filmcombatsyndicate.com

MONKEY MAN: Dev Patel’s Upcoming Revenge Thriller Wraps Principal Photography

Actor Dev Patel is currently tapped to appear in David Lowery’s The Green Knight this summer in the U.S. from A24. In the meantime, he’s also completed principal photography on Monkey Man, announced initially back in 2018. Production was reportedly slated for early last year in India, but since relocated to Indonesia due to the Covid-19 pandemic which rocked the world with some territories ramping up safety measures for film production. Cameras reportedly rolled in December, and following a sixty four-day shoot, completed principal photography this past week, according to several sources via recent posts on Twitter, as well as Instagram. Monkey Man, produced in part by Basil Iwaynk (John Wick, Sicario), is penned by Patel along with Paul Angunawela and John Collee (Hotel Mumbai, Happy Feet, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World), and marks Patel’s feature directing debut. He also stars in the film which takes […]

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

WASH ME IN THE RIVER Acquired By The Avenue For Spring 2022 Release

Lee B. Golden III

Action crime thriller Wash Me In The River will release in Spring 2022 under Highland Film Group‘s distribution label, The Avenue. The company secured multiple deals for the film, directed by Randall Emmett (Midnight in the Switchgrass) from a script by Adam Taylor Barker and Chris Sivertson. Academy Award Winner Robert De Niro (The Irishman, Taxi Driver), two-time Academy Award nominee John Malkovich (Deepwater Horizon, Being John Malkovich), Jack Huston (American Hustle, Kill Your Darlings), star in the film which centers on a recovering opioid addict seeking revenge on the dealers responsible for selling the drugs that resulted in his fiancé’s death, while two cops are hot on his trail. The film, which recently wrapped production in Puerto Rico, also stars actor and recording artist Quavo (FX’s “Atlanta,” ABC’s “Black-ish”), and actress Willa Fitzgerald (Warner Bros.’ The Goldfinch, USA Network’s “Dare Me”). Highland’s The Avenue launched initially late last November […]

GAIN-ING GROUND: A Word With Actor/Producer Daniel Stisen

Lee B. Golden III

Save for his physical action star appeal given the fruition he’s amassed as a professional bodybuilder, Daniel Stisen has every intent to prove his versatility as a well-rounded actor and producer of stories that compel and inspire, as well as entertain. Over the past week, I got acquainted with Stisen who’s own endeavors of late have seen him make the case to potential investors at this year’s virtual EFM, for projects hailing from his eponymous production banner. His latest shortfilm performance, Gain, is also making the rounds on YouTube – a gritty, NSFW dramatic thriller about the introspective perils of bodybuilding, and he’s currently shopping his newest lead role in action thriller, Last Man Down, on which he is finalizing post-production, along with another project with director Sheldon Lettich, which is currently listed on IMDb for those curious. Stisen reached out to us to share a dialogue and help get […]

Paul Sloan Sets His Sights On EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM In The Intense First Trailer For Christian Sesma’s New Action Thriller

Lee B. Golden III

Director Christian Sesma’s increasing output of late will soon find moviegoers in good company with Gillian White’s debut, Take Back. In the meantime, Sesma’s latest completed thriller, Every Last One Of Them, has hit the ground running this weekend with an official trailer to help set the mood. Desperate to find his missing daughter, Jake Hunter (Paul Sloan), tracks her last known whereabouts to a small desert town only to discover that the head of a deeply funded security firm (Jake Weber) and his vicious younger sister (Taryn Manning) are protecting a family secret that could potentially derail a billion dollar water deal between his boss and the US government. But as Jake uncovers the truth about his daughter’s whereabouts the answers become terrifyingly clear and he goes on a merciless quest for revenge bringing those responsible to justice — that is if his former black ops mentor (Richard Dreyfuss) […]

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

Lee B. Golden III

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 […]

ENHANCED: James Mark’s New ‘Kill Order’ Goes Wide In The New Sci-Fi Sequel Trailer From Vertical

Lee B. Golden III

It was a few years ago when we first covered Enhanced, stunt multi-hyphenate and filmmaker James Mark’s (On The Ropes)follow-up to 2017 sci-fi martial arts thriller, Kill Order. Hitting up the Toronto After Dark Film Festival in late 2019 with WTF Films repping international sales thereafter, the newest sign of its North American release now comes thanks to Vertical Entertainment with a rollout slated for March 26 on VOD and Digital. Stamped as Mark’s third directorial offering, Enhanced ultimately sees Mark’s brother, actor and industry stunt performer Chris Mark (Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, The Boys, October Faction) make his return to the front of the lens following his starring debut in Kill Order. That film saw the younger Mark in the role of David, a high school student battling bouts of mania and torment connected to mysterious superhuman abilities that awaken when an armed tactical squad raids his classroom. […]

on09r-MS339JJD0J3-Full-Image_GalleryCover-en-US-1586167366977._UY500_UX667_RI_VNg8QFuj5P0hZRiRtLQR1BO7xgBHJdJeV_TTW_

