Italianna

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Halle Bailey And Regé-Jean Page To Star in ‘Italianna’ From Universal And Will Packer, Kat Coiro Directing With Ryan Engle Writing Script

Halle Bailey and Regé-Jean Page are set to star in Italianna for Universal Pictures, with Kat Coiro set to direct. Ryan Engle wrote the screenplay for the film based on an original idea by Ryan Engle and Kristin Engle. Plot details are being kept under wraps. Will Packer and Johanna Byer will produce the film through Will Packer Productions’ first look deal with Universal Pictures.

Senior Executive Vice President 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.

Coiro and Universal have strong ties going back to the romcom Marry Me starring Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson. Following that production, the two sides worked hard to find their next project together landing on Italianna. They would soon land on two highly coveted actors to star in the pic and before long they were off to the races to get this into production.

Bailey is best known as a half of the five-time winning Grammy duo Chloe x Halle but launched her film career starring as Ariel in Disney’s live-action Little Mermaid pic. She followed that up by joining Warner Bros. The Color Purple reimagining.

Nomaintaed for an Emmy, as well as two Screen Actos Guild Awards, for his lead role in the smash hit of Season 1 of Bridgerton, Page stars alongside Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett in Steven Soderbergh’s film Black Bag which Focus and Universal Pictures opened this past weekend. The film has received rave reviews from critics and audiences.

Coiro recently directed the pilot and half the season for CBS’s Matlock. The series stars Emmy and Academy Award winner Kathy Bates as Madeline “Matty” Matlock, a brilliant septuagenarian who achieved success in her younger years and decides to rejoin the work force at a prestigious law firm. Coiro also recently received nominations for a DGA Award and Children’s and Family Emmy Award on behalf of her work on Roku’s hit series, The Spiderwick Chronicles.

Engle has been a screenwriter for the past 15 years, known for Non-Stop, The Commuter, Breaking In, Rampage, and Beast.

Packer’s films have earned more than $1 billion, with nine opening at number one at the box office, and 2017’s Girl’s Trip breaking box office records for an R rated comedy.

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Universal will release theatrically on April 10, 2026

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