We have a mysterious new update on J.J. Abrams’ upcoming fantasy movie, set to star Wednesday’s Jenna Ortega and Top Gun: Maverick’s Glen Powell. The Star Wars director and Lost producer’s last directorial feature film was 2019’s Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker. He has lately been working on the secretive new Warner Bros. project under the working title Ghostwriter.
Now, a new Writers Guild of America listing confirms that Abrams’ movie’s title is The Great Beyond, also classifying it as a dramatic action-adventure entry. The Great Beyond also stars Emma Mackey and Samuel L. Jackson and is in post-production, after filming across London, Glasgow, and Edinburgh in Europe, and Providence, Rhode Island, earlier this year.
The movie’s plot is still being kept tightly under wraps, but especially after Warner Bros.’ year of commercial and critical hits, moviegoers may be very interested in this new feature from the studio. WB’s One Battle After Another and Sinners are Oscar frontrunners, guaranteed to be nominated for Best Picture in 2026, while earning nods in many other categories.
Audiences may be more skeptical of Abrams since the last movie he directed was the widely disliked Star Wars entry. Abrams’ other directorial credits, however, include the better-received Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens, as well as Star Trek, Star Trek: Into Darkness, and Super 8. He also served as a producer on Westworld and Mission: Impossible – Fallout.
The Great Beyond’s cast is bound to attract attention. The iconic Samuel L. Jackson of Pulp Fiction and Marvel fame needs no introduction, while Emma Mackey is a promising rising star who features in Barbie, Sex Education, and Death on the Nile. She is also set to play Greta Gerwig’s version of the White Witch in the upcoming The Chronicles of Narnia reboot.
Hangman smiles while tilting his head to the side in Top Gun: Maverick
As for the leads, Glen Powell shot to fame a few years ago when he appeared in the role of the Iceman-parallel character Hangman in Top Gun: Maverick. He then started landing roles in all kinds of hit movies, including Anyone But You opposite Sydney Sweeney and Hit Man opposite Adria Arjona, as well as Twisters, The Running Man, and Chad Powers (the last being a TV series).
The other lead, Jenna Ortega, became a superstar with the launch of Wednesday on Netflix in 2022, and is also known for the new Scream movies, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, The Fallout, and Death of a Unicorn. There isn’t much to know about The Great Beyond so far to tell us that the story is actually interesting, but we will likely be finding out more soon.
Birthdate
September 27, 2002
Birthplace
Coachella Valley, California, United States
Height
5 feet 1 inch
Notable Projects
Wednesday, Scream
Professions
Actress, Producer
Discover the latest news and filmography for Jenna Ortega, known for Wednesday and Yes Day.
Birthdate
October 21, 1988
Birthplace
Austin, Texas, United States
Height
6 feet 0 inches
Notable Projects
Set It Up, Top Gun: Maverick, Hidden Figures
Professions
Actor, Producer, Writer
Discover the latest news and filmography for Glen Powell, known for Top Gun: Maverick and Hidden Figures.