James Reid and Julia Barretto are finally sharing the screen again. However, this time, they are stepping into something far darker than their previous work together.
The two have been confirmed to be part of the cast of Haunted Carnival, a horror film under Regal Entertainment Inc. that will compete in this year's Metro Manila Film Festival.
Regal described it as their "most ambitious nightmare yet," with the film diving into themes of spectacle, folklore, and fear.
"For generations, Regal has brought Filipino horror to life. This Christmas, we invite you to experience our most ambitious nightmare yet. A terrifying new chapter in the Haunted universe awaits inside Haunted Carnival – where spectacle, folklore, and fear collide," Regal said in an Instagram post.
Joining James and Julia in the film are Fyang Smith, RK Bagatsing, and Ronnie Alonte, along with veteran actors John Arcilla and Maricel Soriano. It is directed by Joey De Guzman and written by Alan Tijamo and John Paul E. Abellera.
For longtime Filipino moviegoers, the pairing of James and Julia carries a bit of history. The two last worked together in the 2015 romantic film Para Sa Hopeless Romantic, directed by Andoy Ranay and based on the best-selling novel by Marcelo Santos III. The film also starred Nadine Lustre and Inigo Pascual.
That same year, rumors of a date between James and Julia made the rounds, which James quickly denied.
"Go out? No, no… they said that we are in the coffee shop? No," he said in an interview with CinemaNews.
At the time, his love team with Nadine Lustre, known as JaDine, was at its peak.
The years that followed brought mixed signals about whether a reunion was ever on the table.
In May 2019, Julia told Boy Abunda on Tonight with Boy Abunda that she was open to it.
"Yes, I'm willing to work with him. Baka interesting 'yung dynamic," she said, although she also admitted she was unsure where they stood personally at the time. "Friends ba tayo? Di ko alam. I'm not sure," she said.
A few months later, in October 2019, James appeared on the same show and said he would rather not work with Julia, not out of any personal issue, but because of the attention it would inevitably bring.
"There's too much noise when it comes to fans and stuff. I have no problem with her. It's just too much noise. Let's make life easy," he said.
Six years later, it appears they have both moved past that. Haunted Carnival will be one of several entries in this year's MMFF lineup, which also includes 2nd Miracle in Cell No. 7, GMA Pictures' Amir directed by Zig Dulay and starring Dennis Trillo, and The Greatest Showdown directed by Jun Robles Lana.
The festival also features the much-anticipated pairing of comedy icons Vice Ganda and Vic Sotto.
The Metro Manila Film Festival is one of the most celebrated annual film events in the Philippines, running every December and showcasing Filipino-made films across cinemas nationwide.