Casting

DEN OF THIEVES Sequel Casts Up, Plots Spring Production Start

Some of the best news this month is coming right out of the European Film Market where deals are being made and casting is underway for numerous projects, developing or otherwise – namely the long awaited Den Of Thieves 2: Pantera, the long-awiated sequel to the inaugural hit 2018 heist thriller which starred Gerard Butler, Pablo Schreiber, O’Shea Jackson Jr. and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson. The sequel was greeinlit a month after the film’s release with an official title etched in the following year. Christian Gudegast is returning to direct the sequel from his own script, with Deadline‘s Andreas Wiseman reporting the return of Jackson Jr. to his role from the first film opposite Butler, and confirming the return of actress Meadow Williams along with the addition of actor Swen Temmel (After), with Jackson also returning this time to produce. The plan is to commence principal photography late Spring in […]

NOBODY BERLIN Casts Eric Bana And Kiernan Shipka For Fall Production Start

Lee B. Golden III

Eric Bana and Kiernan Shipka are set to star in writer/director Jordan Scott’s (Cracks) highly anticipated thriller, Berlin Nobody, from production companies augenschein Filmproduktion and Ridley Scott’s Scott Free Productions. Set to start shooting in September, the film is produced by Scott Free’s Ridley Scott and Michael Pruss alongside augenschein’s Jonas Katzenstein and Maximilian Leo. Georgina Pope will also produce. The film is executive produced by augenschein’s Jonathan Saubach. Protagonist Pictures is handling worldwide sales alongside augenschein Sales and will introduce the hot project to buyers at the upcoming European Film Market. The companies are teaming up once again as part of their unique strategic partnership to co-represent rights on select feature film titles. Inspired by Nicholas Hogg’s 2015 novel, “Tokyo”, Berlin Nobody is set in Berlin where we meet American social psychologist Ben Monroe (Bana), as he investigates a local cult connected to a disturbing event. While he immerses himself […]

FREELANCE: Actor Juan Pablo Reba Joins Action Comedy From ‘Peppermint’ Director

Lee B. Golden III

Taken, Peppermint and District B13 helmer Pierre Morel is shooting action comedy Freelance this week in Colombia, and joining the headlining duo of John Cena and Alison Brie is actor Juan Pablo Raba (Peppermint, “Narcos”). The film is being co-financed by Stuart Ford’s AGC Studios along with Endurance Media, whose Steve Richards is producing alongside Sentient Entertainment’s Renee Tab and Christopher Tuffin. Penned by Jacob Lentz (“Jimmy Kimmel Live!”) in his feature writing debut, Freelance follows a special forces operator (Cena) who decides to retire from the Army and start a family back in the states. After several years of mortgage payments, school drop offs, backyard barbecues and trying to conform to life in suburbia, he decides to come out of retirement to take a gig providing security for a female journalist (Brie) as she interviews a cruel dictator who may or may not have ordered the attack on him and […]

Actor Seiji Takaiwa-(C) 2022 "Sleeping Lion" Production Committee

SEIJI TAKAIWA and KOICHI SAKAMOTO Re-Unite for New Film

Edward Orndorff

Legendary Tokusatsu suit actor Seiji Takaiwa (Kamen Rider, Super Sentai, Metal Hero) , aka “Mr. Heisei Kamen Rider”, will be re-uniting with several toku veterans for a new film to debut later this year. Good Morning, Sleeping Lion is set to debut starting this April on Japanese video distribution service “Hikari TV”, and features Takaiwa in a rare, out of suit, lead role. Good Morning, Sleeping Lion stars Takaiwa as Kazuma Kujo, an entertainment manager deep into middle age but still deeply passionate for his work. One of his charges, Reimi Watanuki (Miho Watanabe of Idol Group Hinatazaka 46) has been targeted by a mysterious group, and it’s up to Kujo to protect her while keeping his headstrong idol in line. The show is directed by Koichi Sakamoto, one of the best known action directors in Tokusatsu and a regular Takaiwa collaborator on Rider and Sentai, even working in America by way […]

