Casting

WARRIOR: Dustin Nguyen Leads Quintet Of New Additions To Cinemax’s Hit Martial Arts Drama

It was only a matter of time following our report and common knowledge among those in the know, but the hit Cinemax series, Warrior, officially added five new faces to the battlefield of the recently-renewed series. Actor Dustin Nguyen, who recurs in the first season will also star the next one, and will also direct the sixth episode. Deadline‘s Denise Petski elucidates the details on the official additions of actor Chen Tang, and actresses Celine Buckens, Miranda Raison and Maria Elena Laas: Nguyen’s Zing is a ruthless, unpredictable leader of the Fung Hai tong. Zing’s partnership with Mai Ling and his unrelenting grip on Big Bill position him to become a powerful new force in Chinatown. Tang will play Hong, a somewhat eccentric but no less deadly hatchet man sent over from China to join the Hop Wei tong’s ranks. Buckens will portray Sophie Mercer, a young, rebellious woman, chafing […]

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CAGEFIGHTER: Dean Ambrose Joins Michael Jai White And Josh Herdmann

Lee B. Golden III

Jesse Quinones’s new MMA drama, Cagefighter, is still on the way to principal photography, but casting is still going and Deadline‘s own Andreas Wiseman brings word that Dean Ambrose (a.k.a. Jonathan Good) is joining the cast. Cagefighter has already since cast Harry Potter franchise co-star Josh Herdmann for the lead role of Reiss, a fighter deemed erratic and out of control after unexpectedly losing a heavily promoted match finds him on a downward spiral. His marriage is on the brink as is his friendship with his agent, and after alienating his long-time trainer and the biggest MMA promoter in the business, he must now dig deep to find a path to victory and redemption. Also joining in the hard-hitting drama Michael Jai White (Triple Threat, The Hard Way), Gina Gershon (Face/Off), Michelle Ryan (Bionic Woman), and Jason Maza (Brotherhood). Ambrose, formerly of The Shield faction and ex-WWE wrestler as of […]

STRAPPED: Scott Adkins And Isaac Florentine Reunite For The New MMA Thriller

Lee B. Golden III

It’s the action romance that won’t die with actor/director duo Scott Adkins and Isaac Florentine back for a ninth outing together called Strapped. Production begins later this year with Adkins starring as a former MMA fighter forced to confront the heart of his dark past following a brutal robbery and the theft of his championship belt. Florentine, credited for hits like Acts Of Vengeance and U.S. Seals 2, and a string of Adkins headliners dating back to 2003 pic, Special Forces, also developed the screenplay with Adkins, Michael J. Luisi, and Matt Venne who is penning the script. Luisi will produce with Kirk D’Amico whose Myriad Pictures will finance and represent for international sales in Cannes. “We are excited to be working with this team, including Scott Adkins and Isaac Florentine, and alongside producer Michael Luisi, who are all so experienced in making dynamic action and fight films,” said D’Amico. […]

Dark Comedy FATMAN Shoots Next Year Starring Mel Gibson

Lee B. Golden III

If you’ve been keeping score with all things Cannes, you’ve likely come across news about Mel Gibson’s new dark action comedy, Fatman, which shoots early next year following the release of his next thriller, Boss Level, featuring Frank Grillo. Gibson is attached to play a rowdy, unorthodox Santa Claus fighting his business decline, now targeted by a 12 year-old seeking retribution after receiving a lump of coal in his stocking. Small Town Crime helmers Ian and Eshom Nels will direct from their own script. Brandon James of Rough House, Nadine de Barros (JT Leroy) of Fortitude and Lisa Wolofsky (White Crow) of Skywolf are producing with James’ Rough House Partners, David Gordon Green, Danny McBride and Jody Hill exec producing. Casting is still underway by Chelsea Bloch, C.S.A. (A Dog’s Way Home, The Mummy) and Marisol Roncali, C.S.A. (Deadpool 2, After) of Atomic Honey. “I am Excited to be working […]

CLIFFHANGER: Sales Art Reveals ‘The Bad Batch’ Director’s Remake Plans For 1993 Action Classic

Lee B. Golden III

Filmmaker Ana Lily Amirpour could be on the way to directing a female fronted version of Renny Harlin’s 1993 action blockbuster, Cliffhanger, after spending a year preparing for the project. Indeed, the buzz is real including over at Deadline which also has fresh key art front and center as it will show once it hits the sales floor next week at Cannes. Check it out below! The original film had actor Sylvester Stallone leaping far and hitting hard as a mountain ranger forced to go toe-to-toe with a gang of mercenaries over a stash of $100 million dollars in missing cash. The film also starred Michael Rooker and John Lithgow and earned upwards of $255 million dollars upon releasing from TriStar, and reportedly tried/failed to undergo remakes and reboots thereafter. Amirpour reportedly spent a year in preparation, and also took a ten-day hiking tour in the French, Swiss and Italian […]

