Acquisitions and Release

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The Shaws Keep Comin’! 88 Films Drops Two Classics On Blu-Ray, This October

If I can quote one of Mad Max: Fury Road’s War Boys for a second, “Oh, what a day! What a lovely day!” The Shaw Brothers Blu-rays continue to roll in as the wonderful folks at 88 Films recently announced their October slate. What are we getting this time around? Well, for kung fu cinema fans, they’re releasing the bonafide classic, The Kung Fu Instructor, as well as the quirky martial arts comedy, Kid from Kwangtung. You can find synopses for the films below: Kung Fu Instructor: In this bitterly divided town, there’s no middle ground; you’re either with one side or the other – cross the line and face dire consequences. One clan hires a kung fu master – played by the great Ti Lung (A Better Tomorrow) – to break the stalemate, but he’s nobody’s servant and his loyalties can’t be bought so easily… Inspired by Kurosawa’s Yojimbo and Sergio Leone’s […]

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THE WAIT: Spanish Rural Thriller Sets Fall VOD Release From Film Movement

Lee B. Golden III

F. Javier Gutierrez’s latest thriller, The Wait, has announced a Fall cable and digital release date TBA from North American distributor, Film Movement. The film spent the last few years in the festival circuit with stops at Fantastic Fest, Sitges, Shanghai, Vancouver, and Oldenburg among others. The Wait stars Victor Clavijo (Before the Fall), Ruth Diaz, Manuel Moron, and Pedro Casablanc (Strange Way of Life). The film is set deep in the Andalusian countryside where Eladio (Clavijo) works as the groundskeeper of a hunting estate owned by the powerful Don Francisco. After taking a bribe from a veteran hunter, Eladio’s normal life falls apart, plunging him into the depths of guilt, hatred and revenge. Gutierrez’s Unfiled Films produced the pic along with Nostromo Pictures (Buried, Penny Dreadful), and Spal Films (Before the Fall). Michael Rosenberg, President of Film Movement, coordinated the deal with Vicente Canales, Managing Director of Film Factory Entertainment […]

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TWO TAOIST TALES: Eureka Launches A Pair Of Yuen Clan Classics From Eureka This September

Lee B. Golden III

Eureka Entertainment is proudly launching the worldwide Blu-Ray debuts of Yuen Clan actioners, Two Taoist Tales (Taoism Drunkard and The Young Taoism Fighter) on September 24. Directed by and starring Yuen Cheung-yan (The Miracle Fighters), Taoism Drunkard follows a man with a love for wine who accidentally damages a sacred statue. To atone for this blunder, he is asked by an enraged Taoist priest (Hsiao Hou-tao) to find a virginal boy (Yuen Yat-chor) to aid in defending his temple from a demonic sorcerer (Yuen Shun-yi). In The Young Taoism Fighter (directed by Police Story’s Chen Chi-hwa), a practitioner of Taoist kung fu (Yuen Yat-chor) manages to separate his soul from his body before teaming up with a vengeful young woman (Hilda Liu Hao-yi) to take on a sinister sorcerer (Kwan Chung) and the evil leader of a rival kung fu school (Yen Shi-kwan). Both films will be presented with brand […]

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Kino Lorber Brings Another Van Damme Gem to 4K UHD This August

Blu-ray distributor, Kino Lorber, is known to release an absolutely smorgasbord of titles. From Silence of the Lambs to Columbo box-sets. This means they occasionally dip their toes in martial arts actioners, having previously dropped a 4K UHD of the John Woo classic, Hard Target. Well, if your hankering for Jean-Claude Van Damme hasn’t quite been satiated, you’ll be happy to know they’re giving us another 4K UHD release from the Muscles from Brussels in the form of the underrated SUDDEN DEATH. Per Kino Lorber: Action superstar Jean-Claude Van Damme (Hard Target) teams with Powers Boothe (The Emerald Forest) in a tension-packed suspense thriller from Peter Hyams, the director of Running Scared, Narrow Margin and Timecop. Inside the Civic Arena, 17,000 rabid hockey fans gather for the Stanley Cup final game—including the Vice President of the United States. What they don’t know is that someone is planning to have the […]

Ultraman Taiga, on the right, engages a red kaiju, on the left. They tower over the Japanese city they battle within.

