. Cage played the killer in a wild, unusual performance.

The movie earned $128 million worldwide on a budget of less than $10 million, becoming Neon's highest-grossing domestic film.

 It combined several popular elements like the occult, mind control, witchcraft, creepy toys, and a crime investigation, making it a rich world to explore further.

Sources say Neon stepped away because this project was bigger than what the company usually handles.

Paramount’s new leadership, led by Josh Greenstein and Dana Goldberg, is focusing a lot on horror.

 They have two production groups that specialize in the genre, one run by J.D. Lifshitz and Raphael Margules (Barbarian), and another by Walter Hamada, who made Passenger, set for a May 22 release. They also have a first-look deal with Parker Finn, who directed the Smile movies. They're also bringing back the Paranormal Activity franchise with James Wan and Jason Blum, and they’re celebrating the success of Scream 7, which made $211.9 million.

Perkins has directed other horror movies like The Monkey and Keeper, and he’s finished filming his latest scary movie, The Young People, which stars Nicole Kidman, Lola Tung, and Nico Parker.

Cage’s next project is in Amazon Prime Video’s Spider-Man series Spider-Noir, which starts in May.

 Later this year, he plays football legend John Madden in David O. Russell’s Madden.

Perkins is represented by CAA, Untitled, and Lichter Grossman.

 Cage is represented by WME, Stride Management, and Goodman Genow.

CinemaCon Day 1 Highlights | Sony Shares More Spidey Footage and Teases Big Video Game Adaptations

Oscar Isaac and Shameik Moore in Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse (2027)  

The biggest annual event for theater owners has started, and although the public can't attend, IMDb's Bret Federigan was there to share the main highlights, like movie trailers, title reveals, and any surprises from the studios.

The House of the Spider showed off a wide range of new movies from their different studios and distribution branches (Sony Pictures Classics, Sony Pictures Entertainment).

 Let's start with their most highly expected 2026 release...  

Spider-Man: Brand New Day (July 31)  

Tom Holland sent a new clip through a hologram message, showing more of the results of Peter Parker's decision in Spider-Man: No Way Home to make the world forget him.

 With Ned (Jacob Batalon) not recognizing him and MJ (Zendaya) now dating someone else, the clip shows how emotional the movie is, as Holland said it's the most emotional one they've made. Along with the clip, Sony released two new posters for Brand New Day.

Insidious: Out of the Further (8/21)  

Sony shared a full scary trailer for the sixth movie in the Insidious series, Out of the Further, which follows the 2023 film Insidious: The Red Door.

 The movie stars Amelia Eve (from The Haunting of Bly Manor) as a young mom who discovers she can go into The Further and bring back what is there. Other actors include Lin Shaye (a regular in the series) as medium Elise Rainier, and Brandon Perea (from Twisters and Nope). Watch the trailer here.

Resident Evil (9/18)  

Director Zach Cregger (known for Weapons and Barbarian) shared a teaser for his version of the popular video game series.

 He said he spent a lot of time playing the game and praised it for its pacing, how you manage resources, and its cinematic look. The audience got a small look at the survival horror film, but we all have to wait for the full teaser.

The Nightingale (in production)  

Producers and co-stars Dakota and Elle Fanning shared a video message about their adaptation of the book by Kristin Hannah.

 It's about two sisters in France during World War II under German control. This is the first time the sisters will act together on screen.

Grandgear (2/18/28)  

The first English movie from director Takashi Yamazaki, who also did Godzilla Minus One, caught our attention.

 There were no public sneak peeks, and CinemaCon only got to see the release date and a clue about a mysterious machine. We'll keep watching this one closely since JJ Abrams is producing it.

The Legend of Zelda (5/7/27)  

Production has finished for the Nintendo game adaptation, directed by Wes Ball (The Maze Runner, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes).

 The expectations are high, especially since Universal's Nintendo sequel The Super Mario Galaxy Movie became the biggest box office hit of the year.

Bloodborne (in development) and Helldivers (11/10/27)  

Speaking of video game movies, Sony also announced two adaptations.

