James Reid, Julia Barretto, Maricel Soriano Lead Regal Entertainment’s ‘Haunted Carnival’ for #MMFF52

James Reid, Julia Barretto, and Diamond Star Ms. Maricel Soriano headline Regal Entertainment Inc.’s official entry to the 52nd Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), Haunted Carnival.

Returning for its third movie installment, the Haunted franchise of Regal Films began in 2015 with Haunted Mansion, starring Janella Salvador and Iza Calzado, followed by Haunted Forest in 2017, which starred Jane Oineza, Jon Lucas, Maris Racal, and Jameson Blake. This time, James Reid and Julia Barretto take audiences inside the terrifying world of Haunted Carnival.

Directed by Joey De Guzman, director of the 2025 episode of Shake, Rattle & Roll: Evil Origins, Haunted Carnival is set in the Philippines in 1986, where a group of strangers must survive and escape a perya filled with hostile and deadly attractions operated by the mysterious Salamangkero.

The film also marks the first time that Julia Barretto and James Reid will star in a movie under Regal Entertainment Inc.

During the film’s story conference, James shared his excitement about exploring the horror-slash­er genre in a pre-recorded video message from Sydney, Australia.

“I said yes to this project. It’s really a genre that I haven’t explored yet, so when I heard from the Regal team—horror slasher set in the ’80s—I said, ‘That sounds really fun.’ And I’m very excited to work with Director Joey de Guzman, and I love his work so far, so very excited for that.”

James also expressed his excitement about working with the film’s diverse ensemble cast and bringing his character, Lian, to life.

Joining James Reid, Julia Barretto, and Maricel Soriano in this star-studded horror-suspense film are  Fyang Smith, Ronnie Alonte, RK Bagatsing, Phi Palmos, Prince Carlos, JM Salvado, Celyn David, Charlie Flemming and Joaquin Arce, and Mr John Arcilla. 

Haunted Carnival is set to begin filming in the coming weeks and promises to bring audiences another roller-coaster horror treat when it arrives in cinemas on Christmas Day as part of the 52nd Metro Manila Film Festival.

#MMFF52 

#HauntedCarnival 

Mr Philippines Introduces 51 Official Candidates, Sets Stage for Grand Coronation On August 2

rand press presentation and contract signing ceremony held at 38 Valencia Events Place. The event marked the formal start of this year's competition as the candidates were presented to members of the media and pageant supporters.

 

Among those who made a strong impression during the presentation were Angelo Drippin of Pasig City, Zandro Go Sales of Mandaluyong City, and Aethan Calix Cervantes of Makati City, who were recognized as the Media's Choice awardees.

Three prestigious titles are up for grabs in this year's competition: Mister World Quest, Mister Model International, and the coveted Mister Grand Philippines crown.

The grand coronation night is scheduled to take on August 2 in Palacio de Maynila, where the country's newest kings will be crowned and given the opportunity to represent the Philippines on the international stage.

 Here's the official list of candidates of Mr Philippines 2026: 

Angeles City, Migz Ramos

Filcom Australia, Austin Ayles 

Bacolod CIty, Samuel Bryant

BARMM, Jastine Flores

Bataan, Aaron Vinuya 

Bicol Region, Rein Christian 

 Binan City, Nate Dado

Bocaue, Bulacan, Ervin Arciaga

Bukidnon, Glenn Tion 

Bulacan, Jacob Polintan

Caloocan City, Patrick Sy 

Capiz, Adam Amador 

Cordillera Administrative Region,  Haaen Jack Lapinas

Dasmarinas City, Nico Valdez

Floridablanca, Pampanga, Hanz Penas

Iba, Zambales, Cooper Brezzon 

Ilocos Sur, Ozzy Gallardo

Iloilo City, Marvin Jimenez

Laguna, Carl Santiago

Laoag City, Art Rabacio

Macabebe, Pampanga, RJ Capistrano 

Makati City, Aethan Calix Cervantes

Mandaluyong City, Zandro Sales 

Manila City, Francis Vega

Mexico, Pampanga Carlo Ocampo 

Mindoro, Angelo Salonga

Navotas City, Cooco Morris

Henry Tornea, Negros Occidental 

Nueva Ecija, John Java

Orion, Bataan Chris Alcantara

Pangasinan, Jusher King

Pasig City, Angelo Drippin

Quezon City, Mauro Salas

Quezon Province, Reynard Bernisca

Rizal Province, John Morris

San Juan City, Nate Reyes

Silang, Cavite, MJ Oronea

Sto Tomas, Batangas, Marc Yousef Hernandez

Surigao Del Sur, Fred Godinez

Tacloban City, Nathaniel Zamora

Taguig City, Enzo Guarina

Talavera, Nueva Ecija, Pedro Red 

FILCOM UAE, Raed El Zein 

Victoria, Laguna, Genart Nido

Zamboanga City, Kyle Rupinta

 

52nd MMFF Reveals First Four Script-Based Entries Featuring Aga Muhlach, Dennis Trillo, Julia Barretto, James Reid, Vice Ganda, and Vic Sotto

A prequel, the inspiring story of a Moro child, a haunted amusement park, and a historic comedy team-up headline the first four official script-based entries for the 52nd Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF).

