Sizzling Samachar : A new Dexter spinoff is in production; George Clooney is set to direct an upcoming spy thriller; The I Know What You Did Last Summer sequel is in the works; The streaming slate of Reliance Entertainment

Welcome to another episode of Sizzling Samachar, I'm your host Nikhil. Let's look at the top stories for the day.

Showtime producing a new Dexter spinoff

Fans of the hit crime drama series Dexter were more receptive towards the sequel limited-series Dexter: New Blood, which was released in 2021, unlike the final season of the original series. And it appears everyone’s favourite serial killer is not going anywhere, as Showtime has announced several Dexter spinoffs. One of the new series will focus on the origin story of the serial killer and how his adoptive father Harry Morgan directed him to use his killing instincts for a twisted version of good, rather than evil. There will also be a sequel to Dexter: New Blood focusing on Dexter’s son Harrison. Furthermore, there are also plans for a series focusing on the origin stories of Dexter’s greatest adversaries such as the Trinity Killer, played by John Lithgow. These announcements have been made after Showtime merged with Paramount+.

George Clooney is putting on his director hat for the upcoming series The Department

As an actor, George Clooney has delivered several hits but his directorial films have been a mixed bag so far. From the apocalyptic survival drama The Midnight Sky to the political thriller The Ides of March, his directorial films have always been fascinating but ambiguous. He is stepping into the shoes of a director yet again for his upcoming project, The Department. Based on the hit French drama series Le Bureau des Legendes, the spy thriller series centres on the daily life of the agents of France's principal external security service.

Severance Star Dichen Lachman cast in the Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

The makers of the Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes have made a new addition to its cast. Severance Star Dichen Lachman has joined the project in an undisclosed role. Helmed by The Maze Runner director Wes Ball, the film will focus on events occurring many years after the events of the last film War For the Planet of the Apes, directed by Matt Reeves. The film has already commenced filming in Australia and will also star Freya Allan, Owen Teague, William H. Macy, and Kevin Durand.

Woody Harrelson and Olivia Colman are joining the cast of Girl From the North Country

The Tony Award-winning stage show, Girl from the North Country is being made into a film. The project brings to life Bob Dylan’s most iconic and timeless songs which help in the storytelling of the musical. Olivia Colman and Woody Harrelson, two of the most versatile Hollywood actors have already joined the cast and will play the characters of Elizabeth Laine and Nick Laine respectively. The film is set in Duluth, Minnesota during the time of the Great Depression and follows the Laine family who is forced to run a guest house full of travellers from all walks of life. The film also stars Chlöe Bailey, and Tosin Cole in prominent roles.

I Know What You Did Last Summer is in the works at Sony

The successful relaunch of the Scream franchise has opened doors for other OG slasher films to also make a comeback. According to new reports, Sony Pictures is working on a sequel of the cult hit, I Know What You Did Last Summer. The original stars Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. are reportedly reprising their roles in the new movie. The project is set to be helmed by MTV show Sweet/Vicious creator Jennifer Kaytin Robinson.

Reliance Entertainment releases the streaming slate

The major production house Reliance Entertainment entered the streaming space in 2018 and has since produced 13 shows. They have also worked with several streaming platforms and have created gems like Netflix’s Sacred Games, Disney+ Hotstar’s Masoom, and Steven Spielberg’s Academy Award-nominated film The Fabelmans. They are currently working with Amazon’s Prime Video on Rohit Shetty’s Indian Police Force, which revolves around a Delhi police officer. Furthermore, they are also working on Vikramaditya Motwane’s Bollywood saga Jubilee.

In their streaming slate, there’s also mention of the second season of Vikas Bahl’s Sunflower, an untitled series from A Dirty Picture filmmaker Milan Luthria and a crime thriller from Paan Singh Tomar director Tigmanshu Dhulia. Mirzapur director Gurmmeet Singh, Khandaani Shafakhana filmmaker Shilpi Dasgupta, and Fukrey franchise creator Mrighdeep Singh Lamba are reportedly joining hands to work on a project showcasing the story of star-crossed lovers set against the backdrop of opium smuggling.

A Hollywood collaboration is also in the works with Pathaan writer Shridhar Raghavan working on a supernatural thriller with Aquaman writer David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick and DC Studios co-chair Peter Safran.

Well that's the Sizzling news for the day on OTTplay, until the next time it's your host Nikhil signing out.

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• Written by Sneha Singh