ULTRAMAN TAIGA Coming to Blu-Ray! Mill Creek expands Tsuburaya Deal

Edward Orndorff

The first Ultra hero of the Reiwa era is taking the trip across the Pacific, and Mill Creek is driving the boat! ULTRAMAN TAIGA, the 31st Ultra Series production, has been announced for a four disc Blu-Ray package, as well as a digital release. This release also will feature the film ULTRAMAN TAIGA THE MOVIE: NEW GENERATION CLIMAX to make this drop an all-in-one TAIGA experience that’s sure to please neophytes and veterans alike. Just as exciting to this writer as the announcement of this collection is Mill Creek’s expanded partnership with Tsuburaya, which includes “…digital and physical rights for a full slate of episodic series and feature films from the international powerhouse brand, ULTRAMAN, including many that have not been available in the US previously,” per the press release. Mill Creek has absolutely dominated the tokusatsu space in the west, in this writer’s opinion, with their steady release of […]

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DAN DA DAN Is All The Rage As GKIDS Stages North American Release With First Teaser And Poster

Lee B. Golden III

The first poster and trailer are here for Dan Da Dan, the new supernatural romantic thriller fantasy anime acquired by GKIDS as of Tuesday. Fūga Yamashiro (Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!, The Heike Story) makes his directing debut on the animated series from a script by Hiroshi Seko. DAN DA DAN follows Momo, a high school girl from a family of spirit mediums, and her classmate Okarun, an occult freak. The two of them start talking after Momo rescues Okarun from getting bullied. However, an argument ensues between them – Momo believes in ghosts but denies aliens, and Okarun believes in aliens but denies ghosts. To make the mutual deniers believe in each other, Momo goes to an abandoned hospital known for its UFO sightings, and Okarun goes to a tunnel that is said to be haunted. In each place, they encounter overwhelming paranormal activity that transcends comprehension. Amid these predicaments, […]

88 Films Bombards Us With Action With Their June/July/August Slate

British Blu-Ray distributor, 88 FILMS, have been delivering the goods with their martial arts action releases for years now and they’re showing no signs of stopping any time soon. Physical Media fans have a lot to look forwards to over the next few months as 88 Films are set to hit us with a veritable avalanche of classic Hong Kong action flicks. Check out their slate below: JUNE Fist of Legend (6/24) – Everyone and their dog knows this film. Considered Jet Li’s best by many, it tells the story of Chen Zhen (also portrayed by Bruce Lee in Fist of Fury) fighting off the evil Japanese. Features fight choreography from Yuen Woo Ping and a fantastic villain in the form of Billy Chow. Availaiable on both Blu-Ray and 4K UHD. To Kill Wih Intrigue (TBD) – While a date hasn’t been set in stone for this one, most people are leaning […]

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MURDER COMPANY: WWII Actioner Sets June U.S. Release

Lee B. Golden III

Maverick Film and Complex Corp have acquired World War II action film, Murder Company, for theatrical, VOD and and digital release on July 5. The movie is directed by Shane Dax Taylor (The Best Man) from a script by Jesse Mittelstadt (Altitude), and stars William Moseley (The Little Mermaid, “The Royals”), Pooch Hall (A Dog’s Purpose, “Ray Donovan”), Gilles Marini (Sex in the City), Joe Anderson (Hercules), and Kelsey Grammer (The Marvels, “Frasier”). “We’re very excited to present Murder Company to audiences,” said Richard Switzer, president of Maverick Film. “The film is a non-stop thrill ride with a very authentic feel to it, having shot fully in Europe.” Murder Company is set in the midst of the D-Day invasion, when a group of U.S. soldiers are given orders to smuggle a member of the French resistance behind enemy lines to assassinate a high-value Nazi target. “Murder Company is an exhilarating homage to […]

