Exclusives

CREED III – New BTS Images Released

The anticipated third instalment of the “Creed” franchise is nearly upon us with a set USA release of 27th February with the UK following shortly after on 3rd March. With Michael B. Jordan reprising his role as Adonis Creed son of the famous Apollo Creed, but also taken on the huge challenge of his directorial debut. In the previous two films we indulged in the relationship between his fathers former rival turned best friend Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) and his rise to glory inside the ring with Rocky’s help and guidance. This time round we won’t be treated to any Rocky nostalgia which has left some fans a little deflated. With recent comments from Sylvester explaining his frustration and anger over the handling of the rights of “Rocky” explaining it has been an “rough, emotional ride” which points to the fact he has most likely closed that chapter of his […]

SPEED DATING: Shoot Your Shot At The Official Poster For Jean-Paul Ly’s Rom-Com Assassin Short [EXCLUSIVE]

Lee B. Golden III

FCSyndicate can debut the first look at official poster for Jailbreak star, actor and filmmaker Jean-Paul Ly’s new romantic action comedy short, Speed Dating, the latest creation out of JPL Films and Bad Guys Films following Ly’s 2018 thriller, “The Division”. The poster features actress Eloise Lovell Anderson (Villain, FX’s “The Bastard Executioner”), who trained for one month with Ly’s team prior to four daily production schedules a little over a year ago. Anderson stars as a secret agent whose latest side quest to find romance finds her sorely reminded that in her line of work, there are no days off. For Ly, it’s more than a proof of concept as it was also a vehicle to help elevate himself behind the lens, and explore a different side to filmmaking than what fans have grown used to considering his usual output (i.e. Jailbreak, Nightshooters, “Acéré”). To say the least though, […]

KEEPING SECRETS: Marcus Shakesheff, ‘Kamikaze’ Team Going Bigger With Epic Spy Action Thriller [EXCLUSIVE]

Lee B. Golden III

Actor, martial artist and stunt-multihyphenate Marcus Shakesheff is in the works with Keeping Secrets, a new spy thriller he’s writing and developing out of his independent Beat ‘Em Up Films production banner. The film will be his second venture into feature film production after breaking ground in 2016 with Welsh action thriller, Kamikaze. Plot details are largely unknown but the film is being described as a modern day take on Tomas Alfredson’s 2011 adaptation of John la Carrè’s hit novel, “Tinker Tailor Solider Spy”, with an original story based on real people and events through a fictionalized lens. The production is also hinting at inspiration from other classic and contemporary hit thrillers such as the Police Story trilogy, The Raid 2, The Boune Identity, Todd Phillips’s Joker and Donnie Yen headliner, Flash Point. I am further told that the new film aims to be much, much larger than Shakesheff’s predecessor […]

REDEMPTION: New Malaysian Action Thriller From Michael Chuah, Filming Now Underway [EXCLUSIVE]

Lee B. Golden III

Actor and filmmaker Michael Chuah has been around since 2006. He firstly horror drama, Dark Seed, and has been following up with several actioners along the way debuting, initally appearing in Fist Of Dragon (2011), action comedies Firefly (2013) and Special Forces (2016) and Red Storm (2019). If you’re curious and live in the states at least, you can find most of Chuah’s films on Amazon Prime to rent or buy. In the meantime, I can report more on Chuah as he’s already shooting his newest film, Redemption. The film reunites Chuah with actor Henry Thia (Special Forces, Red Storm) and Monday Kang (Fist Of Dragon), with local actor/singer Tian Long also starring. As for the story, this is what Chuah has exclusively sent us along with the still just above: “Jie, one of the top bodyguards in Asia, has decided to retire, and to undergo a more peaceful life […]

Screenshot_20220410-134406_Samsung Internet

DEATH TOUCH: Troy Sandford To Make His Martial Arts Action Feature Directing Debut [EXCLUSIVE]