 Bloodborne will be an R-rated animated movie with gaming YouTuber JackSepticEye (Seán McLoughlin) as producer. Meanwhile, veteran Fast & Furious director Justin Lin is adapting Helldivers, with Jason Momoa starring.

The Social Reckoning (10/8/26)  

Aaron Sorkin came on stage to share clips from his film, which is a follow-up to 2010's The Social Network.

 The Social Reckoning covers the 2021 Facebook leak by whistleblower Frances Haugen (played by Anora Oscar winner Mikey Madison). This looks like it could be a strong contender for awards season, with Jeremy Strong adding his own touch to the role of Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse (6/20/27)  

Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, who recently made a big hit with Project Hail Mary, introduced a first look at Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse.

 The animation style is as fresh as ever, but fans will have to be satisfied with the still images from the final part of the Spider-Verse trilogy.

Jumanji: Open World (12/25)  

To end Sony's presentation, Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, and Kevin Hart appeared on stage with footage from the now-titled Jumanji: Open World.

 Before that, they took a moment to remember the original Jumanji star, Robin Williams, and hinted that there will be an easter egg that plays a big role in the movie.

Far East Film Festival’s Focus Asia Reveals 19 Projects, Debuts $20,000 White Light Award

Focus Asia, the industry part of the Far East Film Festival, has shared the full list of films for the 2026 edition. This includes 13 projects for the All Genres Project Market and six films for Far East in Progress, along with a new prize for post-production, supported by White Light Studio in Bangkok. The event will take place from April 27 to 29 in Udine, Italy.

The All Genres Project Market has chosen 13 projects from over 120 submissions from 24 countries.

 A group of seven experts picked these films, which cover a variety of genres like drama, coming-of-age stories, art films, magical realism, crime, science fiction, and fantasy. Each project is from a different country. The films include:

- "A Way to Etretat," directed by Su-Won Shin and produced by June Film (South Korea)

- "Adarna," directed by Lois Patiño and produced by Elastica Films and Matriuska Producciones (Spain)

- "Dear SÆ¡n An," directed by Kim Quy Bui and produced by Varan (Vietnam) and A Company Film (Germany)

- "Holy Mother," directed by Sinung Winahyoko and produced by KrossKultur Media (Indonesia)

- "I Have to Fuck Before the World Ends," directed by Andrea Benjamin Manenti and produced by Volos Films Italia, Citrullo International (Italy), Epicmedia (Philippines), and Puffin Pictures (France)

- "Naked in Glendale," directed by Haohao Yan and produced by Seesaw Productions (China) and Q&A Entertainment (U.S.)

- "New Life," directed by Yingtong Li and produced by Yitis Film (China)

Other selected projects in the All Genres Market are:

- "Noodles, Our Love Was Instant and Forever," directed by Whammy Alcazaren and produced by Daluyong Studios and TwoFold (Philippines)

- "Route 7," directed by Jinrung Chun and produced by Cloud11 Studios (Japan)

- "Snake in the Dreamscapes," directed by Lou Yi An and produced by Content Digital Film and Hope Content Marketing (Taiwan)

- "Somewhere in the South," directed by Ce Ding Tan and produced by Evil Genius Studio (Malaysia) and Giraffe Pictures (Singapore)

- "UFO Club," directed by Milena Kaneko and produced by K2 Pictures and Bunbuku (Japan)

- "Wake Me Up When the Mourning Ends," directed by Kok Rui Lau and produced by Thousand Sails Pictures (Hong Kong), Volos Films Italia (Italy), and Janji Pictures Production (Malaysia)

For Far East in Progress, which supports films in post-production looking for international distribution and festival premieres, the six selected films are:

- "Doppel," directed by Jun Tanaka and produced by Keyaki Works (Japan) and Solaria Film (Italy)

- "Good Death," directed by Atsushi Funahashi and produced by Big River Film (Japan), Flash Forward Entertainment (Taiwan), and Harine Films (Poland)

- "Midnight Sun," directed by Zhejian Michael Cong and produced by Màn Rán Studio (U.S.) and Oui Production (France)

- "Picturehouse," directed by Nghiem-Minh Nguyen-Vo and produced by Girelle Production (France), East Films (Vietnam), Add Oil Films (Singapore), and Daluyong Studio (Philippines)

- "Sanamsar," directed by Bat-Amgalan Lkhagvajav and produced by Media Crackers LLC (Mongolia)

- "The Quiet Applause," directed by Sungbin Byun and produced by Ssarinamu Film (South Korea)

The selection committee for Far East in Progress is led by Marie-Pierre Vallé.

