News

Sony Moves Up HARBINGER To Kick-Off Its Valiant Comics-Based Cinematic Universe

It was last Spring that people learned a little more about Valiant Comics as it notched up its credentials with a publishing deal through DMG Entertainment for several of Valiant’s properties. That news later followed through with an announcement shortly thereafter regarding Sony Pictures’s stake in establishing a cinematic universe leading up to a Harbinger Wars adaptation, inspired by Valiant’s 2013 crossover event publication. There was even talk of getting 87Eleven Action Design head duo, filmmakers David Leitch and Chad Stahelski in the director’s chair for Bloodshot then set to be the first film in line at the time, although both titles were among several that the pair were being hyped by news outlets to helm after scoring big in 2014 with the Keanu Reeves hit action vehicle, John Wick. Since then, all has been quiet on the Valiant and Sony front so there really has been no knowing of […]

Never Bring A Gun To A Cage Fight In The New LUKE CAGE Trailer

Lee B. Golden III

Apart from other plans currently being set in motion, I know how I will be spending my weekend following September 30. Enter actor Mike Colter as Marvel’s newest hero on Netflix, Luke Cage, post Jessica Jones with the goal of a new pacifist life in Harlem until once more disturbed by the rising crime wave courtesy of Cottonmouth, played by actor Mahershala Ali. A second official trailer is now online and you can check it out below, but if you’re not already sold, you probably won’t be. Marvel and Netflix have already endured a winning track record with the two current shows out of four as we approach Defenders territory and possibly a Heroes For Hire venture in which Colter would utimately join Finn Jones now on deck for the upcoming fourth Marvel program, Iron Fist which will likely air next year. And no, not even that may be all, […]

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: An Interview With Steven Yu

Lee B. Golden III

You might recognize the video above if you follow independent martial arts movies. Videos like these are a culmination of years of fandom and the hard work it takes to keep that fandom alive, and there’s no question that actor, martial artist and stunt fighter Steven Yu has contributed his fair share, and with any luck, still is. As it is, Yu is one of the dozens and dozens of people I’ve been following in the world of online independent film since 2004 when I first started watching Bilang.com tricking videos and Zero Gravity practice fights for my own evening enjoyment. (Sometimes my Quicktime player [I owned a PC, not a Mac] would crash, whereas my Windows Media Player would save the day. Fun times). Jump over to 2005 and short films like Stephen Reedy’s award-winning kung fu ninja comedy, Undercut would propel me into the workload of the San […]

Jesse Johnson's SAVAGE DOG Inks A New Poster

Lee B. Golden III

Actor Scott Adkins is already reaping acclaim among Fantastic Fest attendees in the hours since catching wind of the premiere of Todor Chapkanov’s Boyka: Undisputed. Partly it’s a matter of great timing as well with director Jesse Johnson in the wake of updating his own website with a fresh new poster headling his newly completed film, Savage Dog. Details on the film have remained all but scant on the story since the film was unveiled ahead of production at Cannes back in May. However, select cast members have taken to various outlets to tease minor details about the film with Adkins revealing his role as a fugitive IRA member hiding from the British and forced into pit fighting as a captive in lawless land in 1954 Indochina where ex-Nazis live in hiding. Other story details will utimately unveil with the casting appearances of actor Vladmir Kulich along with Crouching Tiger, […]

Tell Machinima To Release STREET FIGHTER: RESURRECTION To The World!

Lee B. Golden III

Well, I really don’t know what to think or say at this point with Machinima still stalling on granting director Joey Ansah’s hit miniseries, Street Fighter: Resurrection. The four-part endeavor premiered back in March and solely to North American audience as per the availability of mobile users downloading the go90 app and was a jewel of a showcase for fans still clamoring for more after Ansah shut 2014 down with the hit feature film/online series installation, Street Fighter: Assassin’s Fist. I’ve tried finding out more about Resurrection and it’s safe to say I know about as much as the average person reading this article. I do know one thing, however, and it is that the wide release of this series to ever-patient audiences outside of the U.S. market is in Machinima’s hands. I’ve reached out to them twice about it and have heard nothing from them to no avail (I […]

2343dc_e53d21bf17d14cef80dc02aa155aa9967Emv2

Len Kabasinski’s ANGEL OF RECKONING Unleashes Hell In The Trailer For Its VOD Release

