Exclusives

EXILED: THE CHOSEN ONES Adds ‘The Raid 2’, ‘Foxtrot Six’ Actor Oka Antara (EXCLUSIVE)

Lee B. Golden III

Oka Antara (The Raid 2) is officially on board for writer/director Ranjeet S. Marwa’s new indie survival action thriller, Exiled: The Chosen Ones. Production is currently underway as cameras have just wrapped its fifth day into what’s expected to be a month-long shoot in Birmingham, U.K.. Strict Covid-19 protocols are in place for the indie thriller which stars Sunny Pang (The Night Comes For Us, Kill-Fist) in the role of 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. Serving as the gamemaster’s trump card, Antara will star in the role of Kruz, who I am told is a sniper assigned to eliminate disobedient players, as well as kill players to make the game interesting when the game […]

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AMERICAN RONIN: Who Is Casting That Ominous Shadow? [EXCLUSIVE]

Lee B. Golden III

In April, we first broke the news of a new proof-of-concept in the works for James Moten Black’s American Ronin, described as “a contemporary martial arts piece cosigning his love for classic jidaigeki cinema and anime”. Production ultimately had to take a back seat as the United States landed right into a lockdown with California, where Black and his production is based, under curfew for a time due to the Coronavirus pandemic. The state is currently staggering in its efforts to ween itself into a new “normal”, with various independent creatives working around the pandemic to meet safety guidelines in order to carry out their own projects. Such is the case for Black and his team as they forge ahead with production on American Ronin, with plans for a feature film that will hopefully rejoin him with select cast members of actor, filmmaker and cinematographer Choice Skinner’s multi-awarded 2017 Black […]

THE RAGE PEAKS AT NIGHT: Keep Forward Indie Actioner Stays Onward From ‘Instrument Assassins’ Director [EXCLUSIVE]

Lee B. Golden III

Zero-budget film projects are always an acquired taste. They don’t all sit well with every audience, but there’s no question that some of them definitely deliver, and Matt Merritte is currently poised to deliver his own with freshman feature, The Rage Peaks At Night. The independently-produced thriller hails from Merritte’s Keep Forward Productions, and centers on Julia (Lauren Biazzo), a woman searching for her brother with the help of an ex-Triad, whilst being pursued by her former occult crime family, The Apostles, led by Judas (Tom Caserto). As far as tone and vision descriptions go, Merritte’s definitely been by the Southeast Asian film bug. In chatting with FCSyndicate, he credited the influences of directors like Gareth Evans and Timo Tjahjanto, and even Malaysian director James Lee for his recent Sunny Pang action drama, Kill-Fist. The project’s team responsible for the fight action and stunts are largely a cast effort. Caserto, […]

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HAPPY FAMILY: New Martial Arts Comedy Now In The Works From The Team Behind ‘My Asian Auntie’ And ‘Yes, Auntie!’ [EXCLUSIVE]

Lee B. Golden III

Filmmaking duo Joey Min and Stephanie Pham are currently in development with Happy Family, a new feature martial arts comedy next in line from their Art School Dropouts independent film banner. Plot details are currently under wraps, though the film is being billed as “a martial arts action comedy film for the family”, with “a twist on the modern hero origin story, while adding cultural elements, comedy and old-school Hong Kong style action scenes”. Min, founder and senior director of Art School Dropouts, will also join Pham on the acting side. Both are especially fluent in martial arts as they are in their film craft; Min is experienced in Shaolin Kung Fu, and Pham is a champion Taekwondo medalist who has twice repped the U.S. on the competitive circuit. Further casting details are pending as the company aims for a now early 2021 shoot, after scaling back from a late […]

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SEEING ‘RED’: A Word With Actor And Filmmaker Beau Fowler

Lee B. Golden III

This month we were able to discuss the latest reveal for Red, a new concept from actor Beau Fowler and director David Newton. For this, the Coronavirus pandemic that’s currently gripped the world and put the film industry at large at a standstill is just one of the segues Fowler and I observe in our latest Q&A. Click here for the earlier coverage on Red, and enjoy the read below! Beau, it’s great to get in touch with you now about your work. How are you coping with things since the lockdown in your country? I can especially imagine it’s had an impact on the film industry next to just normal everyday life. Yeah, it’s pretty crazy. Tough not being able to go out and do the simple things. Though to be honest I’m still self-taping for projects, and I’m quite used to spending days in development wondering when my […]

