david leitch

A Case For Better Action Movies: ATOMIC BLONDE (2017)

A Case For Better Action Movies: ATOMIC BLONDE (2017)

Lee B. Golden III

There’s definitely legitimate reason to stay worried about the craft of action filmmaking, as there are still plenty of people in the film industry with a little too much undeserved authority on how to shoot fights and stunts while telling a cohesive story. Graciously, Atomic Blonde suffers from none of this as with the uptick and proliferation in the last several years of stunt professionals setting precedence behind the camera – specifically the likes of current Deadpool 2 helmer David Leitch in his solo directing debut after partnering with fellow 87Eleven Action chief, Chad Stahelski, for 2014 hit film, John Wick. Transitioned from Antony Johnston’s “The Coldest City” with a level of pulsating energy running high on neon contours and your new favorite 80’s soundtrack, actress Charlize Theron’s performance as British intel agent Lorraine Broughton works from top to bottom next to her fellow cast as the film takes off […]

DEADPOOL 2: Zazie Beetz Gets Cozy By The Fireplace As Domino In Her First Official Photo Reveal

Lee B. Golden III

Actor Ryan Reynolds can’t ever tweet like a normal person it seems, particularly with Deadpool 2 now full-speed ahead with Atomic Blonde helmer David Leitch servicing the R-rated spectacle for his sophomore directorial outing. A June 1 release is slated for next year and among the usual periodic glimpses of the cast now comes a full-on view of actress Zazie Beetz in the role of luck-bending femme-fatale, Domino. Take a look: Some people just know how to work a red carpet. #Domino #DeadPool2 pic.twitter.com/llCc8JfKT6— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) July 31, 2017 Rounding out the cast for a grand return are actresses Monica Baccarin, Brianna Hildebrand and Leslie Uggams, and actors T.J. Miller and Stefan Kapicic, Julian Dennison, and Jack Kesy, and actor Josh Brolin whose equally hyped full unveiling of his look as futuristic soldier, Cable, remains pending. Deadpool scribes Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick wrote the script for the sequel, […]

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ATOMIC BLONDE: Charlize Theron Brings The Pain In The Final Trailer

Lee B. Golden III

Director David Leitch is already hitting the pavement with the current production of the sequel for R-rated action-packed Marvel thrillride, Deadpool. Alas, if you know Leitch and/or unless you’ve been tuning in to the current campaign for his solo debut at the helm, Atomic Blonde, you already get an idea of the metric by which you can guess just how fun this film looks like it will be. Oscar® winner Charlize Theron explodes into summer in Atomic Blonde, a breakneck action-thriller that follows MI6’s most lethal assassin through a ticking time bomb of a city simmering with revolution and double-crossing hives of traitors. The crown jewel of Her Majesty’s Secret Intelligence Service, Agent Lorraine Broughton (Theron) is equal parts spycraft, sensuality and savagery, willing to deploy any of her skills to stay alive on her impossible mission. Sent alone into Berlin to deliver a priceless dossier out of the destabilized […]

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DEADPOOL 2 Casts Its Villain In Jack Kesy

Lee B. Golden III

Time will tell how Donald and Stephen Glover’s animated foray with Deadpool will bode. For now though, a June 1, 2018 release date looms for 20th Century Fox’s R-rated Marvel successor, Deadpool 2 following last year’s hit with Ryan Reynolds returning to star. Thusly, news from Deadline confirms the addition of The Strain series and upcoming Death Wish co-star, actor Jack Kesy for the likely role of Black Tom Cassidy, a noted X-Men antagonist who can manipulate and bond with plant life as well as charge energy through a shillelagh – or a wooden-like walking stick (I can hear Wade Wilson’s shameless cripple jokes already.) Josh Brolin is time-traveling supersoldier Cable while actress Zazie Beetz debuts the role of luck-bending killer Domino. Stephen Kapcic will return to voice-over X-Men member Colossus next to actress Brianna Hildebrand reprising as Negasonic Teenage Warhead. Morena Baccarin will return as Vanessa, Wilson’s love interest. […]

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DEADPOOL 2 Casts Josh Brolin As Cable

