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Gold Derby’s top news stories for April 28, 2025.
Brad Pitt to star in A24 drama from Edward Berger
Brad Pitt has signed on to star in The Riders, an upcoming A24 drama directed by Edward Berger, famed for Conclave. This film draws from a novel by Tim Winton, narrating the journey of a father and daughter in search of their missing wife and mother across Europe. The screenplay is crafted by David Kajganich, known for The Terror, while Ridley Scott is involved as a producer through Scott Free Productions. Production is set to commence early next year across various European locales.
Joseph Kosinski, the creative mind behind Top Gun: Maverick and the forthcoming F1, has agreed to helm a fresh adaptation of the classic crime thriller Miami Vice. The script is penned by Dan Gilroy, recognized for his works on Nightcrawler and Andor. Kosinski is expected to take on this project after concluding his UFO film for Apple, with no cast details revealed as of yet. The original Miami Vice TV series, which debuted in the 1980s, was a cultural phenomenon and was later adapted into a film by Michael Mann in 2006, earning a cult following.
2025 Tony Honorees for Excellence in Theatre revealed
The Tony Awards Administration Committee unveiled the 2025 Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre today, recognizing four notable contributors to Broadway: the PBS program Great Performances, Michael Price, executive director of Goodspeed Musicals, the cultural nonprofit New 42, and the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. These honors are bestowed annually upon individuals, organizations, or institutions demonstrating exceptional achievements in theatre that fall outside the conventional Tony Award categories.
Nicole Kidman to receive Woman in Motion Award at Cannes
Nicole Kidman is set to receive the prestigious 10th Woman in Motion Award at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival. The accolade, presented by the luxury brand Kering, aims to celebrate women’s contributions to the arts and culture, both on and off the screen. The ceremony will be attended by Kering’s chairman and CEO François-Henri Pinault, alongside Cannes president Iris Knobloch and director Thierry Fremaux. Past recipients of this accolade include luminaries such as Salma Hayek Pinault, Viola Davis, and Michelle Yeoh.
Alexander Payne to head Venice Film Festival jury
Acclaimed filmmaker Alexander Payne, best known for The Holdovers, has been appointed to lead the main jury at the 2025 Venice Film Festival. The festival’s artistic director Alberto Barbera remarked that Payne belongs to a select group of cinephiles whose enthusiasm for cinema is matched by an in-depth understanding of both historical and modern films. His comprehensive experience as a screenwriter makes him a fitting choice to oversee the jury that assesses global cinema. Payne last attended Venice for the premiere of Downsizing back in 2017.
Halle Berry and Jeremy Strong to serve on Cannes jury
Academy Award winner Halle Berry and nominee Jeremy Strong will participate as jurors for the Palme d’Or at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival. The jury, under the leadership of president Juliette Binoche, will also include actress Alba Rohrwacher, along with directors Hong Sangsoo, Payal Kapadia, and Carlos Reygadas, as well as writer Leïla Slimani and documentary filmmaker Dieudo Hamadi.
Dev Patel is set to expand upon his directorial debut, Monkey Man, with a new film titled The Peasant. This revenge action thriller will feature him as writer, director, and star. The narrative promises to blend elements of Braveheart and John Wick, along with inspirations from King Arthur, centered on a shepherd’s quest for vengeance against mercenary knights who wronged his community. The project is backed by Fifth Season and Thunder Road and is based on a screenplay from Will Dunn, which was recognized on the Black List.
Greg Berlanti sets up three projects in TV writing return
Greg Berlanti, a prolific figure in television who earned the TV Academy’s Governors’ Emmy Award last year, is returning to scriptwriting after several years as an executive producer without writing credits. His production company, Berlanti Productions, in conjunction with Warner Bros., is developing three projects: a horror thriller titled Stillwater, co-written with Carly Wray based on a Skybound comic, which has been ordered by Amazon; Foster Dade, a boarding school mystery adapted from the novel Foster Dade Explores the Cosmos by Nash Jenkins, for which Berlanti collaborated with Bash Doran, receiving a pilot order from Hulu; and an untitled family drama that is currently in negotiations at Max for a similar 15-episode season as The Pitt.
Pamela Anderson, Dakota Fanning, and Lindsay Duncan to star in Sally Potter’s Alma
Pamela Anderson is poised to follow up her indie triumph in The Last Showgirl by starring in Alma, a dramedy penned and directed by Sally Potter, with filming scheduled for later this year. She will share the screen with notable actors such as Dakota Fanning, Lindsay Duncan, Arinzé Kene, Esther McGregor, Esmé Creed-Miles, and Earl Cave. The film’s plot revolves around an extended family who gather to scatter their mother’s ashes, only to have her lingering spirit humorously unveil their life secrets.
Emma Mackey to play the White Witch in Greta Gerwig’s Narnia movie
Following their collaboration on Barbie, director Greta Gerwig and actress Emma Mackey are reuniting for Narnia, Gerwig’s forthcoming fantasy feature for Netflix. Mackey will take on the role of the White Witch, Jadis, a central antagonist. She will be joined by Meryl Streep, who is in talks to portray Aslan, the noble talking lion. The film is set to be released in Imax theaters and Netflix in 2026.
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