MANNY’S MOVIE NEWS NOW: BRAD PITT’S CLIFF BOOTH FACES A THEATER SHOWDOWN, JENNA ORTEGA GETS NASTY, AND ERIC BAUZA’S SIMPSONS SURPRISE!

By Manny the Movie Guy | October 31, 2026

Happy Halloween, movie lovers!

Hollywood is serving up some tricks, treats, and a few unexpected surprises this weekend!

Brad Pitt is returning as Cliff Booth, but his highly anticipated new movie from director David Fincher is facing a theatrical roadblock.

Meanwhile, Jenna Ortega is entering the cutthroat world of competitive gymnastics with Rose Byrne and Justin Long.

And here’s a bittersweet surprise: beloved Filipino-Canadian voice actor Eric Bauza will make a posthumous appearance on The Simpsons, giving fans another opportunity to celebrate his extraordinary talent.

Plus, Joey King is falling for an alien played by LaKeith Stanfield. And trust me, movie lovers, this relationship sounds out of this world—and not necessarily in a good way!

Grab your coffee and maybe a little Halloween candy.

It’s time for Manny’s Movie News Now!

🎬 BRAD PITT’S CLIFF BOOTH MOVIE FACES A THEATRICAL ROADBLOCK!

REGAL AND CINEMARK ARE SAYING NO TO NETFLIX’S BIG HOLLYWOOD RELEASE!

Well, this is an interesting Hollywood showdown!

Brad Pitt is returning as Cliff Booth, the laid-back stuntman who earned him an Academy Award for Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

But his next adventure is already facing some drama—and this time, it’s happening offscreen!

According to TheWrap, major theater chains Regal and Cinemark will not participate in the planned IMAX theatrical release of The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth.

And we’re talking about a movie directed by David Fincher, written by Quentin Tarantino, and starring Brad Pitt!

Netflix has scheduled an IMAX theatrical release beginning November 25, followed by its streaming debut on December 23.

The issue centers on the relatively short theatrical window before the movie arrives on Netflix.

The film is still expected to play in participating IMAX theaters, including AMC locations, but the absence of Regal and Cinemark reduces its potential theatrical reach.

Set in 1977, the story follows Cliff Booth as he navigates another dangerous chapter of Hollywood life.

The cast also includes Elizabeth Debicki, Scott Caan, Carla Gugino, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II.

MANNY’S TAKE:

Oh, Hollywood!

Even Brad Pitt, David Fincher, and Quentin Tarantino can’t escape the ongoing battle between movie theaters and streaming services!

But here’s what fascinates me.

We’re talking about three extraordinary talents collaborating on a movie that seems tailor-made for the big screen.

Fincher’s visual storytelling.

Tarantino’s dialogue.

And Brad Pitt’s effortlessly cool Cliff Booth.

Yet the big conversation is about how long audiences must wait before watching it on Netflix.

I understand both sides.

Theater owners want movies that encourage people to leave their homes.

Netflix wants to bring its movies to the widest possible audience.

But personally?

I want to see Cliff Booth on the biggest screen possible!

Because sometimes, movie lovers, size really does matter!

🤸 JENNA ORTEGA, ROSE BYRNE AND JUSTIN LONG GET NASTY!

A NEW GYMNASTICS THRILLER PROMISES SOME SERIOUS PSYCHOLOGICAL GAMES!

Jenna Ortega is preparing to enter the fiercely competitive world of Olympic gymnastics.

And this is definitely not your typical inspirational sports movie!

Justin Long has joined Ortega and Rose Byrne in Nasty, the working title of a new psychological drama from filmmaker Mary Bronstein.

Ortega will play a talented gymnast fighting for a spot on the Olympic team.

Byrne portrays her coach, a seemingly maternal figure whose relationship with the young athlete becomes increasingly manipulative and exploitative.

And Justin Long?

He’ll play Byrne’s brother, a popular co-coach who has a disturbing side of his own.

Oh, this already sounds deliciously twisted!

The screenplay, written by Isabella Jarosz, appeared on the 2024 Black List of notable unproduced scripts.

The project has been compared to Black Swan, except this time we’re entering the high-pressure world of competitive gymnastics.

Bronstein previously directed Byrne in If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, making this a reunion for the filmmaker and actress.

Production is expected to begin in New Orleans in November.

MANNY’S TAKE:

Oh, I love this premise!

Because the best psychological thrillers aren’t necessarily about monsters hiding in the shadows.

Sometimes the real monster is someone who claims to be helping you.

A coach.

A mentor.

Someone who says they want you to succeed.

And that’s what makes this story interesting.

How far should an athlete go to achieve greatness?

And when does ambition become exploitation?

Jenna Ortega has already demonstrated her ability to navigate dark material, and Rose Byrne can be wonderfully unpredictable.

Add Justin Long to the mix, and this could become one very uncomfortable—and compelling—movie.

