Exclusives

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RIDING THE WAVE: An Interview With “MARIA” Star, Actress Cristine Reyes

When talking Philippine cinema in 2019 for action fans, engaging the dialogue may almost always certainly include the successes of one of its most celebrated auteurs, Erik Matti, whose award-winning ripped-from-the-headlines crime thriller, BuyBust, scored hugely among festival crowds last year. Going forward, the concurrent efforts of other directors may certainly be noted – folks like Pedring Lopez whose 2015 accolades earned in Manila with action horror, Nilalang, especially earned him a place on our radar and the world markets. Two horror features later, he’s back and following suit with his own female fronted actioner, Maria, starring Cristine Reyes in her first-ever action role. The official trailer has already garnered well over three million views and shares on social media much to Pedring’s credit, and certainly to that of Ms. Reyes who I managed to garner some answers in our first interview. In my view, this is pretty huge for […]

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KING: Indie Feature Crime Thriller From Up-And-Comer Peter Jang In The Works

I can report that actor and filmmaker Peter Jang is currently in development with King, a feature gangster thriller in which he plans to star and direct. The project is based on an origins-rooted proof-of-concept that will be pitched for financing this year. A dark, violent, consequential riff on an old Winston Churchill quote, King follows the story of Pedro (Jang) who avenges his father’s murder by killing rival leaders of two crime syndicates. Soon after, he finds himself hunted by both and must survive by killing his way to the top. It’s early days as casting is still in the works and Jang is seeking investors and collaborators, while I am also told and can confirm the project is circling 21 Days actors Jeff Hohimer and Eduardo Roman, and will also have actor, prolific stunt professional and martial arts legend Simon Rhee of Best Of The Best fame. Jang […]

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Dustin Nguyen Joins Cinemax’s WARRIOR; Plots Vietnamese MY WIFE IS A GANGSTER Remake Later This Year

I am told that actor and filmmaker Dustin Nguyen is developing a Vietnamese remake of South Korean action comedy, My Wife Is A Gangster for production later this year. The project is one of at least two movies now in development for Nguyen to helm since taking the mantle for his 2013 martial arts fantasy debut, Once Upon A Time In Vietnam (a.k.a. Lua Phat). Jo Jin-kyu directed the 2001 original in which actress Shin Eun-kyung plays Eun-jin (a.k.a. Mantis), an underworld enforcer with no real sense of her own femininity or the world outside of gang life. Despite this, Eun-jin is forced to mitigate between her secret life in the world of violent mafia politics, and fulfilling her sister’s dying wish: to see Eun-jin get married and settle down with a family. Jo’s My Wife Is A Gangster, which also saw Kim Won-jin (of Hong Kong actioner Operation Scorpio) […]

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Enhanced

ENHANCED: ‘Kill Order’ Director James Mark Begins Principal Photography On Sci-Fi Action Thriller In Toronto

Five years after the development and production of stunt professional and filmmaker James Mark’s feature debut, Kill Order, the film released nearly a year ago to the approval of fans offering up fellow stunt performer, actor Chris Mark up for his first feature lead role. The two are now back at on their Toronto set per their newest production, Enhanced, for which the Mark brothers had been teasing via their Instagram stories, including Chris who serves as fight choreographer. The now two-time director is penning the script with co-scribes Matthew K. Nayman and Peter Van Horne. Here’s the logline: The film follows a disenfranchised soldier and a super-power fugitive working together to stop a reality bending experiment that can wipe out humanity. 19-2 series star, actor Adrian Holmes, who has amassed over 137 film and television credits including Arrow, Elysium, and the upcoming V Wars for Netflix, is leading the […]

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Strega

These Facial Expressions In STREGA Are Everything

Director Bueno is poised to present his latest sequel, Strega, to the masses beginning this summer. Building on the success of his 2014 indie toku actioner, Gun Caliber, without fail, fans can expect a newer, sleeker costume with more weaponry and signature tokusatsu action to boot, and to that effect, the added mature subject matter akin to Bueno’s filmic touch. More to the point, I got to screen an early work-in-progress copy of the film ahead of its release and rest assured it’s definitely one of the most jarring, gonzo films you’ll ever see in terms of dialogue on matters of comedy aside from action. I initally intended to express my feelings at the moment in social media post, but Bueno decided to hand me a spate of some appealing exclusive images to choose from. The one you’re seeing in the lead photo is that of actress Sakurako Fujiwara who […]