LONG GONE HEROES: Guy Pearce And Ben Kingsley Headline Santiago Manes Moreno’s Directing Debut

Lee B. Golden III

Santiago Manes Moreno has reportedly set a feature directing debut with DDI repping international sales this month at Cannes. Long Gone Heroes in the name and has Guy Pearce and Ben Kingsley set to star about a discouraged ex-military operative hunted by former comrades while on a mission to track down a reporter in a combat zone who’s found herself embroiled in a political conspiracy. Moreno penned the project and will produce through 7One7 Films with Ines Mongil-Echandi and Noli Mollakuqe. Also producing are Jason Moring, Stanley Preschutti and Mark Padilla of Double Dutch International (DDI) with Jay Fragus serving as exec producer. (THR)

TAU CETI 4: McTiernan Lines Up Thurman, Fimmel For Intergalactic Action Sci-Fi

Lee B. Golden III

Notable blockbuster director John McTiernan may finally get back into his element this year rounding up new sci-fi in Tau Ceti 4. This might find itself retitled to something more commericially viable unless he finds a way to make Tau Ceti 4 work, but that’s the title he and his current company at IMR are going with as Cannes sales approaches next week. Set to star Uma Thurman (Kill Bill saga) and Travis Fimmel (Vikings, Warcraft), Tau Ceti 4 is the titular planet of the Tau Ceti solar system – it’s a war-torn planet where three heavily-armed strangers have landed with the goal of targeting and killing off all the various oligarchs and militant terrorists. McTiernan, best known for delivering 80s and 90s hallmark action cinema glory with Die Hard and Predator, penned the script and will produce with Thurman, and with Gail Sistrunk and Anthony Katagas. CAA and Paradigm […]

YASUKE: Chadwick Boseman To Star As Japan’s First African Samurai

Lee B. Golden III

In the spirit of keeping up with all things Yasuke, apparently there’s more than the few that I knew of as the project reported initially back in Spring of 2017 is still stirring about. That one had originally had Gregory Widen penning the script for Solipsist Films and De Luca Productions at the time. As of Tuesday, the screenplay is now in the hands of Doug Miro (Narcos) with both companies now joined by Eric Feig’s newly launched Picturestart and X●ception Content, and now with a lead actor in place with MCU franchise headliner Chadwick Boseman starring as Japan’s first African samurai. Yasuke was a native of Portuguese Mozambique who was brought to Japan as a slave to Jesuit missionaries. The first black man to set foot on Japanese soil, Yasuke’s arrival aroused the interest of Nobunaga, a ruthless warlord seeking to unite the fractured country under his banner. A […]

THE GANGSTER, THE COP, THE DEVIL: Don Lee To Star In Sylvester Stallone’s Remake Of The Upcoming Korean Crime Thriller

Lee B. Golden III

Serial killer thriller The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil is only a week from its South Korean release with actor Don Lee – billed locally as Ma Dong-Seok – starring in a key role. Nevertheless, that’s not putting the breaks on the film’s prospects anytime soon it seems as word now brings us news of its upcoming remake thanks to Sylvester Stallone’s Balboa Productions and BA Entertainment. According to THR‘s Lee Hyo-won, Stallone will direct the film reinterpreting director Lee Won-Tae’s original which stars Lee as a gangster who, after becoming the sole survivor among a raft of murdered crimebosses, reluctantly pairs up with a dogmatic cop who despises gangsters, to take the serial killer down. BA produced the film starring Lee along with Forgotten star Kim Moo-Yul who plays the cop opposite the titular ‘Devil’ serial killer portrayed by Kim Seong-Gyu. The film lends to actor Lee’s credit having […]

BOND 25 In Production, Cast Officially Announced

Lee B. Golden III

MGM fired on all cylinders on Thursday for the official live reveal of the next Bond adventure currently due for next year. The reveal took place at GoldenEye, 007 author Ian Fleming’s Jamaican villa with producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, and director Cary Fukanaga on hand discussing the franchise, its origins, influence and overall importance. Fukunaga also noted that production was underway in Jamaica and will also film in Norway, London, and Italy. More importantly, the trio confirmed the cast of new and returning faces for the 25th feature joining Daniel Craig back in action as the titular superspy and leading the cast as listed in the gallery above. Recurring franchise writers Neal Purvis and Robert Wade are penning Bond 25, along with the newly added Scott Z. Burns and Phoebe Waller-Bridge. MGM’s plot reveal reads as follows: Bond has left active service and is enjoying a tranquil […]

