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DEATHSTALKER Reboot Casts Daniel Bernhardt For April Shoot

If you follow film fandom or “Action Twitter” or anything relevant to actor and action star Daniel Bernhardt, you’ve probably went about as nuts as everyone else when you read the Screendaily exclusive reporting plans to reboot 80s cult sword-and-sorcery thriller, Deathstalker. There are four of these films in existence stemming from the 1983 installment, capitalizing off of successes like the Conan films and Red Sonja with a similar allure. The first, produced by Roger Corman among others and starring Rick Hill, sees the titular warrior banding together with several other heroes ahead of a tournament hosted by a wicked sorceror in a seedy plot to retain power. That film is now getting a facelift at the behest of PG: Psycho Goreman director Steven Kostanski who will also pen the script. Bernhardt, a longstanding name in the genre with credits stretching back to the DTV action era and as of […]

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THE ACCOUNTANT 2: New Details As The Sequel Moves To Amazon MGM

Lee B. Golden III

New details are now out for The Accountant 2, marking the latest developments for the new sequel after years of development. Ben Affleck and Gavin O’Connor are teaming as star and director, respectively, following news earlier this year the film would begin production. The inaugural 2016 Warner Bros. release film, The Accountant, saw Affleck in the role of Christian Wolff, a math savant and certified accountant on the autism spectrum. His job routinely sees him uncooking the books for criminal organizations, and utilizing his skills as an assassin to keep going. His latest assignment then, at a Robotics firm leads to a series of deadly twists that eventually put him face-to-face in a violent family reunion with his brother, played by Jon Bernthal. The film also starred Anna Kendrick and J.K. Simmons, along, and Cynthia Addai-Robinson who plays a relentless Treasury agent hunting down Wolff’s real identity and whereabouts. All […]

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Boston Underground XXIV: Horror IMMACULATE To Open, BOY KILLS WORLD To Close Festival For Newly Announced Line-Up

Lee B. Golden III

The 24th annual Boston Underground Film Festival is returning to Cambridge in two weeks, and with a nifty line-up of thirteen titles for attendees to enjoy. Upcoming NEON release, Immaculate, starring Syndey Sweeney will open the festival on March 20 with Moritz Mohr’s new action adventure, Boy Kills World set to bookend things on March 24. Between that period will be a bevy of scintillating thrillers including Chris Nash’s In A Violent Nature starring Ry Barrett, revenge thriller Femme from directors Sam H. Freeman and Ng Choon Ping, and Sébastien Vaniček’s upcoming Shudder release, Infested to name a few. This could be my first run with Boston Underground as I just put in my application for review coverage, so fingers crossed until it’s decided. Tickets and badges will be made available here and here, with Badge holders eligible to make festival selections on March 8. Tickets will be made available […]

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ARCADIAN Trailer Teases A Tale Of Monsters, Men, And Nicolas Cage In The New Survival Thriller

Lee B. Golden III

“Are we not men!? *slams utensil into table*” …That’s gonna be a meme in due time, methinks. That’s also Nicolas Cage as seen in the official trailer for Arcadian, coming to theaters from RLJE Films and Shudder on April 12. It’s about time too seeing as the first look was released over a year ago. Formerly titled “Sand And Stones,” Arcadian reteams Cage with director Benjamin Brewer following their previous SXSW crime thriller entry, The Trust. The film was written by Braven scribe Michael Nilon, and also stars Jaeden Martell, Maxwell Jenkins and Sadie Soverall as it hails the SXSW return of Cage and Brewer next week. In a near future, normal life on Earth has been decimated. Paul and his two sons, Thomas and Joseph, have been living a half-life – tranquility by day and torment by night. One day, Thomas doesn’t return home on time from a visit […]

INFESTED Creepily Crawls Onto Shudder In April

Lee B. Golden III

Sébastien Vaniček’s latest horror thriller is getting the North American treatment with Infested, which launches exclusively on Shudder beginning April 26. The film scored two César Awards nominations during its festival run while winning several Bests at Sitges and at Fantastic Fest last year. Kaleb is about to turn 30 and has never been lonelier. He’s fighting with his sister over an inheritance and has cut ties with his best friend. Fascinated by exotic animals, he finds a venomous spider in a shop and brings it back to his apartment. It only takes a moment for the spider to escape and reproduce, turning the whole building into a dreadful web trap. The only option for Kaleb and his friends is to find a way out and survive. Infested stars Théo Christine, Finnegan Oldfield, Jérôme Niel, Sofia Lesaffre, and Lisa Nyarko. Check out the trailer!