THE BRICKLAYER: Aaron Eckhart Actioner Builds Toward March Shoot From Millenium Media

Lee B. Golden III

Renny Harlin is set to direct action thriller The Bricklayer, casting Aaron Eckhart in the latest update since the project began brewing ten years ago as a Gerard Butler vehicle, according to Deadline’s Andreas Wiseman on Friday. Production is set to commence in March at Millenium Media’s new Nu Boyana Studios’ locations in Greece and Bulgaria. Harlin will direct from a script by Hannah Weg (Septembers of Shiraz) and Matt Johnson (Into the Blue) which sees Eckhart as a brilliant – but rebellious – former CIA operative reluctantly lured out of retirement when the agency finds itself blamed for the recent assassinations of foreign journalists, forcing him to confront his checkered past while unraveling an international conspiracy. The aforementioned Butler will reunite with Millenium following their successful Has Fallen trilogy; Butler will produce via his G-Base banner along with Alan Siegel and Danielle Robinson, next to Eclectic Pictures’ Heidi Jo […]

BLACK KNIGHT Signals Cast For New Netflix Sci-Fi Thriller Series

Lee B. Golden III

I’ve actually yet to catch up on my fill of K-dramas since wrapping up Squid Game and then having to deal with all sorts of life-as-I-know-it-isms coming into the latter end of ’21 into ’22. With that in mind, Netflix insists on thrilling the shit out of us with more epic sci-fi content out of South Korea now in the form of Black Knight, whose confirmed lead cast currently lists Kim Woo-bin (Master), Esom (Samjin Company English Class) and Kang Yoo-seok (tvN drama Start-Up). The series also marks a reunion for actor Kim who headlined with Gang Dong-won and Lee Byung-hun in Golden Slumber and Cold Eyes helmer Cho Ui-seok’s 2016 thriller, Master. Black Knight is written and directed by Cho and is based on Lee Yoon-gyun’s E-IP Award-winning 2016 Toomics webcomic publication, and takes place on air-polluted Earth in the year 2071, where one-percent is all that’s left of […]

Wilmer Valderrama Partners With Disney For New ZORRO Series

Lee B. Golden III

If you’re memory is any good then you probably haven’t forgotten about the previously-reported Z from director Jonas Cuaron. That film has a far different vision based on the classic pulp hero, “Zorro”, than what Disney Branded Television now has in store and time will tell if that project ever gets off the ground. As for the latest, leave it to actor Wilmer Valderrama (That 70’s Show, Disney’s Encanto, NCIS) who is set to shepherd a new reimagined incarnation for the studio. The new action adventure western episodic will center on Valderrama as Don Diego de la Vega and his swashbuckling alter ego, the masked vigilante himself. Valderrama will also exec produce alongside DBTV’s outgoing president and chief creative officer, Gary Marsh, and Zorro Productions Inc.’s John Gertz (“The Mask of Zorro,” “The Legend of Zorro”). Ayo Davis, president, Disney Branded Television, said, “We’re reimagining this Disney classic as a […]

The Crows Are Coming, As HIGH & LOW: THE WORST Is Announced For Late 2022 Sequel Release!

Lee B. Golden III

We may never know what becomes of the mysterious figure, “Bulge”, hinted at with the end of 2017’s High & Low: Final Mission. I’m not really sure, though it’s exciting to think about now that the hit action franchise is back in the headlines. More to the point, Japanese trade news sites are now reporting the early Fall 2022 release of a sequel to Shigeaki Kubo’s High & Low: The Worst, from Shochiku, in a new video which you can view above, and a poster announcement featuring the cast which you can check out further below on this page. The sequel, to be directed by HiGH&Low franchise co-scribe Norihisa Hiranuma (director of DTC Yukemuri Junjo hen From High & Low), will bring back a mix of both returning and new cast members; Actors Kazuma Kawamura, Hokuto Yoshino, Ryuji Sato, Fuju Kamio, Kohei Fukuyama, Ryu, Takahide Suzuki, Satoshi Uekiya, Ken Nakajima […]