Lee B. Golden III

Well it won’t be Michael Shannon, Pierce Brosnan, David Harbour or Stephen Lang or any of the seasoned thesps you or I might have expected to see nab the role of futuristic time traveling supersoldier, Cable for Deadpool 2 at 20th Century Fox. Nope, indeed its been months and weeks with casting heavily underway and now, the title goes to actor Josh Brolin as per the exclusive this week at THR with a production start now being set for June in Vancouver. Cable first launched onto the Marvel pages in 1986 and whose personality traits are considered to be the opposite of our titular hero. In the comics he shares lineage as the son of X-Men member Cyclops, and also bares techno-organic bodyparts that each host his enhanced vision through his left eye with infrared capabilites, superior strength and fighting prowess, as well as allow him to hack into various […]

The Brand New ATOMIC BLONDE Trailer Reminds You Why We Like David Leitch

Lee B. Golden III

David Leitch has long had me sold – even before his shared success with co-director Chad Stahelski on John Wick in 2014. Bringing starpower and experience with filmic competence certainly helped along the way and no less with a career of well over twenty years which led to a fruitful partnership in training actors at Inglewood’s 8711 stunt and fight training camp. Yes, action fans are happy thusfar and Leitch is a proven influence in that regard as his latest, Atomic Blonde, readies its July 28 with Mad Max: Fury Road actress Charlize Theron showcasing her usual tough-as-nails gravitas for this stimulating new thriller to heat up your summer. Best of all here is that amid Hollywood’s habitual shaky-cam tomfoolery, you can also SEE what the hell is going on in the action as everything that gets punched, stabbed, kicked, shot or flipped over is caught on camera with the […]

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The New ATOMIC BLONDE Red-Band Trailer Is Here To Both Arouse And Beat The Sh*t Out Of You

Lee B. Golden III

If you’re looking for a female answer to John Wick, you needn’t look further than the first minute of the new red-band trailer for David Leitch’s solo directorial debut, Atomic Blonde. The film is inspired by Antony Johnston’s novel “The Coldest City”, which had me wondering about the name change of the film itself although considering what we have learned in the past week and the footage at hand, I honestly don’t see any of this as problematic. Point in fact, this trailer looks every bit as brutal, hard-hitting and sexy as all hell as one might have hoped. The film premieres for its electric crowd at SXSW this weekend before opening on July 28 and as we speak, I’m totally down for it. There’s a green-band trailer available as well but let’s face it…you’re not here for that shit. SYNOPSIS: Oscar® winner Charlize Theron explodes into summer in Atomic […]

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Watch The Slick New Trailer Tease For ATOMIC BLONDE

Lee B. Golden III

EW Entertainment Weekly rolled out a bunch of exclusives on Wednesday, including new photos from director David Leitch’s latest, Atomic Blonde. The film is inspired by Antony Johnston’s 2013 novel, The Coldest City, for which actress Charlize Theron acquired the rights several years ago, and for reasons she so explains here in her statement to EW regarding her role: “I hadn’t seen another character like her out there,” Theron says. “She doesn’t apologize for anything. We made her strong and feisty. She’s cheeky. These were all things I responded to.” Oscar® winner Theron stars as MI6’s most lethal assassin Lorraine Broughton who is sent to Berlin to utilize her elite skillset in espionage, engagment and survival tactics in order to deliver a priceless dossier with the help of embedded station chief David Percival (James McAvoy) in lieu of the city’s crumbling wall. Amidst all this, of course, we are promised […]

David Harbour In Talks To Play Cable In DEADPOOL 2

Lee B. Golden III

I can’t tell you worth a stone’s throw just what the heck that really was with all those hype updates showing photos of Pierce Brosnan, Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds. That said, it was clear how akin people mostly were to believing that the Irish actor was the one to be cast as bionic-armed time-traveling soldier, Cable, in director David Leitch’s Deadpool 2 which still awaits a release date from 20th Century Fox. As time has now shown, that appears not to be the case as it ha been confirmed according to The Wrap that actor David Harbour is being eyed for the Marvel character who first popped up in the X-Men comics in 1986 from creator Rob Liefeld. Harbour (A Walk Among The Tombstones, Sleepless) took the stage back in January with a fiery progressive speech joined by his fellow cast members in their acceptance of SAG award for […]

Chad Stahelski To Direct HIGHLANDER, Produce With David Leitch For Lionsgate

Lee B. Golden III

2014 was a real milestone year for John Wick debut directors Chad Stahelski and David Leitch. The hit film has since become the continuing reference point for both veteran stunt professionals and second unit directors as the two grew more and more prolific over the past couple of years with both names being in the mix to helm several titles. Keep that in mind while we pan over to the long-awaited reboot developments toward the fantasy sci-fi classic property, Highlander, which landed in 1986 from director Russell Mulcahy. The film was a flop but grew more and more popular as a cult hit over the years, spawning four sequels and several TV shows before Summit Entertainment’s own acquisition of the rights in 2008. The original film became the subject of a 4K restoration for its home release on Blu-Ray earlier this year for the film’s 30th anniversary, as well as […]

