donnie yen

Donnie Yen To Star In Live-Action SLEEPING DOGS Movie

Donnie Yen is coming off of a major start to 2017 having finally gotten his moment to shine in a few Hollywood pictures with Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and xXx: The Return Of Xander Cage. The action star recently wrapped the forthcoming crime pic, Chasing The Dragon and is also set to reprise his acclaimed role in a fourth Ip Man installment for director Wilson Yip. Add another to the list of cool stuff you will learn today with word via Deadline that Yen will star in a live-action adaptation of the hit Square Enix game, Sleeping Dogs with Fast And Furious saga producer Neal Moritz of Original Film producing. The game, which took off in 2012 followed by a remastered version in 2014, centered on an undercover cop transferred to Hong Kong to infiltrate the Triads. Original Film is producing with DJ2 Entertainment with Moritz, Dmitri […]

Well Go USA Picks Up Donnie Yen Crime Thriller, CHASING THE DRAGON, And More

Lee B. Golden III

Action star and actor Donnie Yen has been enjoying a rather celebratory year. Two Hollywood films in with the hopeful prospect of another, it was just last month that he wrapped his latest pairing with director Wong Jing for the forthcoming Hong Kong crime drama, Chasing The Dragon. As of last week’s kick off at EFM however, the word now is that Well Go USA has acquired the film for its release in North America and other English-speaking territories. The film reimagines Poon Man-kit’s 1991 crime epic, To Be Number One, with Yen in a cinematic revival of real-life crimeboss Ng Sek-ho, whose Scorsesean rags-to-riches story took to headlines with the escalation of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC). Acclaimed cinematographer Jason Kwan (Young Bruce Lee, Cold War, Cold War 2) is joined by filmmaker Wong Jing in directing, and also culminates with celebrated actor Andy Lau in a reprisal […]

Review: xXx: THE RETURN OF XANDER CAGE Knows Why You're Here, And You're Okay With That

Lee B. Golden III

Paramount Going into xXx: The Return Of Xander Cage, I honestly thought this was going to be another douchebag action movie just like both its predecessors from Rob Cohen and Lee Tamahori. Sure, the fandom of having Tony Jaa and Donnie Yen notwithstanding, I’ve reached a pinnacle in my life where I’ve begun seeing past the veil of spectacle in most Hollywood action thrillers to be a little more speculative and critical than I’ve usually been. That said, I look at what D.J. Caruso brings to the table for this third installation and on its face, it’s still as full of the usual mindless fun as the first two films, though gladly it’s not as frustrating an experience – likely due in part to the fact that after fifteen years we already have a general idea about what we’re in for, so that helps. Yes, Vin Diesel is back in […]

xXx: THE RETURN OF XANDER CAGE (2017): Same Zone, New Levels, All Xander

A good sequel is one that builds upon the established narrative of the original, taking it to surprising new places while developing its characters in new and interesting ways. This is a tall order, even when the first film practically lines up all the pieces FOR you. The original xXx (2002) couldn’t be bothered to create any narrative foundation to build on. It was purely bombast and fury, and so when it came time to resurrect the franchise, the filmmakers did the only logical thing: Develop the bombast in new and interesting ways and populate it with more cool characters than before. The result is probably the best sequel to a xXx movie we could ever ask for. When viewed today, the original xXx feels like a time capsule of the early 2000s. We got cameos by extreme sports stars like Tony Hawk (a.k.a. the coolest person in the world […]

Review: ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY (2016) Brings Ample Balance To An Awakened Force

I have to credit a large part of my nerdiness to my Dad. I remember my sister and I going over on weekends and he’d have comic books all around the house and a movie collection that could rival no other. Of course he gave us a proper education by having us watch the cult action favorites, new releases, and gems from his ever-growing collection of flicks. I was in elementary school during the time when word had started to circulate that the Star Wars movies were going to get a digital remastering. Mom (the other half of my nerd genes) wanted to make a big event out of it, we were going to go to the Uptown down in Northwest DC to go see it. Dad, upon hearing about this, sat my sister and I down, pulled out the VHS Box set of Episodes 4-6, and we marathoned the […]