A new award, the White Light/Focus Asia Award, has been launched, offering $20,000 in post-production services.

 The award will go to the best project from both the All Genres Market and Far East in Progress. This is the first time White Light Studio has participated in Focus Asia as a prize partner.

The organizers highlighted past successes to show the section's strong record.

 For example, "Ah Girl" by Ang Geck Geck Priscilla was shown at the International Film Festival Rotterdam earlier this year and is now in competition at FEFF28. Yukari Sakamoto's "White Flowers and Fruits" premiered at San Sebastian IFF in 2025.

Italy's Ministry of Culture continues to support Focus Asia, and Cinecittà helps with the organization, including a special opening event and a showcase of Italian producers.

 The Italian Trade Agency (ICE) has also increased its involvement, aiming to bring in more senior Asia-based industry leaders. Co-production labs have been set up with Cinecittà, CCIDAHK Hong Kong, and Telefilm Canada. Europa Distribution and Europa International are returning as partners, with Europa International participating for the second year in a row.

For 2026, there are new activities, including a Think Tank on animation with Anima Mundi, a Box Office Study panel discussing the global success of Asian films, and a session on vertical content exploring the growth of microdrama and its impact on IP and digital distribution.

The 2026 edition of Focus Asia is expected to welcome over 200 industry professionals from Europe, Asia, and Canada.

Mr. & Mrs. Smith’ Season 2 Swaps Sophie Thatcher for Talia Ryder as Production Begins

"Mr. & Mrs. Smith" has cast Talia Ryder as its new main character, according to several news outlets. Ryder will take on the role that Sophie Thatcher was initially set to play. However, Thatcher couldn't continue with the series due to scheduling issues caused by delays in the project.

After a delay earlier this year, the Prime Video show has begun filming.

Ryder will be in Season 2 with Mark Eydelshteyn, who is best known for "Anora."

 Eydelshteyn and Ryder will replace Donald Glover and Maya Erskine in the leading roles of Mr. and Mrs. Smith.

Prime Video did not make any comments.

Zac Brown Band Will Headline UFC Event on D.C.’s Ellipse Ahead of White House Bout

The UFC is bringing in big-name stars for its major event coming up in June in Washington, D.C. The event will end with a special White House show on June 14.

The Hollywood Reporter found out that the Zac Brown Band will be the main act at the UFC Freedom 250 Fan Fest on June 13.

 The Fan Fest will take place on The Ellipse in Washington, D.C., which is right next to the White House, on both the 13th and 14th.

Zac Brown Band has been really busy lately.

 They just finished a long run at the Sphere in Las Vegas and released their album Love & Fear in December. They were also a big draw at a March Madness music festival, which combined music and sports.

Besides live music, the event will have free activities like ceremonial weigh-ins, meet-and-greets, on-stage performances, fun activities, and appearances by UFC fighters and other celebrities.

 On Sunday, there will also be a live watch party of the fights happening on the South Lawn of the White House nearby.

President Trump first talked about hosting a UFC fight at the White House last summer, but the details took a while to work out.

 The UFC's parent company, TKO Group Holdings, is paying for the event and told investors in February it might lose $30 million, even after covering some costs through sponsorships like Monster Energy, which is helping with the fan fest.

TKO’s president and COO, Mark Shapiro, said, “We will not make money from the White House event on its own.

 We won’t profit from America’s 250th anniversary. This is an investment for the long term. It’s about earned media.”

He added, “This is about getting new fans, casual viewers, and a big spectacle.

 It will help us grow our audience, our viewership, and our success on Paramount+. We see this once-in-a-lifetime stage as a smart move to help attract more subscribers to Paramount+, reach a huge audience for the UFC, and create Super Bowl-level media attention worldwide.”

UFC CEO Dana White is friends with President Trump, and last month the UFC joined forces with the FBI to train agents at an event in Quantico.