Audience Favorite HUNDREDS OF BEAVERS Now Playing In Select Theaters

Lee B. Golden III

Director Mike Cheslik’s new comedy feature, Hundreds Of Beavers, has officially begun its North American rollout after making the rounds with its Great Lakes Roadshow beginning in January. Cheslik reteams with actor Ryland Brickson Cole Tews following their previous work on 2018’s Lake Michigan Monster. Filmed in the span of four years between Michigan and Wisconsin, Tews stars in Hundreds Of Beavers from a script he and Cheslik wrote for a story that combines robust live-action slapstick and thrills with zany cartoon spectacle and laughs. Combined with appearances by the cast during the Roadshow with Q&As bookending the premieres, Hundreds Of Beavers stands to be one of the most immersive, interactive theatrical experiences for anyone who’s had the chance to come to one of these. Set in the 1800s, Hundreds Of Beavers tells of Jean Kayak (Tews), a drunken applejack salesman who suffers the brunt of an intrusive infestation of […]

THE VALIANT ONES: Eureka Lands 4K/Blu-Ray May North American Debut!

Lee B. Golden III

Eureka Entertainment is supplying wuxia film fans with the North American debut of 1975 wuxia classic, The Valiant Ones, arriving May 28. Billed as Taiwanese auteur King Hu’s last great master piece from the Golden Age of wuxia cinema, Eureka is rolling it out as part of their Masters Of Cinema Series in a Blu-Ray/4K HUD bundle, freshly restored in 4K and complete with special features. Only 2000 copies will be made available with the first print edition of each format in each territory to feature limited edition O-card slip cover packaging. Read on below, and don’t miss the latest trailer! The Valiant Ones is perhaps the last true wuxia film directed by celebrated Taiwanese filmmaker King Hu, an undisputed master of the genre. Shot back-to-back with The Fate of Lee Khan (but not released until two years later), it stands as a worthy follow-up to his earlier works Come […]

HONEKO AKABANE’S BODYGUARD Teases First Look At The Blonde-Haired Protector In First Pictoral Promo

Lee B. Golden III

A new manga adaptation is underway with romantic action comedy, Honeko Akabane’s Bodyguard, according to coverage by Comic Natalie over the weekend. Junichi Ishikawa is directing from a script by Hiroyuki Yatsu, based on Masamitsu Nigatsu’s 2022 Kodansha publication for Weekly Shonen Jump, as well as U.S. digital portal, K Manga. A first look announcement was also released as well, featuring actor, recording artist and Snow Man member, Raul. As the manga tells it, secrets are abound as the story unfolds of the adopted daughter of a lawyer, and her third-year delinquent classmate, Ibuki (Raul) who is assigned to secretly protect her from the raft of deadly assassins trying to kill her, and ensure her graduation. More casting and production details remain pending as the film is reportedly expected to wrap in June in time for an August 2 release from Shochiku. Take a look below!

WILD ZERO 2: Crowdfunding For Cult Hit Punk Sci-Fi Action Horror Sequel Kicks Off In One Week!

Lee B. Golden III

Director Tetsuro Takeuchi’s 2000 cult hit thriller, Wild Zero, is finally getting a sequel with Wild Zero 2: The Strongest Blood Of Humanity, after several years of ramping up efforts to make the film a reality, global pandemics be damned. With an early-shot pilot promo taking off once more just in time for the film’s upcoming Kickstarter campaign launching March 10, the team is now putting the word out for fans to bookmark the page for reminders in time for the launch. Takeuchi announced the campaign officially at an event a few days ago with Wild Zero co-stars, celebrated rock band Guitar Wolf whose titular lead singer and frontman, Guitar Wolf, stars in the inaugural film, as well as the pilot promo, and the upcoming sequel. Director Tetsuro Takeuchi said there is strong interest from Wild Zero fans around the world for the sequel. Delayed due to covid19 we have […]

THE PRINCESS WARRIOR Fends Off An Ambush With A Royal Beatdown In A New Clip [EXCLUSIVE]

Lee B. Golden III

Filmmaker S. Baasanjargal and co-helmer Shuudertsetseg Baatarsuren will be making landfall this Friday with the release of Mongolian action adventure, The Princess Warrior. To celebrate the occassion, we have an exclusive clip from the film which you can view below, teasing some of the action that awaits, and featuring actress Tsedoo Munkhbat who stars in the title role based on Baatarsuren’s own 2017 novel. The movie itself centers on legendary warrior princess, Khutulun, who despite being embattled with gender expectations and patriarchal hierarchy, rises to the occasion when an assassination attempt on her father compels her to jet across the land with her warrior bretheren, and retrieve a stolen family keepsake from the clutches of an evil would-be warlord. The clip is set midway into the film and is the third key action sequences in which our heroine and her band of warriors must fight for their lives, against a […]

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ONE-PERCENT WARRIOR: Win A Copy Of Tak Sakaguchi’s New Action Thriller On Blu-Ray From Well Go USA!

