Casting

Alex Montagnani

CAGEFIGHTER: UK MMA Fighter Alex Montagnani Replaces Josh Herdman For November Shoot, White Also Out

January and May saw developments for MMA sports drama, Cagefighter which hadn’t yet come to pass. A new Deadline report now clarifies its return to schedule with cameras set to roll in Saskatchewan on November with Jesse Quinones (Calloused Hands) writing and directing. With five title defences under his belt, knock out artist, Reiss Gibson, is on the cusp of cementing himself as one of the all-time greatest to ever step inside the MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) cage. And his career is not about to end there – his savvy promoter, female powerhouse, Max Black, has big plans for Reiss’s sixth title defence, setting Reiss up to face international WWE showman, Randy Stone. With Stone having never set foot in the cage, Reiss – confident in his unparalleled experience – spends the weeks leading up to the fight neglecting his usual training, basking in newfound international attention and the promise […]

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THE MATRIX 4: Jessica Henwick In Talks To Play ‘A Female Neo’

I instantly take issue with anyone who has nothing nice to say about the second season of Iron Fist. I loved its direction and handling of fight choreography, as well the prominence of its female supporting lead in actress Jessica Henwick who gets to display her own martial arts proficiency tenfold in both seasons. The season finale began leaving me feeling cold when Netflix started disassociating with ABC Studios and Disney altogether, and with no hope of a third season that should have, in my view, saw Henwick’s Colleen Wing as the Iron Fist successor. Since then, she’s had I’ve pined for her return to the screen, and now it looks as if that should be happening with Anthony D’Alessandro reporting from Deadline. Much is ado with the upcoming fourth installment of The Matrix saga which is slated to begin shooting in February, and the report is now signaling talks […]

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THE MATRIX 4 Adds Neil Patrick Harris

I’m not too inclined to see this as a referendum on my childhood considering I was a fan of Neil Patrick Harris’s 90s teen series, Doogie Houser M.D., and hey, if you weren’t a fan of this series growing up…what even?? Anyway, word is out from Variety that ya boy NPH is gonna star in the upcoming fourth installment in The Matrix saga which already has returning cast members Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss, and the newly added Yahya Abdul-Mateen II from Aquaman. Aleksandar Hemon and David Mitchell co-wrote the script with Lana Wachowski who will produce with Grant Hill. Wachowski, who previously co-helmed the blockbuster original trilogy with Lilly (previously named Andy), will return to direct in a solo capacity. As Variety’s Justin Kroll reported earlier, production is to start in February 2020. Harris marks his first studio tentpole following credits on films like Downsizing, Gone Girl and A […]

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Photo by Mark Seliger

THE BATMAN Lands Its ‘Catwoman’; SNAKE EYES Find Its ‘Scarlett’

Production on The Batman lands its start date for January 2020 from Warner Bros. for a June 2021 deadline, and the trades are all confirming the finalized deal for the role of Catwoman for actress Zoe Kravitz (Mad Max: Fury Road, The Divergent Series, Kin). Matt Reeves is directing the hotly-anticipated DC adaptation which will star Robert Pattinson in the title role from a script by Reeves, and Mattson Tomlin. Reeves produces with Dylan Clark, and with Michael Uslan executive producing. (DEADLINE) Meanwhile over in Vancouver, production is officially underway for G.I. Joe spin-off, Snake Eyes from director Rob Schwentke and writer Evan Spiliotopolous. The trades have since confirmed Samara Weaving (Ready Or Not, upcoming Guns Akimbo) for the role of fellow ‘Joe’, Scarlett. and Takehiro Hira (Sekigahara, Hara-Kiri: Death Of A Samurai) will join Henry Golding, Andrew Koji, Iko Uwais and Ursula Corbero with Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Brian […]

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Yahya Abdul-Mateen II Jacks Into The Fourth MATRIX Installment For Warner Bros. And Village Roadshow

The Get-Down and Aquaman actor Yahya Abdul-Mateen II will take a key role in the pending fourth installment of The Matrix saga. Lana Wachowski will return this time to direct in a solo capacity as announced by Warner Bros. Pictures Chairman Toby Emmerich back in August. The original trilogy earned $1.6 billion dollars at the box office centered on Keanu Reeves as venerable “chosen one” in mankind’s long and winding tale of harrowing survival against an autonomous, mechanized onslaught that imprisons mankind through a virtual world known as The Matrix. Reeves and original franchise co-headliner Carrie-Anne Moss will both reprise their roles joining Abdul-Mateen II from a script by Wachowski, and co-writers Aleksandar Hemon and David Mitchell. As Justin Kroll at Variety notes, production is expected to begin early 2020 with Warner Bros. Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures producing and globally releasing the film. I won’t even go into the […]