THE RAID: Carnahan Confirms Grillo, Character And Plot Details

Lee B. Golden III

Collider reports with confirmation that actor Frank Grillo (Donnybrook, Beyond Skyline) will star in director Joe Carnahan‘s upcoming redo of Gareth Huw Evans’ 2011 crime hit, The Raid. It’s worth noting since the IMDb page for the project has seen the actor’s name come and go while development on the project remained underwraps for the last four years. The report also cites new and specific details on the role Grillo will play in leading the cast under the stewardship of WarParty Films where he also produces the film next to filmmaker Joe Carnahan who will direct the movie. “You meet Frank’s character having just rotated back from a really, really, brutal special forces operation.” says Carnahan. “He’s got soft tissue damage in his hands, and his rotator cuff is blown out, and they take fluid off his knees, and the doctors basically tell him, ‘Listen you’re at the razor’s edge […]

Den Of Thieves actor Pablo Schrieber will star in Halo

HALO: Pablo Schreiber Nabs Master Chief Role For The New Showtime Series

Lee B. Golden III

Pablo Schreiber will lead the cast for Showtime’s upcoming 10-episode Halo series based on the popular Xbox game franchise. The Emmy nominee’s TV and film credits include such shows as Orange Is The New Black and American Gods, and films like 13 Hours and Christian Gudegast’s Den Of Thieves. Schreiber will play Master Chief, described as Earth’s most advanced warrior in the 26th century and the only hope of salvation for a civilization pushed to the brink of destruction by the Covenant, an unstoppable alliance of alien worlds committed to the destruction of humanity. He will be joined by newcomer, actress Yerin Ha in the role of Quan Ah, a new character created specifically for the series, listed as a shrewd, audacious 16-year-old from the Outer Colonies who meets Master Chief at a fateful time for them both. Ha, who recently earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts for Acting at […]

Marvel’s THE ETERNALS Circles Korean Superstar Ma Dong-Seok

Lee B. Golden III

With Marvel developing its post-Avengers saga, all eyes are now on what lies ahead for films like Black Panther 2, Black Widow, Shang-Chi and what may come of Disney+’s upcoming programming. This also goes for an adaptation of Jack Kirby’s 1976 comic, The Eternals with studio developments on-going as of last Spring and now with talk of Korean superstar Don Lee – a.k.a. Ma Dong-Seok, potentially joining the cast. Little is known about the plot or what role Ma is in talks to play but the film is said to center on the titular race of ancient human beings, created a million years ago by the cosmic entities known as the Celestials. As Umberto Gonzalez notes over at The Wrap, screenwriters Matthew and Ryan Firpo are penning the project which aims its focus on female Eternal, Sersi, the lead role for which actress Angelina Jolie is still in talks. Production […]

Jai Courtney’s Captain Boomerang Regroups With THE SUICIDE SQUAD; John Cena In Talks

Lee B. Golden III

Actor Jai Courtney is rejoining The Suicide Squad once more for the role of Captain Boomerang as confirmed by THR in an interview with the actor. The news came on Wednesday just after word of talks of adding actor John Cena joining the cast began circulating from Justin Kroll over at Variety (update: Kroll added via Twitter that the role Cena may play, originally offered to actor Dave Bautista, would be that of Peacemaker). Courtney played Captain Boomerang in the David Ayer-directed 2016 inaugural Suicide Squad adaptation from Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment about a select band of criminals hired in secret by the government in lieu of an incoming threat. Cena’s recent credits include Universal Pictures parental comedy, Blockers, and Travis Knight’s Paramount release, Bumblebee, while the actor also prepares to tackle The Janson Directive. He and Courtney will be joined by returning cast members Viola Davis as Amanda […]

PAYLINE: Renewable Energy Production Outlines New Wesley Snipes Heist Thriller

Lee B. Golden III

Payline is the name of actor Wesley Snipes’ latest project added to the list of what’s coming with Netflix’s Dolemite Is My Name and Well Go USA’s Cut Throat City still in tow. The production itself is hailing a renewable energy initiative with Snipes starring and serving as exec producing under his Maandi House banner. Penned by Jay S. Boyd and Rob Robol who wrote Allan Ungar’s 2015 thriller, Gridlocked, Payline is described as Oceans Eleven-meets Free Fire where a small town casino turns into a battleground after two groups of criminals attempt to rob it on the same night. “We at Maandi House Studios, along with our sister companies and strategic partners, are extremely excited to be working with Dawn’s Light Media on this vision. Beyond being the kind of high-stakes action film not seen in years, ‘Payline’ will also be a vehicle to demonstrate the next generation of […]

