The purpose of this weekly news roundup is to highlight and celebrate films/TV from and about women. The news collected in this week’s roundup was announced between December 16 to December 22. As there is an abundance of news, some stories may slip through the cracks. In the event of this happening, please reply below with any news or release information about films/TV made or about women that should be shared. Also, check out last week’s roundup here.

Okay ladies, now let’s get in formation!

Women Behind The Camera

Nisha Ganatra (Late Night) to direct Indian boy band feature for Universal. Source: Deadline

Marsai Martin (Little) to produce new film Queen; written by Camila Blackett (Fresh Off the Boat). Source: The Hollywood Reporter

Lisa James Larsson (Britannia) will direct Enderby Entertainment’s adaptation of Julie Cohen’s novel The Two Lives of Louise & Louise. Source: Deadline

Awkwafina (Crazy Rich Asians) set to produce and star in feature film about Chinatown restaurants and the California punk scene from the 1970s. Source: Deadline

Freida Pinto (Slumdog Millionaire) to produce and star in adaptation of U.S. Marine Anuradha Bhagwati memoir Unbecoming for Entertainment One. Source: The Hollywood Reporter

Mary H.K. Choi to adapt her own YA romance novel Permanent Record for Warner Bros. Source: Deadline

Megan Follows (Anne of Green Gables) to direct suspense thriller Maternal starring Amybeth McNulty (Anne with an E) and Laura Vandervoort (Bitten). Source: Deadline

Ava DuVernay (Queen Sugar) to be the recipient of the ICG Publicists Awards’ Television Showman of the Year Award. Source: The Hollywood Reporter

Issa Rae’s ColorCreative and ShivHans Pictures developing Snesha Koorse’ Bollywood-meets-mafia pitch. Source: The Hollywood Reporter

Chrissy Teigen to produce documentary about French fries titled Fries! The Movie. Source: Variety

Olivia Colman (The Crown) and husband Ed Sinclair launch scripted production company South of the River Pictures. Source: Deadline

Casting News

Ellen Wong (Glow) joins Aubrey Plaza and Michael Caine in Best Sellers. Source: Deadline

Marisa Tomei (Spider-Man: Homecoming) joins Jason Momoa (Aquaman) in revenge thriller Sweet Girl. Source: Variety

Anika Noni Rose (The Princess and the Frog) to star in horror Limbo for Miramax. Source: Deadline

TV News

Russian Doll co-creator Leslye Headland signs overall TV deal with Disney’s Fox 21 to develop and direct series projects. Source: The Hollywood Reporter

Fox greenlights series order for Clea DuVall (Veep) and Sharon Horgan’s new animated series Housebroken. Source: The Hollywood Reporter

Olivia Colman (The Crown) to star in HBO and Sky’s crime drama Landscapers. Source: Variety

Catastrophe creator Sharon Horgan’s signs exclusive first-look deal with Apple. Source: Variety

Netflix renews Virgin River for season 2; Sue Tenney will serve as showrunner and executive producer. Source: Deadline

Non-Movie/TV News

Tessa Thompson (Little Woods) to star in and produce QCode science fiction thriller podcast The Left Right Game. Source: Deadline

Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones) to star in Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull at London’s Playhouse Theatre. Source: Deadline

Updates

Leonie Krippendorff’s lesbian love story Cocoon to premiere at the Berlin Film Festival. Source: Variety

Leslie Jones’ comedy special Leslie Jones: Time Machine will stream on January 14 on Netflix. Source: Variety

New Releases

*releases may vary depending on region*

In theatres:

• Clemency written and directed by Chinonye Chukwu (December 27)
• 1917 co-written by Krysty Wilson-Cairns (Limited Release December 25)
• Little Women written and directed by Greta Gerwig
• Black Christmas co-written by April Wolfe and Sophia Takal and directed by Takal.

Streaming:

• The Witcher created by Lauren Schmidt Hissrich (Netflix)
• Dare Me written by Megan Abbott and Gina Fattore (December 29 on USA)

VOD/Home Video:

• She’s Missing written and directed by Alexandra McGuinness
• Toss It written and directed by Michele Remsen
• Always a Bridesmaid written by Yvette Nicole Brown
• Maleficent: Mistress of Evil written by Linda Woolverton

Trailer of the Week

A24 releases the official to Rose Glass’ haunting psychological horror Saint Maud.

by Ferdosa Abdi

Ferdosa Abdi is a lifelong film student and aspiring film festival programmer. Her favourite genres are science-fiction, fantasy, and horror and her favourite director is Guillermo del Toro. She is madly in love with Eva Green and believes she should be cast in everything. You can follow Ferdosa on Twitter @atomicwick