'Waves' Director Trey Edward Shults Sets Next Film Which Stars Industry's Hottest Talents: Jenna Ortega, Barry Keoghan & The Weeknd

by Darian Scalamoni

    The Weeknd has turned himself into the true definition of a multi-hyphenate. We've seen his massive inspiration of film and television in his musical talents and music videos, but now, the artist will lead his first feature alongside two of the industry's biggest rising stars across entertainment. News comes from Deadline that Abel "The Weeknd" Tesfaye will lead a currently untitled film alongside Jenna Ortega (Wednesday, Scream) and Barry Keoghan (The Banshees of Inisherin, Eternals).

    Assembling a team of creative all-stars such as Ortega, Keoghan and Tesfaye is an accomplishment of itself, but another rising star director in Trey Edward Shults (Waves, It Comes at Night) is directing the film after co-writing the script along with producing partner Reza Fahim and The Weeknd. The movie is currently in production; however, the plot is being hidden under lock and key right now. 

    Ironically, Tesfaye had been developing the project for months before bringing it to Shults seeking out his sensibilities to direct. After agreeing, the two of them and Fahim worked on the script together. Next was bringing in two major talents currently in Ortega and Keoghan. Despite both of them weighing several offers following their massive 2022's respectively, they made it clear that they wanted this to be their next project and following their commitments, they'd go ahead and set filming. 

    Tesfaye has another high-profile project set to release this year as he'll lead HBO's The Idol along with Lily-Rose Depp. He also lent his creative input heavily with that show, as he co-created it with Fahim and Euphoria creator Sam Levinson. Tesfaye has also appeared on-screen previously as himself in The Safdie brothers' film, Uncut Gems.

    Ortega has been on shattering records with her lead role as Wednesday Addams in Netflix's Wednesday. The series is one of the streaming services' highest-rated and viewed programs in history and was recently renewed for a second season. She also has a big month of March as she'll star in Scream VI as well as make her hosting debut on Saturday Night Live the day after the film's release. Ortega also has a number of other projects in different stages of production including the romantic drama Winter Spring Summer or Fall, which we reported on back in December.

    Keoghan just recently earned an Oscar nomination for his outstanding supporting role in The Banshees of Inisherin, for which he also earned a BAFTA win just last week. He'll next appear in Emerald Fennell's follow-up to Promising Young Woman titled Saltburn along with Rosamund Pike, Carey Mulligan, Richard E. Grant and Euphoria star Jacob Elordi. Keoghan joined the comic book realm on screen twice in 2022 as well, first, as Druig in Marvel's Eternals for Oscar-winning director Chloe Zhao, before being revealed in a deleted scene for The Batman as Matt Reeves' pick for The Joker within his BatVerse. Additionally, he'll also be seen in AppleTV+'s Masters of the Air later in 2023 where he'll appear on screen opposite another Academy Award-nominated performer, Austin Butler.