filmcombatsyndicate.com

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

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 […]

My Two Cents: AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON (2015)

Lee B. Golden III

Given that I’m not too well-learned on comic books and their correlation to movies as of late, I won’t get too much into the technical aspects of director Joss Whedon‘s Avengers: Age Of Ultron. I’m no superhero geek and I really just try to absorb what I see from a filmic aspect, and dozens of reviews about this film have been written already, so there’s nothing I can really add to the conversation that other early reviews have already mentioned on other sites. What I will say though, is that I recommend seeing it. It’s definitely a kids’ movie and fun to watch with some mature and grown moments. A lot of the dialogue was a bit dry for my taste in points where I expected to laugh out loud and for about half of the movie, I didn’t – maybe that’s just me, while the action was much more […]

Shoosh! And Watch The New Trailer For Indonesian Action Flick, GANGSTER

Lee B. Golden III

It’s safe to say that post-Raid fandom has dimmed with the state of Indonesian action cinema remaining more on-going with its more local productions. It’s with that in mind that we turn to director Fajar Nugro‘s latest regional entry, Gangster, and Indo-Aussie actor Hamish Daud leading the cast in a story centered on a man pursuing a life with the woman he loves in Jakarta until he ends up crossing paths with a criminal gang. Raid franchise co-star Yayan Ruhian also lends his flair of screen charm as usual, and surely while the comedy here is more local than anything as is the rest of the film, it’s a mild reminder of why the fans at large love Ruhian as he steps out on his own. Alas, as you would imagine, there’s drama, definitely some fighting, and a good share of brutality to boot. And on that note, I invite […]

Watch The Latest Trailer For Dolph Lundgren Prison Actioner, RIOT!

Lee B. Golden III

Nope, there’s no stopping action star Dolph Lundgren lately. He wins the week after having attended the Los Angeles premiere of his latest action thriller pairing with Tony Jaa for Skin Trade, with another pending for the G.I. Film Festival premiere of the Ryan Little-directed War Pigs next week, while having signed on for the new horror thriller, Don’t Kill It, which films this July. With that in mind, you may be wondering what he’ll actually be doing until then. Of course, he’s promoting as per his occupation as a cinematic action hero mainstay, and his latest active film role is currently in John Lyde’s new contained prison thriller, Riot, joining actor and producer Matthew Reese with retired and former light heavyweight MMA champion, actor Chuck Liddell playing a Russian crimeboss. It’s what you can expect from a prison movie with all the necessary tropes, including action sequences designed by […]

And The Winner Of Our LIFE OF ACTION Contest Is…

Lee B. Golden III

It’s not everyday that you get to win a free book, much less one that is attributed to some of the best of the best in the industy of action and stunts on film. However, casting any more formalities aside from the preceding suspenseful week-and-a-half, today is the day we announce the winner of our Life Of Action contest and congratulate Ross Brown for answering our trivia question with the ONLY correct answer, and I mean that literally. The contest brought a total of sixteen people of which I had to exclude three for not adhering to the directions I set last week for the contest. That said, even with just that much of a handful of people, I was surprised that only one person got the answer correct to the following question: “What is the correct spelling of the full (first and last) name of the character Scott Adkins […]

Mike Tyson Officially Joins Donnie Yen For IP MAN 3D

Lee B. Golden III

Following an epic press conference in Shanghai several days ago, the official word and details involving former heavy weight boxing champion-cum-actor Mike Tyson‘s involvement in the current production of the forthcoming threequel, Ip Man 3D starring returning action hero Donnie Yen. Tyson‘s involvement was initially reported back in March as principal photography began with word on the plot’s focus toward titular martial arts Grandmaster’s relationship with then young martial arts purveyor, Bruce Lee. Details are still pending with regard to the latter as the production ended up at the business end of legal action from rights holders pertaining to the use of Lee’s image and persona to help construct a lifelike hybrid iteration of Lee. For now though, Yen and Tyson are the news this week, and time will tell how all these factors will play out before before the film’s planned release. It certainly helps the former boxer in […]

Andy Johnson's New Book, THE ACTION CINEMA HANDBOOK Arrives In The UK This June!

