From The Wizard of Oz to Hunger Games, from Johnny Depp to John Abraham, and more stories

This is Sizzling Samachar on OTTplay , I'm your host Nikhil. News from Hollywood first

Kenya Barris to write and direct retelling of The Wizard of Oz

We have some good news for the fans of the fantasy classic The Wizard of Oz. Actor-director Kenya Barris is set to write and direct a reimagined version of the 1939 film for Warner Bros. Not much is known about the film at the moment, but it is believed to be a modern retelling of the timeless story.

Viola Davis joins The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

Looks like the cast of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, the upcoming prequel to the Hunger Games, is getting bigger and better. Oscar-winning actress Viola Davis has signed to star in the film which already features an ensemble cast of actors such as Peter Dinklage, Hunter Schafer, Tom Blyth, and Rachel Zegler. Davis will play Dr Volumnia Gaul, the lead antagonist. Gaul is the head game maker of the 10th Hunger Games. Francis Lawrence, who directed the previous Hunger Games films, is helming the prequel as well. The film is expected to release next year.

MGM partners with Warner Bros. Picture Group

MGM movies have joined hands with Warner Bros. Picture Group to distribute MGM Movies overseas. As per the multi-year deal, Warner Bros. will release MGM’s theatrical titles starting with Luca Guadagnino's Bones and All in November. However, the 26th James Bond will be distributed globally by MGM’s current partner Universal.

Johnny Depp set to direct his second film

Twenty-five years after directing his first film The Brave, Johnny Depp is set to helm his second directorial feature. Titled Modigliani, the film is based on the life of Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani. Jerzy and Mary Kromolowski have penned the screenplay that focuses on “an eventful 48 hours that change Modigliani’s life”. Depp will produce the film along with Al Pacino and Barry Navidi.

Salaar and Fighter to release on same day

2023 will witness a major clash at the box office as two big-budget films are scheduled to release on the same day. Prabhas' upcoming film Salaar and Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone’s Fighter will hit theaters on September 28th next year. The makers of Salaar released a new poster of the film and announced the release date. The action film will be helmed by KGF director Prashanth Neel and will be released in five languages. Meanwhile, Fighter is directed by War director Siddharth Anand.

John Abraham announces his next film

John Abraham’s next project has been titled Tariq. The actor took to social media to announce the news on Independence Day. Arun Gopalan will helm the project which will be produced by John Abraham's JA Entertainment along with Bake My Cake Films. The film is set to release on August 15th next year.

Well that's the OTTplay Sizzling Samachar for today, until the next time it's your host Nikhil signing out.

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• Written by Arya Harikumar