ACCIDENT MAN 2 Casts Actress And Martial Artist Zara Phythian

Lee B. Golden III

Actor Scott Adkins took to Instagram on Friday to share a story post introducing actress Zara Phythian (Tribal: Get Out Alive, upcoming Unit 19) as cast member on the current production of Accident Man 2. Shooting is currently underway in Malta for the sequel which reunites both screen talents for the first time since starring as villains alongside Mads Mikkelsen opposite Benedict Cumberbatch in Scott Derrickson’s Marvel’s Doctor Strange (2016). “Zara is one of the best martial artists I’ve had the pleasure to work with. It’s an absolute dream, it makes everything so much easier to be with someone that can just get the job done,” Adkins said, alluding to a fight scene they were filming at the time. He added, “This film, action packed to the max. It will not disappoint.” to which Phythian replied, “Not at all!” Sibling film duo George and Harry Kirby are making their directorial […]

KAMEN RIDER: BEYOND GENERATIONS Casts Son of Original Kamen Rider

Edward Orndorff

The role of Takeshi Hongo, aka Kamen Rider Ichigo, has since it’s TV debut been played by Hiroshi Fujioka. The actor would go on to be relatively successful in Japanese film, to this day still booking roles regularly. These roles have included returning to the role of Hongo, but for the upcoming Kamen Rider: Beyond Generations film, the role will be carried on by his son, Maito! Kamen Rider: Beyond Generations is the upcoming winter seasonal film featuring the current Kamen Riders and other characters from Kamen Rider Revice and Kamen Rider Saber. Taking place in three different time periods, the movie will feature a story set in 1971, during the origin story of Ichigo. Set as an alternate, or “another”, timeline, the film will cover the day that Takeshi Hongo is transformed into Kamen Rider by Shocker, an evil organization bent on taking over the world. In the original story, Takeshi […]

New Details Shared for KAMEN RIDER BLACK SUN Series

Edward Orndorff

As part of the Kamen Rider 50th Anniversary celebration earlier this year, a re-imagining/reboot of the beloved Showa Era Rider, Kamen Rider Black, was announced. Written by Izumi Takahashi (Tokyo Revengers) and Directed by Kazuya Shiraishi (The Blood of Wolves, Kyoaku), Kamen Rider Black Sun is currently set to debut in Spring of 2022. At an event held by Tamashi Nations, new details and photos have been shared, as well as cast announcement for our protagonist and antagonist. Kamen Rider Black Sun stars veteran actor Hidetoshi Nishijima as Kohtaro Minami, the man who becomes Kamen Rider Black Sun. Tomoya Nakamura plays Nokuhiko Akizuki, Kamen Rider Shadow Moon. Notably, Shadow Moon has never previously been given the title Kamen Rider. Along with these initial cast announcements, the first images of Kamen Rider Black Sun and his Rider Machine, Battle Hopper, were shared. Director Shiraishi said of the project: “The thought of being in […]

THE LEGEND OF OCHI: A24 Fantasy Epic Sets All Star Cast

Lee B. Golden III

An all-star cast has been assembled for Isaiah Saxon’s feature debut, The Legend of Ochi. Academy-Award Nominee Willem Dafoe (The Lighthouse, Aquaman), Academy-Award nominee Emily Watson (Everest) and Finn Wolfhard (Stranger Things), and young Golden Globe Nominee, lead actress Helena Zengel (News Of The World, System Crasher) will topline the new fantasy epic which A24 will finance and handle on worldwide releasing. Based on Saxon’s own original characters, world and screenplay, The Legend of Ochi follows a young girl (Zengel) who runs away from home and learns to communicate with an elusive animal species known as OCHI. The film will include an original score by composer and Dirty Projectors founder Dave Longstreth, a frequent collaborator of Encyclopedia Pictura, of which Saxon is also co-founder and shares numerous music video and project directing credits for artists such as Björk, Panda Bear, Dirty Projectors, Kanye West, and Grizzly Bear. Encyclopedia Pictura are currently developing […]

