Hollywood is shaking things up, making some unusual movie magic, and getting ready to scare us all over again!
Happy Tuesday, movie lovers!
We’ve got a major Hollywood shake-up today, and it’s happening at one of the biggest streaming companies in the world.
Meanwhile, Dwayne Johnson is preparing to play a character unlike anything we’ve seen from him before. One of my favorite horror movies of the year is heading to Netflix, and the director of Train to Busan is proving that Korean cinema continues to conquer the world.
Plus, some heartfelt Hollywood news and a film festival that’s about to take over Los Angeles.
Grab that coffee, movie lovers! Let’s talk movies!
🔴 NETFLIX FILM BOSS OUT! HOLLYWOOD’S STREAMING GIANT GETS A MAJOR MAKEOVER!
HOLLYWOOD SHOCKER!
Big changes are happening behind the scenes at Netflix.
Dan Lin is leaving his position as Netflix’s head of film after nearly three years.
The news was confirmed Monday, October 19, following reports from Variety and TheWrap.
And he’s not the only major executive heading for the exit!
Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria is also departing, with former Disney executive Peter Rice taking over the position.
Rice will temporarily oversee Netflix’s film division until a permanent replacement is announced.
The shake-up comes as the streaming company undergoes a significant restructuring, including layoffs affecting approximately 1,000 employees.
Lin’s tenure included films such as KPop Demon Hunters and Happy Gilmore 2.
So what happens next?
Netflix faces increasing competition for viewers, and its new leadership will have to decide what kinds of movies deserve the company’s attention and investment.
MANNY’S TAKE: This is a fascinating moment for Hollywood.
Netflix helped change how we watch movies. Now the question is whether the company needs to change its own approach to filmmaking.
Will we see more theatrical releases? Bigger risks? More independent movies?
And most importantly, will filmmakers have more opportunities to tell original stories?
I’m watching this one very closely!
Sources: Reuters, October 19 and Variety’s executive shake-up report. Reuters
🦎 DWAYNE JOHNSON IS PLAYING THE CHICKEN MAN! YES, REALLY!
THE ROCK IS GETTING WEIRD — AND I LOVE IT!
Forget the muscles, the action sequences, and those raised eyebrows!
Dwayne Johnson is preparing for one of the most unusual roles of his career.
His upcoming movie, Lizard Music, has officially been scheduled for December 25, 2027.
Directed by Benny Safdie, the film combines live action with computer-generated imagery.
Based on Daniel Pinkwater’s novel, the story follows a young boy who discovers a mysterious late-night television broadcast featuring lizards playing strange, otherworldly music.
His adventure eventually leads him to an eccentric elderly man known as the Chicken Man.
And guess who’s playing him?
THE ROCK!
Johnson’s character also has a beloved chicken companion named Claudia.
The cast includes Alicia Silverstone, Regina Hall, Colman Domingo, Jeff Goldblum, and Rachel McAdams.
MANNY’S TAKE: Wait a minute.
Dwayne Johnson, musical lizards, a mysterious television broadcast, and an eccentric Chicken Man?
What kind of wonderfully bizarre movie is this?
And coming from Benny Safdie, whose filmmaking sensibility is anything but conventional, I’m intrigued!
Johnson has been exploring more adventurous dramatic territory lately, and this sounds like another opportunity to surprise audiences.
Source: Deadline’s October 19 release-date report, also covered by The Hollywood Reporter. News Minimalist
😱 OBSESSION IS COMING TO NETFLIX! MAKE A WISH… IF YOU DARE!
HORROR FANS, THIS ONE’S FOR YOU!
One of my favorite horror films of 2026 is about to reach an even bigger audience!
Obsession will begin streaming on Netflix in the United States on November 17, 2026.
Netflix confirmed the date on October 18, with additional reporting published October 19.
Written and directed by Curry Barker, the movie follows Bear, played by Michael Johnston.
Bear makes a wish that his longtime crush Nikki, played by Inde Navarrette, will fall in love with him.
Unfortunately, the mysterious One Wish Willow has a very disturbing interpretation of romance.
And that’s when things get terrifying!
The movie previously made its streaming debut on Peacock in July.
Its upcoming Netflix arrival gives another wave of viewers the opportunity to discover Barker’s unsettling story.
MANNY’S TAKE: I LOVE THIS MOVIE!
In fact, Obsession is my favorite horror film of the year so far.
What makes it so effective isn’t simply the scares. It’s the way Barker transforms something as familiar as unrequited love into a deeply disturbing nightmare.
I recently interviewed Michael Johnston and the cast, and we had a fascinating conversation about the film’s characters and its twisted exploration of desire.
If you missed Obsession in theaters, mark November 17 on your calendar.
Just remember: be careful what you wish for!
Sources: Dread Central, October 19 and What’s on Netflix. Dread Central
🇰🇷 TRAIN TO BUSAN DIRECTOR’S NEW THRILLER CONQUERS 118 COUNTRIES!
KOREAN CINEMA DOES IT AGAIN!
