Entertainment

20th Century Studios has released the first trailer for Ella McCay, the upcoming political comedy from writer-director James L. Brooks. Set for theatrical release on December 12, 2025, the film marks Brooks’ return to directing after more than a decade and features a cast led by Emma Mackey and Jamie Lee Curtis.

Mackey plays Ella McCay, a young, driven politician navigating the pressures of public office and family relationships. The trailer opens with narration by Julie Kavner, introducing Ella as someone she has “worked for ever since she finished law school.”

Ella’s political rise is quickly complicated by the reappearance of her estranged father Eddie, played by Woody Harrelson. Jamie Lee Curtis co-stars as Ella’s aunt Helen, who warns her niece that Eddie’s return is likely to cause more harm than good.

The ensemble cast also includes Jack Lowden, Kumail Nanjiani, Ayo Edebiri, Rebecca Hall, Spike Fearn, Becky Ann Baker, Joey Brooks, Albert Brooks, and Julie Kavner.

Ella McCay is produced by James L. Brooks, Richard Sakai, Julie Ansell, and Jennifer Brooks. The film will be released in Indian theatres on December 12, 2025.

Apple and A24 have released the first official trailer for Highest 2 Lowest, a modern crime thriller directed by Spike Lee and starring Denzel Washington and A$AP Rocky. The film marks the first collaboration between Lee and Washington since Inside Man nearly two decades ago.

Set in present-day New York City, Highest 2 Lowest reimagines Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 film High and Low, itself based on Ed McBain’s novel King’s Ransom. Washington plays a powerful music executive whose world is thrown into chaos when a kidnapping-for-ransom scheme targets the wrong victim. The narrative unfolds as he navigates a city-wide manhunt, with A$AP Rocky playing a central role in the unfolding crisis.

The film debuted out of competition at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival and is scheduled for a U.S. theatrical release on August 15, followed by a streaming launch on Apple TV on September 5. This marks Spike Lee’s sixth film to be showcased at Cannes, and it comes 36 years after his debut there with Do the Right Thing.

Joining Washington and A$AP Rocky in the cast are Jeffrey Wright, Ilfenesh Hadera, Dean Winters, John Douglas Thompson, and Ice Spice. The screenplay was written by Alan Fox.

Highest 2 Lowest was developed by Apple and A24, with production handled by Escape Artists and Mandalay Pictures. Todd Black produced the film alongside Jason Michael Berman. Executive producers include Spike Lee for 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks, Peter Guber for Mandalay, and Katia Washington, among others.

The first official trailer for Shelby Oaks, the debut feature from YouTuber-turned-filmmaker Chris Stuckmann, has been released ahead of its theatrical premiere this October. The horror film, backed by Neon, is generating interest as the most crowd-funded horror project in Kickstarter history.

Shelby Oaks stars Camille Sullivan as Mia, a woman searching for her sister Riley (Sarah Durn), who vanished while investigating paranormal activity. The trailer introduces the film’s central mystery, revealing found footage elements and a disturbing VHS tape that propels Mia into the titular town of Shelby Oaks. There, she begins to uncover dark secrets tied to their shared past and a potentially real childhood demon.

The film’s visual style leans on handheld camera work, faux-documentary framing, and traditional found footage techniques, drawing comparisons to earlier genre entries like The Blair Witch Project and The Ring. Stuckmann, best known for his YouTube film reviews, has cited those influences in shaping the tone and pacing of his first feature.

Neon has scheduled Shelby Oaks for a theatrical release on October 3, positioning it as part of the studio’s Halloween slate. Earlier this year, the production underwent additional filming in Ohio, reportedly costing around $1 million, to increase the level of horror and intensity. These reshoots added more blood and gore to the final cut, aligning it more closely with audience expectations.

The film is produced by Aaron B. Koontz, Cameron Burns, and Ashleigh Snead, with executive producers including Mike Flanagan and Trevor Macy. The supporting cast features Brendan Sexton III, Keith David, and Michael Beach. Music is composed by The Newton Brothers.