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THE RITUAL: XYZ Films Takes Worldwide Rights To Horror Thriller Starring Al Pacino And Dan Stevens

Lee B. Golden III

Al Pacino (The Godfather trilogy) and Dan Stevens (Godzilla X Kong) will star in exorcism horror, The Ritual. David Midell reteams with fellow creative partner on The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain, Enrico Natale, and directs from a script they wrote. Based on a true story, The Ritual follows two priests – one questioning his faith (Stevens) and one reckoning with a troubled past (Pacino) – who must put aside their differences to save a possessed young woman through a difficult and dangerous series of exorcisms. The film is an authentic portrayal of Emma Schmidt, an American woman whose demonic possession culminated in harrowing exorcisms. Her case remains the most thoroughly documented exorcism in American history. The Ritual also stars Ashley Greene and Abigail Cowen. Natale is also producer alongside Andrew Stevens and Mitchell Welch. XYZ Films acquired worldwide rights to the pic. The label will take the title to the […]

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INVASION: Get A Look At The New Dutch Action Thriller Coming Soon To The U.S.!

Lee B. Golden III

Merely a day away from its release in the Netherlands is Bobby Boerman’s latest action thriller, Invasion. The cast is led by Tarikh Janssen, Fedja van Huêt, Jasha Rudge, Gijs Blom, Ortál Vriend, and Gijs Scholten van Aschat. Out of nowhere, Curaçao and Aruba are attacked by a dictatorial neighboring country. Politics in The Hague is astonished. When the conflict rapidly escalates, three young Marines must make a difference. Soon the barracks on Aruba are also under fire and the airspace is closed, while the Dutch ambassador still has to be evacuated from enemy territory. The rescue mission of the new Marines therefore becomes a race against time. The official trailer is already live while the news is out that Well Go USA have acquired the pic in a deal with its producers, international sales agent StudioCanal. Invasion (or Invasie as its regionally known) is also produced by Dutch Film […]

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INFESTED Creepily Crawls Onto Shudder In April

Lee B. Golden III

Sébastien Vaniček’s latest horror thriller is getting the North American treatment with Infested, which launches exclusively on Shudder beginning April 26. The film scored two César Awards nominations during its festival run while winning several Bests at Sitges and at Fantastic Fest last year. Kaleb is about to turn 30 and has never been lonelier. He’s fighting with his sister over an inheritance and has cut ties with his best friend. Fascinated by exotic animals, he finds a venomous spider in a shop and brings it back to his apartment. It only takes a moment for the spider to escape and reproduce, turning the whole building into a dreadful web trap. The only option for Kaleb and his friends is to find a way out and survive. Infested stars Théo Christine, Finnegan Oldfield, Jérôme Niel, Sofia Lesaffre, and Lisa Nyarko. Check out the trailer!

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Streaming Sleepers: ECHO 8 Takes Off On Reveel. Watch It Now For Free!

Lee B. Golden III

With casting recently done for the upcoming back-to-back sequels, the Maria Tran/Takashi Hara-directed sci-fi action drama, Echo 8 is now available to watch for free on Reveel. The website is easy to subscribe to and simply asks for your name and date of birth and password choice. Echo 8 hails from Phoenix Eye and stars Tran, Hara, and actors David Vuong, Gabriella Chan, and Mike Leeder from a script by Elizabeth H. Vu. The film centers on a underground organization of assassins, including Echo 8 (Tran), a professional killer whose mind starts flashing between nightmarish dream and her reality, forcing her to question her latest assignment which includes killing a grieving mother. Tran, Hara, Vu, and their team spearheaded the project beginning a production journey that galvanized Western Sydney’s Asian-Australian independent film production talent base comprised mostly of women. Its arduous journey, extended with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic […]

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578 MAGNUM: Alexandre Nguyen Turns The Underworld Upside Down To Find His Daughter In The Official U.S. Trailer!