THE INTERPRETER: Jake Gyllenhaal To Topline Action Thriller From Guy Ritchie

Lee B. Golden III

News fresh from the AFM ticker tape brings word of the casting of Academy Award nominee Jake Gyllenhaal (The Guilty, Prisoners, Source Code, Jarhead) for The Gentlemen helmer Guy Ritchie’s latest action-thriller, The Interpreter. Filming is set to commence on January 10, 2022, on location in Spain, with Ritchie directing from a script he co-wrote with Ivan Atkinson and Marn Davies. In The Interpreter, Gyllenhaal will play Sergeant John Kinley, on his last tour of duty and teamed with Ahmed, a local interpreter, to survey the region. When their unit is ambushed on patrol, Kinley and Ahmed are the only survivors. With enemy combatants in pursuit, Ahmed risks his own life to carry an injured Kinley across miles of grueling terrain to safety. Back on U.S. soil, Kinley learns that Ahmed and his family were not given passage to America as promised. Determined to protect his friend and repay his debt, Kinley […]

SILENT NIGHT: Mute Joel Kinnaman Action Thriller Signals John Woo’s Return To Hollywood

Lee B. Golden III

How’s this for ambitious? Legendary filmmaker John Woo is readying a Hollywood comeback with Silent Night, a literally dialogue-free action thriller starring Joel Kinnaman (The Suicide Squad). Deadline‘s AFM-attentive Mike Fleming Jr. broke the news and revealed the following: Sources tell Deadline the story is basic, as a normal father heads into the underworld to avenge his young son’s death. Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee, Christian Mercuri and Lori Tilkin are reportedly producing with Capstone’s Ruzanna Kegeyan overseeing the project with Joe Gatta. As Fleming Jr. reports, Capstone is in negotiations to finance. This is a big move for Woo in the years since he transitioned from directing hits like Hard Boiled, The Killer And Once A Thief, to riding out his prolific successes on films like Hard Target, Broken Arrow, Face/Off and Antoine Fuqua’s The Replacement Killers, among other titles that fizzled out during his reign stateside ’til 2003. At […]

HFG - THE BLACK DEMON - Josh Lucas - photo credit Luis Mora.jpg

THE BLACK DEMON: Josh Lucas Toplines High Seas Creature Thriller Filming In December

Lee B. Golden III

Josh Lucas (Ford v Ferrari, The Forever Purge) is set to star in The Black Demon, from director Adrian Grunberg (Rambo: Last Blood, Get the Gringo). Lucas will star from a script by Boise Esquerra (Austin Film Festival nominated “Blackwater”), with cameras set to roll in December 2021 on location in the Dominican Republic. Pic hails from Javier Chapa of Mucho Mas Media, and Jon Silk of Silk Mass who are producing next to R.U. Robot’s Peter Jakl. Mucho Mas’ Phillip Braun, Simon Wise, Bruce Barshop, Vincent Cordero, and Highland Film Group’s Arianne Fraser and Delphine Perrier, Henry Winterstern are all exec producing, as will JJ Caruth of HFG’s domestic distribution shingle, The Avenue, and R.U. Robot’s Martin J. Barab. Here is the logline: When oilman Paul Sturges (Lucas) takes his family on vacation to Bahia Azul, the vibrant coastal town he and his wife once knew has mysteriously crumbled and the locals […]

UNCLE: Sope Dìrísù Cast In Title Role Of New Revenge Thriller

Lee B. Golden III

One of the best gifts to have ever come from the first season of hit series, Gangs Of London, was seeing actor Sope Dìrísù take the mantle as an undercover cop weaving his way into the violent and brutal UK underworld opposite lead actor Joe Cole. It’s a milestone performance that I look forward to spotting in season two as Dìrísù keeps up the habit, and that interest now extends even further in the wake of Tom Grater’s latest Deadline exclusive on revenge thriller, Uncle. After the brutal murder of their family, barely teenage Millie and her uncle John (Dìrísù) embark on a brutal mission of revenge and retribution. But as they get closer to the people responsible, Millie must decide if she is ready to follow the bloody path of vengeance… and its violent, premature journey into adulthood. Casting is currently underway for the role of Millie, according to […]