Lee B. Golden III

What you’re seeing below in this article and the thumbnail is the preliminary artwork actor, stunt multi-hyphenate and filmmaker Troy Sandford (Ip Man 4: The Finale) has allowed us to share, announcing his feature directing debut, Death Touch. Sanford, who is based in Beijing with his own self-titled stunt unit, Troy’s Team, is partnering with Australia’s Rhythmic Films. Here is what we can report on the story and plot: “Death Touch centers on a peaceful son who is forced to battle his father and siblings when his unborn child threatens to upend the family’s immortality.” FCSyndicate can reveal little else about the film and who is involved while pre-production continues, but I am told the film will look to roll cameras sometime this year. Also, I can share what Sanford has to say about the projects and his hopes going forward. “With the tone of Daredevil, the emotional element of […]

BERZERKER: ‘Paskal’ And ‘Wira’ Star Hairul Azreen To Headline Ranjeet S. Marwa’s New Thriller Shooting This Summer [EXCLUSIVE]

Lee B. Golden III

Three months since the announcement of pre-production for futuristic crime thriller, Berzerker, Film Combat Syndicate can confirm the casting of Malaysian actor and action star Hairul Azreen to lead Ranjeet S. Marwa’s new film. Azreen will play Noble, an ex-con who now walks as a free man, seeking revenge on those responsible for his incarceration. Marwa himself describes the overall tone and vision of the film as a unique blend of sci-fi classic, Blade Runner, and Prachya Pinkaew’s 2003 Thai barnburner martial arts flick, Ong-Bak. Berzerker has been in pre-production since March with Marwa set to direct from a script he wrote with co-scribe Daniel White. Principal photography will begin in Birmingham this July. Manchester-based stunt professional Kiran Pandé (Redcon-1) has been on board the project since late March and will now serve as the film’s fight choreographer. Azreen is considered an A-lister among the current crop of film talents […]

‘Exiled: The Chosen Ones’ Director Revamps Crime Thriller, BERZERKER, Filming In June [EXCLUSIVE]

Lee B. Golden III

The past fifteen months have seen misses rather than hits for director Ranjeet S. Marwa, who’s ambitious plans for crowdfunded action thriller, Blood Rush, came to a screeching halt as the Coronavirus pandemic took center stage in the UK as it did the rest of the globe. Many productions forced to stop midway or shelved altogether, although many filmmakers and industry stalwarts instead chose to work around the current pandemic to keep the biz afloat on the market and distribution fronts, with at least some ongoing productions relegated to safety protocols to avoid scrutiny. Marwa, based in Birmingham, had met up with two cast members upon visiting Jakarta last year prior to virtually shooting independent mini-doc, Covid-19: The Impact On Asian Cinema to make use of his time during the U.K. lockdown. In the time thereafter, he chose to put his focus into the virtual markets to pitch his projects, […]

THE HUNT: SAVAGE WITHIN Squads Up In New Stills From The Upcoming Sci-Fi Thriller [EXCLUSIVE]

Lee B. Golden III

Film Combat Syndicate can share a duo of exclusive images to accompany the latest post update from the official Instagram account for The Hunt: Savage Within. Principal photography on the upcoming proof-of-concept wrapped in January from director Fabien Garcia, who began campaigning the project last year. The Hunt: Savage Within marks the latest effort for Garcia and his team at Z Team Films, having amassed numerous short collaborations along with the action-packed splendor of 2014 martial arts fight thriller, Die Fighting. In The Hunt: Savage Within, American-born Filipina actress plays Sarah, a meek forest ranger who finds herself at the center of an epic battle between elite spec-ops soldiers, and a supreme alien killer known only as “The Trickster”. Also starring are Brett Tutor (Monsters Of Men), Lou Wegner (Last Call In The Dog House), Carla Seneca (Sons Of Thunder), Xango Henry (Call Me King), Davis Chong (Die Fighting) and […]

INSIGHT: Ken Zheng Leads The Hard-Hitting Cast In A Bevy Of Exclusive Action Clips And Promos For The New Thriller