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THE LONG HAUL, Part Two: A Word With SPLIT LIP Star, Actress Dorée Seay

Our coverage continues this week for director Christopher Sheffield’s new movie, Split Lip. It’s the latest major move for actress Dorèe Seay who happens to be a woman of many talents, loves cinema, and especially loves that of a Korean variety (fun fact: I just finished harping on Instagram recently about how much I would love to see Jung Doo-Hong collaborate with action stars Scott Adkins and Bruce Khan and so you can imagine my elation when I read her answers this week while drafting.) Seay talks aplenty here about her role in Split Lip as Set, a hitwoman on the run from her employer following a botched hit job. She also discusses preparing for the role and approaching its dramatic and physical aspects, and essentially getting to work with a director with whom she clicks really well – that’s usually the case we can all imagine or hope for […]

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RIFT

RIFT: Get A Sneak Peek At Jean-Paul Ly In Haz Dulull’s New Sci-Fi Action Proof-Of-Concept

As of Sunday, we can now provide an exclusive behind-the-scenes sneak peek at two videos for Haz Dulull’s forthcoming sci-fi action proof-of-concept, Rift – both which you can view in the YouTube playlist below. Producers for HaZFilm, Dulull’s production banner, were on hand at the American Film Market in Santa Monica to showcase the proof-of-concept to buyers, and we can also report that plans are in motion to present the conceptual proof on a high profile streaming site beginning January 2019. As reported earlier, actor and burgeoning martial arts star Jean-Paul Ly, as seen in the videos above and photo below, is circling the new sci-fi action thriller for Dulull following a small spate of talks since the two met roughly a year ago. Dulull, credited for the impressive visual spectacle in 2036: Origin Unknown and Netflix’s The Beyond, took strong notice of Ly’s work in the last few years […]

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RIFT: Developing Action Sci-Fi From ‘The Beyond’ Director Casts ‘Jailbreak’, ‘Nightshooters’ Star Jean-Paul Ly

*This article has been updated with changes and new immediate piece in succession. CLICK HERE* We can report that actor Jean-Paul Ly is circling a starring role in Rift, now in-development from director Haz Dulull. Further casting remains pending as the film crews up behind the scenes for a possible 2019 production start. A few meetings followed after Ly and Dulull met about a year ago as the burgeoning immersive sci-fi director whose credits include Netflix release, The Beyond, and 2036: Origin Unknown starring Katee Sackhoff, became a fan of Ly’s work in the last few years – most prolifically, the 2017 Cambodian martial arts comedy, Jailbreak, from director Jimmy Henderson. Dulull had even teased the project discretely on social media for a short time before quietly rolling out teaser preliminary artwork. Nowadays, the two are now part and parcel to the film’s active development as more hands join in […]

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SILVERBACK

Leroy Nguyen On Long-Awaited Indie Gangster Pic, SILVERBACK: “F*ck Your Feelings”

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Leroy Nguyen (@leroy.nguyen) Back in August we reported plans by filmmaker and actor Leroy Nguyen to move forward with Silverback, the independent pic that would have otherwise been his feature debut preceding his 2017 film, Black Scar Blues. After Nguyen moved forward on the project in 2010, principal photography began a year later and wrapped in 2012 before its entry into Amazon Studios for more proliferation. Fast forward to 2018 and after leaving it shelved for so long, he’s since reunited with fellow local filmmaker Joseph Le of Team Red to go full circle after ramping up additional photography in July. Both Nguyen and Le can be seen in a current ten-minute sizzle promo to share with audiences at this year’s sixth Urban Action Showcase and Expo to sample a little bit of the narrative to introduce to moviegoers keen on […]

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UPHILL: A Word With ‘Jack & Jill’ Actor And Director Mark Poletti