(UPDATED) BLOOD RUSH: ‘Bad Boys For Life’ Actor In Talks; ‘Wira’ Star Confirmed [EXCLUSIVE]

Lee B. Golden III

Updated as of Thursday, April 9, 2020. Italian-American actor Massi Furlan is in talks to join Ranjeet S. Marwa’s Blood Rush, which remains in active development under Marwa’s independent Rocket Sky High film label. Marwa also confirmed with FCSyndicate on Wednesday that Malaysian stunt performer, actor Hairul Azreen is officially joining the feature thriller; Balinese actor Oka Antara (Foxtrot Six, The Raid 2) was previously attached following reported talks last week but has since departed the project due to scheduling concerns. Details on the roles for both Furlan and Azreen remain under wraps. Zack Lee (The Night Comes For Us, Headshot) makes his lead debut on Blood Rush from a script by Marwa, with an ensemble cast bustling with fervor listing the likes of Sunny Pang (The Night Comes For Us), Yayan Ruhian and Cecep Arif Rahman (John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum), Nathan Jones (Tom Yum Goong, Jet Li’s Fearless) […]

BLOOD RUSH: Oka Antara Among Names Circling Ranjeet S. Marwa’s New Action Thriller [EXCLUSIVE]

Lee B. Golden III

Protracted development otherwise remains underway for the Ranjeet S. Marwa action thriller, Blood Rush, and several additional actors are now eyeing the project for varying starring and support roles. Among the lot is Balinese actor Oka Antara, who has been in preliminary dicussions with Marwa for a few days now. In addition, actor and stunt performer Andrew Suleiman will enlist in a small role next to working behind the scenes on fight choreography with Nick Khan. Character details are under wraps but I’m told both roles will assuredly contribute to the action scenes per the film’s narrative. Marwa launched the film at the top of the year for his Rocket Sky High film label. Actor Zack Lee (The Night Comes For Us, Headshot) is set to star as Max Wayan, a widower forced to battle his inner demons and fight his way out of a vicious cult in the time […]

BLOOD RUSH: Cecep Arif Rahman, Singapore’s Grace Teo Join Ranjeet S. Marwa’s Brutal New Action Thriller [EXCLUSIVE]

Lee B. Golden III

In the hours since Monday’s exclusive, Ranjeet S. Marwa’s forthcoming action thriller, Blood Rush, now has Cecep Arif Rahman on board to join the cast. In addition, co-star Sunny Pang also took to social media to confirm the addition of actress and martial artist Grace Teo in a public post. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sunny Pang (@sunnypang72) Monday saw the enlistment of celebrated director Timo Tjahjanto (The Night Comes For Us, Killers) as production consultant on the upcoming action thriller which shoots later this year. Marwa announced the film officially in late 2019 as City On Fire originally reported on the project in January. Zack Lee (The Raid 2, Headshot, The Night Comes For Us) takes his latest lead acting turn with Blood Rush, playing Max Wayan, a widower whose secretive life in an underworld cult turns out to be more than he bargained for, […]

BLOOD RUSH: ‘The Night Comes For Us’ Director Boards Ranjeet Marwa’s Indo Action Thriller As Consultant [EXCLUSIVE]

Lee B. Golden III

Director Timo Tjahjanto is officially coming aboard as production consultant on Ranjeet S. Marwa’s latest thriller, Blood Rush. The move reunites between Tjahjanto, and his Headshot and The Night Comes For Us actors Zack Lee and Sunny Pang, who have since joined the cast since the film’s announcement at the top of the year. Pic hails from Rocket Sky High Motion Pictures Ltd. Marwa will direct from his own script which centers on Lee in the role of Max Wayan, a grieving widower whose secretive new life in the occult turns out to be more than he bargained for. Also joining the cast are actors Yayan Ruhian (The Raid franchise, Hit & Run), and Nathan Jones (Jet Li’s Fearless, Mad Max: Fury Road), and stunt performer/action actor Nick Khan (Aladdin, Invincible) who also serves as fight choreographer. In addition, actor Nicholas Vince (Hellraiser, Hellbound: Hellraiser II) is currently in talks […]