Lee B. Golden III

Sun And Moon Films have supplied Film Combat Syndicate with close to a dozen assets of footage, including clips and promos, for the new sci-fi action thriller, Insight. The film was close to seven years in the making for actress, martial artist and filmmaker Livi Zheng, who rejoins actor and martial artist Ken Zheng following their 2014 breakout indie thriller, Brush With Danger, in which the director also starred. Jian (Ken Zheng) is a counter terrorism agent who blends his skills as a martial artist and clairvoyant to bring the world’s most nefarious individuals to justice. This lone wolf is forced to make an unexpected detour to Los Angeles upon receipt of the devastating news of a cover up surrounding his brother’s alleged suicide. With the reluctant help of LAPD detectives, Abby (Madeline Zima), Carl (Tony Todd), and Captain Duke (Keith David), the unlikely group become involved in the investigation. […]

SURVIVORS: Ride Or Die With A First Look At K&K Productions’ Martial Arts Vs. Zombies Proof-Of-Concept [EXCLUSIVE]

Lee B. Golden III

Filmmaking duo George and Harry Kirby have spent more than a decade building their brand as filmmakers and worthwhile content creators through their K&K Productions label. Since then, they’ve garnered a sizeable audience with their projects over the years, many of which are catered to fan favorite IPs such as Dragon Ball Z, League Of Legends, DC Comics, Marvel and more. It was earlier on back in 2013, however, their shortfilm output progressed a little further, making their bid in the horror arena with talented martial arts and stunt stylings of David Cheung (Green Street 3, Black Widow) and Isky Fay (Snatch, Pennyworth) as heroes battling it out in the cold against a swarm of the undead. “At the time, we became very much into the zombie genre and we wanted to bring our love for action to that genre,” says Harry Kirby, who tells us that he and George […]

EXILED: THE CHOSEN ONES Director Teases ‘Apex Predator’, Announces Sequel Title [EXCLUSIVE]

Lee B. Golden III

Director Ranjeet S. Marwa’s newest thriller, Exiled: The Chosen Ones, remains in post-production with the team going over pages of notes of what to include and so forth. All hints at a release are tentatively looking toward Spring or the Summer depending on how things fluctuate, while Marwa continues to build his repertoire a bit for the 2021 seasons. He’s currently developing a new romantic drama which he’ll announce soon, and he’s also prepping a few more projects to round out the year, namely with Sunny Pang hitman thriller, Blind Rage. In the midst of all this though, it hasn’t hindered him, or his team any, from procuring any notions about a sequel to the aforementioned survival thriller, which wrapped additional photography in recent weeks. “The buzz around Exiled has been great so far.” says Marwa, who almost three weeks ago from this report, Marwa announced on The Movie Dojo […]

THE LAST SAVAGE: Check Out These Concept Posters For ‘Skylines’ Director’s Martial Arts Tournament Thriller [EXCLUSIVE]

Lee B. Golden III

The last five years have seen filmmaker Liam O’Donnell riding high as he pressed on with Skyline sequel, Beyond Skyline in 2017, and ultimately prepping a third. By the time of its release though, the freshman sci-fi filmmaker also had his eye on another concept, The Last Savage, which he took and pitched to IFFAM in Macao late that year. O’Donnell shot Beyond Skyline at Mike Wiluan’s Infinite Studios in Batam, and in the jungles and temples of Yogyakarta the year prior, where he fell in love with the country and people of Indonesia. His own director’s statement alluded to his inspiration by the “fierce spirit” of Indonesians and their “fight to preserve its unique wildlife and habitats”, thus describing The Last Savage as “a cinematic love letter to the pulp adventures of Tarzan, the post-apocalyptic world of Mad Max, and the vicious beauty of the martial art Silat.” The […]

WOLVES: Hannah Al-Rashid And Julie Estelle In The Running For Female-Fronted Revenge Thriller In Early 2021 [EXCLUSIVE]