Look closely at the latest Kickstarter campaign video from this Monday for Bao Tran’s The Paper Tigers and you’ll likely spot actor Mark Poletti in the mix. I’ve been following Poletti off and on since about 2013 as I was catching on to the efforts of a group called Usurp Productions and Poletti has gradually seen his carrer progress little by little. His latest effort recently sat him on both sides of the lens for his latest action short, Jack & Jill, an aptly-titled and intriguing thriller which focuses on two agents forced to make a choice as they engage an underworld crime boss. There’s a bit more I missed out on bringing up before publishing this interview, while Poletti’s latest turn at the helm deems an exciting an newsworthy move. For all else, Mark’s official website is how you can best reach him. Greetings Mark and thank you for […]

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THE IMMORTAL: Check Out An Explosive Action Clip From Victor Vu’s Epic New Fantasy Drama

Director Victor Vu has had a great run the past few years since buzzing with superhero thriller, Loi Bao, and subsequently filming his new fantasy drama epic, The Immortal. Reuniting with Loi Bao actor Quach Ngoc Ngoan for a starring capacity, the film is currently making the rounds in Vietnamese cinemas and taking the top spot at the box office and we now have an exclusive clip. The film’s action producer, Jason Ninh Cao, collaborated with action director Vincent Wang (Dracula Untold, The Great Wall) in designing the spectacle right down to the last squib. You can also take a gander at that effort in a recently-released five-minute behind-the-scenes look at the film which showcases speaking segments from Wang, Vu and other crew. Ngoan stars from a script by Vu and co-writer Kay Nguyen which sees An, a woman stumble upon a cave with mysterious secrets that unveil the tumultuous […]

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THE PAPER TIGERS

UNFOLDING ‘THE PAPER TIGERS’: Catching Up With Filmmaker Bao Tran

For what it’s worth, director Bao Tran’s 2015 short, The Challenger, was just the shot in the arm needed to help grow his brewing vision for a larger feature narrative. That evolution will next arise as The Paper Tigers which now has a new campaign pending as of Monday to accrue the necessary support needed before rolling cameras some time in the first or second quarter of next year. Tran is joined by producers Michael Velasquez, Al’n Duong, Dan Gildark, and cult cinema favorite, Yuji Okumoto, along with a cadre of ripe, experienced talents as of late for a recently-filmed ten-minute pitch that Tran and Duong brought to the Frontières forum earlier this year to present the film to buyers. Essentially having shot two proofs this time around, I sought an opportunity to try and share an update from the director about his endeavors. The official website is still up […]

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Tony Jaa in South Africa to film MONSTER HUNTER

Tony Jaa Arrives To South Africa Ahead Of Production For MONSTER HUNTER

EXCLUSIVE: On Tueday evening, Film Combat Syndicate reported an exclusive story essentially tying into news over at The Hollywood Reporter about Screen Gems’ forthcoming production of Capcom video game adaptation, Monster Hunter. Beckoning the involvement of Resident Evil cohorts and producing partners Paul W.S. Anderson, Jeremy Bolt and Robert Kulzer, the film also has actors T.I. Harris and Ron Perlman and actress Milla Jovovich all starring. Jaa took to Twitter to post his arrival in South Africa (as well as an exclusive photo for us which you see above) where production kicks off next month and you can read up on that report by clicking here. It’s also worth noting that Jaa initially tweeted our article and essentially had to remove it due to timing. Unfortunately that didn’t stop internet decrepit types from trying to deter the legitimacy of my work on this site and thus, I had words in […]

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MONSTER HUNTER: Tony Jaa Joins The Milla Jovovich-Led Cast For The Live-Action Game Adaptation

EXCLUSIVE: The last two years saw the quiet development of Monster Hunter from Resident Evil franchise duo Paul W.S. Anderson and producing partner Jeremy Bolt. The adaptation of the hit 2004 video game IP is now finally taking shape with word that actor and martial artist Tony Jaa will play The Hunter, joining the casting line-up announced earlier this evening at The Hollywood Reporter. For every Monster, there is a Hero. An ordinary man in a dead end job discovers that he is actually the descendant of an ancient hero. He must travel to a mystical world to train to become a Monster Hunter, before the mythical creatures from that world destroy ours. As The Hollywood Reporter’s Borys Kit noted on Tuesday evening, actor and recording artist T.I. Harris is joining the cast as Link with famed Hellboy persona Ron Perlman playing Admiral, leader of the Hunters’ crew. The film […]

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