Lee B. Golden III

Film Movement is taking the mantle with Vietnamese action adventure, 578 Magnum. A theatrical and digital release is in order for the film in North America with a release date set for February 23 and the official trailer is here as well. After leaving the Special Forces, container truck driver and single father Hùng (Alexandre Nguyen) dedicates his life to raising his six-year-old daughter. But when she gets kidnapped and assaulted, Hùng relies on his martial arts training and combat skills to hunt down the twisted millionaire responsible. His mission of vengeance takes him on a journey deep into the Vietnamese underworld, where he faces off against legions of bloodthirsty gangsters working for one of the world’s most dangerous crime syndicates. Award-winning director Dung Luong Dinh makes a 180-degree turn from his two previous films Father and Son and Drowsy City, to deliver a jaw-droppingly breath-taking spectacle of massive fistfights, […]

TAKEN FROM RIO BRAVO Poster Reveals The Continuing Western Saga Starring Alexander Nevsky

Lee B. Golden III

Alexander Nevsky’s days of Western indie action are far from over as he heads up Taken From Rio Bravo, now out with official key art and a July 19 theatrical release date from ITN Studios. The film, a sequel to last year’s Gunfight At Rio Bravo, is directed by Joe Cornet who reprises his role opposite Nevsky, with a script by Craig Hamann. Taken From Rio Bravo sees the return of the mysterious gunslinger John Basil Turchin who teams up with a sheriff in pursuit of a gang of sadistic human traffickers known as The Posse, who have kidnapped five women. Rounding out the cast are Cynthia Rothrock, Kerry Goodwin, Don “The Dragon” Wilson, James Chalke, Irina Antonenko, Matthias Hues, John Fallon, Robert Madrid and Tatiana Neva round out the key cast, with an original score by Sean Murray who also penned the film’s title track, performed by Neva. Nevsky […]

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Jesse V. Johnson’s CHIEF OF STATION Lands At Vertical For May U.S. Release

Lee B. Golden III

One other upcoming prospect for action fans will be the release of Chief Of Station, from director Jesse V. Johnson. Deadline reported on Thursday that Vertical Entertainment has nabbed the pic and will release the film in May. Hailing from Bee Holder Productions and sales agent Concourse Media, Chief Of Station stars Aaron Eckhart who returns to the label following the release of Renny Harlin actioner, The Bricklayer, earlier in January. The film also reteams Johnson with White Elephant and Boudica star Olga Kurylenko, from a script by George Mahaffey. After learning that the death of his wife was not an accident, a former CIA Station Chief (Aaron Eckhart) is forced back into the espionage underworld, teaming up with his protege (Alex Pettyfer) and a rogue agent (Olga Kurylenko) to unravel a dark conspiracy that challenges everything he thought he knew. Further reteaming with the director are Avengement actor Nick […]

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THE SMOKE MASTER Trailer: Freestyle Digital Blazes Up January U.S. Release For Hit Martial Arts Stoner Comedy

Lee B. Golden III

Brazilian kung fu stoner comedy, The Smoke Master, is finally on track to start the new year with a U.S. release from Freestyle Digital Media. VOD rights were announced by the company earlier this month will plans to release the film on DVD, and all stateside digital HD internet, cable, and satellite platforms from January 2. THE SMOKE MASTER follows the journey of Gabriel and Daniel, two brothers cursed by the Chinese mafia with its feared Three Generations Revenge, who has already reaped the life of their grandfather and their father. To survive, one of the brothers must learn the Smoke Style secrets, a little-known controversial martial art, based on cannabis usage and taught by a single master, high in the mountains of the far reaches of China. In other words, THE SMOKE MASTER is a stoned Kung-Fu movie. Starring Daniel Rocha, Thiago Stechinni and Tony Lee, The Smoke Master […]