DEADPOOL 2 Rebounds With David Leitch Directing

Lee B. Golden III

I’m watching Deadpool as I’m writing this prior to your reading of it. It’ll be interesting to see how the upcoming sequel turns out under David Leitch who recently set out for his upcoming solo directorial debut on The Coldest City this July following his co-director services on John Wick a few years ago. Indeed, it’s finally been confirmed that Leitch will helm the film for Ryan Reynolds’s second stint seuguing from the hugely staked bid for the first film that took nearly a decade to make happen. Tim Miller directed the first film starring Reynolds based on the Marvel property as a fast talking merc-turned-mutant superhuman killer whose viciousness in wit is as deadly as his aim and fighting prowess. Miller reportedly left the sequel in October due to creative differences with Reynolds over vision, tone and casting prior to news that broke at Mashable regarding talk of Leitch’s […]

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Sofia Boutella Heads To THE COLDEST CITY For Focus

Lee B. Golden III

Some of the best news in action movies just happens to be coming out at the start of this week! That said, we are just around the corner from the forthcoming production of director David Leitch‘s newest film, The Coldest City with actress Charlize Theron starring as well as producing from Kurt Johnstad’s script. For this, we now have actress Sofia Boutella part of the cast with Theron and actor James McAvoy following her breakout role in this year’s Kingsman: The Secret Service and her recent work on Star Trek: Beyond ahead of July next year. Based on Antony Johnson’s 2012 novel work, Leitch follows up from his co-directorial success on last year’s John Wick with a story that now sees Theron as a superspy forced into action to protect the intel community after an MI6 agent is killed just before the fall of the Berlin Wall. Theron‘s own Denver […]

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THE COLDEST CITY Adds James McAvoy

Lee B. Golden III

Actress Charlize Theron isn’t too far off with her latest role in director David Leitch‘s The Coldest City from Focus Features. The film commences principal photography in Budapest and Berlin beginning next month and casting info is well on the way this month. For this, we now have James McAvoy on board to star according to Variety. Based on a script by Kurt Johnstad, the film follows the narrative inspired by author Antony Johnston’s 2012 Oni Press graphic novel publication in which a superspy forced into action to retrieve a list in order to protect the intel community when the MI6 agent smuggling it to the West is killed just before the fall of the Berlin Wall. Theron‘s own Denver And Delilah Productions are producing with Closed On Mondays Entertainment and Sierra/Affinity, joining 87Eleven’s own Leitch following a stellar send off into 2015 from his co-directorial work with Chad Stahelski […]

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JOHN WICK Co-Helmer David Leitch To Direct THE COLDEST CITY This November

Lee B. Golden III

Following the announcement in May, The Wrap reports that 87 Eleven Action Design’s own David Leitch will be helming the Charlize Theron actioner, The Coldest City for Focus Features. The news comes a year after Leitch‘s previous co-directorial effort with Chad Stahelski, John Wick, which gained notoriety and enough box-office success for sequel to commense shooting this Fall with Leitch executive producing. Based on a script by Kurt Johnstad, the film follows the narrative inspired by author Antony Johnston’s 2012 Oni Press graphic novel publication in which a superspy forced into action to retrieve a list in order to protect the intel community when the MI6 agent smuggling it to the West is killed just before the fall of the Berlin Wall. Theron, not too far off from her commanding performance in the Spring blockbuster success, Mad Max: Fury Road, is starring and is set to produce with producers from Denver […]

Focus’s THE COLDEST CITY Casts Charlize Theron; ‘John Wick’ Helmers To Direct

Lee B. Golden III

Actress Charlize Theron‘s latest big screen role can be found in director George Miller’s Mad Max: Fury Road this coming Friday. The film just had its premiere in Los Angeles and is certainly poised to be the start of a possibly epic and successful franchise whilst certainly lending some momentum to the award-winning co-star for her attachment as well. Of course, time will tell what the future holds in that regard, but the momentum is high for her this week, and with events beginning at Cannes soon, word from Deadline brings good news for the actress comes by way of Focus Features and their latest North American acquisition for the author Antony Johnston’s 2012 Oni Press graphic novel publication, The Coldest City. Focus reportedly locked an eight-figure deal to produce the $30 million dollar adaptation from a script by Kurt Johnstad which centers its story of espionage and double crossing […]

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Keanu Reeves Is Officially Returning To Shoot More People In The Face In JOHN WICK 2!

