Midhun Manuel Thomas to team up with Mammootty for this superhit franchise?

Anjaam Pathiraa director Midhun Manuel Thomas is reportedly in talks to join hands with Mammooty for an upcoming movie, after he completes work on the Jayaram-starrer Ozler. 

According to unconfirmed reports, the director is planning a film in which the megastar will once against reprise his role as CBI Sethurama Iyer. Midhun will be working with the Malayalam superstar for the first time in his career, if the speculations turns true. 

The CBI series is one of the most successful franchises in Malayalam, with all the movies so far being helmed by K Madhu and scripted by SN Swamy. The series started with Oru CBI Diary Kurippu in 1988 and its fifth instalment, CBI 5: The Brain, released in 2022. 

Though the final instalment did commercially well, it was critically panned. So, the news of Midhun taking over the reins has been welcomed with open arms by the fans of the franchise. Incidentally, Midhun and Mammootty were set to team up a few years ago for the sequel of Kottayam Kunjachan, which was shelved with the makers failing to procure the rights for the characters.

Meanwhile, there is also a rumour of Midhun scripting a Mammootty-starrer. The upcoming film will be helmed by Pulimurugan director Vysakh. Another report stated that Midhun would actually be directing Mammootty in his latest movie Ozler, in which the megastar might play a cameo. Again, the filmmaker is yet to confirm this.

Midhun has also scripted the upcoming horror-thriller Phoenix, which has Anoop Menon, Aju Varghese and G Chandhunadh in the lead. 

Meanwhile, Mammootty, in the recent years, have collaborated with directors he hadn't worked before such as Lijo Jose Pellissery, Ratheena and Nissam Basheer. 

His upcoming film with The Great Indian Kitchen director Jeo Baby titled Kaathal - The Core is rumoured to be a direct OTT release. Mammooty also has films like Kannur Squad lined up along with the game-thriller Bazooka, which is written and directed by debutant Deeno Dennis. Recently, Maheshinte Prathikaaram and Joju director Dileesh Pothan had also confirmed that discussions are going on for a possible film.