301 TROOP: ARAWN RISING: Hitting The Reset Button For British Action Cinema
Actor Lee Bennett is ready to make 2014 his banner this year with the forthcoming production of his action horror directorial debut, 301 Troop: Arawn Rising. The project marks the first film for Bennett’s new production banner, Only The New Breed, since its launch a year ago led by Bennett, a three year veteran actor and action performer with a proven intense love for film and a passion to reinvigorate the current state of the U.K. action cinema with a fresh vision that harkens back to the glory days of hardcore action cinema for today’s audiences.
301 Troop: Arawn Rising introduces an original tale of two longtime friends – soldiers rejected after failing their commando selection examination, who find themselves in their biggest fight for survival the U.K. Northern wilderness against a clan of possessed Druids performing blood sacrifices in the name of an ancient Celtic underworld god. The film, which is set to go into production this year following further negotiations with distributors, will feature Bennett, actor Alan Calton and actress Cat LaCohie, with Jon Campling, actor and British martial arts cinematic heavy hitter Silvio Simac, and actor Wayne Gordon rounding out the cast.
In December of 2013, Bennett and his crew were finally able to take their project to its next phase, having initally filmed a trailer following a crowdfunding campaign two months earlier. And while the work being an artist and a film producer and director comes weighted with its well over its own fair share of tasks, Bennett‘s own faith in his brand remains unflinching. “Filming the trailer was such a mental week, but it was also the best time of my life.”, he says. “I’m happiest when I’m under pressure, against the clock, bruised and battered and hitting that shit day after day. I’m bringing action back strong, and I’m doing it where it hasn’t been done before, here in the U.K.”.
The footage itself will not be viewed publicly for just a little while longer as Bennett and his company are still handling the business of things. Fortunately however, Film Combat Syndicate earned an exclusive look at the well-over two-minute trailer for 301 Troop: Arawn Rising, and while there wasn’t much to see for just a trailer, it clearly introduces what Bennett is seeking to illustrate in his vision from both sides of the camera, promising authentic drama and physical, hard-hitting performances from himself and the actors themselves without wires or CGI. “I’m following in the foot steps of Sly Stallone. Writing, directing and acting in my own shot. No other British action film maker has ever done that,” he says. “We neither do, nor have we done proper action in the U.K. and I’m going to change that with old-school style action, but up-to-date with the next generation of authentic action actors.”.
With Only The New Breed making headway with 301 Troop: Arawn Rising this year, Bennett and his crew have a clear goal in mind, and fans will learn more about what that entails when the trailer finally arrives. For now though, their official website is up and running, with links to their Twitter and Facebook pages, and plenty of info to learn more about what Only The New Breed has in store. Also, feel free to follow Lee Bennett on Twitter for more exclusive content.
Stay tuned for more info!