efm 2021

THE ROUNDUP: Don Lee Action Crime Sequel To ‘The Outlaws’ Now Filming

Production is currently underway for The Roundup, a sequel to Kang Yoon-sung’s 2017 action hit, The Outlaws. Lee Sang-young is making his debut at the helm for a returning cast that currently sees Don Lee (The Gangster. The Cop. The Devil., Unstoppable, Along With The Gods 2: The Last 49 Days, upcoming The Eternals), and the new addition of actor Son Suk-ku (Hit-And-Run Squad), with filming expected to wrap this summer. The first film saw Lee at the wheel as Ma Suk-do, a.k.a. “the Beast Cop”, heading a small anti-crime task force and dispensing justice amid warring gangs and the rise of a vicious crime boss in a South Korean Chinatown district in 2004. The Roundup sees Ma, front and center once more on a mission to Southeast Asia to extradite a suspect where a ruthless killer who has been targeting tourists for years emerges. “Buyers have been telling us […]

ONE WAY: First Look At Colson Baker And Kevin Bacon As Father And Son In The New Action Thriller

Lee B. Golden III

Currently in post-production is One Way, the new action thriller from Andrew Baird (Zone 414) and currently part of the package being presented to buyers at EFM. Highland Film Group is handling worldwide sales for the pic for which they’ve now released a first look photo which you can above, featuring Colson Baker (The Dirt), and Kevin Bacon (Death Sentence). Baird directs from a script by Ben Conway One Way centers on Freddy (Baker), on the run with a bag full of cash after a robbery of his former crime boss goes awry. With a potentially fatal wound, he slips onto a bus with a one way ticket. After a call for help, Freddy’s estranged father (Bacon) betrays him, notifying the crime boss where he is. With his life slipping through his fingers, Freddy is left with very few choices to survive. There is only ONE WAY. One Way also stars […]

GASOLINE ALLEY: Bruce Willis Reteams With ‘Cosmic Sin’ Director For New Crime Thriller

Lee B. Golden III

Edward Drake is set to reunite with Cosmic Sin star, Golden Globe winner Bruce Willis (Red, Red 2, Unbreakable, Glass) for Gasoline Alley, a new crime action-thriller shooting this month across the U.S.. Willis will be joined by Luke Wilson (Wes Anderson’s The Royal Tenenbaums, MGM’s Legally Blonde, DC’s Stargirl) and Devon Sawa (Hunter Hunter, upcoming Black Friday), with a script by Tom Sierchio (New York City International Film Festival winner The Girl Who Invented Kissing). Sawa will play Jimmy Jayne, a bruised-fisted rockabilly boss-type sucked into a triple murder of three Hollywood starlets drowned in a luxury hotel pool. As the prime suspect for Homicide Detectives Freeman (Willis) and Vargas (Wilson), Jimmy takes up his own rogue investigation, bending the law in ways the police can’t in order to clear his name. With the killer skating through Jimmy’s shadow, he bands together with the two Detectives to dangerously expose […]

SUPERCELL: Alec Baldwin Heads Disaster Action Thriller From Highland, Short Porch At EFM

Lee B. Golden III

Alec Baldwin (The Departed, Mission: Impossible franchise) is attached to star in Supercell, a new disaster action thriller that Herbert James Winterstern (NBC’s “Siberia”) will direct from a script by Winterstern & Anna Elizabeth James (Deadly Illusions). The film will serve as the launchpad for a non-exclusive first look output deal for Highland Film Group with Ryan Winterstern (Most Wanted, Inheritance) and Nathan Klingher (Zone 414, Becky) with their new startup, Short Porch Pictures. Supercell is an epic disaster movie that tells the tale of William, a good-hearted teenager, who always lived in hope of following in his father’s footsteps, the legendary storm chaser Bill Brody, killed by a massive super tornado. His father’s legacy has now been turned into a storm-chasing tourist business, managed by the greedy and reckless Zane Rogers (Alec Baldwin), who is now using William as the main attraction to lead a group of unsuspecting adventurers […]

Robert De Niro and Jack Huston in "Wash Me In The River"

WASH ME IN THE RIVER: Get A Glimpse Of Robert De Niro And Jack Huston In The New Action Thriller

Lee B. Golden III

Director Randall Emmett (Midnight in the Switchgrass) is in the news with his new action thriller, Wash Me In The River, currently selling online for the EFM from Highland Film Group. The sales agent is offering a first look photo which you can view above, featuring two-time Academy Award Winner Robert DeNiro (The Irishman, Taxi Driver), and actor Jack Huston (American Hustle, Kill Your Darlings). A recovering opioid addict seeks revenge on the dealers responsible for selling the drugs that resulted in his fiancé’s death. Two cops are hot on his trail. Adam Taylor Barker and Chris Sivertson wrote the pic which just wrapped principal photography in Puerto Rico. Wash Me In The River also stars two-time Academy Award nominee John Malkovich (Deepwater Horizon, Being John Malkovich), and actor/recording artist, Quavo (FX’s “Atlanta,” ABC’s “Black-ish”).