I’m definitely watching this one!

🐰 ERIC BAUZA’S VOICE WILL LIVE ON IN THE SIMPSONS!

A BITTERSWEET POSTHUMOUS DEBUT FOR THE BELOVED FILIPINO-CANADIAN VOICE ACTOR!

And now, a story that makes me smile and breaks my heart at the same time.

The late Eric Bauza, the extraordinarily talented voice actor known for bringing Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and other beloved animated characters to life, will make a posthumous appearance on The Simpsons.

Bauza recorded two characters for an upcoming episode titled Dream Scenari-Moe, scheduled to air November 15.

He voices Mr. Fong, a restaurateur, and Harry Metsali, a newspaper editor.

The performances were recorded before Bauza’s death on October 25 at age 46.

Raised in Canada by Filipino immigrant parents, Bauza became one of animation’s most versatile performers, continuing the legacy of legendary voice actor Mel Blanc while creating his own remarkable body of work.

His credits include The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie, Space Jam: A New Legacy, and Coyote vs. Acme.

His upcoming Simpsons appearance gives fans another opportunity to celebrate the extraordinary range of his talent.

MANNY’S TAKE:

Oh, Eric.

What a beautiful—and heartbreaking—surprise.

As a fellow Filipino, I’ve always appreciated seeing artists from our community achieve extraordinary things in Hollywood.

And Eric Bauza did exactly that.

He didn’t simply imitate beloved cartoon characters.

He understood their personalities, their rhythms, and the joy they brought to generations of audiences.

And now, even after his passing, we’ll get to hear him bring two more characters to life.

That’s the beautiful thing about animation.

The artist may leave us.

But the voice—and the laughter—can live on forever.

Maraming salamat, Eric.

Thank you for the joy.

🎥 WATCH: MANNY THE MOVIE GUY’S SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO ERIC BAUZA

Remembering the Voice Behind the Laughter

In a special tribute originally produced for Bilyonaryo News Channel, Manny the Movie Guy celebrates the life and extraordinary career of Filipino-Canadian voice actor Eric Bauza.

From Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck to his lasting contributions to animation, the tribute honors an artist whose voice brought laughter to audiences around the world and whose Filipino heritage remains an important part of his legacy.

Watch Manny the Movie Guy’s special tribute to Eric Bauza, originally produced for Bilyonaryo News Channel.

👽 JOEY KING FALLS FOR AN ALIEN IN SAFE SPACE!

AND THIS MAY BE THE MOST TOXIC RELATIONSHIP IN THE GALAXY!

Movie lovers, have you ever dated someone and thought, “What planet are you from?”

Well, Joey King’s next movie takes that question literally!

King and LaKeith Stanfield are attached to star in Safe Space, a provocative science-fiction romantic comedy from writer-director Gillian Wallace Horvat.

King will portray Sherrie, an intelligent but insecure scientist who finally escapes a toxic relationship with a co-worker.

Ready for a fresh start, she meets someone new.

There’s just one little complication.

He’s an alien!

Played by LaKeith Stanfield!

And apparently, this extraterrestrial romance turns out to be even more toxic than her previous relationship.

The film is being introduced to international buyers at the American Film Market, with financing and sales still being arranged.

Horvat previously directed I Blame Society, an independent dark comedy that earned attention for its unusual approach to storytelling.

MANNY’S TAKE:

Oh, this sounds wonderfully weird!

A romantic comedy about falling in love with an alien?

And somehow discovering that relationships are just as complicated in outer space?

I love it!

But underneath that outrageous premise is something surprisingly relatable.

Why do we sometimes leave one unhealthy relationship only to find ourselves repeating the same mistakes?

And can love really survive when two people—or two species—see the world completely differently?

With Joey King’s comic energy and LaKeith Stanfield’s wonderfully unpredictable screen presence, this could be a very interesting combination.

Just remember, movie lovers.

Sometimes the biggest red flag isn’t a red flag.

It’s a spaceship!

🎃 HAPPY HALLOWEEN, MOVIE LOVERS!

What a weekend in Hollywood!

Brad Pitt’s next adventure is caught in the ongoing battle between theaters and streaming.

Jenna Ortega is entering a dangerous world of competitive gymnastics.

Eric Bauza’s remarkable voice will be heard again on The Simpsons.

And Joey King is discovering that love can be complicated—even when your boyfriend comes from another planet!

And that’s what I love about the movies.

One minute we’re exploring Hollywood’s past.

The next, we’re confronting our darkest ambitions, celebrating beloved artists, or falling in love with an extraterrestrial.

Different genres.

Different stories.

But always something worth talking about.

For more Hollywood news, original movie reviews, and exclusive celebrity interviews, keep visiting MannyTheMovieGuy.com.

Have a safe and fabulous Halloween!

I’m Manny the Movie Guy, and I’ll see you at the movies!