Lee B. Golden III

If you’re a fan of action and managed to go to the movies at any point between last Fall and now, chances are you’ve seen a little $20 million dollar independent film called John Wick, and you dug lead actor Keanu Reeves with fervor in some capacity. Come to think of it, it really is official as a character now owns on the screen thanks in large part to his action-training cohorts at 87 Eleven Action Design, debut directing duo Chad Stahelski and David Leitch with fight coordinator Jonathan Eusebio designing all sorts of unrelenting brutality in Wick‘s wake. So, now what? Well, a sequel was officially announced to be in development back in February by Lionsgate after Stahleski spoke on it earlier, and now the word from Forbes contributor Scott Mendelson dictated that Reeves is officially returning as well. There are no script or story details as of yet, […]

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Valiant, Sony Rev Up HARBINGER WARS With Stahelski, Leitch To Direct And More!

Lee B. Golden III

Independent comic book platform Valiant Comics struck big with a nine-figure deal a month and a half ago when it partnered with Chinese investment firm, DMG Entertainment to help pitch its numerous comic book properties with a lean toward film production. What’s as important as this, though, is how the source material gets tackled, which means who will be the team behind the forthcoming productions of such titles as Bloodshot and Harbinger. Well, for starters, at least two people so far, Chad Stahelski and David Leitch, who have made their way in the ranks as stunt professionals and second unit directors through their directorial debut, John Wick, late last year are now up to helm the former with producers Fast And Furious franchise Neal Moritz and Toby Jaffe producing, while the latter seeks a director. These morsel are included in a flurry of other exciting new details announcing Valiant’s official […]

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After Stathelski, Lionsgate Makes JOHN WICK 2 Official

Lee B. Golden III

Not too long after stunt coordinators Chad Stathelski and David Leitch made clear their active development on a sequel to their 2014 directorial debut John Wick, Variety is reporting that Lionsgate has done the same, officially announcing the second installment. However, it was CEO Jon Feltheimer who, during a conference call with analysts to discuss the studio’s year-end 3rd quarter earnings, suggesting a possible “multiple-title franchise”. In lieu of this, its likely that lead actor Keanu Reeves will return to reprise his role after turning in such a stellar performance on top of building a longstanding and cohesive partnership with Stahelski and Leitch over at the stunt training facility, 87Eleven. Of course, this also brings into question of who our main protagonist will go toe-to-toe with this time around, and that will depend on the story our directing duo conjures. Rest assured, let’s hope the next bad guy he meets […]

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Chad Stahelski Talks JOHN WICK 2

Lee B. Golden III

The careers of Hollywood second unit directors and stunt coordinators, Chad Stathelski and David Leitch, seem to be getting increasingly better since the theatrical release of their partnering directorial debut, John Wick, last year. The film became a box-office hit a little over four months ago and it has since led to other prospects, including re-teaming with the film’s lead actor, Keanu Reeves, for the live-action assassin series, Rain, in addition to their recently announcement attachment to direct lead actor Chris Pratt in the graphic novel adaptation, Cowboy Ninja Viking. However, John Wick is not without its merits for a sequel considering its caliber as an original property with a riveting story of one man’s vengeful return to his old life following the death of his inherited dog and theft of his car. If you saw the film, you’ll likely understand a bit more about the prospects for a follow-up […]

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JOHN WICK Duo, Stahelski And Leitch To Direct COWBOY NINJA VIKING For Universal

Lee B. Golden III

2014 was an immensely great year for actor Chris Pratt, and things are about to get even better. The actor is currently on par as a person of interest to reprise the role of Indiana Jones for a new feature film on top of returning to portray his winning role in director James Gunn’s forthcoming Marvel sequel, Guardians Of The Galaxy 2 and possibly getting a starring role in The Magnificent Seven remake alongside The Equalizer duo, helmer Anton Fuqua and actor Denzel Washington. In addition, Pratt’s latest attachment came as of November last year for the lead role in the upcoming graphic novel adaptation, Cowboy Ninja Viking. Based on a 2009 publication from Image Comics via Shadowline, the film now aims to brings Pratt center stage in the role of Duncan, the product of a government program that transforms people with multiple personality disorders into highly trained agents known as […]