In Brief: James Wan tackling ‘Creature from the Black Lagoon’, and more

Filmmaker James Wan, best known as the co-creator of the Saw and The Conjuring movies, is attached to helm a spin on the classic Creature from the Black Lagoon, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Wan’s take is described as “a grounded, modernized retelling that will lean into visceral horror, while still paying respect to the original,” per the outlet …

Lynn Whitfield, who joined Showtime’s The Chi in the recurring role of Alicia in season 6, has been upped to a regular cast member, according to Deadline. The drama centers around four Chicago men at different points in their lives navigating school in a city so violent there’s no guarantee you’ll grow up. Jason Mitchell, Tiffany Boone, Alex Hibbert, Jacob Latimore, Yolonda Ross, Shamon Brown Jr. and Michael V. Epps star …

Neon has dropped a first-look trailer for its adaptation of Stephen King‘s 1980 short story The Monkey. The movie follows brothers Bill and Hal — played by Theo James — who witness a string of deaths after they find their father’s vintage toy monkey. After discarding the monkey and moving on with their lives, the brothers reconcile years later and embark on a mission to permanently eliminate the cursed toy. The Monkey is set to hit theaters Feb. 21, 2025 …

Ángel Salazar, known for his role as Chi Chi in Scarface alongside Al Pacino, passed away in his sleep, according to his rep and friend Ann Wingsong. He was 68. A cause of death was not revealed. Salazar’s other credits included the movies Punchline opposite Tom Hanks and Carlito’s Way, also with Pacino. He also starred in a number of HBO comedy specials and appeared on Last Comic Standing …

Variety reports Leslie Uggams, Merritt Wever and Andrea Martin are among eight new actors added to HBO’s The Gilded Age for the show’s third season. They join returning cast members Carrie Coon, Morgan Spector, Denée Benton, Christine Baranski and Cynthia Nixon for season 3, set in “a period of immense economic change, of great conflict between the old ways and brand-new systems, and of huge fortunes made and lost,” according to the premium cable channel …

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