DVD Review: THE LOST BLADESMAN Wields A Dull Cinematic Gamble

The Lost Bladesman. You know, I really wanted to like this movie. I’m a secret Three Kingdoms fanatic and we’re talking about Guan Yu here; the all-revered, OG badass of the East. Not only that, Donnie Yen was to play this kung fu deity; it really seemed like this was a film to really look forward to. But just like the title, it felt a bit….well, lost. For those that might not be versed in the Three Kingdoms history, Guan Yu served under Liu Bei until he was captured by Wei General, Cao Cao. By using Guan Yu’s strict adherence to his own personal ideals of righteousness, Cao Cao was able to have him slay Yan Liang at the Battle of Boma. Despite knowing that Guan Yu plans to leave his service to return to Liu Bei, Cao Cao admires him because of his strong sense of honor. Though he […]

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Watch The Brand New International Trailer For ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY

Lee B. Golden III

Predictors are almost certain that Gareth Edwards’s latest, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, will be pretty exponential, though not as much as last year’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens. That doesn’t change the fact that Star Wars itself has a global fanbase and will assuredly give the new spin-off origin film a box office shot and no less with a vision that clearly possesses the potential to muster support. The proof is in the trailer pudding, as always, and it just so happens that Japan is rolling out with an extended new trailer of its own, choc loaded with tons of new jewels and narrative to whet the appetite until December 16. It’s got more Felicity Jones, more Mikkelsen, more Mendelssohn, more blind Yen action, more Vader…hell, more of almost everything, gearing up for a nifty and nimble telling of the prequel aftermath before going into what we know […]

Vin Diesel, Donnie Yen, Ruby Rose And Deepika Padukone Take Charge In The New xXx: THE RETURN OF XANDER CAGE Trailer

Lee B. Golden III

Actor Vin Diesel took to Facebook Live for the official launch of the third trailer for the upcoming release of xXx: The Return Of Xander Cage. All you need to know from there is that the film, from director D.J. Caruso, arrives on January 20, 2017. Apart from that, the recording of the live stream can be viewed below where Diesel hypes up viewers with his own insight and thoughts along with live inserts of the film’s co-stars…or just feel free to skip to the 19:30 mark to catch the goods. View post on imgur.com

Donnie Yen Actioner, THE MASTER, Cancelled, Leaving U.K. Artists Scammed

Lee B. Golden III

It’s one thing when a film gets cancelled long before cameras are set to roll. It’s another thing to not ever know of its cancellation only for it to be used as a scam, and that’s the focus of The Hollywood Reporter’s latest piece, The ‘Rogue One’ Star, the Fake Film and the $1,200 Scam which covers what would have likely been another terrific turn in the genre for action star, actor Donnie Yen. The article points to events surrounding Enter The Master (later retitled as The Master), announced at the American Film Market in a press release back in 2012 with Yen slated to star and produce and Soi Cheang tapped to direct. Next to Huaxia Film Distribution, the film would have been produced notably under Yen’s Super Hero Films banner which launched in 2013 in partnership with Media Asia, and in reunion with actor Nicholas Tse since Wilson […]

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Deepika Kicks All The Butts In The Second Trailer For xXx: THE RETURN OF XANDER CAGE

Lee B. Golden III

Director D.J. Caruso’s latest investment in Vin Diesel fandom, xXx: The Return Of Xander Cage, doesn’t arrive until January from Paramount. Nonetheless, marketing is already underway and taking quite an odd shape as of late. The first official trailer premiered only two months ago and delivered a pretty nifty tease of some ridiculous, crazy action to accomodate the grade-A cast at hand which also includes Kris Wu and Nina Dobrev and professional fighter Michael Bisping, with martial arts stars Donnie Yen and Tony Jaa standing out the biggest and best. Serving as the female lead, however is Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone who, up until now has only ever been hinted as the sultry love interest for our character. On Sunday evening, a second official trailer went viral online and showcased plenty more of Deepika being way more than just sultry. Bottomline, her stunt double makes her shine here as a […]

The Second Trailer For ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY Gives You Hope

