Keanu’s Next Move, ‘Heat 2’ Hiccups, and ‘Alien’ Surprises: What You Missed This Week

It was another eventful week filled with buzzing news. Keanu Reeves and Denzel Washington have exciting projects on the horizon, Heat 2 is taking a little longer to roll, and the Alien franchise is gearing up for another terrifying chapter. 

Here’s everything that made headlines this week.

Keanu Reeves in Talks to Lead The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil

Paramount is developing a new take on the 2019 South Korean action-crime thriller, The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Keanu Reeves is in talks to star alongside Don Lee, aka Ma Dong-seok, from the original. The plot centers on a police officer and a crime boss reluctantly putting aside their differences to hunt down a serial killer, each with personal agendas. 

James Wan will be directing, making his first feature behind the camera since 2023’s Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom. Wan will also serve as a producer alongside Michael Clear and Jason Blum through Blumhouse-Atomic Monster. Eric Pearson is penning the latest version of the screenplay, building on earlier drafts by Shay Hatten and Brian Helgeland.    

Denzel Washington and Christopher McQuarrie Are Cooking Up a New Thriller

Deadline reports that United Artists and Amazon MGM Studios are moving forward with a new thriller featuring Denzel Washington in the lead role and Christopher McQuarrie as director. Scott Barkan and Gregg Zehentner are credited with the screenplay.

The film follows a former police detective serving a life sentence who is granted compassionate release after being diagnosed wth terminal brain cancer. With just six months to live, he hopes to reconnect with his estranged daughter and newfound grandson, but his troubled past intervenes. 

McQuarrie will also produce the film alongside Heather McQuarrie, Scott Stuber, Nick Nesbitt, Joseph Restaino, Katia Washington, and Tommy Harper. The film will release on October 1, 2027.  

Olivia Wilde’s Naughty Welcomes Samara Weaving

Samara Weaving is the latest star to join Olivia Wilde’s holiday comedy, Naughty, adding to an ensemble that includes Jennifer Aniston, Peter Dinklage, Chase Sui Wonders, Regina Hall, and Ike Barinholtz, according to THR.  

From a spec script by Jimmy Warden, the story follows a mother (Aniston) whose custody battle takes an unusual turn when she must convince Santa Claus (Dinklage) to testify at her divorce hearing. Weaving is playing the mistress of Aniston’s ex. 

Margot Robbie’s LuckyChap will produce the film alongside Wilde and Warden. Universal Pictures has scheduled the pic for a November 5, 2027, theatrical release. 

Sorcese’s What Happens at Night Adds Charli XCX

Charli XCX is joining Martin Scorsese’s What Happens at Night for a cameo, Variety reports. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence, the Gothic psychological drama follows an American couple whose European adoption journey forces them to confront increasingly unsettling questions about themselves.

Produced by Apple and StudioCanal, the cast also includes Mads Mikkelsen, Patricia Clarkson, and Jared Harris. The film has not yet been given a release date. 

Heat 2 Faces Production Hold-Up

In a report by World of Reel, Stephen Graham confirmed that Heat 2 will begin shooting in January 2027. Directed by Michael Mann, Heat 2 is meant to be a sequel to the 1995 original and will feature two main leads played by DiCaprio and Christian Bale. 

Based on Mann and Meg Gardiner’s 2022 novel, the story follows Neil McCauley’s criminal past, detective Vincent Hanna, and Chris Shiherlis’s life after the deadly heist. Other names attached to the project are Adam Driver, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Jason Clarke. The film has not yet received a release date.     

Carrie Renewed for Another Season by Prime Video 

THR reports that Prime Video is ordering the second season of Stephen King adaptation Carrie. Mike Flanagan will continue as the showrunner and executive producer, while King remains the executive producer. 

Summer H. Howell will reprise her role as Carrie White in the story following up on the events of prom night. Carrie already faced a viral bullying scandal and the pressures of social media and must now grapple with her emerging telekinetic abilities.

Further casting details and a release date have yet to be announced, but King has expressed excitement about continuing his collaboration with Flanagan, describing the project as “bound to be thrilling.”

A New Alien Movie is Taking Shape

20th Century Studios has enlisted Aaron Guzikowski to write a new Alien feature project involving Ridley Scott, according to Deadline. The duo worked on Raised by Wolves for HBO Max. Guzikowski is also best known for penning Denis Villeneuve’s Prisoners (2013) 

Not much is known about the project except that it would follow the most recent installment, 2024’s Alien: Romulus. It is also related to Prometheus (2012) and Alien: Covenant (2017).  

Scott and Michael Pruss will handle production duties for Scott Free, with J.R. Young supervising the project on behalf of the studio. Cast and release date remain unknown.   

Update Courtesy of Madiha Ali

_{^{Feature image courtesy of Cannes Film Festival, THR}}