Sizzling Samachar: John Krasinski to star alongside Ryan Reynolds in the fantasy comedy ‘IF; ‘Drive’ director Nicolas Winding Refn to helm ‘The Famous Five’ adaption; Prithviraj Sukumaran injured during the filming of ‘Vilayath Buddha’

Welcome to your daily dose of entertainment news on OTTplay , I'm your host Nikhil. Top stories first.

‘Drive’ director Nicolas Winding Refn to helm ‘The Famous Five’ adaption

Acclaimed Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn, who is best known for helming the 2011 Ryan Gosling crime drama Drive, is set to adapt Enid Blyton’s iconic children’s novels, The Famous Five. The live-action adaptation will be a limited series and a reimagining of the classic stories based on the adventures of the inseparable gang of Julian, Dick, Anne, George, and their dog Timmy. The series will be produced by BBC and Germany’s ZDF, and it will be a departure from Refn’s previous works which include thrillers and crime dramas such as The Neon Demon and the Pusher trilogy.

John Krasinski to star alongside Ryan Reynolds in the fantasy comedy ‘IF

John Krasinski is set to star as Jack Ryan for the final time in the fourth season of Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, premiering this Friday. The Office and A Quiet Place actor has already signed up for his next project. Krasinski is set to collaborate with Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds in the upcoming fantasy comedy film IF. The title of the film is an acronym for ‘imaginary friend’, with Krasinski serving as director and inspired by Steven Spielberg’s iconic film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. The film features a star-studded ensemble of Fiona Shaw, Cailey Fleming, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Steve Carell, Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Maya Rudolph, Vince Vaughn, Sam Rockwell, Awkwafina, and Jon Stewart among others.

Prithviraj Sukumaran injured during the filming of ‘Vilayath Buddha’

Malayalam actor Prithviraj Sukumaran suffered an injury on the sets of Vilayath Buddha. Director Jayan Nambiar has confirmed that the actor slipped and fell while stepping out of a bus during filming. The Jana Gana Mana actor underwent a keyhole surgery for ligament damage on his leg and has been asked to rehabilitate for two months according to reports. The production of the film has been paused until the actor recovers from his injury, despite just one day of filming remaining for the film.

Hollywood veterans Angela Bassett and Mel Brooks to receive honorary Oscars

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has decided to present Hollywood veterans Angela Bassett and Mel Brooks with honorary Oscars. The Black Panther star, Bassett, and the comedian and filmmaker, Brooks, will receive these accolades for their contributions in “transforming the film industry”. Film editor Carol Littleton has also been bestowed with the same accolade, and the awards will be presented at this year's Governors Awards on November 18th.

'John Wick’ franchise to headline Lionsgate's San Diego Comic-Con Panels

The world-famous San Diego Comic-Con is facing a major existential crisis this year as several major studios including Marvel, Lucas Films, Disney, Netflix, and HBO have announced they won’t feature any panels at this year’s event. The writer’s strike in the US and the potentially forthcoming strike by the actors are cited as one of the major reasons studios have decided to skip the comic-con this year. However, Lionsgate will have a panel at the event with the John Wick prequel series The Continental to headline. Warner Bros and DC are yet to confirm whether they will skip this year’s event. DC has suffered back-to-back box-office disasters and has several new projects in development for 2023 and beyond.

Summer box-office disaster, 'The Flash', leaks online

Warner Bros. and DC’s latest big-budget release The Flash has suffered a disastrous run at the box office since its premiere on June 16th. To add insult to injury, the film suffered a 72% drop in ticket sales in the following week and is expected to fall well below its production budget by the end of its theatrical run. And to compound matters, the Ezra Miller-led Andy Muschietti film has reportedly leaked online. A Twitter handle uploaded the entire film in HD and received over 1.7 million views before Twitter eventually took down the video. DC’s new era under James Gunn has begun with back-to-back flops, and two more DC films, Blue Beetle and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, are scheduled to release in 2023.

Well that's all we got for today's episode , until the next time it's your host Nikhil signing out.

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• Written by Ryan Gomez