Director Pedro Almodovar has announced his next project, starring Antonio Banderas and, his frequent collaborator, Penelope Cruz. The 68-year-old, who is best known for the Oscar-winning film All About My Mother, will direct Dolor Y. Gloria (Pain And Glory). The project was announced by the Spanish director’s production house, El Deseo, and production is expected to start in July this year, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The film will chronicle a series of reunions, some in the present and others in the past, as a film director ponders his creative decline.  

Actor Vin Diesel’s One Race Films, along with studio H Collective, have acquired the rights of the xXx franchise and announced the fourth instalment. DJ Caruso, who directed xXx: Return of Xander Cage, starring our very own Deepika Padukone, will return for the new film, with Diesel reprising his role as extreme sports athlete-turned-reluctant agent Xander Cage, reported Variety. 

Joaquin Phoenix said even though he has worked with some great filmmakers and has a unique perspective, he will not direct a film just for the sake of it. Recently asked whether he would like to direct a film, the 43-year-old Her actor told Collider: “I wouldn’t do it just to do it. I imagine if there was a story that I felt like I had a unique understanding of, then maybe it’s something I would pursue, but I haven’t really thought about it. I’ve worked with really great directors, and I don’t know if I have that... If you work with people that were mediocre, if you were on set with a bunch of mediocre directors, you’d probably be like, ‘I think I could probably do that’.”

TV heartthrob Mohit Malik has been stealing the show with his rockstar role on Kullfi Kumarr Bajewala but word is Barun Sobti will soon enter the show as Sikander’s (Mohit) competitor. He will play Amyra’s singing teacher, a struggling rockstar who, too, is on the verge of being extremely popular. This will be the first time Barun will play a rockstar in his career. Sources from the set revealed that the show’s producer, Gul Khan, wanted her lucky charm Barun in the show. Gul has always made it a point to have Barun in her shows — as cameo or lead. 
(Bharati k. Dubey) 

Amy Schumer is in negotiations to feature in the biopic of champion boxer Christy Martin, Deadline reported. Based on the real-life story of the world champion boxer of the same name, the film will follow Martin who had to fight to achieve success in the man’s world and later ended up fighting for her life. The 36-year-old actress will play Martin, who now goes by the name Christy Salters.

Actors Agyness Deyn and Gayle Rankin are on board the punk rock feature Her Smell with Elisabeth Moss. Moss will star as Becky Something, the lead singer of a pioneering female rock band, who struggles with the pressures of fame, handling her ex-husband and drug abuse as she attempts a comeback. While Deyn will portray Marielle, Becky’s best friend who finally leaves the punk partying culture behind only to be reunited with her friend years later once they make amends, Rankin will play Ali the sober, drummer who is a balancing agent in the band.