Cuba Gooding Jr., Keith Duffy, Qymira, and Luke Ford Fuel Global Action Epic Lotus

Quick one: an action- thriller called 'Lotus' quietly previewed at Cannes this year and is now moving fast, pulling in a globe-trotting cast and some interesting behind-the-scenes firepower. It also happens to be shooting in Manila and Brazil, which is not your average location combo for a mid-budget action project. Eyes officially peeled.

What 'Lotus' is doing differently

'Lotus' was introduced among a slate of projects at the Cannes Film Festival this year and has been getting early attention for two things you can actually feel on screen: big kinetic action and a promise of a fresher storytelling approach. Production is underway, and the team keeps adding names both in front of and behind the camera.

• Lead cast: Cuba Gooding Jr., Keith Duffy, Qymira, Luke Ford
• Also in the ensemble: Cristian Lavin and Brazilian actor/reality TV alum Alberto 'Cowboy' (yes, from Big Brother Brasil)
• Writers: Rex Lopez and Pedring Lopez
• Director: Pedring Lopez
• Executive producers: Rex Lopez and Pedring Lopez
• Stunts/action design: Filipino-American choreographer-producer Sonny Sison, backed by teams from the U.S. and Hong Kong

Filming is set in Manila and in Brazil. Several cast members — including Gooding Jr., Ford, and Qymira — have been vocal about being pumped to shoot in the Philippines, and the production says more Filipino actors are joining as cameras roll.

"There is an energy to this project and to Manila that immediately pulled me in."

"Manila and Brazil are incredible backdrops for this kind of action-thriller, and I am excited to be part of something that feels both intimate and global at the same time."

Behind the curtain, this is the first movie in a planned five-film partnership between Hong Kong-based ACT3 and Philippine outfit Blackops Studios Asia. That cross-border pipeline, plus Sison coordinating with stunt crews from two different action hubs, is a very particular kind of production math — and it could pay off on screen if the geography and fighting styles actually make it into the storytelling instead of just the B-roll.

Meanwhile, Na Hong-jin has a different kind of adrenaline fix coming

While 'Lotus' grinds through production, another thriller from Cannes is already setting its release chessboard. Na Hong-jin's 'Hope' premiered at the festival on May 17, 2026, and the rollout is shaping up like this: a domestic release later this year, followed by a North American and wider global theatrical push in the fall. France, specifically, is dated for November 4.

Distribution- wise, Neon picked up North American and English-language rights, and Mubi scooped up a swath of territories including Latin America, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, and Turkey. The cast is stacked: Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung, and Hoyeon lead, with Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander, Taylor Russell, and Cameron Britton also on the call sheet. If you want a sure-thing genre workout before 'Lotus' lands, 'Hope' looks like the one to beat this fall.

Bottom line: 'Lotus' is lining up an eclectic cast, serious stunt pedigree, and a Manila-Brazil footprint you do not see every week. If they stick the landing, this could feel bigger than its budget. And if you need something sooner, Na Hong-jin is about to deliver.