LOWLIFE LOVE Review: The Nightmare of Making Cinema

Mike Garcia

A scoundrel lowlife who years back had a minor success as indie film director, struggles to keep relevant as a filmmaker, while he works as an acting teacher exploiting his students and sleeping with all the wanna-be actresses making them false promises of turning them into the stars of movies that he will never direct. Until one day, his miserable existence seems to have a stroke of luck, when two promising students arrive to his classes, an aspiring and naive script writer, who brings a brilliant scrip under his arm that can become in a fantastic project, and a young aspiring actress who has everything to become a star, whom this Lowlife director will try turn on his muse with fatal consequences. Writing and directed by Eiji Uchida, the film gives a different view of movie industry lacking of the idealization of some other meta stories that finds to inspire […]

News Briefs: MISSION: POSSIBLE Racks EFM Sales; SILENT JOHN In Pre-Prod; ALL U NEED IS LOVE Trailer; VAMPIRELLA In The Works; BOON Casts Up; THE ROOKIES Bows In April; New LEAGUE Poster

Lee B. Golden III

● kth hit the virtual EFM sales floor this week and landed multiple territories for action comedy, Mission: Possible. Kim Hyung-joo wrote and directed the pic which released in South Korea through Merry Christmas last month, starring Kim Young-kwang and Lee Sun-bin in the story of a private investigator and a secret agent who find themselves fugitives on the run in the wake of murders connected to a gun-smuggling case. 815 Pictures nabbed U.S. rights on the pic with CJ E&M for Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesoa, Klockworx for Japan, VS Cinema for Taiwan, and more. (Screen) ● More than fifty years in, the posterity of Dynamite Entertainment comic property, Vampirella, now brings word of a new live-action feature project about the legendary Vampiri from the planet Drakulon who ventures out to save her people, whilst protecting mankind from the dark remnants of her own race. The […]

WITHOUT REMORSE: “Dangerous… Effective” Michael B. Jordan Strikes Back In The Official Trailer

Lee B. Golden III

Stefano Sollima’s new espionge revenge thriller, Without Remorse, now has an official trailer following a recent poster reveal which you can view at the bottom of this page. The latest incarnation of a Tom Clancy-created staple of literary spy thriller novels now sees Michael B. Jordan in full form, taking on the full weight of the lead role of John Clark with a deeply scarred and tortured, unhinged air and a tactical twist to boot that I think fans will purely take a liking to. The movie comes to Amazon on April 30. In a war-torn region of Syria, an elite team of Navy SEALs led by Sr. Chief John Kelly (Michael B. Jordan) rescues a CIA operative taken hostage by ex-Russian military forces. Three months later, in apparent retaliation for his role in the mission, Kelly’s pregnant wife Pam (Lauren London) is murdered in the U.S. by a squad […]

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 […]

Screenshot_20210302-172328_Samsung Internet.jpg

WAR ARTS SAGA: SPTV, Original Film To Develop Series Based On Bestseller Wesley Chu’s Upcoming Fantasy Martial Arts Novel Series

Lee B. Golden III

Best-selling author Wesley Chu’s latest work is now the subject of a series adaptation from Sony Pictures Television according to details reported via Deadline‘s Nellie Andreeva on Tuesday. The IP in question is War Arts Saga – a trilogy of novels which will be published each in one year of each other beginning in 2022 from Random House’s Del Rey shingle – of which the rights have been reportedly sold to Neal Mortiz of Original Film. This is damn good news for anyone keeping up with the state of martial arts action on the small screen, and you can believe the niche may very well be waiting with baited breath to see what lies ahead for The CW’s upcoming Kung Fu series revisal. It’s the result of a huge awakening with the successes of hit shows like Into The Badlands and Warrior, which our contributor Kyle Wong spent weeks writing […]

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 […]

Screenshot_20210302-112434_Samsung Internet.jpg

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 […]

KIN: AMC+ Irish Crime Drama Now Shooting In Ireland Starring Clare Dunne, Charlie Cox And More

