TBA Studios has officially announced the production of its highly anticipated biographical film “Quezon,” with a target theatrical release later this year.
“Quezon” continues TBA Studios’ cinematic “Bayaniverse,” a series of films based on Philippine history that includes the box office hits “Heneral Luna” and “Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral.” This marks the company’s first major film production since 2020, following its successful distribution of award-winning international films such as the Academy Award-winning “Everything, Everywhere All At Once”, “Past Lives”, and “Triangle of Sadness.”
Filming for “Quezon” is set to begin in March 2025. The film will chronicle the life of Manuel L. Quezon, a Filipino lawyer and soldier who served as President of the Commonwealth of the Philippines from 1935 to 1944, focusing on his tumultuous presidential campaign against then-President Emilio Aguinaldo.
According to TBA Studios President and COO Daphne Chiu, “Quezon” will be released both locally and worldwide. She emphasized that the film will be produced as a stand-alone project, accessible to audiences who have not seen earlier films in the Bayaniverse.
Jerrold Tarog, director and co-writer of both “Heneral Luna” and “Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral,” will return to direct “Quezon.” The film is supported by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), which announced funding support for the movie last year. This partnership aims to strengthen the local film industry by delivering and promoting world-class films.
Casting for major and supporting roles is currently underway, with Chiu teasing that the cast will feature names that will surprise and excite audiences as well as hardcore fans of the Bayaniverse.
TBA Studios has made a significant impact in the Philippine film industry with its historical films, including “Heneral Luna,” which became the highest-grossing historical film in Philippine history during its record-breaking run in 2015 and served as the country’s official entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the 88th Academy Awards.