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BLOOD RUSH: ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ Actor Nathan Jones Joins Ranjeet S. Marwa’s New Thriller [EXCLUSIVE]

Lee B. Golden III

Nathan Jones (Mad Max: Fury Road) is confirmed to be the latest addition to Ranjeet S. Marwa’s forthcoming Indonesian thriller, Blood Rush. The film is currently in pre-production with Nick Khan (Redcon-1, Invincible) setting up the action sequences initial principal photography plans in Jakarta moved from June into July. News of the film officially broke in January with a starring cast, and a crowdfunding campaign that launched on Indiegogo. Zack Lee (Headshot, The Night Comes For Us) will make his lead acting debut playing Max, a grieving widower whose secretive new life in the occult turns out to be more than he bargained for. The role I’m told Jones will play is that of “Small Pete”, a key henchman Max will be forced to fend off in the climatic build-up of the story. Action superstar Yayan Ruhian (The Raid franchise, John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum) and Singaporean star Sunny […]

THE HUNT: SAVAGE WITHIN Brings Back Z-Team Films For New Indie Sci-Fi Action Feature [Exclusive]

Lee B. Golden III

Actor, martial artist and filmmaker Fabien Garcia is developing female-centric sci-fi pic, The Hunt: Savage Within. The project has been ongoing for some years now, and also now comes with conceptual imagery and artwork that I’ve been allowed to share which you can view at the bottom of this article. Story and plot details center on the role of Sarah, a forest ranger who finds herself hunted by an extraterrestrial being until a band of spec-ops soldiers arrive to her aid while investigating the crash site of the entity’s spaceship. The film is being billed as a gritty action feature likened to a mix of classic cult thrillers such as Predator, Terminator and The Thing. Garcia is shepherding pre-production under his Z-Team Films banner with Laurent Buson (Merantau), and Christine Gorchon. The label is an upscale rebranding of his former Z-Team label which emerged in 2003 with Buson as both […]

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TILL DEATH DO US PART: Cast Announced For Stunt Performer’s Independent Action Thriller Shooting Spring 2020

Lee B. Golden III

Actress Anita Clay (Paying Mr. McGetty) will headline stunt performer Philippe Vonlanthen’s feature directing debut, Till Death Do Us Part. Cameras will roll in April next year from a script by Vonlanthen, which he will also produce via his Fondue Films production banner. Clay will play the role of Maria for a story that Vonlanthen describes as “”a love story of inclusion in a climate of global warming conspiracy, combined with high-octane stunts, fights, and of course… Bollywood dance numbers.”; Los Angeles-based Master Sharron James will consult the production on the Bollywood musical elements. The cast also includes John Jeffrey Arias (Break The Stage) and Adoni Maropis, (Bad Company, Mortal Kombat: Conquest), actress/martial artists Paris Bravo (Between Worlds) and actresses Sachiko Ishida (5150, Black Lightning: Tobias’s Revenge), actor Scott Peat (Into The Ashes), and actress and stunt multi-hyphenate Spice Williams-Crosby (The Sensei, Astro). Further details are currently under wraps. Vonlanthen, […]

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THE SHINOBIS: Ninja Action Comedy Feature Directing Debut In The Works For ‘Jailbreak’ Star [EXCLUSIVE]

Lee B. Golden III

Actor and martial arts star Jean-Paul Ly is now in the early days of development for his own feature directing debut, The Shinobis. I can presently report several things on this – that Ly himself is also penning and producing the project which he’s billing as an action comedy going forward, and he’s also looking heavily at names relative to both acting and high-caliber stunt talent to fit the profile. Here is the tentative logline as it reads: After years on the run for deserting their clan, a dysfunctional ninja family, who tries to live a quiet ordinary life, is forced back into action to rescue one of their own. Production start date and location aren’t yet known while Ly is continues to push the needle forward on evolving his concept to its utmost full potential. Stay tuned for future reports. Ly is best known as a stunt performer and […]