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HAMLET Turns Modern Day Thriller For Sir Ian McKellen’s Latest Shakespearean Reprisal In The Official Trailer

Lee B. Golden III

Kaleidoscope Film Distribution has acquired international rights to Hamlet, the newest adaptation of the Shakespearean classic starring Sir Ian McKellen. The award-winning actor leads the brimming new thriller, returning to the character having portrayed the title role on stage as recently as 2021 for the Theater Royal, Windsor among other performances. McKellen reprises his lead role as Hamlet, a man who descends into madness as he seeks vengeance against his uncle for the alleged murder of his father. A tale of revenge that has stood the test of time, Shakespeare’s classic tragedy is reimagined for the modern day as a gripping psychological thriller. Transcending the confines of the stage, the film utilises nearly every room of the Theatre Royal Windsor to transform it into the immortal Elsinore Castle, from basement dungeon to roof-top battlements. McKellen co-stars with the recent critically-acclaimed stage cast from Windsor’s production of Hamlet, including Frances Barber […]

Promotional photo from Kill for Fantastic Fest

KILL: Lionsgate Takes Hindi Action Crowdpleaser For North America And UK Release In 2024

Lee B. Golden III

The last several years have been transformative for Indian cinema in the Western world, with Telugu hit RRR planting its feet firmly on a global scale. That puts studios like Lionsgate in a really great position to do what it just did as of Monday when the studio announced its acquisition of Kill, Nikhil Nagesh Bhat’s Hindi-language high-speed action thriller that won fans and critics over from its World Premiere last month in Toronto. Actor Lakshya in his debut lead role headlines Bhat’s action flick centered on a man who boards a passenger train to New Delhi to win over the woman he loves, only to find himself going toe-to-toe in an all out action-packed, bone-crushing and brutal adventure against a gang of bandits. The film also stars Raghav Juyal and Tanya Maniktala. TIFF Programmer Peter Kuplowsky had the following to say in his notes on the thriller: With the […]

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DUCHESS: First Look At Newest Charlotte Kirk Action Thriller Nabbed By Saban For 2024 Release

Lee B. Golden III

The first few stills are now out for Neil Marshall’s new action thriller, Duchess. Saban Films has acquired U.S. rights to the pic for a 2024 release, as announced on Thursday by Palisades Park Pictures CEO, Tamara Birkemoe. Starring Charlotte Kirk who also penned the pic with Marshall, Duchess follows no-nonsense Scarlett Monaghan (Kirk) and her rise from a working-class petty criminal to becoming a ruthless organized crime leader in the seedy underbelly of the diamond smuggling circuit of Tenerife. Also starring are Philip Winchester (”Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”), Sean Pertwee (Fox’s “Gotham,” Event Horizon), Colm Meaney (“Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,” Con Air with Nicolas Cage) and Stephanie Beacham (“Dynasty,” “The Colbys”). Emily Corcoran produced the film for Cork Films next to Kristyna Sellnerova. Joe Simpson is exec producer alongside Simon Williams, Jonathan Bross and Matthew E. Chausse of Ashland Hill Media Finance, and Norman Merry and […]

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THE G Teaser: Vengeance Is Timeless In The New Winter Noir Thriller Starring Dale Dickey

Lee B. Golden III

Touched director Karl R. Hearne is making headway going into the new year with dark new thriller, The G. The movie is slated have its World Premiere in Official Competition at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival on November 11 before rolling out in Canadian cinemas in the new year through levelFILM. Ann Hunter (aka “The G”, played by Dale Dickey) and her husband retired to an unnamed American suburb 10 years ago to be near his family. But one day out of the blue they are snatched from their home by a corrupt legal guardian who believes they have hidden wealth. Their home and assets are legally stripped from them and they are put in a prison-like “eldercare facility,” victims of an exploding old age industry. Trapped in a corrupt and terrifying system, THE G begins to show her true mettle as she and her loyal granddaughter fight to […]