Motion Picture: Jasmin Savoy Brown Returns To 'Scream 7', 'One To One: John & Yoko' set to release April 11th
Jasmin Savoy Brown - Matt Winkelmeyer
Action/Horror/Fantasy/Sci-Fi: Jasmin Savoy Brown returns to Woodsboro as Mindy Meeks-Martin in Scream 7. Brown, the franchise's first queer character, will reunite with Mason Gooding, who plays her brother Chad. Directed by Kevin Williamson, the film is currently shooting in Atlanta and will release on February 27, 2026. Neve Campbell and Courteney Cox reprise their iconic roles as Sidney Prescott and Gale Weathers, while Joel McHale joins the cast as Sidney's husband. Brown is known for her Emmy-nominated role in Yellowjackets and her queer-focused podcast, Today in Gay.
Greta Lee is set to star in Netflix’s high-concept sci-fi thriller 11817, directed by Louis Leterrier. The film follows a family of four trapped inside their home, struggling to survive as resources dwindle and a mysterious threat looms. Lee, acclaimed for her roles in The Morning Show and Past Lives, will also appear in Disney’s Tron: Ares and Kathryn Bigelow’s upcoming thriller. The project, written by Matthew Robinson, is produced by Leterrier, Peter Chernin, and Jenno Topping, among others, with Netflix recently joining the production.
Katt williams - Lila Seeley / Stringer
Comedy/Dramady/Musical: Katt Williams joins Adam Rifkin's trippy road-trip comedy Toad, starring James Paxton and Oliver Wyman. The film follows two hapless couriers transporting psychedelic toads for a crime boss (Craig Robinson). When the toads overheat, the duo accidentally ingests their hallucinogenic secretions, launching them on a wild desert odyssey. Williams plays Earl, a cigar-chomping anthropomorphic toad who serves as a philosophical guide on their journey.
Lee Isaac chung - Amy Sussman
Drama: Oscar nominee Lee Isaac Chung has signed on to direct The Traveler, a feature adaptation of Joseph Eckert’s novel Traveler, for Skydance. Described as an intimate family drama that expands into a sweeping sci-fi odyssey, the story follows Scott Treder, a 47-year-old biology technician who begins involuntarily jumping through time. Chung’s ability to blend family-focused storytelling with blockbuster spectacle, as seen in Minari and Twisters, makes him an ideal fit for the project.
yoko ono - Ethan Miller
Documentary: Magnolia Pictures has acquired North American rights to Kevin Macdonald's documentary One to One: John & Yoko, set for an exclusive IMAX release on April 11 before airing on HBO and streaming on Max in late 2025. The film delves into John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s transformative 18 months in early 1970s Greenwich Village, featuring newly restored footage of Lennon’s 1972 One to One benefit concert, his only full-length post-Beatles performance. Produced by Mercury Studios, Plan B, and KM Films, the documentary offers a fresh perspective on the iconic couple, their music, activism, and enduring cultural impact.
neo sora - Arturo Holmes
Industry Update: Filmmaker and artist Neo Sora, known for Happyend, has signed with Cinetic Media. Sora’s latest feature premiered at the 2024 Venice Film Festival, followed by screenings at TIFF, NYFF, and Busan, earning critical acclaim. Set in a near-future Japan, Happyend explores a group of high schoolers fighting a techno-fascist regime amid fears of a catastrophic earthquake. The film, supported by the Sundance Institute and Gotham Project Market, will be released in North America by Metrograph in 2025, with Magnify handling global distribution.
ROUNDTABLE
Variety x Easterseals: Hollywood’s progress on disability inclusion remains slow, despite the success of films like CODA and the growing recognition of disabled people as a significant audience. Creatives like Sue Ann Pien emphasize the need for authentic representation and accommodations on set, recalling her experience on As We See It as:
“The first time I felt safe to just be myself.”
While progress includes initiatives like the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge and accessibility coordinators, barriers persist due to stigma and industry reluctance to take risks. Pien highlights the importance of inclusion, saying,
“You have to have creators who identify [as disabled].” Authentic, engaging stories with disabled voices not only resonate with audiences but also make business sense.
