Global Flicks: Jackie Chan’s 'The Shadow’s Edge' has wrapped Filming, Amazon MGM Studios Releasing 'Superboys of Malegeon' to theaters
kaye-ann williams
Africa: Netflix's Africa content team has reshuffled with former Amazon executive Kaye-Ann Williams appointed the new Director of Scripted Content. Williams will oversee African original films and series in this newly-created role, focusing on local productions. She previously worked for Primedia Studios, where she briefly served as content head for The Traitors South Africa. She previously led scripted series and movies at Prime Video/Amazon Studios, specializing in South Africa. Williams will start her role next month and reports to Ben Amadasun, Netflix's VP of Middle East & Africa Content. Her appointment follows the departure of Tendeka Matatu, the former Director of Local Language Films, Africa, who is leaving after three years to explore other opportunities.
Directed by Jonathan Parkinson and written by Athos Kyriakides, the crime-comedy The Drop will premiere on eMedia's eVOD. Starring Didintle Khunou, Siyabonga Xaba, Garion Dowds, Bonko Khoza, and Makgotso Monyemorathoe, the film follows three flatmates whose lives are turned upside down when a robber crashes into their apartment with a bag of stolen money. What ensues is a series of failed escape attempts, encounters with law enforcement, and a dangerous Russian mobster seeking revenge. Filmed in Johannesburg's Maboneng precinct, the film is produced and distributed by Known Associates and called a "cinematic love letter to Johannesburg's gritty charm and vibrant energy" by the producers.
Atlas International Film has acquired international rights to the Kenyan drama film Nawi. Directed by Toby and Kevin Schmutzler, Apuu Mourine Munyes, and Vallentine Kinaga Chelluget, the film follows 13-year-old Nawi’s (Michelle Lemuya Ikeny) resistance to her family’s plans despite their financial need for the dowry. A Kenyan-German co-production by FilmCrew Media, Startup Lions Assets Kenya, and Baobab Pictures, it was Kenya’s official Oscar entry for Best International Feature Film. The film earned five Africa Movie Academy Awards nominations, with Ikeny winning Most Promising Newcomer. Atlas International Film will premiere it at the European Film Market during the Berlinale.
Jackie chan - Clive Brunskill
Asia: Moon Choi and Sukku Son will star in the indie film Bedford Park, with Stephanie Ahn making her directorial debut. The story centers on a Korean American woman torn between her family loyalty and personal passions, and a former wrestler seeking redemption for his troubled past. The film is produced by Gary Foster and Russ Krasnoff of Krasnoff/Foster Productions, Chris S. Lee of B&C Content, and Nina Yang Bongiovi through Forest Whitaker's Significant Productions. The film is set to begin production in New Jersey this spring, aiming for a festival release next year.
More directorial debuts are happening as Korean action star Jang Hyuk is set to make his directorial and writing debut with the action film Stop Stop Dark Cold, produced by Stars Collective and Stars Entertainment. Known for his roles in Volcano High, The Swordsman, and Iris 2, Jang, trained in Jeet Kune Do, will lead the project, currently in script development. Production is expected to begin in mid-2025.
Award-winning Indian director Hansal Mehta, known for Scam 1992 and Shahid, is expanding into production with True Story Films, a new venture formed in partnership with producer Sahil Saigal. Backed by industry figures Vinod Bhanushali and Parag Sanghvi, the company will launch with a slate valued at INR 5 billion ($58 million) focusing on genres from dramas to comedies. Mehta will serve as the creative head while Saigal will oversee business operations to develop theatrical and streaming content. This marks Mehta's first formal move into production after his successful directorial career.
Bollywood star Randeep Hooda will reunite with Extraction director Sam Hargrave for Apple Original Films' upcoming action thriller Matchbox. The film marks their second collaboration following the 2020 Netflix hit and is based on Mattel’s matchbox toy vehicles. Matchbox will also star John Cena, Teyonah Parris, Jessica Biel, and Sam Richardson. Set in Budapest, the story follows a group of childhood friends who must unite to prevent a global disaster while rekindling their friendship. Hargrave directs from a screenplay by David Coggeshall and Jonathan Tropper. The film is produced by Skydance's David Ellison and Dana Goldberg, along with Don Granger and Robbie Brenner for Mattel Films.
