It’s been about a year since writer/director John Balazs launched the teaser for his newest action-packed shortfilm endeavor, Black Site. The project reteams him with the usual crew over at his Prima Lux Films label and actor/exec producer Matt Theo who also starred in Balazs’s 2021 feature debut, Rage.
Well on his way with a fourth outing in Stairs, writer/director Tom Paton’s latest sci-fi thriller, Black Site, finally has an official trailer after earning its street cred among festival goers in the past year. It’s a victory lap for actress and martial artist Samantha Schnitzler (Duchess) who makes her feature debut, and with Epic Pictures Group delivering an April 9 U.S. release on Blu-Ray and VOD.
It took a while to get good grip on what was happening with director, actor and martial artist Vincent Soberano with Blood Hunters: Rise Of The Hybrids. At long last however, Soberano has affirmed his stake in cinema with at least one other project along the way while in the meantime, the aforementioned new action horror already has a first teaser trailer sampling a bit of the narrative inspired by Filipino folklore. Soberano is joined by Sarah Chang, Monsour Del Rosario and Mayling Ng for the story of a tactical unit set to hunt down the Queen of the Aswang. That’s all we have for now while this years first teaser should be enough of a reminder until further notice
I want to believe that The Gate is still a thing that exists. Talk of a feature film still sits on the back of my mind following a rousing directing effort from Kellie Madision whose 2016 proof-of-concept DEFINITELY proved the hell out of itself. It samples the tale of an supernatural MMA fighter who sets out to rescue her sister from the clutches of a dark criminal organization, and with story centric with Pencak and MMA for its blistering fight choreography and performance hosted by Lady Bloodfight star Amy Johnston who leads the project and has since been attached to carry the feature. Folks who’ve seen the short know that none of the public praise shown for it is hyperbole and for that, I sincerly hope The Gate feature film isn’t all wishful thinking at this point.
Speaking of Indonesian-peppered action, I caught up with actress and director Livi Zheng a few months ago who reassured me of a project that initially got the ball rolling last year with a teaser. That project is Insight, marking Zheng’s second narrative thriller since debuting in 2015 with Brush With Danger from which her co-star, actor and martial artist Ken Zheng also joins in with the involvement of The Raid franchise favorite Yayan Ruhian getting in on the action pertinent to the tale of a martial artist and a clarvoiyant solving crimes. Progress has been slow to pass on this one so keep this one on your wishlist and I’ll touch back on it in due time as updates come.
UK film production outlet Evolutionary Films took to the crowd last month at the Urban Action Showcase and Expo where it earned multiple acclaim for director and action film favorite Ross Boyask latest, Vengenace. Eliminators cinematic adversary, the WWE’s Stu Bennett takes point along with action star Gary Daniels for the telling of a former soldier-turned-merc intent on bringing down the arbiters of a deadly conspiracy that involved the death of his best friend. The film won Bests in Actor, Action and Feature Film overall which clearly sends a message to fans looking to add to their collection this year.
Evolutionary Films
Folks looking forward to more UK action this coming year can look toward Redwood helmer Tom Paton in this regard. Currently in post production with upcoming action horror sci-fi, Black Site, the film debuts actress and martial artist Samantha Schnitzler in the role of a soldier and member of a clandestined militarized organization forced to fend off extemist loyalists bearing down on their facility to release their beloved captive: an evil deity that killed her parents during childhood. Mike Beckingham also stars.
Stay tuned for the next five!
BLACK SITE is the story of REN REID, orphaned as a child when a member of an ancient race known as THE ELDER GODS killed her parents. Twenty years have passed and a fractured Ren now works for the covert group ARTEMIS, an organization set up to capture, contain and deport these ELDER GODS back to the dimension that they came from.
Production continues with upcoming action horror sci-fi, Black Site with actress and martial artist Samantha Schnitzler cast as the lead. Filming started in May and the UK actress just started filming her scenes several days ago, including over the weekend wherein the production unveiled a first look at Schnitzler from the set. Take a look:
Tom Paton directs his third outing, hailing from AirPick Pictures and Tom Paton Film and is described as a mix of elements from The Raid and the vision of H.P. Lovecraft.
Schnitzler, who shares stunt credits on Scott Derrickson’s Marvel adaptation, Doctor Strange, makes her feature film debut as Ren Reid, a member of an organization known as Artemis which detains and deports rogue members of a species known as Elder Gods. The film sets itself twenty years after the murder of Reid’s parents, wherein Artemis finally captures Erebus, the Elder God responsible, only to face a new threat when its worshippers attempt to free their deity from captivity.
With the facility on lockdown, Ren finds an unlikely ally on her quest with just hours left to avenge her parents.
Starring opposite Schnitzler is actor Kris Johnson who plays Erebus. Currently rounding out the cast are actor Mike Beckingham, Bentley Kalu, Alana Wallace, Luke D’Silva, Henry Douthwaite, Toby Osmund, Angela Dixon, Phoebe Robinson-Galvin, Jessica-Jane Stafford, Andrea Vasiliou and Fredi Nwaka for the film’s 2018 release.
Production is already underway for Pandorica helmer Tom Paton’s third feature film, Black Site. For this, news of actor Mike Beckingham’s casting now precedes this week’s breaking news of its official casting of actress Samantha Schnitzler (TV series 50 Ways To Kill Your Lover!, upcoming feature film Darkness Wakes)
Black Site hails from AirPick Pictures and Tom Paton Film and is described as a mix of elements from The Raid and the vision of H.P. Lovecraft. Schnitzler, who shares stunt credits on Scott Derrickson’s Marvel adaptation, Doctor Strange, will play the film’s central protaginist, Ren Reid, a member of an organization known as Artemis which detains and deports rogue members of a species known as Elder Gods.
The film sets itself twenty years after the murder of Reid’s parents, wherein Artemis finally captures Erebus, the Elder God responsible only to face a new threat when its worshippers attempt to free their deity from captivity. With the facility on lockdown, Ren finds an unlikely ally on her quest with just hours left to avenge her parents. Actor Kris Johnson (Welcome To The Punch, Hooligan Legacy) will star as Erebus.
The film is being poised as a franchise starter with the first film releasing in 2018.
Black Site – Casting
A press announcement this week unveiled the production of the new supernational action horror, Black Site. Pandorica helmer Tom Paton makes his third outing here and reunites with Simon Pegg sib, Redwood co-star, actor Mike Beckingham.
Hailing from AirPick Pictures and Tom Paton Film, Black Site is being described as a mix of elements from The Raid and the vision of author H.P. Lovecraft, centered on Ren Reid, a member of an organization known as Artemis which detains and deports rogue members of a species known as Elder Gods. Twenty years after the murder of her parents, Artemis finally captures the Elder God responsible only to face a new threat when worshippers attempt to free their deity from captivity. With the facility on lockdown, Ren finds an unlikely ally on her quest with just hours left to avenge her parents.
The film is currently being hoisted as a potential franchise starter given its subject matter, and with the early acclaim for Redwood ahead of its release later this year. Black Site has a 2018 release with further cast news pending. (ScreenAnarchy)
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