Lee B. Golden III

Yesterday’s poster reveal was nothing short of exciting this week in lieu of the upcoming second trailer for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Thus, it has now arrived for your viewing below, and having undergone its share of targeted reshoots to improve the film even after the first trailer back in April, I’d say pretty much that nothing has changed, really. The hype and support are still definitely there as are the chances of some major box office success equal or just as significant as previous canon releases. SYNOPSIS: In a time of conflict, a group of unlikely heroes band together on a mission to steal the plans to the Death Star, the Empire’s ultimate weapon of destruction. This key event in the Star Wars timeline brings together ordinary people who choose to do extraordinary things, and in doing so, become part of something greater than themselves. The film opens […]

A New ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY Poster Awakens Awareness In The Force

Lee B. Golden III

A new trailer is expected to arrive on Thursday for Gareth Edwards’s Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and time will tell if it will bank as huge as the seventh of the new canon did last December. Some are speculating that it won’t and others either say it will or could care less, so long as they get to see it. Or Donnie Yen for that matter, which is fine. Anyhoo, a new poster spells great things this week for fans, including the one that Edwards himself reportedly unveiled during Wednesday’s “The Star Wars Show”, which you can view below. Actress Felicity Jones leads the cast with Diego Luna, Forrest Whitaker, Mads Mikkelsen, Ben Mendelssohn, Jiang Wen, action star Yen hovering just above the title logo, and a brooding Darth Vader in the background. via Deadline Set immediately before the events of Star Wars: A New Hope, Rogue One […]

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Donnie Yen Confirms IP MAN 4, Wilson Yip To Direct

Lee B. Golden III

Martial arts star Donnie Yen is currently taking a different turn with his latest role in Jason Kwan’s Chasing The Dragon, a remake of Poon Man-Kit’s To Be Number One in which Yen recently confirmed his as a non-action role. This will be a particular career milestone for fans of the action star who know him prolifically for lighting up the screen in many a martial arts film, and here and now alongside Andy Lau in a role said to have inspired one of his own earlier pseudo-biopictoral films. Set photos can be found online as production continues, while it is, indeed, safe to say that Yen isn’t abandoning his time-honored craft any time soon. Thus, taking to social media on Friday, Yen confirmed his attachment with director Wilson Yip for Ip Man 4, the fourth martial arts-geared pseudo-biopictoral saga inspired by the life and times of the Wing Chun […]

Anchor Bay To Re-Release REIGN OF ASSASSINS And THE LOST BLADESMAN On DVD, Blu And Digital In November

Lee B. Golden III

More on director Gary Mak’s latest happenings in due time, while the good folks over at Anchor Bay Entertainment are accomodating martial arts fans with the November 1 U.S. home releases of two distinct action-packed titles, Mak’s 2011 historical Donnie Yen war action headliner, The Lost Bladesman, and director Su Chao-Pin’s John Woo-produced 2010 martial arts period thriller, Reign Of Assassins starring action cinema leading lady Michelle Yeoh. Hoepfully we’ll have product reviews of these up soon, so in the meantime, check out the details below and stay tuned for more updates! BEVERLY HILLS, CA (September 13, 2016) – Michelle Yeoh (Babylon A.D., Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: The Green Legend), Jung Woo-Sung (The Good, The Bad, The Weird; A Moment to Remember, The Warrior) and Xueqi Wang (Iron Man 3, Bodyguards and Assassins, Warriors of Heaven and Earth) star in Reign of Assassins, the exciting martial […]

Donnie Yen Commences True Crime Remake, CHASING THE DRAGON Next Month!

Lee B. Golden III

Action star Donnie Yen’s latest battle with intergalactic foes remains pending with the December release of Gareth Edwards’s Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. In the meantime and with fate unknown as for other titles previously announced for the actor, Yen is reportedly picking up on another property – its performance immortalized in film history by actor Ray Lui, who co-starred opposite Yen in the 2007 martial arts crime hit, Flash Point. The news regards Poon Man-Kit’s riveting, violent and sprawling biopictoral triad drama, To Be Number One, which now bears the new title, Chasing The Dragon according to Asian Film Strike. Acclaimed cinematographer Jason Kwan (Young Bruce Lee, Cold War, Cold War 2) will make his directorial debut, featuring see Yen in the role of real-life crimeboss Ng Sek-ho, whose Scorsesean rags-to-riches story, and the ascension of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) are at center of Poon’s 1991 […]

ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY – All Is As The Force Wills It In The New Trailer

Lee B. Golden III

There’s no question that much ado will be about anything and everything Star Wars as 2016 comes to a close. Director Gareth Edwards’s newest, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, unveiled a first trailer back in April, invoking a stunning visual homage to George Lucas’s classic vision that spins off mid-way of the six-film cannon focusing on the story of the Rebel Alliance as it planned to infiltrate and steal the plans to the Death Star. Additional filming has since taken place to liven things up some and so we now await to see just what that entails upon the film’s release this December. In the meantime however, as promised by last week’s trailer tease ads courtesy of the Rio Olympics, a brand new trailer is officially out and about, and filled to the brim with characters and lines that ultimately speak to you, including more for the Donnie Yen […]

Donnie Yen, Pegasus Move Forward With THE WESLEY

Lee B. Golden III

Going back to around 2013, you may recall action star Donnie Yen launching a new venture into producer territory with his then newly-launched banner, Super Hero Films. That report came prior to news in the following year of at least one film among numerous others that Yen was adding to his syllabus while rumors rumbled about with whether or not he would have retired in the last few years. Well, further cancelling out the rhetoric is Yen’s active development now for the lead role in said film, The Wesley, based on author Ni Kuang’s sci-fi novel series dating back to 1963. Other films followed suit since then with actors Sam Hui, Chow Yun Fat and Andy Lau, and now marks as the second of a three-film deal Yen solidified earlier on with Pegasus Motion Pictures’s own Raymond Wong following Ip Man 3. (Adapted from the detective-science fiction novel series “Wisely […]

The New Trailer For xXx: THE RETURN OF XANDER CAGE Kicks Ass And Looks Dope Doing It

Lee B. Golden III

…And because 2017 wouldn’t be a normal year with just one Vin Diesel movie, director D.J. Caruso is poised to release the long-awaited trilogical installment to the daredevil action franchise, xXx: The Return Of Zander Cage. Bearing in mind, of course, the utter flop that came with the 2005 sequel that followed Rob Cohen’s 2002 original, the film does carry some weight in having to pick up the slack. Well, you do get Samuel L. Jackson reprising his role once more from the earlier two films, as well as a list of beautiful femme fatales played by Deepika Padukone, Ruby Rose and Nina Dobrev. What? Not enough? Ohhh k ok, how about we throw in the first time pairing of Donnie Yen and Tony Jaa, along with UFC Middleweight champion Michael Bisping for good measure? Sound neat? Well, all that and more as a reward for our patience can now […]

IP MAN 3 Review: Of Masters And Men

Lee B. Golden III

Confession. I got a thing about legends. About legendary people who walked this earth, who had humble, otherwise ordinary beginnings (and perhaps, where some are concerned, lived their entire lives under the premise of this deceptive obscurity only to enjoy posthumous historical glory) but went on to achieve so much during their time on this Earth that their influence spans out for generations and generations, influencing culture (multi-culture) as it appears before us today – indeed, every day; a nameless, faceless, unisex deity. We just lost Prince, you see. Bare with me. For it is with a great deal of procrastination, anticipation, and fastidious intent that I arrive before Ip Man 3 for perusal and review; like watching the Beetles getting together, an artistic unity between producer Raymond Wong, writer Edmond Wong, action choreographer Yuen Woo-Ping, a living legend in his own right, and director Wilson Yip to conclude the […]

ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY Rebels With The First Teaser Trailer

Lee B. Golden III

Well over three months and $2 billion dollars in gross later for J.J. Abrams’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Disney and Lucasfilm have finally gotten their feet well soaked in for today’s enduring generation of sci-fi fandom. And so, the clock ticks for filmmaker Rian Johnson’s efforts with Star Wars VIII which remains in production. For now, it’s a new year and this December will bring us the first of a spate of feature-length spin-offs with none other than Godzilla helmer Gareth Edwards spearheading the December 16, 2016 release, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Actress Felicity Jones leads the cast along with Diego Luna for a sets foot in the events before Episode 3 of the Star Wars canon. Per StarWars.com: “Rogue One takes place before the events of Star Wars: A New Hope and will be a departure from the saga films but have elements that are familiar to the Star Wars universe,” […]