Lee B. Golden III

There’s certainly been a build-up of things in the works for filmmaker Ranjeet S. Marwa, and with as the new year approaches. Following up from last week’s mention of Wolves, we can officially report further on the project’s development with Marwa penning the script to direct, as well as produce. The film is billed as a female-fronted revenge thriller in the vein of John Wick, and is currently circling a shortlist of actresses including Hannah Al-Rashid (Buffalo Boys) and Julie Estelle (Foxtrot Six) for the lead role. The film’s official logline reads as follows: “Old ghosts may prove hard to kill for Tora, a beautiful and deadly assassin who’s since traded in her former life of violence and bloodshed for that of marriage, and motherhood to their young son. On one fateful day, Tora’s world comes crashing down when her family is summarily executed, pulling her back into the fray […]

BLIND RAGE: Sunny Pang Inks A Deadly Reveal In Preliminary Key Art For The Upcoming Assassin Thriller [EXCLUSIVE]

Lee B. Golden III

Film Combat Syndicate is proudly announcing Blind Rage, the next project to begin rolling in the June of 2021 starring actor Sunny Pang. He’ll be teaming up once more with Ranjeet S. Marwa, who will write and direct the project in Birmingham, U.K., just as they did on their latest endeavor, Exiled: The Chosen Ones, which stars Pang and is currently in post-production. The Singaporean action star will play the role of an blind, assuming character who serves as a government assassin. Plot details are under wraps for the new movie, barring the overall vision and tone which I’m told aims as a cross between The Equalizer, Marvel’s Daredevil and the 1980 jidaigeki classic, Shogun Assassin. Marwa will produce out of his Rocket Sky High Motion Pictures Ltd. label next to Djonny Chen (Daemon Mind) of Silent D Pictures. Pang has been a working actor since 1993, and has worked […]

EL PUÑO DEL CONDOR (THE FIST OF THE CONDOR): Details On The New Martial Arts Series From Chilean Action Duo Marko Zaror And Ernesto Diaz Espinoza [EXCLUSIVE]

Lee B. Golden III

In the years since placing himself firmly on the martial arts action fandom radar with Ernesto Diaz Espinoza’s 2006 debut, Kiltro, one fact remains is that fans can’t get enough of Marko Zaror. It’s been fifteen years since then, with the two having already done three movies together with the latest being monastic action thriller, Redeemer (2014), and now they’re back together once again with the wheels turning for the new digital series, El Puño Del Condor (The Fist Of The Condor), which is currently in production in Chile. Extenuating plot and story details are under wraps for the series, but what I can report is that the crux of the series deals with martial artists from around the world, all in search of a book containing ancient secrets on overcoming the limits of the human body. That book and its very knowledge is protected by its most impenetrable gatekeeper, […]

EXILED: THE CHOSEN ONES Spotlights Sunny Pang And Hannah Al-Rashid In The New Survival Thriller [EXCLUSIVE]

Lee B. Golden III

It would be an understatement to call 2020 a challenging year, what with politics, catastrophic disasters, and a global pandemic all being major factors in how the rest of us who’ve managed to stay alive through all have remained so. To each end, you might even suggest these as suitable a backdrop for a creative offshoot. Filmmaker Ranjeet Marwa’s inspiration kept steadfast during 2020, with efforts to crowdfund one film prior to announcing several others, and ultimately leading the charge with his latest production, Exiled: The Chosen Ones. The film signals Marwa’s premiere stake in martial arts action cinema with Southeast Asian allure, hailing direct from the UK as the first of its kind, with Marwa taking inspiration from the likes of Gareth Evans, and Indonesia’s own Timo Tjahjanto. “What we have in store for the audience is very unique in terms of both actors and location. Nothing of this […]

THE HUNT: SAVAGE WITHIN: Madeleine Humphries Heads Cast Line-Up For December Sci-Fi Action Shoot From ‘Die Fighting’ Director [EXCLUSIVE]

