Round 2 of Season 36 highlights the growing influence of cross-media franchises, performance-driven casting choices, and emerging multi-hyphenate talent stepping into larger creative roles. From expanding gaming universes to actor-director negotiations, each film reflects a different kind of behind-the-scenes leverage.
Donkey Kong Country
With Donkey Kong Country, LRF continues to build out its Nintendo-inspired slate, following the animated Super Mario film from Season 17 and Season 33’s The Legend of Zelda and Metroid. The project signals a clear long-term strategy to develop a shared ecosystem of game-based adaptations across both animation and live-action formats.
Pirouette
Authenticity was key in casting Pirouette, with Monica Barbaro and Emma Mackey both selected in part due to their real-life ballet training. Johnny Depp, meanwhile, signed on for a supporting role largely because of his prior working relationship with director Maiwenn, following their collaboration on Jeanne du Barry.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Finn Wolfhard leveraged his casting in a major way, agreeing to take the lead role only if he could also direct the film—while even cutting his acting fee in half to make it happen. The result is a rare case of a young actor using a studio adaptation to simultaneously establish himself as a filmmaker, particularly with the project’s unexpected R-rated, stoner-comedy twist.
