The fall festival season is taking shape. The Venice Film Festival concluded its events on September 12, announcing its winners, and the Toronto International Film Festival kicked off on September 10, showing a variety of films including Rogue Trooper and Coward. Also this week, Zach Cregger stepped away from the director’s chair on Gladys, and Adolescence’s Stephen Graham joined Michael Mann’s Heat 2. Widow’s Bay also dominated the Emmys with eight wins at the Creative Arts Ceremony, with the final night of the awards to take place Monday, September 14. 

From Venice Glamour to TIFF Madness, TRT is Officially in Festival Mode

Our very own awards editor, Amritpal Rai, covered the Venice Film Festival this year, where he enjoyed the first screenings of Robert Pattinson’s Primetime, Martin McDonagh’s Wild Horse Nine, and Cédric Kahn’s 15/18 (A Place to Heal).  As per his predictions, Lee Chang-dong’s Possible Love picked up the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize. 

Our TIFF crew includes Kasey Dunifer, Cameron K. Ritter, Jacob Diedenhofer, Evan Miller, and Nadia Arain. They preview the most anticipated movies, including Jesse Eisenberg’s The Debut, Barbara Kopple’s Union Town, Mike Leigh’s Tender Loving Care.  

The Weapons Universe is Shaken with Cregger Exit

Amy Madigan as Aunt Gladys in ‘Weapons’ (2025)

Deadline reported that Zach Cregger is neither writing nor directing the Weapons’ prequel, Gladys. Zach Shields is set to write the film, as Cregger recently described his own writing process is quite “broken.” 

Warner Bros. has not yet made a formal announcement confirming the film’s director, though the release date is set for September 8, 2028. 

Widow’s Bay Grabs Eight Wins at the Emmys Creative Arts Ceremony

Apple TV

The Apple TV comedy-horror series Widow’s Bay dominated the Emmys with eight wins ahead of the main 78th Emmy Awards ceremony. The series has 19 nominations, including the major sweep at the early Creative Arts Emmy Awards. 

Starring Matthew Rhys as the mayor of a cursed New England town, the series collected wins in casting, production design, cinematography, sound editing and mixing, music supervision, original score, and outstanding guest actress (Betty Gilpin) in a comedy series. 

Season 1 of Widow’s Bay premiered on Apple TV on April 29 with the first three episodes. 

Stephen Graham Joins Heat 2

Stephen Graham in ‘A Thousand Blows’ (2024) via IMDb

Adolescence star Stephen Graham officially joined the cast of Michael Mann’s Heat 2 alongside Leonardo DiCaprio, Christian Bale, Adam Driver, Jason Clarke, and Odessa Young, per Variety. His role hasn’t been confirmed, but rumors suggest he’ll play a younger version of Neil McCauley, previously played by Robert De Niro in the 1995 original.  

Heat 2 is based on the 2022 novel of the same name and serves as both a sequel and a prequel. Mann and Meg Gardiner wrote the screenplay. Mann, Jerry Bruckheimer, and Scott Stuber are producing the film, which potentially debut in 2027. 

Update Courtesy of Madiha Ali

Feature Image from ‘Everybody Wants to F*ck Me’ showing at TIFF 2026