The Biggest Stories of the Week From Our Reporters
Compiled by Joe Otterson
Ranveer Singh and S. Shankar Set ‘Anniyan’ Remake
Bollywood star Ranveer Singh and filmmaker S. Shankar are teaming for a Hindi-language remake of Tamil-language blockbuster “Anniyan.” The film features one of Shankar’s pet themes: an Everyman battling a corrupt system. The original was dubbed into Hindi and released as “Aparichit.” It had the actor Vikram donning a variety of disguises and personalities, which suits Singh, who’s known for flamboyant personae including Sultan Alauddin Khilji in “Padmaavat” ( ). The remake will be produced by Dr. Jayantilal Gada’s Pen Studios and co-produced by God Bless Entertainment, with the soundtrack on the Saregama label. Principal photography on the as-yet-untitled film is due to start in mid- .
— Naman Ramachandran
‘Good Wife’ Writer to Pen TV Series on Audrey Hepburn
U.S. writer-producer Jacqueline Hoyt is set to pen drama series “Audrey,” about Hollywood icon Audrey Hepburn. The show is being produced by Italy’s Wildside, the Fremantle company behind
“The Young Pope” and “My Brilliant Friend.” The previously announced series on Hepburn’s life is based on a treatment co-written by her son Luca Dotti and Italian journalist and writer Luigi Spinola. Hoyt has written and produced for “CSI,” “The Good Wife” and HBO’S Peabody Award-winning series “The Leftovers.” Most recently, she worked with Barry Jenkins for his upcoming adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prizewinning novel “The Underground Railroad” for Amazon Prime Video. — Nick Vivarelli
‘The Crown’ Season 5 to Start Filming in July
Production on Season of Netflix hit “The Crown” is set to begin in July. The new season will feature a fresh cast of actors playing the iconic royals, with “Tenet” star Elizabeth Debicki starring as Princess Diana, Dominic West as Prince Charles, Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth II and Lesley Manville as Princess Margaret. The crew is trickling back into Elstree Studios, where the bulk of the Left Bank-produced show is filmed. It’s hoped that by July the U.K. will be well on its way to recovering from the devastating impact of the pandemic. Cameras will roll under strict COVID- protocols. — Manori Ravindran