J.J. Abrams New Movie Starring Jenna Ortega and Glen Powell Will Be Called ‘The Great Beyond’

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In August 2024, news surfaced that a new, highly secretive film project was in the works. The only details known at the time were that Jenna Ortega (known for Wednesday) and Michael Keaton (from Beetlejuice Beetlejuice) would be starring alongside Miles Teller (Top Gun: Maverick). After being referred to as Ghostwriter during development, the film’s official title has now been announced.

The Writers Guild of America lists the upcoming movie as an action-adventure titled The Great Beyond. The film features Jenna Ortega, Glen Powell, Emma Mackey (known from Sex Education), and Samuel L. Jackson. Though details about the story are still under wraps and there’s no release date yet, filming finished last year in various parts of the U.K. and Rhode Island.

Warner Bros. is releasing the film, and it could be J.J. Abrams’ first major success in several years. Since signing a lucrative deal with Warner Bros. in 2019—estimated between $250 and $500 million—Abrams hadn’t delivered a big hit. He was involved with projects like Madame Xanadu, Zatanna, a series called Demimonde, and a Shining spin-off, Overlook, but all were ultimately canceled. More recently, in 2024, Abrams signed a new deal leading to the series Duster, starring Josh Holloway (which was unfortunately canceled after one season), and the upcoming film featuring Ortega and Powell.

Jenna Ortega and Glen Powell Can Help J.J. Abrams Finally Find Success with Warner Bros.


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Although no movie succeeds solely because of one actor, The Great Beyond appears to be off to a strong start by casting Jenna Ortega and Glen Powell as its leads. Both actors are currently very popular, and pairing them together could boost the film’s success, particularly if the director can recapture his previous creative spark.

Jenna Ortega is known for her roles in the recent Scream films and the hit Netflix series Wednesday. Glen Powell has also seen success with Top Gun: Maverick, Anyone But You, and this year’s remake of The Running Man. With the addition of Samuel L. Jackson, a veteran actor with many credits including his work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Nick Fury, and Kingsley Ben-Adir, who appeared in Barbie and is set to play Jadis the White Witch in the upcoming Narnia film, The Magician’s Nephew, the movie appears poised for a strong debut later this year.

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J.J. Abrams was once a leading figure in television and film, known for creating or working on popular projects like Lost, Fringe, Armageddon, the 2009 Star Trek film, and Star Wars movies The Force Awakens and The Rise of Skywalker. But after the mixed reception to The Rise of Skywalker, Abrams hasn’t released many projects as a director, only Duster and a few where he was a producer. Now, The Great Beyond feels like a crucial opportunity for him to regain his momentum after a quiet six years.

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2026-01-06 15:32