In-Development

THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR Goes First As The Russos Land AGBO/MGM Partnership

Lee B. Golden III

Actor Michael B. Jordan is still poised to take the lead in a revival of classic heist pic, The Thomas Crown Affair. For this, there’s word from Deadline that Marvel movie directors Anthony and Joe Russo may be in the running to helm the project. As Mike Fleming Jr. notes, the news comes just as the two sibs, founders of their AGBO label, inked a deal with MGM and officiated “a multi-film non-exclusive creative partnership to co-develop, co-produce and co-finance a slate of projects” from the MGM library. Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway starred in the title role in the 1968 flick from director Norman Lewison. The film centers on a billionaire businessman/career thief who ensues a romance with a beautiful insurance investigator when his latest job lands him on her radar. Director John McTiernan remade the film with a different ending in 1999 at the time with Pierce Brosnan […]

WB’s AKIRA Adaptation Lands Sizeable Tax Incentive For Complete California Shoot

Lee B. Golden III

The long-gestating adaptation of Akira is finally moving forward after being awarded an $18.5 million dollar tax credit from the state of California. The move comes short of two years since Thor Ragnarok helmer Taika Waititi was a reported frontrunner to direct the film since its development at Warner Bros. Pictures began in 2002. Akira was created by mangaka Otomo Katsuhiro who shepherded both Kodansha’s 1982 manga and his 1988 feature from Toho. The story centers on two members of a biker gang – childhood friends Kaneda and Tetsuo, living in post-apocalyptic Neo-Tokyo who find themselves embroiled in government corruption and secrecy when a military experiment turns Tetsuo into a psionic madman. Akira is long considered a staple of Japanese science fiction, cyberpunk and action entertainment culture, in addition to adding to much of Otomo’s acclaim as one of the most prolific innovators in the world of film and entertainment. […]

NOTHING IS SACRED (NSFW): The Body Count Commences In Peter Jang’s New Proof Of Concept Crime Drama

Lee B. Golden III

Independent crime drama short, Nothing Is Sacred, marks another milestone effort for actor Peter Jang who also writes and directs. The project is now available for viewing on YouTube which also signals the launch of his own production label, Simplicity Pictures, which is currently home to a number of concepts Jang has been brewing in-house for some time now. Nothing Is Sacred is just one of them as it now stands to grow into prospective feature thriller, Mama. In ten minutes time, the proof of concept lends a grim, dark and brutal tale to the masses about a criminal underling who finds himself at a precipice when a fatal revelation forces him to retaliate against his employer with the help of a cop playing both sides of the law. That premise is only the more forward-looking end of things as the shortfilm itself highlights the inciting incident that propels the […]

CLOAKER: Action Sci-Fi Lands At Warner Bros., ‘Edge Of Tomorrow’ Scribe To Produce

Lee B. Golden III

Joby Harold (Edge Of Tomorrow, King Arthur: Legend Of The Sword) is being attached to produce Cloaker, an original action sci-fi according to Deadline on Monday. He’ll be partnering with Safehouse Pictures’ Tory Tunnell and executive producer Matt Schwartz with the project now housed at Warner Bros. who’ve reportedly acquired the pitch. There’s nothing much to share on the synopsis/logline front but the report stipulates this will be birthed as another John Wick/Bourne-inspired endeavor, but with “a groundbreaking sci-fi element”. Harold is also behind the upcoming DC Comics adaptation, Flashpoint, which looks like it might be replacing its star if We Got It Covered‘s most recent piece on the matter says anything. Harold is also behind Army Of The Dead for which Zack Snyder is directing for Netflix this summer, and John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum as executive producer. More to come on Cloaker as the film crews […]

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AGENT SCHOLAR: Jung Woo-sung Developing Joseon-Era ‘Kingsman’-esque Action Drama

Lee B. Golden III

Actor Jung Woo-sung (Steel Rain, Illang: The Wolf Brigade) is about to venture into directing this year with the production of a new action drama tentatively-titled Agent Scholar. The Joseon-era action drama is being described as a spin on the famed Kingsman franchise with Jung developing through his Artists Company banner. Those are really all the details we can accrue for Jung’s feature-length debut until further notice with more developments. In the meantime, it’ll be worth investing in seeing as Jung has already accrued some film experience behind the camera, and is no stranger to the action genre at that. Jung initially came on my radar in the mid-two thousandsies when I bought a DVD copy of his first stint with director Kim Sung-su on Beat (1997). The two have worked together several times including on Musa The Warrior (2001), and in recent memory on Asura: The City Of Madness […]

BOOKER: ‘The First Purge’ Director Lines Up ‘John Wick’-Esque Action Thriller For Sony Pictures

