Halle Bailey and Regé-Jean Page are set to star in “Italianna” for Universal Pictures.
The film will be directed by Kat Coiro (“Marry Me,” “Matlock”) from a screenplay by Ryan Engle (“Rampage,” “Beast”), based on an original idea by Ryan Engle and Kristin Engle. Plot details are being kept under wraps, but the project has been described as a romantic comedy.
Will Packer and Johanna Byer will produce the film through Will Packer Productions’ first-look deal with Universal Pictures. Senior EVP Erik Baiers and director of development Jacqueline Garell will oversee the project for the studio. Alvie Hurtado will oversee the project for Will Packer Productions.
Five-time Grammy nominee Bailey exploded onto the Hollywood scene starring as Ariel in Disney’s live-action film “The Little Mermaid” and the 2023 musical reimagining of “The Color Purple.” Bailey also shot a co-lead role in “Golden,” Pharrell Williams and Michel Gondry’s musical for Universal, which was shuttered in post-production.
Following his breakthrough performance in “Bridgerton,” which earned him Emmy and SAG award-nominations and an NAACP Image Award win, Page landed choice roles in Paramount’s “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” and the Russo Brothers’ “The Gray Man.” He most recently starred in Steven Soderbergh’s “Black Bag” for Focus and Universal. Page is next set to star in and produce the upcoming film adaption of “The Count of Monte Cristo” from Department M.
Coiro directed the pilot and half the season for CBS’ “Matlock” and her first studio feature, Universal’s “Marry Me,” starring Jennifer Lopez, opened in theaters at No. 1 in 2022. Engel is best known for “Non-Stop,” “The Commuter,” “Breaking In,” “Rampage” and “Beast.”
Packer’s films have earned more than $1 billion at the box office, with nine opening at No. 1 and 2017’s “Girl’s Trip” breaking box office records for an R-rated comedy.
Bailey, Coiro, Engle and Packer are represented by CAA. Page is represented by UTA, Brillstein Entertainment Partners, Shelter PR and Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole. Coiro is also repped by 3 Arts Entertainment and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern. Engle is also repped by Michael Lasker at Mosaic and Jeff Frankel at McKuin Frankel Whitehead LLP. Packer is also repped by Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole.
Deadline was first to report news of the project.