Mark Dacascos in ONE NIGHT IN BANGKOK

ONE NIGHT IN BANGKOK Reveals Mark Dacascos’ Killer New Look In These Four New Stills [EXCLUSIVE]

Lee B. Golden III

Film Combat Syndicate can proudly share a quartet of exclusive stills from upcoming thriller, One Night In Bangkok. Production was announced in June signaling the reunion of star/director duo, Mark Dacascos and Wych Kaosayananda in lieu of their latest pending November release, The Driver, from Lionsgate. Kaosayananda penned the new thriller which wrapped principal photography back in July and is currently on deck for a release sometime in the first quarter of 2020. Plot details remain underwraps, although according to the director in our own inquiry, the film is described as a crime noir in the vein of Collateral with its own twist. The wrap party back in July also saw the presentation of a tentative reel highlighting key moments from the new film. The film is aimed particularly to be more drama centric, though there will certainly be some morsels of the screenfighting kind as Dacascos won’t be the […]

Contracts (2020)

CONTRACTS: Watch The Exclusive, All-New Trailer For Alex Chung’s Action-Packed Feature Debut

Lee B. Golden III

The last twelve years have been a pivotal period of growth for actor, stunt performer and filmmaker Alex Chung. From his birth into stunts and independent cinema to a full-fledged resumè in the field, his latest endeavor, Contracts, stands on its own as a true testament of his dedication to the craft. “The existence of this film is ironically not a result of a clear ambition to make a feature-length chaotic martial arts action film with no funding, yet that is what we ended up with.” says Chung, whose earlier evolution of the project was intended to be a 45-minute prequel to a small string of independent action shorts from 2009 and onward. “I had always imagined attempting my first feature once I had a script that was perfect, the desired amount of funding, and basically all of the planets lining up. I realized the naiveté of that and decided […]

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

Lee B. Golden III

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

Lee B. Golden III

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

Lee B. Golden III

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 […]

Official still from Dry Land Swim (Envizion Films)

UASE 2019 Spotlight: DEAD END II, SANTOS Returns, Rising Tiger Brings SILVERBACK, And More!

Lee B. Golden III

The seventh annual Urban Action Showcase kicks off its two-day event on November 8, host to a raft of spectacular film celebrations including The Warriors, Tim Burton’s Batman and blockbuster sci-fi, The Matrix among a plethora of others. The festival will also have its share of celebrity appearances by martial arts stars to further magnify the annual event. Of course, one other major end of the showcase will include a slew of projects from independent filmmakers from around the world. In addition to the previously reported Final Contact: Episode III and El Hombre De Tijuana, actor Bryan Larkin will enter the fray with his new shortfilm continuation, Dead End II: A Justified Kill. It’s in this chapter where our two contract killers in pursuit of a gangster cross paths with a young girl whose eyes are fixed on a bag of cash as a way out for a better life. […]

THE IMMIGRANT: Argentina’s Juan Manuel Olmedo Boards New Martial Arts Drama, Art Camacho Attached To Direct [EXCLUSIVE]

Lee B. Golden III

Argentinian actor and martial artist Juan Manuel Olmedo is poised to team up with filmmaker Art Camacho for upcoming action drama, The Immigrant. Argentinian-born Esteban Carbajal is penning the script for this particular venture which has been brewing since around 2013. The Immigrant tells of a kind-hearted transplant from a foreign country arriving to New York City in search of a better life. Things take a downturn when he’s conned out of his money and robbed of his belongings, leaving him with only a few bucks in his pocket. After a bit of wandering, he stumbles upon an MMA club where he soon discovers a money-making opportunity as a gifted fighter. Carbajal has been a resident in North America since 1982. He met Olmedo through his casting agency in Mendoza, and it was through Olmedo that he eventually met Camacho. The plan is to rework the script for a narrative […]