Lee B. Golden III

Actress Jessica Kabasinski is bringing some grindhouse style fierceness in her latest flick, Angel Of Reckoning. This one came as a surprise as I was browsing online and found a piece posted over at ScreenAnarchy and given that it’s an action flick, of course it peaked my curiosity and for what it’s worth, the trailer itself sells. A female war veteran returns home only to learn of a family member’s murder. Determined to find out who is responsible she takes a stage name and gets a job at a go-go club, where she is able to learn details about the criminal underworld. The film, marking actor, stuntman and martial artist Len Kabasinski’s 12th stint at the helm, is now on VoD with links available at the official Killer Wolf Films website, and is expected DVD kiosks by November. Kabasinski’s next effort currently has a crowdfunder attached to it at GoFundMe […]

Catch The Trailer For Joey Curtis’s Award-Winning Action Sci-Fi, 2307: WINTER’S DREAM

Lee B. Golden III

Pining for a little indie sci-fi to go with your movie fandom? You might find yourself keen on acclaimed shortfilm director Joey Curtis in the wake of his new independent sci-fi action feature debut, 2307: Winter’s Dream which is rolling out heavy in festivals and just earned a Best Director nod in L.A.. Release details are now pending following the film’s acquisition by multiple territories in Japan, throughout Europe and the Middle East, and more likely on the way with Ultraviolet and SC Films representing the film internationally. In the meantime, festival goers in upstate New York will get a chance to screen the film as well as talk to the creative team behind the project next month before the film heads out to this year’s 37th edition of the American Film Market for buyers. Peep the details below and catch the trailer! LOS ANGELES, Sept. 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — The […]

BATTLE ANGEL: ALITA Casts Ed Skrein As Its Villain

Lee B. Golden III

October is the current goal for the Austin, Texas bound production of director Robert Rodriguez’s latest contribution to live-action anime/manga film lore, Battle Angel: Alita. For this, word now from THR brings actor Ed Skrein into the mix as the villain opposite actress Rose Salazar cast in the title role as of May. Inspired by Kishiro Yukito’s 1990-1995 Shueisha manga, Salazar will play Alita, an amnesiac cyborg whose head is found by a scientist in a scrapyard in a dystopian future America, and refurbished as a battle-capable cyborg huntress named after the scientist’s cat. The film, according to THR, will eventually see Alita taking on Skrein’s role of Zapan, a villanous cyborg who wields a weapon called the Damascus Blade. James Cameron and Jon Landau are producing the film at 20th Century Fox with a cast that also includes Christoph Waltz cast as Doctor Dyson Ido, the cybersurgeon who salvages […]

Marko Zaror Goes Ex-Navy SEAL For Daniel Zirilli's Latest Film Shooting In November

Lee B. Golden III

It was a little under three weeks ago that Time Rush and Asian Connection helmer Daniel Zirilli shared the above picture annoucing a new project in development for a Bangkok-bound shoot. Details are still pending but reports over at Screen Anarchy have otherwise confirmed an official start date and story info with action star Marko Zaror back in his first solo vehicle since El Redentor in 2014. Bruno Leone, a former Navy SEAL, has his new solitary life in Southeast Asia interrupted when a mysterious girl washes ashore. Athena, reluctant to share the details of her past, develops a relationship of hope with Bruno. Their world is sent crashing down when Athena is taken captive (on a remote Island in the Andaman sea) by Dr. Vitor Strozzi, Commander Krieger, and a team of elite commandos. Determined to get Athena back, Bruno wages a one man war to rescue her and […]

the-new-power-rangers-movie-will-include-dinozords-and-alpha-5-social

Alpha 5 Joins SABAN'S POWER RANGERS

Lee B. Golden III

Fox Kids If there were ever any doubt that “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” series regular, Alpha 5, wouldn’t be included in the new upcoming reboot film from Lionsgate, Saban’s Power Rangers, doubt no further. The studio announced actor and voice performer Bill Hader (Finding Dory) for the role this week following a cast and crew panel announcement scheduled for next month at New York Comic Con, upon which new posters were also unveiled. Aye-yi-yi! Welcome #BillHader as #Alpha5 to the #PowerRangersMovie – Coming in 2017! pic.twitter.com/tEeJqEPISE — Power Rangers (@ThePowerRangers) September 22, 2016 SYNOPSIS: Saban’s Power Rangers follows five ordinary high school kids who must become something extraordinary when they learn that their small town of Angel Grove – and the world – is on the verge of being obliterated by an alien threat. Chosen by destiny, our heroes quickly discover that they are the only ones who can save […]