Lee B. Golden III

Inspiration for film comes in many forms, especially for those with a penchant for the pen. Debut author Andy Johnson certainly fits the profile with his own fandom built from his own lingering interests in the action genre, and now he’s taken roughly the past year to catalogue some of his favorite titles and reviews in a new upcoming book of his own, The Action Cinema Handbook. From Rambo’s American muscle to Hong Kong heroic bloodshed, the Action Cinema Handbook is your guide to film’s most hard-hitting genre. Features 75 reviews of recommended films from ‘RoboCop’ to ‘The Man From Nowhere’. The book is available for pre-order right now for UK residents at Gumroad.com before its street release on June 1. In the meantime, Johnson‘s book has it’s own trailer going viral as of this week. Check him out below and follow him on Twitter at @andyjohnsonuk.

A Desperate Cop Evens The Playing Field In The New Trailer For VENDETTA

Lee B. Golden III

Action fans have nothing to lose while the on-going multi-film production partnership between Lionsgate and WWE Studios continues to be a lucrative one. The new revenge thriller, Vendetta brings actors Dean Cain and Paul Wight (a.k.a. The Big Show) at the center of a deadly rivalry between a desperate cop out for blood and an elusive criminal waiting for him in prison – yep, there’s only one way this can all turn out. SYNOPSIS: Dean Cain and WWE Superstar The Big Show star in “Vendetta,” an action-packed thriller about a detective pushed beyond his limits who will stop at nothing for vengeance. When his wife is killed by a criminal that he put away, Mason (Cain), a hard-nosed detective, deliberately gets arrested in order to get revenge. While inside, Mason discovers a new criminal enterprise that those behind it would kill to protect. Celebrated sibs, helmers Jen and Sylvia Soska […]

'Big Ass Spider' Helmer To Direct Dolph Lundgren In Alaskan Horror Thriller, DON'T KILL IT

Lee B. Golden III

It’s been an electric week in Los Angeles with a few star-studded premieres taking place, one of them being action star Dolph Lundgren‘s new international thriller, Skin Trade with famed import, martial arts superstar Tony Jaa. On Thursday night, the momentum continued as international sales agents prepare themselves for Cannes this week with pre-market deals taking place, one of them being Lundgren‘s latest horror-thriller attachment, Demon Hunter. Variety reports that filming is expected to start this July with Lundgren starring from a script by Dan Berk and Robert Olson which he teams a demon hunter with a reluctant FBI agent to hunt down a force of ancient evil unleashed in a small Alaskan town rampantly leaving a trail of death as it passes between hosts. Robert Locum and Jeff Spilman are producing for Big Ass Spider helmer Mike Mendez to direct while Archstone Distribution represents the film globally next week. […]

Marvel Announces Official Filming Of CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR And Full Cast!

Lee B. Golden III

Just in case your internet crashes today due to your service being inundated with all sorts of comic book movie fandom, that’s the official website for Marvel.com letting the world know that filming has begun on the latest segway into the third phase of the MCU, Captain America: Civil War. Few are missing from the cast and sooner or later we’ll know why; Honestly though, I haven’t seen Avengers: Age Of Ultron yet so I’ve been avoiding any and all talk on it before trying to see it on Friday night this week. The names have all been piling up so far since late last year with Chadwick Boseman set to play superhero Black Panther, with names Daniel Brühl and Martin Freeman making the rounds as of late until now, ending further speculation. The film releases in 364 days and there will be more news between now and then, so […]

Three Of Tarantino's 'HATEFUL EIGHT' Make This Week's EW Cover

Lee B. Golden III

Talk of retirement is what looms in the wake of what lies ahead for acclaimed director Quentin Tarantino‘s tenth film, The Hateful Eight. For this, you have to wonder just what it will all mean for you when the film releases later this year. If you know Tarantino’s work, by now you’ve probably fallen in love with either one or SEVERAL of his films, and I can only imagine how it will feel after the end credits myself. Alas, EW forwarded its latest coverage on the film with a word from the cast discussing Tarantino‘s inspiration for the film, speaking of a more intimately-toned flick compared to his 2012 Blaxploitation ode, Django Unchained and the World War 2-set revenge remake, Inglorious Basterds, headlined by characters in a room who don’t trust each other. This, on top of mentions of it bearing a western Iceman Cometh vibe. Interesting! EW’s coverage also […]

Chinese Language U.S. Action Comedy, HOLLYWOOD ADVENTURES Scores An Explosive Teaser!

