The managing director of ABS-CBN Films, the award-winning director Olivia Lamasan or ‘Inang‘ as fondly known by her colleagues in the industry–unveiled surprising projects in 2021.
On Wednesday, January 27, Lamasan in a virtual conference of the upcoming Valentine movie Hello Stranger; she confirmed and gave updates on projects-in-the-pipeline in ABS-CBN Films.
As excited as the fans of Popoy and Basha, she shared that the most- anticipated big-screen reunion of John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo is a-go and is one of the Network’s biggest projects in 2021.
“Right now, tuloy pa rin ang creative development under Carmi Raymundo. Creative development is a continuous and this time it’s a collaboration with John Llyod himself and Bea. That is what’s happening. Tuloy iyan. Tuloy ang project na yan”, she said.
She is also amazed at how Cruz has evolved into a mature and creative person–considering all his experiences and innate intelligence as an artist.
“Parang ngayon umusbong ang kanyang creativity. So with everything that he’s been doing, he has truly matured as a person and as a creative person,” she said.
She proudly shared that Cruz and Alonzo are actively involved in the project even the film is still in its development stage.
“It’s something that excites us. It’s something that excites the writer Carmi Raymundo and the director Cathy Garcia-Molina,” she added.
The reunion movie is set to grind in the first quarter of 2021, according to Lamasan.
The John Lloyd-Bea comeback movie is No Goodbyes, as announced during the ABS-CBN Christmas Special in December 2020.
The managing director also announced that ABS-CBN with Deo Endrinal’s Dreamscape Entertainment is collaborating with GMMTV (the Thai production company behind the hit BL series 2gether). One of the stars of that BL series would possibly appear in the film.
“Hindi ko sasabihin eksakto kung ano but yes, merong in development,” she teased.
The Charo Santos-Daniel Padilla movie will stay on-hold. It is for an international film festival release, according to Lamasan.
The upcoming movie is titled, Whether The Weather is Fine. Santos and Padilla will play as mother and son, who will try to survive the aftermath of supertyphoon Yolanda that hit the country in 2013. Carlo Francisco Manatad is the director.
Lamasan is also hoping for a KathNiel movie with the award-winning director Cathy Garcia-Molina to push through this 2021. A new film project for LizQuen is also in the works.
Newest Kapamilya star Janine Gutierrez is gearing up for a fresh start with two upcoming films with Kapamilya actors Paulo Avelino and JC Santos in Ngayon Kaya and Dito at Doon, respectively. Prime Cruz directs Ngayon Kaya and is set for a March or May release, and JP Habac takes care of Dito at Doon for a March playdate.
Since theaters are still close until now, the upcoming films will stream on various ABS-CBN media platforms like KTX.ph, iWantTFC, TFC IPTV, SKY PPV, and Cignal PPV.
According to Lamasan, Filipinos love for movies will never die. Even if there threats and challenges, it will still open opportunities amid limitations brought about by the pandemic.