Michelle Yeoh Joins The AVATAR Franchise

Lee B. Golden III

Next December will see the first of a quartet of sequels arising finally for James Cameron’s transformative action adventure sci-fi saga, Avatar 2. An official title may yet be pending unless that’s the title Walt Disney Pictures goes for after acquiring all of 20th Century Fox’s properties as of last month. What is official, however, is the addition of actress Michelle Yeoh following her recent appearances in Crazy Rich Asians, CBS All Access series Star Trek Discovery, and Yuen Woo-Ping’s Master Z: The Ip Man Legacy. She will join a cast of new and returning faces led by Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana, with Sigourney Weaver and Stephen Lang also returning. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Avatar (@avatar) “Throughout her career, Michelle has always created unique and memorable characters. I look forward to working with Michelle to do the same thing on the Avatar sequels,” said […]

Dave Bautista Set To Play KILLER’S GAME For STX

Lee B. Golden III

Remember last February when Jason Statham was set to star in D.J. Caruso’s adaptation of Jay Bonansinga’s 1997 novel, Killer’s Game? Well, that’s over and done, and as long as it takes for proper developments to cook with feature films, we now have word from Jeff Sneider at Collider that Dave Bautista (Hotel Artemis, Blade Runner 2049) is taking a stab at the pic. The fourth and latest actor known to be chosen for the long-gestating project, Bautista will star as Joe Flood, a principled, veteran assassin who learns he is dying. Thinking his days are numbered, he stakes a multi-million dollar prize on his own life, only to realize that he’s been misdiagnosed and is still in perfect health, and is now forced into a breakneck fight for survival against hungry gamesmen out for blood and a six-figure boost. Steve Richards will produce with Andrew Lazar of Mad Chance. […]

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355: Actress Fan Bingbing Retains Her Spot In The Female Spy Ensemble

Lee B. Golden III

Variety reports that Fan Bingbing (X-Men: Days Of Future Past, The White-Haired Witch Of Lunar Kingdon) will yet see her starring alongside her colleagues in the female spy ensemble, 355. The news comes just as the actress has since emerged from obscurity following a disappearance from the public for several months – part of the extensive fallout she’s faced amid China’s sprawling crackdown on tax evasion last year. With 355, Bingbing re-officiates her position with headliners Jessica Chastain, Lupita Nyong’o, Penelope Cruz and Marion Cotillard. Simon Kinberg (upcoming Dark Phoenix) will direct the project from a screenplay by Theresa Rebeck described as a “large-scale espionage film about international agents in a grounded, edgy action thriller”. Universal acquired the film last summer at Cannes for a $20 million deal with Chastain set to star, as well as produce via her Freckle Films banner. Question remains, however, as to who will help […]

COWBOY BEBOP: Netflix Rounds Up Its Live-Action Cast

Lee B. Golden III

It’s been ages since talk began of a live-action Cowboy Bebop feature adaptation, and just a few years and change as those efforts evolved into TV with Netflix acquiring the rights last November. Now we have a quartet of casting announcements from Variety with John Cho (Star Trek reboot trilogy) leading the way as Spike Spiegel. The actor will be joined by Mustafa Shakir (Brawl In Cell Block 99, Luke Cage: Season Two) for the role of Jet Black along with Daniella Pineda (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) as Faye Valentine, and Alex Hassell (The Bisexual, upcoming Amazon series The Boys) in the role of Spike Spiegel’s archnemesis and the Syndicate’s most formidable hitman, Vicious. Based on Cain Kuga’s Kadokawa Shoten manga and Shinichiro Watanabe hit anime series from Sunrise Inc., Cowboy Bebop is the jazz-inspired, genre-bending action sci-fi tale of Spike Spiegel, Jet Black, Faye Valentine and Radical Ed: a […]

BLACK WIDOW: David Harbour And Rachel Weisz Up For Roles In Cate Shortland’s Standalone Marvel Actioner

Lee B. Golden III

THR and Variety both had their breaking news breaks on Wednesday announcing Stranger Things series co-star David Harbour and actress Rachel Weisz as circling roles in 2012 Nazi drama Lore helmer Cate Shortland’s standalone Black Widow adaptation. The two may join Florence Pugh (Fighting With My Family) who recently boarded the project to be led by recurring Avenger Scarlett Johansson who took on the Marvel role beginning in Iron Man 2 (2010). Jac Schaeffer is penning the script for which exact plot details are being kept under wraps, as well as character descriptions. This week’s Black Widow developments come on the heels of Marvel’s latest success with Brie Larson’s title performance in Captain Marvel which just broke a billion dollars worldwide at the box office. Casting continues on Black Widow as we venture into April with Harbour’s stint as Hellboy for director Neil Marshall on April 12. Two weeks after […]