Lee B. Golden III

Many films and television shows in recent memory are further continuing to exemplify the growing proximity between respective industries in Hollywood and China. Such is the case for the on-going partnership of Beijing-based Perfect Storm Entertainment’s own, producer and Fast & Furious franchise helmer Justin Lin and Chinese media mogul Bruno Wu with one of their most recent crossover endeavors heading to Mainland cinemas this June. I speak of Hollywood Adventures, the latest romantic road action comedy romp from debut director Timothy Kendall and the largest Chinese-language production to film primarily in Southern California. Leading lady Vicky Zhao and actors, The White-Haired Witch star Huang Xiaoming and Badges Of Fury co-star Tong Dawei headline the sprawling cast with a story centered on a man desperately searching for his sweetheart in the heart of Hollywood. This, all while crossing paths with an array of colorful characters to enhance the challenging danger […]

Kevin James To Star In TRUE MEMOIRS OF AN INTERNATIONAL ASSASSIN This Fall

Lee B. Golden III

I’m not too huge on anything Paul Blart. On that note, we can at least count on actor Kevin James to adapt to other roles that might be appealing to moviegoers, which will hopefully be the case for his next action comedy endeavor, True Memoirs Of An International Assassin from PalmStar Media and Global Film Group. Kick Ass 2 helmer Jeff Wadlow will direct with a story that sees James dodging bullets and bad guys as a lowly accountant and would-be author on the run in Belize when the sudden misprinted publication and popularity of his fictional assassin novel deigns him as the living subject of his own book, forcing him to take on his literary persona, “Colt Rodgers” in order to save the day when he gets embroiled in an assassination conspiracy. PalmStar Media and Merced Media are financing the film which takes the international market at Cannes next […]

New Stills Are Available From Mike Fury's New Book, LIFE OF ACTION

Lee B. Golden III

Debut author Mike Fury‘s exploits in the world of action and stunts on film have since launched this month with the release of his new book, Life Of Action. It’s the first of what will be a hopeful series of adventures from Fury as someone whose own career in film began in stunts and choreography, and it’s a book that marks an otherwise worthy milestone in presenting new faces and voices to an industry for a genre of film that has more than stood the test of time. Rest assured, if you are into action movies and want to learn more about the respective and intricate stories of folks and living legends like Cynthia Rothrock, Richard Norton, Dolph Lundgren and Scott Adkins, Life Of Action is an excellent place to start. For this, Film Combat Syndicate launched a contest late last week for one lucky winner to receive a copy […]

Lutz, Miller Reunite For Contained Action Thriller, THE FEUD

Lee B. Golden III

Kellan Lutz is soon set to embark on a new journey as the host of Fox’s May 27 game show, Bullseye. In the meantime, he’s still taking on the title of action star these days and The Wrap is forwarding news that he’ll be starring in the new contained action thriller, The Feud for Summerstorm Entertainment and Vandal Entertainment. The Expendables 3 and The Legend Of Hercules actor will play Toland, a young man who attends his brother’s funeral upon returning to his rural Midwest hometown, only to find himself trapped in an abandoned farming complex with his friends by a local crime lord and forced to use his skills and wit to survive while unlocking a greater mystery. David Matalon and Matthew Altman wrote the script for Navid McIlhargey and Gabriela Bacher to produce, pairing Lutz once more with director Steven C. Miller since completing the upcoming actioner, Extraction […]

Shaku Yumiko Is Back For Vengeance In The Latest Teaser For KIRI: PROFESSIONAL KILLER