PANAMA: Take Aim At Mel Gibson In A First Look At The New Action Thriller Selling At EFM

Lee B. Golden III

Hitting the virtual sales floor for Highland Film Group at EFM is Panama, from director Mark Neveldine (Crank, Gamer). The first official photo is out which you can above, featuring two-time Academy Award Winner Mel Gibson (Boss Level), who stars alongside Cole Hauser (Paramount’s Yellowstone) Inspired by true events from 1989 Panama, James Becker (Hauser), a rugged, decorated ex-marine, is sent undercover by his former commander Stark (Gibson) to execute a high-value deal with untrustworthy adversaries. While navigating through the chaos of the local civil war, Becker must fight assassins, court femmes fatales and negotiate with the enemy in order to complete his mission. With Stark always by his side, Becker perseveres against all odds in hopes of making it home alive. Daniel Adams (Roadside Attractions’ The Golden Boys) and William R. Barber wrote the script. Panama is Yale Productions film produced by Jordan Beckerman, Jordan Yale Levine, Michelle Chydzik […]

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THE REFUGE: Renny Harlin To Direct New Horror Thriller Launching EFM Sales For Highland

Lee B. Golden III

Highland Film Group is officially launching film sales at EFM for The Refuge, from director Renny Harlin (Cliffhanger, Die Hard 2, The Legend Of Hercules). Casting efforts are currently underway for the new horror thriller which will commence principal photography in April in Bulgaria. Penned by action sci-fi writer Ben Sztajnkrycer, The Refuge hails from Revelations Entertainment and B2Y Production. Harlin is producing alongside Yariv Lerner (Hellboy, Rambo: Last Blood), Rob Van Norden (Olympus Has Fallen, Rambo: Last Blood), Gary Lucchesi (Underworld franchise, The Lincoln Lawyer), Michael McKay (Brahms: The Boy II), Lori McCreary (Invictus, CBS’ “Madam Secretary”). In this horror-thriller, Sergeant Rick Pedroni comes home to his wife Kate changed and dangerous after suffering an attack by a mysterious force during combat in Afghanistan. Officials say her husband suffered a heavy brain injury, but Kate knows it is more than PTSD. As Rick undergoes unsettling therapy with other traumatized […]

AMERICAN BADGER: Kirk Caouette’s Hitman Thriller Lands Canadian Release From Indiecan

Lee B. Golden III

Actor and stunt multi-hyphenate Kirk Caouette’s new film, American Badger, has been acquired by Indiecan Entertainment for its Canadian release according to Screendaily. News comes following our exclusive trailer and poster reveal upon its sales launch at the virtual American Film Market last November. Caouette, a 25-year stunt industry multi-hyphenate for film and TV, marks his third outing in the director’s chair for which Toronto-based Raven Banner now reps for international sales at this year’s virtual EFM. Featuring action sequences by Stanton Chong, Caouette stars along with Andrea Stefancikova and Michael Kopsa. Meet Badger, because his real name is Dean, and that’s the lamest ever for a hitman. Like all American Badgers, he prefers to be alone, and has hardly spoken a word to anyone except his Handler. But all that is about to change with his latest assignment – make friends with call girl Velvet, extract information about the […]

News Briefs: SUPERMAN Reboots; Milla Cast For IN THE LOST LANDS; RED SONJA Relaunches; Alain Moussi In KING OF KILLERS; RAINFALL Sells Worldwide; ‘Big Bad Wolves’ Remake Underway; Gruesome, Gritty Teaser For Soi Cheang’s LIMBO

Lee B. Golden III

● Author and journalist Ta-Nehisi Coates is penning a Superman reboot for Warner Bros. Pictures and DC Films. He’ll be joined by J.J. Abrams who will produce via Bad Robot, with Hannah Minghella also producing. Details remain pending on who will don the signature blue-and-red costume that bares the Kryptonian symbol of hope; Actor Tyler Hoechlin toplines in the role for the new CW series, Superman & Lois with Elizabeth Tulloch, with Henry Cavill currently championing under the stewardship of Zack Snyder ahead of HBO Max’s March release, Zack Snyder’s Justice League. (Deadline) ● Monster Hunter star and director pair Paul W.S. Anderson and Milla Jovovich are reteaming on yet another outing this time for In The Lost Lands. Based on a short story by George R.R. Martin, Anderson is penning the script which sees Jovovich joined by Dave Bautista for the story of Gray Alys, a sorceress summoned to […]

ENTER THE DRAGONS: Jason Tobin Boards Action Comedy With Gemma Arterton

Lee B. Golden III

Oscar-nominated director Marjane Satrapi (Radioactive, Persepolis) will helm a UK shoot this summer for martial arts comedy, Enter The Dragons, according to Deadline‘s Tom Grater. The film will star upcoming The King’s Man actress Gemma Arterton. Most notably cast though, is the addition of actor Jason Tobin (pictured above), best known for his series as concupiscent, knife-wielding bad boy and Hop Wei heir-apparent, Young Jun in the hit Cinemax series, Warrior, which aired for two seasons through last year. That series is currently available on Digital and Blu-Ray wherever sold, as well as on HBO Max. Set in the small English town of Coalshaw in 1979, the film follows Gloria Grimshaw (Gemma Arterton). The most she can hope for from life is selling cosmetics and having a baby, but when the close-knit community of women come under threat, Gloria is forced to defend herself – by learning martial arts from […]

YAKUZA PRINCESS Acquired By XYZ Films Ahead Of EFM 2021

Lee B. Golden III

Motorrad director Vicente Amorim’s new English-language actioner, Yakuza Princess, will be sold internationally at this year’s virtual European Film Market according to an exclusive at Variety. XYZ Films has acquired worldwide sales rights apart from Latin America on the pic which stars actor Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, with newcomer, Japanese-American singer and songwriter Masumi in the title role. Based on the graphic novel “Samurai Shiro” by Danilo Beyruth and set in the expansive Japanese community of Sao Paulo in Brazil — the largest Japanese diaspora in the world — “Yakuza Princess” turns on orphan Akemi (Masumi), who turns 21 and finds out she is the heiress to half of the Yakuza (Japanese crime syndicate) empire. The other half, however, wants her dead, and her one hope is an amnesiac gaijin (foreigner, played by Rhys Meyers) who awakes in hospital believing that an ancient sword ties their two fates together. The film also […]