Naman Shrestha
The multi-talented Selena Gomez began her acting career as a child actor on ‘Barney & Friends,’ before gaining prominence for her role as Alex Russo on Disney Channel’s ‘Wizards of Waverly Places.’ Upon giving impressive onscreen performances, she went on to appear on the big screen as well, including ‘Ramona and Beezus,’ ‘Monte Carlo,’ ‘Spring Breakers,’ ‘Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising,’ and ‘The Dead Don’t Die.’
Selena made her return to television shows with the HBO Max cooking series ‘Selena + Chef’ and the murder mystery show ‘Only Murders in the Building.’ For the latter, she not only received critical praise but also nominations for a Golden Globe Award. Primarily a singer, she has had plenty of hit records to her name, such as ‘Come & Get It,’ ‘Good For You,’ ‘Hands to Myself,’ and ‘Lose You to Love Me.’ She even received a nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album for her Spanish-language EP ‘Revelación.’ Apart from new music, she continues to work on new film projects as well, making our readers eager to learn about the latter.
1. Emilia Perez (2024)
Selena Gomez will soon be seen on the big screen as she essays the role of one of the leading characters in the upcoming ‘Emilia Perez,’ a crime comedy film written and helmed by Jacques Audiard. Set in Mexico, the narrative follows a Mexican drug lord on the run from the authorities who decides to have a sex change and transform into a woman so that he can evade the police and fulfill his dream of living as a woman. Selena is set to share the screen with Karla Sofia Gascón and Zoe Saldaña.
The film premiered at the 77th Cannes Film Festival (2024), competing for the Palme d’Or. It won the Jury Prize, and its whole female ensemble won the Best Actress award. It got a theatrical release in France on August 28, 2024. While a US release date hasn’t been announced yet, we can expect it to arrive by the end of 2024. You can watch the new teaser trailer here.
2. Wizards Beyond Waverly Place (2024)
Things are going to get nostalgic as Gomez and David Henrie are reuniting as siblings Alex and Justin Russo for ‘Wizards Of Waverly Place’ sequel series. Directed by Andy Fickman (multiple episodes) and written by Jed Elinoff and Scott Thomas, the show’s pilot episode (to be directed by Fickman) has already been greenlit by Disney. The show is slated to arrive this fall on both Disney Channel and Disney+. The original show, which ran from 2007 to 2012, was created by Todd J. Greenwald. It followed the Russo family of wizards and their daily lives underscored by magic and humor.
The upcoming show, currently in its filming, will have an adult Justin revisiting his wizard skills while living a normal life with his new family after his sister Alex brings home a young wizard named Billie who requires training to hone his skills. How he, assisted by Alex, juggles the responsibilities of the two worlds is what we will get to see. Other than Gomez and Henrie, the cast includes Janice LeAnn Brown as Billie, along with Mimi Gianopulos, Alkaio Thiele, and Max Matenko. Both Gomez and Henrie serve as executive producers along with Elinoff and Thomas. The first series is expected to drop on October 29, 2024.
3. Untitled Linda Ronstadt Biopic (TBA)
A yet-untitled film based on the life of American country/ rock ‘n’ roll/ Latin music legend Linda Ronstadt is in its pre-production stage with David O. Russell (‘Three Kings’ (1999), ‘Silver Linings Playbook,’ (2012) ‘American Hustle’ (2013)) set to direct and Gomez to star as the musician. A Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Ronstadt is an 11-time Grammy-award-winning singer who also has an Emmy to her name. Some of her most popular albums include ‘Heart Like a Wheel,’ ‘Living in the USA,’ and ‘Simple Dreams.’ No other cast member has been revealed as of now. James Keach, who produced the documentary ‘Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice’ (2019), is co-producing the film alongside Ronstadt’s manager John Boylan. Further updates about production and release are awaited.
4. Spiral (TBA)
Helmed by Petra Collins, ‘Spiral’ is an upcoming thriller drama film that chronicles the journey of a former social media influencer whose addiction to social media begins to damage her physical being, making her body literally fall apart. It was announced back in April 2021 that Selena was attached to star in the Drake-produced movie as the lead character. Selena and Collins go way back to 2015 when they met for Wonderland magazine, and the former has worked under her direction for the music video ‘Fetish’ in 2017. ‘Spiral’ is in its pre-production stage, and there is no news of an official release date yet.
5. In the Shadow of the Mountain (TBA)
Based on the 2022 eponymous memoir by Silvia Vásquez-Lavado, ‘In the Shadow of the Mountain’ is a biographical drama film currently in its pre-production stage. It focuses on the life and journey of Vásquez-Lavado as she became the first gay woman to climb the Seven Summits, that is, the highest mountains, including Mount Everest, on each continent. With Elgin James as the helmsman, Selena is slated to star as Vásquez-Lavado and produce the biopic through her July Moon Productions.
6. Only Murders in the Building Season 5 (TBA)
‘Only Murders in the Building’ has been renewed for Season 5 (10 episodes) at Hulu. It was renewed within 10 days after Season 4 premiered on August 27, 2024, and will end on October 29. While nothing else is known about it, we can be assured that the leads will be back in action, including Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez. Other cast members of Season 4 include Meryl Streep, Zach Galifianakis, Eugene Levy, Eva Longoria, Kumail Nanjiani, and Melissa McCarthy. It waits to be seen whether any of them return for the fifth Season. More details are awaited.
Read More: Where is Selena + Chef Filmed?