Lee B. Golden III

There’s big news this weekend from Deadline with word that Sony Pictures beat out four other studios contending for action pitch, Booker. The deal concluded on Saturday following breaking news on Friday evening as talks were underway. Gerard McMurray is the prime choice to direct Booker, and from a script he will no less co-write with John Wick franchise scribe, Derek Kolstad. Speaking of, Booker is being described in itself as “a John Wick-esque hard boiled action film with an African American male lead”, according to the trade. If there’s one director who has earned his stripes for this kind of project, it’s McMurray, seeing as he’s provenly made the case. He served as an associate producer on Ryan Coogler’s compelling 2011 drama, Fruitvale Station, and offered up his own heralded debut with the chilling fraternity drama, Burning Sands. In 2018, McMurray placed actor Y’lan Noel at the forefront for […]

MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE Circles Noah Centineo For The Role Of He-Man

Lee B. Golden III

The Wrap‘s Umberto Gonzalez has the latest follow-up on Masters Of The Universe with word that actor Noah Centineo (To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before) is in talks for the title character of Prince Adam of Eternia – a.k.a. He-Man. Art Marcum and Matt Holloway (Iron Man, upcoming MIB International) are penning a script rewrite for helmers Aaron and Adam Nee (Band Of Robbers), based on the popular toy franchise from the 70s and 80s. It was the franchise that spawned a hit animated series centered on a prince who battles the evil forces of Skeletor to protect the castle, Grayskull. A live-action feature film adaptation from Golan/Globus and director Gary Goddard was released in 1987 to cult acclaim with Dolph Lundgren starring. Escape Artists’s Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal, and Steve Tisch are producing with Julia Pistor and David Voss exec producing for Mattel. Centineo will next star in […]

DANGER GIRL Adaptation Nabs ‘Kick-Ass 2’ Director

Lee B. Golden III

Never Back Down helmer Jeff Wadlow is bringing his crimefighting A-game from Kick-Ass 2 to take Danger Girl to the next level according to Geoff Boucher’s coverage over at Deadline. Just shy of a few years since its last report, Wadlow is being confirmed to direct an adaptation of the famed 1998 IDW publication for Constantin Film AG. Created by J. Scott Campbell and Andy Hartnell, Danger Girl, tells of Abbey Chase, the reluctant recruit of a secret spy organization who teams up with cohorts Sydney Savage, Natalia Kasstle and “Silicon” Valerie to retrieve a series of mystical objects against the wills of criminal neo-Nazi enterprise, The Hammer Syndicate. On top of directing, Wadlow, will also do additional rewrites on the script following Umair Aleem’s initial drafts. Constantin Film’s Robert Kulzer will produce next to Jeremy Bolt of JB Pictures, and Adrian Askarieh of Prime Universe Films. Constantin’s Martin Moszkowicz […]

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JIU-JITSU: Nicolas Cage Joins Alain Moussi Martial Arts Thriller

Lee B. Golden III

Much has been ado with Alain Moussi and the Kickboxer reboot franchise which still awaits a third entry in Kickboxer: Armageddon. In the meantime the Canadian martial arts star is also attached to lead the cast of upcoming comic book adaptation, Jiu-Jitsu, in which he will also reportedly be joined by Mandy and 211 star Nicolas Cage. Dimitri Logothetis will produce with Martin Barab, and will direct from a script he wrote with Jim McGrath based on the 2017 Acme Rocket Fuel comic. Every six years, an ancient order of expert Jiu Jitsu fighters faces a vicious race of alien invaders in a battle for Earth. For thousands of years, the fighters that protect Earth have won…until now. When Jake Barnes, a celebrated war hero and master Jiu Jitsu fighter, is defeated by Brax, the indomitable leader of the invaders, the future of humanity hangs in the balance. Injured and […]

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Louis Koo’s STORM CLOUD Rumbles With Original Creator Set To Co-Direct For One Cool Film

Lee B. Golden III

Three years after Louis Koo was announced to partake in a live-action threequel Storm Riders adaptation, news out of FilMart in Hong Kong now confirms comic book auteur Ma Wing-shing will join the project for his directorial debut. Ma, who created the original Fung Wan comic series dating back to 1989 via publisher, Jonesky, will join filmmakers Jonathan Lee (The Brink) and David Lee (Insanity), for Storm Cloud, in which Koo will play the title role. Koo’s One Cool Pictures banner is producing the film following Andrew Lau’s The Storm Riders (1998) and the Pang brothers’ The Storm Warriors (2009), both which starred Ekin Cheng and Aaron Kwok in the respective roles of fantasy wuxia heroes per the comic’s title, Wind and Cloud. Lau’s 1998 film saw an origin tale highlighting our heroes’ tragic upbringing, raised as brothers despite their inherently different personalities. Bookending a tale of romance, magic, mystery […]

