Sizzling samachar: Third instalment of Kamal Haasan’s ‘Indian’ already in development; Harleen Sethi cast alongside Abhishek Bachchan in new Prime Video film; 'Castlevania: Nocturne' announces release date

Welcome to your daily dose of entertainment news , I'm your host Nikhil. News from Kollywood first.

Third instalment of Kamal Haasan’s ‘Indian’ already in development

The highly anticipated sequel to Kamal Haasan’s 1996 blockbuster Indian 2 is set to be released next year. The production of the film was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and it was resumed only in 2021. It has now been revealed that a third film in the franchise titled, Indian 3, is being filmed simultaneously with Indian 2. Directed by S. Shankar, Indian 3 has reportedly completed 75% of its production while Indian 2 has nearly wrapped up filming. For the second film in the franchise, Haasan will be joined by an ensemble cast including Siddharth, Kajal Aggarwal, Rakul Preet Singh, Kalidas Jayaram, Gulshan Grover, Nedumudi Venu, Bobby Simha, and Guru Somasundaram among others. Indian 2 is scheduled to release during Pongal 2024.

‘OMG 2’ to be released with over 20 cuts and an A certificate according to reports

It was recently revealed that Akshay Kumar’s OMG 2 has not been cleared by the censor board. It is reportedly due to the film’s content, which the Central Board of Film Certification believes could hurt religious sentiments. New reports indicate the CBFC is finally willing to grant the film a certification, provided the film goes through 20 cuts with an A certificate. The filmmakers are in a race against time to release the film’s trailer in the coming days, as the film is scheduled to release in theatres on August 11.

Harleen Sethi cast alongside Abhishek Bachchan in new Prime Video film

Harleen Sethi, who recently starred in the acclaimed TV series Kohrra, has been cast alongside Bollywood star Abhishek Bachchan in a new film. The united project will be a medical drama film and will be a Prime Video exclusive. Further details regarding the project have been kept under wraps.

'Castlevania: Nocturne' announces release date

The Netflix original series Castlevania was among the first productions to break free from the much-debated ‘curse of the video game adaptations’ when it premiered in 2017. The series garnered significant praise from both critics and audiences, and the success of the animated series has compelled Netflix to order a spin-off titled Castlevania: Nocturne. The streaming giant has finally announced the release date for the new series, and it will follow Richter Belmont during the French Revolution. For the unversed, Richter is a distant grandchild of Trevor Belmont of Sypha Belnades, the protagonist of the 2017 series. The new series is helmed by Kevin Kolde and Clive Bradley with Sophie Skelton cast as Julia Belmont. It is also being reported that Richard Armitage and Alejandra Reynoso could reprise their roles from the original series along with James Callis as Alucard and Graham McTavish as Dracula. Castlevania: Nocturne will release on Netflix on September 28.

Vin Diesel to play the lead role in 'Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots'

Fast and Furious star Vin Diesel is set to star in a new film titled, Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots. The film is yet another adaptation of Mattel children’s toys, after the monumental success of Barbie. Further details about the film have been kept under wraps, but it is a safe bet to assume that the film will be about dueling robots, similar to the two-player action toy by Mattel.

Mattel execs keen on new franchise after ‘Barbie’s’ success

There is more news from the Mattel Cinematic Universe. Even though director Greta Gerwig has stated that she is not considering returning for a Barbie sequel, Mattel executives are reportedly ready to greenlight a second film. According to various news outlets Mattel is keen on creating a Mattel cinematic universe, with spin-offs and sequels to Barbie as well as exploring some of their other popular IPs. There are several ‘Mattel projects’ already in development such as the previously mentioned Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots, Barney by A24 Studios starring Daniel Kaluuya, a Hot Wheels film from JJ Abrams, Lena Dunham’s Polly Pocket, and a Major Matt Mason adaptation starring Tom Hanks. It appears the Marvel Cinematic Universe could have competition from the Mattel Cinematic Universe.

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

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• Written by Ryan Gomez

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