Things have been a bit stagnant for sometime now for Romeo Must Die and Cradle 2 The Grave helmer Andrzej Bartkowiak. His career behind the camera seemed to have grown into itself some working with the likes of Jet Li and Steven Seagal, though his critically panned 2009 film, Street Fighter: The Legend Of Chun Li hasn’t given him much room for work, most notably with the looming cancellation of Scott Adkins headliner, Dark Deal a year later.
Nowadays he’s slowly re-emerging into the fold once again, having served as executive producer in reunion last year with C2TG co-star, action star and debut director Mark Dacascos on Russian star Alexander Nevsky’s Showdown In Manila. He’s also paired with both stars for his forthcoming return to directing in the upcoming action comedy, Maximum Impact, while he’s since begun his latest at the helm for the new romantic indie thriller, Altar Rock, with KJ Apa, Kite star India Eisley, James Remar, Sydney Park, Ellie Cornell and none other than Adkins himself currently listed in the cast.
Set on the island of nantucket, the story sets Eisley in the role of Tillie, a young girl thrown in a world of turmoil in the wake of terroristic events that will challenge both her newfound romance and her loyalty to family. Remar will star as an FBI agent who borders on revenge following the death of Tillie’s father while Cornell will play Tillie’s Aunt, Jenny. There’s much more to the plot as it deals with certain real world headlines involving domestic terrorism; Bartkowiak best described things a bit more back in July as per Deadline’s coverage, saying “It’s a classic story that is very current and goes to the heart of issues facing all of us now as we deal with fear of change and disruption brought on by war and human actions,”.
Also producing are Jeff Bowler, Mark Donadio and Miriam Marcus of Moody Independent with Venus Christiansen co-producing. This one definitely reads like something for a different audience while Adkins completists might find this one worthy of a view when it is released nexy year. In the meantime, Bartkowiak’s Maximum Impact remains pending while Adkins boards the Marvel train alongside the villainous Mads Mikklesen for the Benedict Cumberbatch-anchored Doctor Strange this November, and the upcoming Boyka: Undisputed, among other titles to come. (H/T: Deadline)