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SNAKE EYES: ‘She’s Just A Shadow’ Actress Haruka Abe Joins Cast

Actress Haruka Abe lends a sturdy portrayal of a prostitute in love in Adam Sherman’s October 22 Breaking Glass Pictures release, She’s Just A Shadow. That’s her role as seen in the image above and it’s one that’s no less contributed to her current career trajectory as a tentatively unnamed character in the new live-action G.I. Joe-based Snake Eyes incarnation from Paramount and co-producers Skydance and Hasbro. She joins up with Guy Ritche’s The Gentlemen co-headliner Henry Golding who leads in title formation opposite Cinemax series Warrior star Andrew Koji for the orgin tale that depicts characters Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow as they engage in their training to join the Arashikage ninja clan. As Hasbro folklore dictates, the two ultimately become enemies following the death of the Hard Master, a pivotal moment contributing to the G.I. Joe/Cobra rivalry. Celebrated martial arts star, actor Iko Uwais (Stuber, Beyond Skyline, The […]

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JURASSIC WORLD 3: Dern, Neill And Goldblum Are Back For Colin Trevorrow’s Latest

The Jurassic Park franchise has had a revival of interest from both old and new fans with the 2015 film Jurassic World. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom was released in 2018 and now a third film will be released in 2021 with some familiar faces. Fans of the original trilogy will remember Laura Dern (Dr. Ellie Sattler) Sam Neill (Dr. Alan Grant) and Jeff Goldblum (Ian Malcolm) as the first visitors to the original Jurassic Park and now Universal Pictures has announced that they will return for Jurassic World 3 and will star with Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard. While Dr. Grant and Dr. Sattler have not appeared in a JP film since Jurassic Park III, Ian’s character appeared in The Lost World and made a brief appearance in Fallen Kingdom. No plot details have been released yet, but the ending of Fallen Kingdom saw the dinosaurs leaving the island […]

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Will Smith

THE COUNCIL: Will Smith To Lead 70s American Gangster Biopic

Netflix is setting up The Council for actor Will Smith to star in and produce. The Gemini Man star will lead from a script by Peter Landesman (Concussion, Parkland). The Council sees Smith leading the never-before told story of a crime syndicate consisting of seven African-American men who ruled Harlem in the 1970s and early 80s. No ordinary crime syndicate – the men dreamed of a self-sufficient and self-policing African American city-state, funded by revolutionizing the drug game. The movie centers on the Shakespearean court intrigue between The Council’s king, Nicky Barnes, dubbed “Mr. Untouchable” by the New York Times, and all the different members as one unlikely rising protégé emerges. Barnes, whose death was recently made known, was an American crime boss, active in New York City during the 1970s who led an international drug trafficking ring, in partnership with the Italian-American Mafia, until his arrest in 1978. He […]

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THE BATMAN Circles A Commissioner And A Villain Role

Following Batman Day on Saturday, The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline both put out exclusives covering the latest cast additions of actors Jeffrey Wright (Hold The Dark) and Jonah Hill (Mid90s) for The Batman. Little is being reported from the trades on story and premise for the film which will no less see Robert Pattinson take the throne for Apes franchise director Matt Reeves. Wright, who stars next year in Cary Fukanaga’s No Time To Die, is up to revamp the role of Gotham City’s Commissioner Gordon. Details on Hill’s potential role remain undisclosed aside from details hinting at a villain portrayal. Reeves is penning the script and will produce with Dylan Clark for the film’s release on June 25, 2021.

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SKYLINES: Cha-Lee Yoon To Join Liam O’Donnell’s New Sci-Fi Action Threequel [EXCLUSIVE]

German-Korean actor and martial artist Cha-Lee Yoon will join the cast of Liam O’Donnell’s new movie, Skylines, which is currently in post-production for a fourth quarter 2020 release. Filming wrapped earlier this summer on the upcoming sci-fi epic directed by Liam O’Donnell who helmed the explosive 2017 hit Skyline follow-up, Beyond Skyline. Lindsay Morgan leads Yoon and the cast in the new action adventure reprising the role of Captain Rose Corley, gifted from birth as the lynchpin of the human resistance against the brain-snatching aliens that tried to invade Earth in the first two films. As a side effect to her powers, Corley is forced to take constant blood transfusions to counteract her rapid aging process. Now a fugitive on the run, she is plucked into battle once more with a team of mercenaries as the hybrid alien-humans that make up half the human population are on the verge of […]

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MORTAL KOMBAT: Max Huang To Play Kung Lao As Cameras Roll In South Australia