Lee B. Golden III

If you’re on Twitter/X a good deal and you follow Tom Mes, you’re welcome to scan his page and you’ll get a hint at why nowadays I find myself likely closing a chapter (if not temporarily) in my film coverage, namely as we approach the release of one of Well Go USA’s recent acquisitions out of the far East, One Percent Warrior starring Tak Sakaguchi. Otherwise, the film is due out on March 12 on Blu-Ray, and I’m giving away a few copies to readers. All you need to do is send us an e-mail at filmcombatsyndicate@gmail.com with your favorite Tak Sakaguchi film or fight scene. That’s it. Plain and simple. The contest runs through March 11 at 11pm, EST as of this post. Otherwise, enjoy the clips below, and good luck! International action sensation Tak Sakaguchi (Bad City, Versus) — “one of action cinema’s reigning kings of on-screen fighting…lightning […]

YOLO Trailer: Jia Ling’s Lunar New Year Box Office Knock Out Lands Select U.S. Theatrical Release In March

Lee B. Golden III

Actress, filmmaker and comedienne Jia Ling drew a Chinese Lunar New Year box office hit with her new boxing comedy, YOLO (a.k.a. Hot & Spicy). Following its acquisition by Sony Pictures earlier this month, the studio launched the official trailer on Friday for international release. Le Ying (played by Jia Ling) has been staying at home for many years, doing nothing in particular. After graduating from college and working for a while, Le Ying chooses to withdraw from society, closing herself off from social circles, which she believes is the best way to “reconcile” with herself. One day, after several twists of fate, she decides to live life in a different way. In cautiously venturing into the outside world, Le Ying meets boxing coach Hao Kun (played by Lei Jia-Yin). Just when she thinks life is about to take a positive turn, the challenges that follow far exceed her imagination, […]

James Gunn’s SUPERMAN Takes Flight As Cameras Roll With Logo Reveal And Title Change

Lee B. Golden III

James Gunn is flying high on Leap Day with a first look at the newest incarnation of the title logo for the formerly-titled Superman: Legacy. Now titled Superman, the film is now in production with David Corenswet donning the titular “symbol of hope” per DC lore for its July 11 release Per plot details revealed last year, Superman “tells the story of Superman’s journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent of Smallville, Kansas. He is the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way, guided by human kindness in a world that sees kindness as old-fashioned.” Corenswet is joined by Rachel Broshanan who plays Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult who has shaven his head accordingly to portray Lex Luthor. Also starring are Isabela Merced, Maria Gabriela de Faria and Nathan Fillon, along with Anthony Carrigan, Skyler Gisondo, Sara Sampaio, Milly Alcock, Edi Gathegi, Terrence Rosemore […]

TRON: ARES Teases Key Character Reveal For The Third Entry

Lee B. Golden III

Entertainment news dives back into franchise territory with a closer look at the character actor Jared Leto will play in Tron: Ares. Production is under way from director Joachim Rønning and a cast that also lists Evan Peters, Greta Lee, Hasan Minhaj, Jodie Turner-Smith, Arturo Castro, Cameron Monaghan and Gillian Anderson. Steven Lisberger, Bonnie MacBird, and Jack Thorne penned the pic. Tron: Ares follows a highly sophisticated Program, Ares, who is sent from the digital world into the real world on a dangerous mission, marking humankind’s first encounter with A.I. beings. Tron: Ares is the long-anticipated threequel to the franchise that took off in 1982 with Steven Lisberger’s Tron, and continued with Joseph Kosinski’s 2010 successor, Tron: Legacy. The new chapter will release in 2025 from Disney.

THE PRINCESS WARRIOR Trailer Revealed For New Mongolian Action Adventure

Lee B. Golden III

Omnibus Entertainment is proudly staking itself in the latest pairing from debut director S. Baasanjargal and co-helmer Shuudertsetseg Baatarsuren, The Princess Warrior. The Mongolian action adventure was penned by Boldkhuyag Damdinsuren, and Baatarsuren whose 2017 novel serves as the basis for the film. Descended from Genghis Khan and skilled in all forms of military combat, Princess Khutulun (Tsedoo Munkhbat) is one of the fiercest warriors in the Mongol Empire. Despite her talents on the battlefield, Khutulun is still expected to marry, and her father, Kaidu Khan, arranges for a union with the prince of Pamir. But on the night when their emissaries meet, Kaidu is ambushed by an assassin sent by his sworn enemy Khubilai, and the Golden Sutra is stolen. Vowing revenge, Khutulun and her clan set out on an epic journey to retrieve the sacred text and restore peace to their homeland. Tsedoo Munkhbat stars along with Altantur Altanjargal, […]