Amazon MGM Studios is releasing the acclaimed Indian film Superboys of Malegaon to theaters across India, the U.S., the U.K., the U.A.E., Australia, and New Zealand. Directed by Reema Kagti and written by Varun Grover, the film tells the true story of Nasir Shaikh, an amateur filmmaker from Malegaon who inspires his community through cinema. After earning praise at festivals like Toronto, London, Palm Springs, and Red Sea, the film is set for a theatrical release on February 28, 2025. Produced by Excel Entertainment, known for hits like Gully Boy and Inside Edge, Superboys of Malegaon will stream globally on Prime Video after its theatrical run.
The Malaysian media company Astro Shaw has partnered with Sympatico, a new production label by Double Vision’s Min Lim and Argo Films’ Richard Johns, for their debut feature, Mojo. The romantic comedy is filming now in Malaysia’s Perlis region and highlights a cross-cultural collaboration between Southeast Asian and British filmmakers. Indonesian actor Adipati Dolken stars alongside Malaysian actress Mimi Lana, with Min Lim directing and a creative team including writer Honey Ahmad and consultant Zahir Omar. The film is set for a Malaysian theatrical release in 2025, followed by an international rollout. This project marks a significant step in regional and global filmmaking synergy.
Jackie Chan has wrapped filming on The Shadow’s Edge, a Macau-set thriller directed by Larry Yang, their second collaboration after the box office hit “Ride On.” Chan plays a retired surveillance expert recruited to train a team of young detectives to catch an elusive gang of thieves. The film stars Zhang Zifeng, Ci Sha, and K-pop idol Jun (Wen Junhui) of Seventeen, marking his acting debut. It also reunites Chan with Tony Leung Ka-fai, their first on-screen pairing since 2005’s The Myth.
Adeline Rudolph and Arden Cho will star in Perfect Girl, a psychological thriller set in the competitive K-pop world, directed by Hong Won-ki and produced by Scott Strauss’s Badlands. The Black List script was written by Lynn Q. Yu (in 2023) and follows a new K-pop group preparing for their debut concert, with four spots available after years of intense training. Tensions rise when a mysterious new girl joins, leading to strange occurrences as members are hunted and attacked. Produced by Strauss, Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee, and others, the film blends Scream and Black Swan vibes. K-pop artists Sunshine and Moonshine will create the original soundtrack.
meng huo - Berlinale
Europe: The documentary Les Hijabeuses has won the 2025 Action Grant from Breaking Through The Lens, a nonprofit focused on addressing gender inequity in film. The UK film will receive 10,000 Euros and follows a group of Muslim women soccer players in Paris fighting against discrimination to claim their place in the sport. Co-directed and produced by Erin Sayder and Rita Baghdadi, the film’s executive producer is Camilla Hal, it is the second film to win the grant since the program’s inception.
Berlin-based sales agent M-Appeal will handle international sales for Living the Land, the second feature from Chinese director Meng Huo, which will premiere in the Berlinale Competition next month. Set in 1991, the epic family drama spans four generations over a year during China's socio-economic transformation. The story follows 10-year-old Chuang as he is forced to stay in his rural village while his family adapts to migrating from the city for work. As technology reshapes their way of life, the film explores the clash between tradition and modernization through cycles of life events. Executive produced by actress Yao Chen and Zhang Fan, the film involves Floating Light Film, Shanghai Film Group, Phoenix Legend Films, Bad Rabbit Pictures, and Lianray Pictures.
Mohamed Rashad - Hasan Amin
Middle East: Mad World, the global sales arm of Mad Solutions, has acquired international rights to Egyptian director Mohamed Rashad’s The Settlement, ahead of its world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival. The film is inspired by a true story that follows two brothers, Hossam and Maro from a marginalized Alexandria community who are hired by the factory where their father died in an accident. As they navigate their new jobs, they start questioning whether their father’s death was truly accidental and how to seek justice. The Settlement is Rashad’s feature debut, following his 2016 documentary Little Eagles. The film stars Adham Shoukry, Ziad Islam, Hajar Omar, Mohamed Abdel Hady, and Emad Ghoneim, with cinematography by Mahmoud Lotfi and editing by Heba Othman.