Yeon Sang-ho, the visionary director behind Train to Busan, is celebrating another major international achievement.
His upcoming psychological thriller Paradise Lost has secured distribution deals covering 118 countries.
The announcement came October 19 from South Korean entertainment company CJ ENM.
And here’s the impressive part.
The company says international sales have already exceeded the film’s net production budget.
The story follows a mother whose son mysteriously disappeared nine years earlier.
When he suddenly returns, what should be a joyful reunion becomes something far more unsettling.
The movie stars Kim Hyun-joo and Bae Hyeon-seong.
After sold-out screenings at the Toronto and Busan film festivals, Paradise Lost will make its U.S. festival premiere in Hawaii on November 1 and 4.
A North American theatrical release is scheduled for November 6.
MANNY’S TAKE: I love seeing Asian cinema receive this kind of international attention!
Yeon Sang-ho has demonstrated an extraordinary ability to combine genre storytelling with genuine human emotion.
Train to Busan wasn’t simply a zombie movie. It was also a powerful story about family, sacrifice, and survival.
And now he’s exploring another complicated family relationship.
Count me in!
Source: CJ ENM’s official October 19 announcement. CJ ENM
🎭 JULIANNE MOORE AND JESSE EISENBERG BRING THE LONDON FILM FESTIVAL TO A CLOSE!
LIGHTS, CAMERA… MUSICAL THEATER!
Jesse Eisenberg has returned to the director’s chair with a new musical comedy.
His film The Debut closed the 70th London Film Festival on October 18, with new interviews reported October 19.
The movie stars Julianne Moore as a shy New Jersey housewife who discovers an unexpected sense of belonging through community theater.
Eisenberg wrote seven original songs for the film’s fictional stage musical.
The cast also includes Halle Bailey and Paul Giamatti.
Eisenberg revealed that he wrote the leading role specifically for Moore.
MANNY’S TAKE: There’s something wonderfully appealing about a movie celebrating the transformative power of theater.
And Julianne Moore discovering herself through musical comedy?
That’s a performance I want to see!
I also love that Eisenberg continues exploring stories about people searching for connection and belonging.
Sometimes the most meaningful transformations happen far away from the Hollywood spotlight.
Source: Reuters, October 19. Reuters
❤️ HOLLYWOOD REMEMBERS RICHARD RIEHLE
A FAMILIAR FACE. AN EXTRAORDINARY CAREER.
Hollywood is remembering veteran character actor Richard Riehle, who has died at age 78.
His representatives announced the news Monday, October 19. Riehle died October 15.
You may not immediately recognize his name, but you’ve almost certainly seen his work.
He appeared in films including Glory, The Fugitive, and Office Space.
In the beloved 1999 workplace comedy, he played Tom Smykowski, the frustrated employee who famously insisted that he had people skills.
Riehle worked steadily for nearly five decades, appearing in countless movies, television programs, and theatrical productions.
MANNY’S TAKE: Character actors are the heart and soul of Hollywood.
They’re the performers who make fictional worlds feel real, even when they aren’t the stars.
Richard Riehle was one of those actors.
A familiar face, a dependable talent, and an important part of so many movies we love.
Rest in peace.
Source: Associated Press. AP News
🎥 COMING TOMORROW: AFI FEST CELEBRATES 40 YEARS OF MOVIE MAGIC!
HOLLYWOOD IS ROLLING OUT THE RED CARPET!
The 40th AFI FEST begins Wednesday, October 21, in Hollywood.
The five-day celebration runs through October 25 at the TCL Chinese Theatres.
Opening the festival is the U.S. premiere of Wildwood, the new stop-motion fantasy from director Travis Knight.
The film features an impressive voice cast, including Carey Mulligan, Mahershala Ali, Angela Bassett, and Jacob Tremblay.
It’s an especially exciting moment for animation fans because Wildwood is the latest ambitious production from LAIKA, the studio behind Coraline.
MANNY’S TAKE: Film festivals remind us why we love the movies.
They’re places where audiences discover new filmmakers, encounter unfamiliar stories, and celebrate the art of cinema.
And with AFI FEST turning 40, there’s plenty to celebrate!
Source: American Film Institute’s official festival announcement. American Film Institute
🎬 THAT’S YOUR HOLLYWOOD ROUNDUP!
What a fascinating day at the movies!
Netflix is entering a new era, Dwayne Johnson is embracing his wonderfully strange side, and one of the year’s best horror movies is getting ready to haunt millions of new viewers.
Meanwhile, Korean cinema continues its extraordinary international success, and Hollywood celebrates the artists who make movie magic possible.
And here’s what I want to know.
Are you excited about Obsession coming to Netflix? What do you think about the leadership changes at the streaming giant? And would you watch Dwayne Johnson playing a mysterious man with a chicken?
Because I certainly would!
For more original movie reviews, exclusive celebrity interviews, and the latest entertainment headlines, keep visiting MannyTheMovieGuy.com.
Hollywood moves fast. Manny moves faster!
I’m Manny the Movie Guy, and I’ll see you at the movies!