Lee B. Golden III

American-born Filipina actress and model Madeleine Humphries has been given the lead role in The Hunt: Savage Within, the new action sci-fi from filmmaker Fabien Garcia, which shoots in the second week of December. Also joining the cast for the developing sci-fi proof of concept are Brett Tutor (upcoming Monsters Of Men), Lou Wegner (Last Call In The Dog House), Carla Seneca (Sons Of Thunder, upcoming 22 – The Unforgotten Soldier), Xango Henry (Call Me King, upcoming Keep The Faith), Davis Chong (Die Fighting) and Amje Elharden (upcoming Archenemy). Crowdfunding for the project began in July followed by a month-long extension prior to its success around September. The goal is to shoot a proof of concept short that illustrates the ambitious size, scale and scope Garcia and company are aiming for as they look toward hopeful feature film investment by next year. Humphries will covet the role of Sarah, a […]

LOST PHOENIX: Exclusive New Stills For James Couche’s New Independent Proof Of Concept Thriller Ahead Of Full Feature By 2021

Lee B. Golden III

It’s been several years since some of our readers got to acquaint themselves with contributor James Couche’s ramblings on this website. Fact is, when he’s not publishing here or focused on other projects or important matters, he’s at the helm for his own independent film endeavors as he’s been for the better part of the last fifteen years since serving in the U.S. Air Force a few years earlier. Alas, this now brings us to a round of exclusive stills just above from his latest ambitious Gunsavior Pictures indie banner milestone, Lost Phoenix, starring newcomers, actor Wan DraL (stylized as so), actress Pree Parikh and actor Justin Meyer. Couche officially wrapped principle photography on Monday for a key proof of concept presentation to showcase at film festivals going forward, with plans to resume in Spring 2021 to complete the full feature. Penned and produced by Couche, Lost Phoenix centers on […]

AMERICAN BADGER: Exclusive Trailer And Poster Reveal For Kirk Caouette’s New Hitman Action Thriller

Lee B. Golden III

Film Combat Syndicate is bringing you the exclusive trailer and poster for actor and stunt multi-hyphenate Kirk Caouette’s new film, American Badger. Caouette, a 25-year stunt industry multi-hyphenate for film and TV, marks his third outing in the director’s chair for which Toronto-based Raven Banner now reps for international sales at this year’s virtual AFM. Starring from his own script, Caouette takes center stage in the role of “The Badger, a cold-blooded hitman, who is assigned to befriend a local call girl. All hell breaks loose when his orders change, and he is told to kill her.” Featuring action sequences by Stanton Chong, Caouette stars along with Andrea Stefancikova and Michael Kopsa. Some of Caouette’s recent acting and stunt credits include Netflix series Travelers, Disney’s Kim Possible, and Dead Rising: Watchtower. Also on Raven Banner’s slate are genre-bending thriller Motherly starring Lora Burke (For The Sake Of Vicious), and director […]

EXILED: THE CHOSEN ONES Hammers Out Official Key Art For The New Sunny Pang Action Survival Thriller (EXCLUSIVE)

Lee B. Golden III

Film Combat Syndicate is happy to debut the first official poster artwork for upcoming action thriller, Exiled: The Chosen Ones, which you can check out below. Emerging U.K. director Ranjeet S. Marwa wrote the film which stars Singaporean actor Sunny Pang, and London-born Indonesian actress Hannah Al-Rashid, both who shared the screen in Mike Wiluan’s Buffalo Boys, and in Timo Tjahjanto’s The Night Comes For Us. Pang stars as Hiro, a cold and calculating Yakuza hitman forced to compete for his life among a row of society’s worst criminals, in a deadly game devised by a corporate cabal overseeing a nefarious population control scheme, while the rich place their bets. Also starring are James J. Bryhan, Oka Antara, Carl Wharton, Jon Xue Zhang and David Blackwell, and actor/stunt performer Nick Khan who also serves as fight choreographer. Principal photography wrapped last weekend after a thirty two-day key shoot in Birmingham, […]