Chinese/German actor and martial artist Max Huang is coveting the role of warrior monk, Kung Lao, for Simon McQuoid’s Mortal Kombat, which began filming in South Australia on Monday from New Line Cinema. The Award-winning Australian commercial filmmaker is making his feature debut based on the long-running hit game franchise from a script by Greg Russo. Game lore describes the bladed hat-wearing Kung Lao as the latest descendant (next to Liu Kang) of The Great Kung Lao who originally lost half a century ago to hulking four-armed Shokan champion, Goro, resulting in the start of Shang Tsung’s rule. The character, who has seen more than his fair share of triumph and tragedy throughout the storyline, has been with the game franchise since Mortal Kombat II in 1993, portrayed for the Midway games by Anthony Marquez, and voiced later by several actors for different installments, including Will Yun Lee and Sunil […]

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LONG GONE HEROES: Maggie Q Joins Guy Pearce And Ben Kingsley

Santiago Manes Moreno’s forthcoming action thriller, Long Gone Heroes, is adding actress Maggie Q (Nikita, Divergent franchise) to the cast. Production kicks off next month in Puerto Rico with actors Guy Pearce and Ben Kingsley headling the new film as of May. Pearce will play an ex-special forces operative-turned-mercenary haunted by the murder of two civilians in Burma. His life away from the battlefield is soon upended when he’s hired to return to the war-ravaged country to track down the daughter of a crooked politician, as well as face an old nemesis. Arclight Films is in Toronto selling globally. Moreno is producing with Erik Bernard, and with Ines Mongil-Echandi and Noli Mollakuqe.Jay Fragus and Courtney LeMarco are exec producing as will Mike Donovan and Ryan Charles Griffin. (THR)

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SNAKE EYES: Iko Uwais Is In Talks To Join The G.I. Joe Spin-Off

The Hollywood Reporter‘s Borys Kit reports Iko Uwais is being tapped to play the Hard Master in the Paramount/Skydance/All-Spark G.I.Joe off-shoot centered on franchise favorite Snake Eyes. G.I. Joe lore describes the Hard Master as the tough-as-nails Arasghikage clan martial arts master who trained and crafted the talents of his ninja disciples, Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes. His murder would drive the rift between both blood brothers, diverging them toward their factions with Storm Shadow joining Cobra Commander’s army, and Snake Eyes with the titular Joes. Henry Golding (Crazy Rich Asians) will lead the movie as Snake Eyes opposite Andrew Koji (Cinemax series, Warrior) as Storm Shadow. Robert Schwentke (Red) is directing from a script by Evan Spiliotopolous (Beauty And The Beast). Uwais’ progression into global stardom has been long and hard-earned from his heyday as a prospective freshman martial arts star in Gareth Evans’ Merantau and The Raid 1 […]

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DIE IN A GUNFIGHT: Diego Boneta And Alexandra Daddario To Lead New Romantic Action Thriller

Well this sounds exciting. While we still need a director, action thriller Die In A Gunfight is what’s next in line for actor Diego Boneta and actress Alexandra Daddario. The two will play star-crossed lovers in an action-packed tale where their romance finds itself upended by tensions between their fathers. Also starring will be actress Olivia Munn who has been attached to the film since it first cast Kaya Scodelario and Josh Hutcherson to star in 2017. Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari (Ant-Man and the Wasp) penned the film which shoots next month. Die In A Gunfight hails from Culmination Productions whose Adrian Politowski will finance the film via Align, which he launched in June after stepping down as co-CEO of Umedia. CAA Media Finance and Endeavor Content co-rep U.S. sales rights; Culmination’s Harry White reps international. “This is the time for a film like ‘Die in a Gunfight,’” said […]

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Will Poulter

LORD OF THE RINGS: Amazon’s Epic New Series Adds Will Poulter

Actor Will Poulter is joining actress Markella Kavenagh for Amazon’s Lord Of The Rings series which commences principal photography next year. Variety‘s Joe Otterson and Justin Kroll broke the news on Wednesday while details are being kept under wraps about the roles the two talents will play. Kavenagh, whose credits include TV shows such as Romper Stomper and My Life Is Murder, was attached in July. J.A. Bayona (Jurassic Park: Fallen Kingdom) is reportedly helming the series with Bruce Richmond (Game of Thrones) and Gennifer Hutchison (Breaking Bad), and writers Justin Doble (Stranger Things), and Jason Cahill (The Sopranos) all exec producing. Poulter is one of the best and strongest actors there are today with credits that include Netflix’s Bandersnatch, Alejandro González Iñárritu’s The Revenant and Kathryn Bigelow’s 2017 crime drama, Detroit. He is also prolifically known for his impressive performance as Gally in the first and third installments of […]