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Iko Uwais Lands The Villain Role In THE EXPENDABLES 4

Lee B. Golden III

Iko Uwais is joining the fourth installment of The Expendables franchise which is currently filming from director Scott Waugh (Need For Speed). The former stuntman is directing from a script by Spenser Cohen therein revised by Max Adams and John Joseph Connolly. Mike Fleming Jr. and Justin Kroll broke the news at Deadline on Tuesday detailing Uwais’s roll as “a former military officer-turned-arms dealer with his own private army”. The film further reunites Uwais with fellow Triple Threat cohort Tony Jaa, next to a cast that groups a mix of franchise regulars and new faces, one with a story that will ultimately see the titular mercenary team leader, Barney Ross (played by Sylvester Stallone), exiting the franchise by the actor’s own accord and handing the reigns to fellpw franchise lead, Jason Statham. Dolph Lundgren and Randy Couture also star next to Megan Fox, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Jacob Scipio, Sheila […]

THE CONTINENTAL Adds Mel Gibson To The Three-Part Event Series John Wick Spin-Off

Lee B. Golden III

Making a rare pivot to television, actor Mel Gibson is joining the John Wick cineverse a la The Continental, Starz’s three-part TV spin-off of the Keanu Reeves-led film franchise from Lionsgate. Deadline‘s Mike Fleming Jr. reports: The Continental will explore the origin behind the hotel-for-assassins, which increasingly has become the centerpiece of the John Wick universe. This will be accomplished through the eyes and actions of a young Winston Scott, who is dragged into the Hell-scape of a 1975 New York City to face a past he thought he’d left behind. Winston charts a deadly course through the New York’s mysterious underworld in a harrowing attempt to seize the iconic hotel, which serves as the meeting point for the world’s most dangerous criminals. No word yet on who’ll play Winston Scott (the hotel owner is played in the films by Ian McShane). Gibson will play a character named Cormac. There’s no […]

I AM VASH: 108 Media And Revolution Set Cast, 2022 Start For 70’s Action Crime Series With ‘Paskal’ And ‘Wira’ Director

Lee B. Golden III

Adrian Teh (The Wedding Diary, Paskal, Wira) will direct I Am Vash, an original action crime series that will star award-winning talents, actress Sangeeta Krishnasamy (Best Female Actor winner at the 29th Malaysian Film Award, Adiwiraku) and actor Bront Palarae (Gundala, Fly By Night). 108 Media is producing the series with Zainir Aminullah’s premium production shingle Revolution Media as co-producer, with eight one-hour episodes to commence principal photography next May for an early 2023 premiere. I Am Vash takes its cues from historical events, iconography, and real-life superheroes, written and authentically developed with a cross-border writers’ room for both local and international market appeal, with the show’s dialogue to be primarily written in English and Malay, as well as in Tamil and Cantonese dialects. The series revolves around the crime-ridden seaside town of Port Klang during the groovy 1970s in Malaysia, where we meet Vash, a rebellious policewoman who stands […]

BOY KILLS WORLD: Bill Skarsgård Toplines SA Shoot For Dystopian Actioner With Samara Weaving and Yayan Ruhian

Lee B. Golden III

Bill Skarsgård is set to lead Boy Kills World from debut director Moritz Mohr. Arend Remmers (Sløborn) and Tyler Burton Smith (Kung Fury: The Movie) penned the script which also brings actress Samara Weaving, and international action star Yayan Ruhian. Bill Skarsgard (Deadpool 2, It Chapter Two) will lead the cast as protagonist Boy, a deaf mute with a vibrant imagination. When his family is murdered, he escapes to the jungle and is trained by a mysterious shaman to repress his childish imagination and become an instrument of death. Also attached are Samara Weaving (Ready or Not, Bill and Ted Face the Music), who will play assassin June 27, and martial arts expert Yayan Ruhian (Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens, The Raid: Redemption), who will be Boy’s mentor. Tom Grater’s Deadline exclusive on Thursday bills the film as a “dystopian fever dream” which will be shot in South Africa. Mohr’s own […]