Movies

Tom Francis says director Peter Berg gave him one day to learn a song for a fully staged musical performance in the World War II film “The Mosquito Bowl.” The unexpected bar scene draws on Francis’ stage experience before the story shifts into graphic battlefield sequences.

Gower Street Analytics raised its 2026 global box office forecast to $35.7 billion, up 2.9% from its April projection and 6.3% from last year. Reaching that total would mark the industry’s strongest annual worldwide result since 2019, though still below that year’s $42.3 billion.

My Chemical Romance celebrate the 20th anniversary of The Black Parade with Prelude to the End, a seven-minute animated short directed by Lauren Tsai and featuring Billie Eilish, Phoebe Bridgers, Hideo Kojima and John C. McGinley.

Tony Kaye will direct “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?,” a five-minute short blending documentary techniques with reality drama among giant monster sculptures in Leicester, England. Produced by Hiu Man Chan, the experimental project will feature emerging local actors and filmmakers while exploring love, difference and belonging.

Sony Pictures has acquired the feature-film rights to psychological horror game Mouthwashing, with Karyn Kusama set to direct and Matt Manfredi and Phil Hay adapting. Scott Derrickson, C. Robert Cargill and Vince Cheng will produce through Crooked Highway.

Nathan Fielder said reenactments and other unconventional techniques in the Elizabeth Holmes documentary You Can See Everything were necessary to tell the story honestly. Co-directed with Lance Oppenheim, the film has grossed nearly $50 million.

Amazon’s darkly comedic series adaptation of Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone has added Patricia Clarkson, Sean Astin, Elizabeth Marvel, Daniella Garcia, Felix Solis, Annaleigh Ashford, Chris Walley and Eliza Bennett as series regulars. They join previously announced lead Penn Badgley in the project based on Benjamin Stevenson’s novel.

Marcus Theatres reported record third-quarter revenue and profit, with theatrical revenue rising 21% to $145 million and operating income increasing $9.9 million to $22.2 million. Spider-Man: Brand New Day and The Odyssey led a broad film slate as attendance climbed 17%.

Marcus Theatres reported its strongest third quarter on record, with theatrical revenue rising 21% to $145 million and operating income reaching $22.2 million. Higher attendance, ticket prices and concession spending drove the results, as Spider-Man: Brand New Day and The Odyssey led the summer lineup.

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping has premiered to strong early reactions praising its emotional weight, production design and cast. Joseph Zada earned standout acclaim as young Haymitch in the franchise’s sixth film and second prequel.

Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim discuss the North American box office breakout of their three-hour A24 documentary You Can See Everything. The directors also explain how filming Elizabeth Holmes’ final month before prison transformed Fielder into an on-camera “accidental investigator.”

Latvia’s Best International Feature Film Oscar submission “Ulya” has secured distribution across North America, France, Italy and other international markets, including the MENA region and Brazil. Directed by Viesturs Kairišs, the black-and-white feature draws inspiration from the life of basketball player Ulyana Semjonova.

“One Cut of the Dead” director Ueda Shinichiro has expanded “Earthlings in Love” from a 30-part social media microdrama into a 111-minute feature film with restored material, additional filming and new theatrical pacing. The film is showing in the Nippon Cinema Now section of the 39th Tokyo International Film Festival.

Zeze Takahisa’s “Sukiyaki” will open the 39th Tokyo International Film Festival with the story of the creators behind Japan’s 1963 worldwide hit, known domestically as “Ue o Muite Aruko.” The film traces the song’s inspiration to the 1960 protests against the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty while exploring the trio’s creative partnership and personal conflicts.

Director Kore-eda Hirokazu said Japanese cinema is gaining recognition at international film festivals, crediting filmmakers including Hamaguchi Ryusuke and Fukada Koji as well as younger directors taking projects overseas. He spoke at a Kering Women in Motion event connected with the Tokyo International Film Festival.

Takeo Hisamatsu has returned to lead the Tokyo International Film Festival with plans to pursue a larger budget, deeper studio involvement and greater global visibility for Japanese filmmakers. His expansion agenda comes as the festival approaches its 40th edition.

Guitar Wolf will lead “Wild Zero Overdrive,” Takeuchi Tetsuro’s Japan-Canada follow-up to his 1999 film “Wild Zero.” Selected for this year’s Tokyo Gap-Financing Market, the project is seeking financing and distribution partners as Takeuchi updates the original film’s concept for the present day.

TIFFCOM’s exhibition space sold out early this year as more Japanese producers use the Tokyo International Film Festival market to secure partners while projects are still in development. Managing director Ikeda Kaori said the shift expands TIFFCOM beyond finished-content sales; last year’s market drew more than 4,600 professionals from 46 countries and regions, with attendance rising 13%.

Farzad Khoshdast’s documentary “Third Land” follows Iranian engineer Hamid, his wife, Hananeh, and their son as they face legal uncertainty, precarious work and prolonged delays in Turkey. The film is screening in the Czech Joy section of the Ji.hlava Documentary Film Festival.

Takahisa Zeze’s Sukiyaki will open the 2026 Tokyo International Film Festival, with Junichi Okada starring as composer and jazz pianist Hachidai Nakamura. The drama traces the creation and international rise of the Japanese pop song “Ue o Muite Aruko.”

Indio Downey, the eldest son of Robert Downey Jr., will take on his first leading movie role in Love In Vein, an independent addiction drama adapted from Ryan Leone’s novel Wasting Talent. Written and directed by Will De Los Santos, the film follows Damien through addiction, romance and self-destruction in Los Angeles.