THE CROW Takes Off With New Stills From The Upcoming Remake From Lionsgate

Lee B. Golden III

New stills are out for Rupert Sanders’s The Crow as Lionsgate plots a June 7 release. The film stars Bill Skarsgård, FKA twigs and Danny Huston in a story based on the hit graphic novel by James O’Barr. Soulmates Eric Draven (Skarsgård) and Shelly Webster (FKA twigs) are brutally murdered when the demons of her dark past catch up with them. Given the chance to save his true love by sacrificing himself, Eric sets out to seek merciless revenge on their killers, traversing the worlds of the living and the dead to put the wrong things right. The stills first made their debut over at Vanity Fair on Wednesday, with an in-depth look at Skarsgård and the cast, as well as statements by Sanders on the production, his motivations and working with the cast. It wasn’t long after the stills made the rounds on social media and ardent fans of […]

BRUSH OF THE GOD Teaser Strokes A Mighty Cinematic Offering From A Kaiju Cinema Legend

Lee B. Golden III

An idea more than forty years in the making and two years since heading up crowdfunding efforts at Kickstarter and Motion Gallery, celebrated kaiju costume designer Keizo Murase will finally get his day with upcoming kaiju feature, Brush Of The God. Plans are in motion to premiere the film at the 19th edition of the Osaka Asian Film Festival in March, before scoring releases throughout Japan and abroad. Thus, Murase’s Brush Of The God now has an official teaser going which certainly lends to earlier notions of Murase’s aim toward using old school special effects and practical filmmaking while crafting a story suited to delight today’s audience. Brush Of The God stars Rio Suzuki and Takeru Narahara, with a script by Takeshi Nakazawa, and with cinematography and SFX artistry by Daisuke Sato who also produced the film. Below is more info on the film in the OAFF programming notes by […]

EL GATO: Diego Boneta-Led Series Comic Adaptation Gets New Home At Amazon

Lee B. Golden III

Long awaited series development of Richard Dominguez’s pulp Latinx superhero comic, “El Gato Negro,” now has a new home at Amazon Prime according to trade news on Monday, as well as a new title in the form of El Gato. The update comes following MGM Television’s attachment to the project along with the casting of actor Diego Boneta in 2019, in addition to the hire of Robert Rodriguez to direct and exec produce for Apppe TV+. Per the reports, Rodriguez is no longer attached to the show as well, while creator Eric Carrasco (Foundation, Supergirl) remains on board the project to exec produce and co-showrun next to alongside exec producers Turi Meyer and Alfredo Septién. Boneta will also exec produce via his Three Amigos banner, as will Steve Stark of Toluca Pictures, Andrew Mittman of 1.21, and Carla Gonzalez Vargas. The “El Gato Negro” comic franchise launched in 1993 from […]

ESCAPE: Catch The Chilling New Trailer For Howard J. Ford’s Action Thriller From Saban Films

Lee B. Golden III

The official trailer is currently running for Escape, the chilling new action survival thriller from writer and director Howard J. Ford (DarkGame). The film stars Sarah Alexandra Marks and Sophie Rankin, along with Sean Cronin, Louis James, Angela Dixon, Glenn Salvage, Jon-Paul Gates, Ksenia Islamova, Tiffany Hannam-Daniels, and Anthony Ofogebu. Best friends Carla and Tamsin, embark on a serene island vacation seeking relaxation and adventure. Their idyllic getaway takes an ominous turn when a ruthless criminal gang kidnaps them. As the gang soon discovers, they have gravely underestimated the strength and determination of these two women. What was meant to be an easy score becomes a high-stakes game of survival, as Carla and Tamsin turn the tables on their captors, transforming a vacation nightmare into a gripping tale of empowerment, resilience, and unexpected. Saban Films will release Escape in theaters and on VOD beginning March 15. Check out the trailer.

EASTBOUND TRAFFIC Flows With Behind-The-Scenes Photos From Chuck Johnson’s Feature Directing Debut [EXCLUSIVE]

Lee B. Golden III

Film Combat Syndicate was allowed to present a raft of exclusive behind-the-scenes photos from the set of upcoming crime drama, Eastbound Traffic. The film is written and directed by Tokyo-based actor, stunt performer and filmmaker Chuck Johnson who just completed the first full rough edit of the film following pre-production a little over a year ago, and rolling cameras late last year. Ten years in the making, Eastbound Traffic marks the first of five films out of Johnson’s Quiet Flame production outfit, packaging social impact-driven narratives and messaging with compelling stories and stylish action. The movie also serves as the feature launchpad for Quiet Flame following its 2015 start-up as Japan’s first and only English-first stunt team before evolving into a training institution. To its credit, performers out of Quiet Flame have since appeared in numerous projects including – but not limited to – Jared Leto’s 2018 Netflix yakuza drama […]