The Metro Manila Film Festival officially unveiled the first four script-based entries for its 52nd edition last July 7 in a mall in San Juan City, offering moviegoers an early glimpse of the diverse lineup that will compete in this year's Christmas film festival. The initial selections showcase a wide range of genres, from heartfelt drama and culturally rooted storytelling to supernatural horror and big-screen comedy.

Leading the first batch of official entries is 2nd Miracle in Cell No. 7, starring Aga Muhlach and directed by Nuel Naval under Viva Films. Serving as a prequel to the 2019 Filipino adaptation of Miracle in Cell No. 7, the film takes audiences back to the events before the beloved story unfolded, exploring the emotional journey and relationships that laid the foundation for the original movie.

Joining the lineup is AMIR, starring Argus Aspiras, Dennis Trillo, Will Ashley, and Glaiza de Castro. Directed by Zig Dulay, the film tells the story of a young Moro child and is produced by the creators of the critically acclaimed MMFF films Firefly and Green Bones. With Dulay at the helm, AMIR is expected to deliver a poignant and culturally rich narrative that celebrates identity, resilience, and hope.

Representing the horror genre is Haunted Carnival, the latest installment in Regal Entertainment Inc.'s Haunted movie franchise. Following Haunted Mansion and Haunted Forest, the newest chapter transports audiences to a mysterious carnival where terrifying secrets lurk behind the bright lights and festive attractions. Directed by Joey De Guzman, the film stars Julia Barretto and James Reid alongside Fyang Smith, John Arcilla, and Ms. Maricel Soriano, promising a chilling cinematic experience for horror fans.

Rounding out the first batch is The Greatest Showdown, a landmark comedy that marks the first-ever big-screen collaboration between noontime television icons Vice Ganda and Vic Sotto. Directed by Jun Robles Lana, the film is produced by ABS-CBN Films, Star Cinema, APT Entertainment, M-Zet, and The IdeaFirst Company. Bringing together two of Philippine entertainment's biggest comedy stars, the film is expected to be one of the festival's most highly anticipated entries, offering audiences a unique blend of humor, spectacle, and star power. 

Road to the Crown Begins as Mister World Philippines Presents 20 Official Candidates

Twenty aspiring kings were officially stepped into the spotlight as Mister World Philippines presented its roster of official candidates during a press presentation held on July 1 at the Sheraton Manila Hotel. The event officially marked the beginning of the competition, with delegates from across the country vying for the opportunity to represent the Philippines at the Mister World pageant.

This year's roster features a dynamic mix of seasoned pageant veterans and promising fresh faces, all vying for the opportunity to represent the Philippines on the international stage. Among the early standouts are seasoned pageant contenders Christian Villarin of Iloilo and Vandave Paragas of Bayambang, Pangasinan; events host Sean Kyle De Ortega of Quezon City; banker Alexei Cruz of Manila; model and Cornerstone artist Wendel Pamfilo of Nueva Ecija; FilCom Hottie Canada winner Logal De Leon Culp; pageant newcomer Shon Villanueva of General Santos City; and former Far Eastern University Tamaraws basketball player Aaron Davis, who brings his athletic background to this year's competition.

Aside from the coveted Mister World Philippines crown, six other national titles will also be awarded during the grand coronation night on July 27 at the Newport Performing Arts Theater, where the country's next batch of international male pageant representatives will be crowned.

 Here's the complete list of the 20 candidates for this year's Mister World Philippines pageant. 

AKLAN, Jason Laurence Salvador

ALBAY, Aaron Beau Davis

ANGELES CITY, Jser Sinfuego 

BAGUIO CITY, Paris Cabuco

BATAAN, MJ Quiroz

BAYAMBANG, Pangasina, Vandave Paragas

BULACAN, Jessie Guinto

FILCOM Canada, Logan De Leon Culp

FILCOM UK, Michael Alfonso Carter 

GENERAL SANTOS CITy, Shon Villanueva

ILOILO, Christian Villarin

LAGUNA, Aldreg Alvarez 

MALASIQUI, Pangasinan, Harvey Joshua Sagum

MANILA, Alexei Cruz

NUEVA ECIJA, Wendell Pamfilo

PAMPANGA, Christan Manalo

PANGASINAN, Alex Herberich 

QUEZON CITY, Sean Kyle De Ortega 

SARIAYA, Quezon, Leinard Curachea

TANAUAN CITY, Batangas, Archan Perez.