Fuqua Will Return To Direct THE EQUALIZER 2 Starting Next September

Lee B. Golden III

This weekend begins the theatrical run of Antoine Fuqua’s latest endeavor, The Magnificent Seven, reinterpreting John Sturges’s own 1960 remake classic inspired by Kurosawa Akira’s earlier epic, Seven Samurai. The film has been on the campaign trail following a string of trailers and promos leading up to its premiere at TIFF earlier this month, and with select cast and crew on deck for the publicity tour as of late, fans and onlookers are getting a little more first-hand insight on the film, which headlines an ensemble cast led by actor Denzel Washington. The film reunites the actor/director duo following their stellar 2001 crime drama, Training Day, and their 2014 reunion, The Equalizer, inspired by the popular 1985 television series of the same name. Joining Washington with actress Chloë Grace-Moretz and actor Martin Csokas, Richard Wenk wrote the script which centered our lead actor in the title role – a former […]

Xu Reverts Back To His Source Material As Production Commences On Martial Arts Epic, THE HIDDEN BLADE

Lee B. Golden III

Following the work of acclaimed author and filmmaker Xu Haofeng pretty much grants you an audience to a body of work often observed as a harkening back to a bygone era of kung fu cinema. His recent acclaim with the Chinese supersharp martial arts drama, The Master (a.k.a. The Final Master) is proof of that, following titles like The Sword Identity and this year’s long awaited release, Arrow Arbitration (titled Judge Archer in the U.S. and elsewhere). Thus, we are now presented with news of the advancement of his fourth stint at the helm, The Hidden Blade, another based on one of Xu’s own novels. Actress Summer Xu Qing who stars next to T.O.P. in the upcoming action thriller, Out Of Control, leads the cast for a story (logline courtesy of Cesar Alejandro Jr. at FilmSmash via MTime) centered in the 1930s with war-weathered Chinese swordsmen guarding the Great Wall. […]

Review: Ozawa Brings Notoriety To Lopez’s Substance In NILALANG (2015)

Lee B. Golden III

In covering a lot of action movies or film in general, you don’t always hear of instances of porn actors and making transitions to more serious careers in acting. When you do, though, it does present an interesting sense of appeal, and for me, considering some of the surprises I’ve seen in the action genre, I’m certainly no one pigeonhole anybody into a category, and I think many would concur with me. That said, in the case of director Pedring Lopez’s new action horror, Nilalang, I think at least one of the biggest factors in this film’s press coverage was the casting of former adult entertainer Maria Ozawa – one of actually two former adult entertainers on my radar making their leap forward to more solid film roles. It’s a noteworthy effort to make, and especially here for Ozawa who co-stars with a lead cast led by actor Cesar Montano, […]

Dolph Lundrgen Is On The Hunt For Demons In The First Trailer For DON'T KILL IT

Lee B. Golden III

Fantastic Fest is officially underway in Austin, Texas from now through next week and attendees will have plenty of reasons to be entertained. No less including director Mike Mendez’s new movie, Don’t Kill It, the first trailer premiered exclusively at Entertainment Weekly back in May, and with none other than action star Dolph Lundgren in the role of a demon hunter in a rural Alaskan pitted against a body-hopping evil spirit using its hosts to committ violent acts of murder. The film is finally getting its U.S. premiere this Saturday following its third wave announcement earlier this month, accompanied by a stellar preshow of psychedelic Western martial arts action, comedy and madness from filmmaker Stephen Reedy with his latest shortfilm, The Man From Death, starring Eric R. Lim. As for Don’t Kill It, here’s how festival programmer Evrim Ersoy describes it: After giving us a BIG ASS SPIDER to contend […]

Rupert Sanders’s GHOST IN THE SHELL Movie Teases Kusanagi, Self-Discovery And Aramaki At Point Blank Range

Lee B. Golden III

Alas, the first footage has finally arrived to promote the Paramount/Dreamworks release of the new sci-fi cyberpunk fantasy, Ghost In The Shell which opens in theaters on March 2017. And so with it, if you’ve been tuning in, returns the elephant in the room – the unnerving contention surrounding the casting with respect to its roots as a Japanese anime, and the ensuing topic of whitewashing Asian characters as per the usual practice of Hollywood. Is it okay? Of course not. That said, if director Rupert Sanders can still manage to fuse a story together for its first-time iteration for the big screen, it’ll be a win, even if it doesn’t fly in the faces of those in protest since there’s still a point to be made. Undoubtedly, lead actress Scarlett Johnansson, front and center as Major Motoko Kusanagi, is usually terrific at what she does on screen, and at […]

The Zords Have Landed In The New #GoGo Comic-Con Posters For SABAN’S POWER RANGERS!