Shelby Oaks also incorporates elements from the “Paranormal Paranoids” online video series, which served as inspiration for the film’s story and promotional campaign. With over two million YouTube subscribers, Stuckmann has kept fans updated on the project’s development since its crowdfunding success.

Ajay Devgn’s latest release, Son of Sardaar 2, is struggling to maintain momentum after a decent opening weekend. Despite a star-studded cast and the legacy of its 2012 predecessor, the comedy sequel has seen a steep decline in collections as weekday footfalls drop sharply.

According to Sacnilk, the film opened with ₹7.25 crore on Day 1 and gained steam over the weekend with ₹8.25 crore on Saturday and ₹9.25 crore on Sunday, bringing its three-day total to ₹24.75 crore. However, Monday proved to be a major setback. The film saw an 86.92% dip in revenue, managing only ₹1.21 crore on Day 4, taking the total domestic collection to ₹25.96 crore.

Industry insiders say weekday blues aren’t the only factor. Son of Sardaar 2 is up against stiff competition from current box office performers like Dhadak 2, Saiyaara, and Mahavatar Narsimha. While Dhadak 2 collected ₹1.40 crore and Saiyaara pulled in ₹2.50 crore on Monday, Mahavatar Narsimha dominated with a massive ₹8 crore, outshining all others.

Occupancy for Son of Sardaar 2 on Monday remained low at 10.20%, with the highest being 13.23% during evening shows. Despite a wide release with 595 shows in Delhi NCR and 348 in Mumbai, audiences appear to be opting for alternatives.

Directed by Vijay Kumar Arora and produced by Ajay Devgn and Jyoti Deshpande, the film features Mrunal Thakur, Sanjay Mishra, Ravi Kishan, and others in supporting roles.

A day after the Telugu Film Industry Employees’ Federation called for a strike, demanding a 30 per cent wage hike, the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce (TFCC) has responded in the negative. Passing an “unanimous resolution”, the TFCC has allowed producers to hire workers who aren’t part of the union.

Shooting across Telugu cinema came to a halt due to the strike called by the Telugu Film Industry Employees’ Federation on August 04, 2025. Reacting to the development, the Film Chamber said in a statement, “The Telugu film industry in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh is already in a very difficult situation. At such a time, when discussions are underway for an amicable solution under the guidance of the Honourable Labour Commissioner, the Federation has chosen to defy this process.”

In a notice, the Federation had said that “members should not report to shoot anywhere” until the wage hike is implemented. “The Federation decided that from August 04, 2025, a 30 % wage hike should be given. Unless producers send a letter stating they will implement this hike and send it to unions, there will be no shooting.”

The Chamber said the hike is “unaffordable for small produces”, adding that “all small producers are against the hike, as it’s not in their means.” The TFCC cited Labour Commissioner’s clarification, stating that under the Minimum Wages Act, producers have the right to employ workers as long as they are paid minimum wages. It also mentioned the Competition Commission of India (CCI) order that restrains federations from imposing anti-competitive practices.

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“There is no film industry without producers. Trade unions should recognise that the well-being of producers is vital for the survival of our industry,” said TFCC, adding that producers can hire workers outside of the union. “The cost of living is lower in Hyderabad than in other metropolitan cities. Moreover, we are paying higher wages to workers here than in other film industries,” the Chamber further said.

Actor Shanawas, son of actor the late Prem Nazir, passed away in the State capital on Monday.

Mr. Shanawas breathed his last at a hospital here while undergoing treatment for kidney-related ailments. He was 71.

Mr. Shanawas was born to Prem Nazir and Habeeba Beevi. After his education, he made his debut with Premageethangal directed by Balachandra Menon in 1981.

Mr. Shanawas appeared in more than 50 films. He also acted in the 2011 film Chinatown. He also acted in serials.

He is survived by wife, Ayesha, and two sons.