THE BRIGANDS OF RATTLECREEK: Park Chan-Wook And S. Craig Zahler Pair Up For The Long-Gestating Revenge Western

Lee B. Golden III

S. Craig Zahler’s new crime thriller, Dragged Across Concrete, is currently making the rounds in theaters. For anyone keen on his work these days and just recently learning of his latest collab efforts with Park Chan-wook’s now-titled The Brigands Of Rattlecreek, it’s a clear-cut sign that this ought to be just the kind of crowdpleaser at festivals and for niche moviegoers. Collider broke the news this week of the film’s development since making The Black List in 2006 under a different title. Recently acquired by Amazon Studios with Bradley Fischer slated to produce and with Park on board since 2012, The Brigands of Rattlecreek, Park will direct from a script by Zahler which sets in an ultra-violent western tale about a sheriff and a doctor on a mission of vengeance against a gang of bandits who decide to use the cover of a torrential thunderstorm to rob and terrorize the […]

Timo Tjahjanto Teases ‘Night Of The Operator’ With Fuzzy Photo Hype

Lee B. Golden III

Timo Tjahjanto, whose recent Netflix hit, The Night Comes For Us, proved to be a bloody, flesh-severing martial arts action affair of the highest order upon releasing back in October. The goal, of course and as always with the streaming service, is to get people to watch, and of course, Tjahjanto has certainly lended his voice to the cause. Mentions of a franchise have kept fans in waiting line with the director often vague-tweeting hints on character fan favorite, “The Operator”, played aptly by actress Julie Estelle (The Raid 2, Headshot, Foxtrot Six). Even going so far as earlier this month to spontaneously tweet “Night of The Operator.” in a March 4 post, to which screenwriter and author Ben Trebilcook replied “Mate….. you’re the opposite of Freddy, you’re not stirring nightmares, but my dreams!” As of this week, Tjahjanto kept the enigamtic fervor going in a post featuring a fuzzy […]

SHANG-CHI Adds ‘Just Mercy’ Director To Helm The Marvel Adaptation

Lee B. Golden III

Following Deadline’s news in December, the latest update for Marvel Studios’ Shang-Chi brings word that Daniel Deston Cretton (The Glass Castle) will take the helm for a modernized adaptation of the Marvel property. Currently shepherding upcoming Michael B. Jordan’s Just Mercy, Cretton will be joined by Expendables franchise creator Dave Callaham (The Expendables franchise, upcoming Wonder Woman 1984 and Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse 2). In the comics, Shang-Chi is the son of China-based globalist who raised and educated his progeny in his reclusive China compound, closed off to the outside world. The son trained in the martial arts and developed unsurpassed skills. He is eventually introduced to the outside world to do his father’s bidding, and then has to come to grips with the fact his revered father might not be the humanitarian he has claimed to be and is closer to what others call him: The Devil’s Doctor. He […]

[UPDATED] TEDDY BOY: Andrew Lau, Pulse To Adapt Triad Comic Book Series For Live-Action Treatment

Lee B. Golden III

UPDATE – March 12, 2019 (7:21pm EST): Following Andreas Wiseman’s exclusive at Deadline on Monday, Hong Kong media outlet Apple Daily is reporting that Andrew Lau knew nothing about this project. Will follow up here or in a seperate report as more updates arise. Stay tuned… EARLIER: Legend Of The Fist: The Return Of Chen Zhen helmer Andrew Lau’s newest stake now lies with Pulse films in a conjoined effort to adapt author Man Kai-Ming and artist Lun Yu-Kwok’s weekly 1992 comic book series, Teddy Boy. The goal is either to make it a series or a feature film with Chinese publisher Concord publishing overseeing the deal. Teddy Boy follows protagonist Ho-Nam Chan’s dizzying ascent through the ranks of the Hong Kong triad hierarchy. The celebrated series explores loyalty, brotherhood, politics and corruption as well as the intergenerational conflicts and power struggles within the underground organized crime group. Thomas Benski, […]

ACCIDENT MAN 2 Is Officially In The Works

Lee B. Golden III

On Monday, action fans needn’t look any further than the latest blurb over at The Action Elite for the latest update on Accident Man. Director Jesse V. Johnson confirmed that Sony has given the team the go to advance the story that would return Adkins to the big screen. “Stu is writing the script at the moment.” says Johnson. “I haven’t seen it but I’ve seen all the drafts. Sony gave us a thumbs up and the greenlight so it’s definitely in progress. It’ll be very exciting.” Small penned the script for the first installment based on the original comic from Pat Mills and Tony Skinner which launched in the U.K. through formerly existing publisher, Toxic!. Adkins, who also took on the role of exec producer, stars in the title role of Mike Fallon, a professional assassin and clean-up expert whose cavalier attitude changes when he learns his beloved girlfriend, […]