Lee B. Golden III

Currently filming in Dublin, Ireland, is crime drama series, Kin. The series was announced late last month as one of several series drama projects aimed at premiering exclusively on the premium bundle for subscription service, AMC+. The Irish and international cast for Kin includes Clare Dunne (Herself), Charlie Cox (Daredevil), Aidan Gillen (Game of Thrones), Ciarán Hinds (Game of Thrones), Sam Keeley (The Cured), Emmett J. Scanlan (Peaky Blinders), Maria Doyle Kennedy (Outlander) and newcomer Yasmin Seky. Peter McKenna (The Last Kingdom, Red Rock) is serving as showrunner, writer and exec producer on Kin, which “charts the lives of a fictional Dublin family embroiled in a gangland war and speaks to the enduring unbreakable bonds of blood and family.” McKenna co-created the series with Ciarán Donnelly (Altered Carbon, Vikings), with Diarmuid Goggins (Bulletproof) and Tessa Hoffe (Wayne) serving as first and second block directors, respectively. Executive producers also include BRON […]

121374946_3488946474481802_9081542006112753751_o

THE YAKUZA Review: A Look Back At Sydney Pollack’s Masterpiece

Mike Garcia

If someone makes a list of manly movies, without any doubt this film deserves to be at the top of that list, because there’s no a bigger display of manhood that putting together onto the screen two badasses as Robert Mitchum and Ken Takakura… in fact, the whole movie is an exercise of badassery wrapped into the crafty and sophisticated excellent job of Sydney Pollack who managed to make a really arty Yakuza movie, filled with gory moments of glorious violence and a good script that really captures the essence of Yakuza cinema, without making the mistake of most Hollywood movies when they go east, misrepresenting asian cultures, respecting all the essence of Japanese culture at its fullest. Mitchum plays a retired detective who returns to Japan after being several decades away to rescue his friend’s daughter from the Yakuza. Once there, he will meet again with a past he […]

ARROW Seasons For March: Jill Gevargizian’s THE STYLIST To Terrorize You, Tributes To Meiko Kaji, H.G. Wells And More

Lee B. Golden III

It’s a new month! For horror and cult film fans and ARROW subscribers alike in North America and the U.K., that means more inbound excitement as the streamer gears up to tear into your senses with even more thrills. First and foremost is the release of Jill Gevargizian’s The Stylist, starring Najarra Townsend (Contracted, Wolf Mother) and Brea Grant (After Midnight, Lucky). The film is based on the director’s own earlier shortfilm of the same name, and will release on March 1 along with exclusive extras as part of the package. We all dream of being someone else… but for Claire (Townsend), that dream goes from an obsession to a living nightmare. Hairstylist by day, serial killer and collector of scalps by night, Claire’s lonely existence is thrown into turmoil when her regular client, Olivia (Grant), asks her to style her hair for her wedding day. Increasingly fixated on Olivia’s […]

New AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER Film Toplines Avatar Studios Slate From Original Series Creators For Nickelodeon

Lee B. Golden III

Perhaps the jury is still out on what will become of Netflix’s earlier plans for an Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action series that’s been brewing for the last few years. Of course it also remains to be seen how well it will do even without the input of the original creators themselves, series’ original creators, Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, following their departure from the series last year due to creative differences. In any case, the franchise itself hasn’t lost its touch as the inaugural Nickelodeon animated series still generates fan fervor from its current run on Netflix, as does its spin-off, The Legend Of Korra. For this, the franchise continues to self-nourish with just the kind of potential that DiMartino and Konietzko are utilizing as of this week, jointly launching Avatar Studios as its co-chief creative officers under Nickelodeon, with plans to produce an animated theatrical film this […]

ACÉRÉ: Ross Peacock’s New Action Short Debuts With Five Minutes Of Thrills, Short And To The Bloody, Brutal Point

Robb Antequera

If you’re a deep action aficionado like myself, who is appreciative of the introspection and analysis of the action genre, you should be familiar with the name Ross Peacock, aka Rossatron. His video essays on YouTube about Action Cinema are the finest you’ll ever see, I promise you. No one breaks down Action movies quite like Ross. But Ross has made it known that while he does enjoy making his video essays, his true love lies in filmmaking. And coupled with his expertise on Action, fans were salivating at the thought of what he could accomplish as a filmmaker. Well, ladies and gentlemen, we now have a glimpse of exactly that, as Ross has just released his debut as writer/director with Acéré. A man on the run. A villain with a knife. A fight to the death. This is Acéré (Sharpened to Kill). With Acéré (which means Sharp in french), […]