Lee B. Golden III

Next year be close to 20 years since the Americanized crossover tokusatsu series, Power Rangers, landed a Hollywood big screen feature. Earth To Echo helmer Dean Israelite now sits in to spearhead the latest induction, Saban’s Power Rangers, rebooting for a March 24, 2017 release and a hopeful franchise of its own, and as such, will be another notch in the fandom to keep aware of ahead of New York City Comic-Con in October. SYNOPSIS: Saban’s Power Rangers follows five ordinary high school kids who must become something extraordinary when they learn that their small town of Angel Grove – and the world – is on the verge of being obliterated by an alien threat. Chosen by destiny, our heroes quickly discover that they are the only ones who can save the planet. But to do so they will have to overcome their real-life issues and band together as the […]

Keanu Reeves Is Tailored To Kick Ass In The First Teaser Poster For JOHN WICK: CHAPTER TWO

Lee B. Golden III

February is turning into an exciting month for action film fans next year. The Mo’ Bros’s latest, Headshot is being released in the U.S. by then, as is Lionsgate’s upcoming John Wick: Chapter Two which has a date stamped for February 10, 2017. Keanu Reeves is back to lead the film cast with a mix of new and old faces, including fellow The Matrix Trilogy co-star Lawrence Fishburne for the continuing story of the ex-hitman who, in the 2014 film, raided the criminal auspices of his former employer whose son murdered his beloved dog handed to him by his late wife, played by actress Bridget Moynahan who also returns in the sequel. The first film, written by Derek Kolstad, marked a resurgence for Reeves as the film was a low-budget affair for helmer Chad Stahelski and co-director/producer David Leitch, both hailing from prolific career histories as Hollywood stuntmen, second unit […]

Tencent, Goyer To Develop Slate Of China-Based Film And TV Projects

Lee B. Golden III

With the continued ever-bustling business of movies these days, you’ll hear a lot more talk of Hollywood and China sharing the same space. It’s a relationship that teeters from time to time, albeit beneficial to the parties involved, including Tencent Pictures and screenwriter David S. Goyer (Nolan’s Batman Trilogy, Man Of Steel, Batman V. Superman: Dawn Of Justice) who will now be working together on a spate of original projects for China. Check out the official announcement from Tuesday: SHENZHEN, China, Sept. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — Tencent Pictures has announced a dynamic slate of more than 20 new film and television production projects for 2016-2017, from the adaptation of popular Japanese TV series to the development of original Hollywood-style action films. The studio has also tapped David S. Goyer, screenwriter of the Dark Knight trilogy and Batman vs. Superman, to explore the development of original content for China and overseas […]

STAR TREK: BEYOND Lands U.S. Release On DVD, Blu-Ray/4K Ultra HD And Digital HD On October 4 And November 1

Lee B. Golden III

With a fourth Star Trek possibly in the works, director Justin Lin’s Star Trek: Beyond is now on par for a digital U.S. release on October 4, followed by a glossy 4K Ultra HD and Blu-Ray combo release on November 1. Sure, not everyone feels the same way about this particular franchise in the wake of the 50th anniversary celebration of sci-fi founding father Gene Roddenberry’s original series, but it still packs an edginess that makes the films fun to enjoy nonetheless, and certainly with a heartfelt send off for two of its late actors in the last few years. Read the announcement below from Paramount! HOLLYWOOD, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The intrepid crew of the USS Enterprise returns in “the best action movie of the year” (Scott Mantz, “Access Hollywood”). The “highly entertaining” (David Rooney, Hollywood Reporter) new installment in the iconic franchise, STAR TREK BEYOND sets a course on 4K Ultra […]

SPEAK OUT: Which Femme Fatales Would You Like To See Starring Opposite Alain Moussi In KICKBOXER: SYNDICATE?

Lee B. Golden III

John Stockwell’s Kickboxer: Vengeance is now available wherever movies are sold in the U.S. and Canada with other screenings pending. It’s a film that otherwise garners caution for fans as a rebooted fanfare that nonetheless has actor and martial artist Alain Moussi leading the action vehicle next to the star of its original iteration, actor Jean-Claude Van Damme. John Stockwell directed the first film which introduced an array of professional fighting athletes into film – folks like Georges St. Pierre who greets our protagonist at the top of the film just as he attempts to infiltrate the fight camp headed by notorious underground legend, Tong Po, reiterated by actor and martial artist Dave Bautista. Also making their appearances were Cain Velasquez along with Fabricio Werdum, adding to the roster of athletes that are ultimately comprising the new Kickboxer reboot in its current growth as a trilogy. Thus, the sequel is […]