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James Gunn’s THE SUICIDE SQUAD Takes Aim At Idris Elba For The Role Of Deadshot

Lee B. Golden III

Borys Kit over at The Hollywood Reporter’s Heat Vision column is bringing the gospel with actor Idris Elba circling the role of Deadshot for James Gunn’s sequel follow-up, The Suicide Squad. The report stipulates that as Elba and Gunn hit it off last week on Friday, the actor was the first choice following the departure of Will Smith who portrayed the role for David Ayer’s first installment in 2016. Also elucidated in the report is that Gunn, who now segues from his position at Disney’s Marvel feature film roster – leaving behind his script for a third Guardians Of The Galaxy which still needs a director – will use mostly new characters apart from Deadshot, including a possible return of actress Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn. Robbie is set to reprise the role in Cathy Yan’s Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) for which cameras […]

SPLIT SECOND: Mark Gill’s Solstice Announces New Action Thriller Following 2018 Studio Launch

Lee B. Golden III

It was last October when Mark Gill (former president of Warner Independent Pictures, Miramax Films and Millennium Films) launched Solstice Studios. Joined by production heads Andrew Gunn (Freaky Friday, Cruella) and Guy Botham, and Marketing and lead strategist Vincent Bruzzese, the company’s aim, as it stands, is to produce low-to-median budgeted films with global appeal – primarily in the action, thriller and action-comedy genres for wide release next to its other acquisition endeavors. As of Wednesday, the company has officially outlined its first production with cerebral action thriller, Split Second. Mike Fleming Jr. has the exclusive at Deadline: Scripted by former military intelligence officer Mitchell LaFortune, Split Second is an action thriller about an assassin who suffers a psychological break when he is ordered to kill the woman who is his lifeline. The story follows two versions of the same character: one who pulls the trigger and descends into madness, […]

RUSH HOUR: Li Bingbing Reportedly Circling Female-Centric Reboot Of Current Chan/Tucker Trilogy

Lee B. Golden III

Until today, at least one more Rush Hour film was said to be happening as it has been hyped with franchise stars Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker possibly slated to reunite on the big screen. It’s anyone’s guess at this point when that film will start, although thanks from a report over at That Hashtag Show on Tuesday, fans can now add not one, but a second iteration, this time from STX. Word has it that a female line-up is percolating at the studio, and with actress Li Bingbing (The Meg, The Forbidden Kingdom, Transformers: Age Of Extinction) being courted for a principal role. Plot details are unknown as to how this one will follow up on the rousing adventures and misadventures of Chan’s Hong Kong detective Lee and Tucker’s reluctant partnering L.A. detective Carter; CBS took to task with a TV series that lasted only one season in 2016 […]

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GUNDAM Enlists Brian K. Vaughan To Adapt And Exec Produce Live-Action Adaptation

Lee B. Golden III

New York Times bestselling and award-winning comic book creator, television and film writer Brian K. Vaughan has been officially tapped to pen a live-action adaptation of classic Japanaese IP, Gundam. Just in time for its 40th anniversary, the news comes following Legendary‘s shared announcement with Sunrise at Anime Expo in July 2018 prior to Vaughan’s three-year overall deal with Legendary the following December. The original 1979 Gundam anime, from the mind of Tomino Yoshiyuki, is set in the Universal Century, an era in which humanity’s growing population has led people to emigrate to space colonies. Eventually, the people living in the colonies seek their autonomy, and launch a war of independence against the people living on Earth. Through the tragedies and discord arising from this human conflict, not only the maturation of the main character, but also the intentions of enemies and the surrounding people are sensitively depicted. The battles […]

Dev Patel to star in GREEN KNIGHT

GREEN KNIGHT: Dev Patel Circles Arthurian Medieval Fantasy Adaptation

Lee B. Golden III

Casting aside what we already know from Monkey Man, we can now add Green Knight to the list of items now on par for Lion, The Wedding Guest and Hotel Mumbai star, Oscar-winning actor Dev Patel. Produciton hails from A24 with A Ghost Story helmer David Lowery tapped to direct an adaptation of a medieval poem from Arthurian lore later – later parodied in Iris Murdoch’s 1993 novel, “The Green Knight”. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is one of the most famous tales in early English literature. As the story goes, chivalrous and loyal Sir Gawain, a knight of King Arthur’s Round Table, accepts the challenge of beheading the Green Knight and must wait a year and a day to receive a blow in return. In the end, it was a test of his loyalty to the king. Lowery will also produce next to Sailor Bear’s Toby Halbrooks and […]