Lee B. Golden III

Legendary action auteur Sakamoto Koichi (Travelers, Red X Pink a.k.a. Girl’s Blood) knows what his fans love, and that statement is no less true than for his Tokusatsu following with a cast that is sure to get their attention. For this we look at actress Shaku Yumiko in her latest return to the action fray in fourteen years in the new assassin thriller, Kiri: Professional Killer, based on Hakusensha’s Young Animal Arashi publication from the work of manga author, Nishikawa Hideaki. With Sakamoto at the helm, I’m easily harkened back to films like Drive (1997) and Broken Path (2008), and if you’re familiar with Sakamoto‘s work DNA, you already know that he knows exactly what he’s doing, especially with Shaku on hand as a black belt purveyor of martial arts herself on top of lead roles in Sato Shinsuke’s 2001 thriller, The Princess Blade and Kitamura Ryuhei’s 2004 fantasy adaptation, […]

Antoine Fuqua's THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN Adds Two More To The Cast!

I will be the first to admit that I am old at 52 and I happen to love Westerns. Growing up with a father born in Kentucky, and a mother from Oklahoma, my tastes in music and film partially stemmed from their influence. And one of those influences is the appreciation of country music. I get that from my mom and dad. Films on the other hand, were directly influenced by my father. I grew up watching John Wayne films that my father enjoyed. And I enjoy them too. The last Western I watched was the intriguing Cowboys vs Aliens that I found “amusing,” to say the least. My dad would have laughed at this. So, normally, whenever a new Western was on TV that my father had not seen before, my older brother and I made a family night together with dad. One of my father’s favorite films was […]

Fraser's 6 DAYS Lands Its Cast!

Lee B. Golden III

Director Toa Fraser‘s Maori action epic, The Dead Lands, scored big with filmmakers and critics between now and late last year while the filmmaker has since moved on to other matters of creativity. One such matter has been the current development and pre-production of his new hostage drama, 6 Days, which was announced back in October. With the new year now well underway, of course, filming is expected to commence this summer, and Deadline is offering a new report on the first names to headline the cast, which will include Jamie Bell, Abbie Cornish and Mark Strong. 6 Days reunites Fraser will The Dead Lands scribe Glenn Standring with all three actors set to star in the 1980-set story of the six gunmen who took over two dozen people hostage at the Iranian Embassy in Princes Gate, London, at the behest of Arab sovereignty, and the six days of intense […]

MJW: Scripts Done For 'Dynamite' & 'Bone' Sequels, Jaa And Jeeja To Appear In 'Never Back Down 3'

Lee B. Golden III

If you’re looking forward to catching martial arts action star, actor Michael Jai White back in his big screen element, you needn’t look further than the upcoming release of the new international action thriller, Skin Trade which arrives this weekend in theaters from Magnet Releasing. White has been busy on a promotional tour for the film as of late, and in some instances, including appearances with fellow action star Tony Jaa as the latter has since crossed over into Hollywood and other markets. Not much had been known up until now if whether or not fans will see the two back in action together on screen, which is still an exciting thing to note considering the action they perform together is so exquisitely well done as one of the biggest highlights of the film, on top of their chemistry within the last few years as the two met up in […]

CBS Films Nabs North American Rights For MacKenzie's COMANCHERIA, Starring Pine, Foster And Bridges!

Lee B. Golden III

The Palme d’Or is the highest level of accliam ever awarded at the Cannes Film Festival, and apparently it’s been considered worthy nominating for director Denis Villeneuve’s forthcoming Emily Blunt starrer, Sicario. This, no less, is a considerable achievement contributed thanks in part to good writing, and namely worth noting for Taylor Sheridan in lieu of his latest attachment to a new project witd director David MacKenzie whose own laurels span far greater with praise following his award-winning 2013 drama, Starred Up. That project would be the new action heist thriller, Comancheria, with actors Chris Pine, Ben Foster and Jeff Bridges set to star with filming beginning on May 26 in New Mexico. CBS Films announced its acquisition of North American rights for the new film in a press release this week ahead of Cannes which launches a week before then. Needless to say, these folks have a sure thing […]