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HENRY’S COURAGE: Choice Skinner To Charge Into Battle With Proof-Of-Concept Harlem Hellfighters Shortfilm Next Year [EXCLUSIVE]

Independent filmmaker Choice Skinner is ramping up efforts to direct upcoming short film, Henry’s Courage, which he intends to shoot as a potential feature film pitch. Aiming to crowdfund a February 2020 shoot, Henry’s Courage takes its cues from the historic, heroic tale of the Harlem Hellfighters, prolifically known as the first African American unit of the U.S. Army to engage in combat during World War I. Actor Akono Dixon will tackle the key role of Henry Johnson, a black U.S. soldier who fought off a German raid in hand-to-hand combat while suffering numerous wounds. Johnson was recognized and awarded with a Croix De Guerre with star and bronze palm by the French and was the first U.S. soldier in World War I to receive that honor. Dixon will be joined by actor Dalon J. Holland who will portray fellow U.S. soldier, Needham Roberts. Henry’s Courage marks Skinner’s return to […]

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Morgan Freeman and Frank Grillo

PANAMA Reteams Grillo And Freeman For November Production

News out of Toronto brings word that Frank Grillo and Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman will star in the based-on-true-events action thriller, Panama. Filming begins in November after Grillo wraps recent photography on John Swab’s ensemble crime thriller, Body Brokers, which began this month. In Panama, James Becker (Grillo), a rugged, decorated ex-marine is assigned by Starks (Freeman), his former commander to execute a high-value deal with shady adversaries. The two will work together as Becker takes on assassins, courts femme fatales and negotiates with the enemy in order to complete his mission and come home. Daniel Adams (The Golden Boys, An L.A. Minute) will direct from a script he wrote with co-scribe, exec producer William R. Barber. Michelle Chydzik Sowa and Michelle Reihel are producing. Highland Film Group is boarding world sales at TIFF next week. Grillo and Freeman will also be seen next year in action comedy sequel, The […]

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SINKHOLE: Kim Ji-Hoon Readies Disaster Action Comedy With Cha Seung-Won

Following in the footsteps of Lee Sang-Geun’s hit summer disaster romp, Exit, Sinkhole is next on deck for Kim Ji-Hoon (The Tower) according to Pierce Conran over at KoBiz. Cha Seung-won (Believer) is set to star in the new disaster action comedy which sees a man whose new home lands in a Sinkhole once he’s finally purchased it after 11 years of saving up. Kim Sung-kyun (Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time) and Lee Kwang-soo (Tazza: One Eyed Jack) will also star. Production hails from The Tower Pictures with Showbox financing the film and handling distribution. (KOBIZ)

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Dylan O'Brien cast in INFINITE

INFINITE: Dylan O’Brien Joins Mark Wahlberg-Led Action Sci-Fi

The Maze Runner trilogy and American Assassin star, actor Dylan O’Brien has reportedly joined the cast of Infinite, according to Justin Kroll at Variety. Kingsman franchise actress Sophie Cookson will also star in the Mark Wahlberg-led sci-fi action thriller which commences shooting this Fall for its August 7, 2020 release. The Equalizer helmer Antoine Fuqua is directing Infinite, telling of a troubled young man haunted by memories of two past lives. He decides to join the ranks of a centuries-old secret society of people who posses total recall of their past lives called the Cognomina. Infinite is written by Ian Shorr whose script takes from D. Eric Maikranz’s 2009 novel, “The Reincarnationist Papers”. The film hails from Paramount with John Zaozirny, and Di Bonaventura Pictures’ Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Mark Vahradian producing. Rafi Crohn is exec producing.

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MORTAL KOMBAT: Chin Han To Steal Your Souls As Shang Tsung, Hiroyuki Sanada To Breathe Fire As Scorpion

Lots of hopes may have been dashed for fans of Mortal Kombat who’ve waited for Kevin Tancharoen to steer forward on his own adaptation, but it’s not like New Line isn’t making up for lost time either. News of the past month has awoken the fanbase with a heavy-handed roster of casting news for the new film now slated to begin shooting in less than a few weeks in Australia. The casting totaled to eight by Monday’s reporting this week until Tuesday’s news broken by Variety for the addition of actor Chin Han for the role of evil, manipulative sorceror, Shang Tsung, along with Hiroyuki Sanada for that of undead ninja warrior, Scorpion. The soul-stealing, shape-shifting cohort to Nether Realm’s armies along with the Emperor, Shao Khan, Tsung has popped in and out of the game franchise as a consistent antagonist against Earth Realm’s heroes. Game lore saw Tsung and […]

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