Aziza Scott is the latest talent to join Italianna, Universal Pictures and Will Packer Productions’ upcoming project that’s quietly building into one of 2026’s most anticipated films.
She joins previously announced leads Halle Bailey and Regé-Jean Page, along with Marco Calvani. Details about Scott’s role are under wraps, but the addition of the One of Them Days breakout star only adds more intrigue to this tightly held project.
Directed by Kat Coiro (Marry Me, Matlock) and penned by Ryan Engle (Rampage, Beast), Italianna is based on an original idea by Ryan and Kristin Engle. The film is set for theatrical release on April 10, 2026—right after Easter weekend, where it’s currently the only major studio title on the slate.
The movie is being produced under Will Packer’s first-look deal with Universal, with Packer and Johanna Byer producing. Universal’s Senior EVP Erik Baiers and Director of Development Jacqueline Garell will oversee the project for the studio, with Alvie Hurtado handling it for Will Packer Productions.
And while plot details are still sealed tighter than TSA carry-ons, we’re getting a peek at the vision. In a recent Variety interview, Packer teased the heart of Italianna, calling it “aspirational.” He said he developed it with a Gen Z Black woman in mind: “I want her to see herself on that screen and believe in the dream and promise of love and greater things beyond our world.”
Bailey, who recently made waves as Ariel in The Little Mermaid and turned heads in The Color Purple, is continuing to prove her star power isn’t slowing down anytime soon. Page, meanwhile, remains a fan favorite since Bridgerton, with recent credits including Black Bag, a thriller from Steven Soderbergh.
Scott is having her own moment. Her standout performance alongside Keke Palmer and SZA in the buddy comedy One of Them Days introduced her to a wider audience, and Italianna looks like the perfect follow-up.
Director Kat Coiro is also on a hot streak. Fresh off a DGA nomination and an Emmy nod for Roku’s The Spiderwick Chronicles, and with experience helming CBS’ Matlock reboot, Coiro is clearly in her directorial bag.
We don’t know the storyline yet, but one thing’s for sure: this film is cooking up something we’ll want front-row seats to.