The next film from The Daniels will have a “The Odyssey” reunion, as John Leguizamo is now joining Matt Damon, according to Deadline.
The Daniels, aka Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, will write and direct. Sandra Oh, Sean Kaufman, Michael Gandolfini, and Charles Melton are also part of the ensemble.
The trade reports that the timing for Leguizamo’s casting was ideal, with The Daniels searching for the final key role in the film just as “The Odyssey” was captivating audiences worldwide. Leguizamo’s standout, scene-stealing performance was enough to win the duo’s approval and secure an offer for the last major role in the project, which is scheduled to begin production later this year.
Leguizamo has had a wild press tour for “The Odyssey,” during which he has repeatedly criticized Hollywood as “not an accepting place” for Latinos. Meanwhile, he later acknowledged that working in Hollywood for nearly four decades has also allowed him to own three homes. Go figure.
As for what The Daniels’ mystery sci-fi movie is actually about? We only know what Damon admitted was pitched to him by the directing duo: “The Breakfast Club” meets “Inception” meets an anime film meets an episode of “The John Oliver Show” that didn't get aired.”
There’s also been unconfirmed reports that it would essentially be a “superhero tentpole with global warming as the villain.” The story reportedly jumps between two timelines—one set in the 1980s and the other in the present day—with the ’80s storyline centered on a group of youngsters.
“Thasnagar” is the current working title, and it’s scheduled to hit theaters on November 19, 2027, via Universal.
The ‘Smile’ franchise has a new director. David Bruckner, who made “The Night House” and the 2022 “Hellraiser” reboot, has been hired to direct “Smile 3” for Paramount.