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SKIPTRACE Skips To A New Director + DRAGON BLADE Gets New Sales Art

SKIPTRACE Skips To A New Director + DRAGON BLADE Gets New Sales Art

You are forgiven if you were under the impression that international action star Jackie Chan had begun any principal photography yet on his newest crime comedy flick, Skiptrace. The film was supposed to begin shooting in January of last year with Chan starring and also producing, but apparently no updates have come about since then. This week however, that all changes with reports coming out of Cannes thatThe Legend Of Hercules helmer Renny Harlin will direct the film instead. Based on an original script written by Jay Longino, Chan joins actor Sean William Scott and actress Fan Bing Bing in a story centered on a Hong Kong detective on an epic mission to rescue his niece from a notorious crimeboss with the reluctant help of a fast talking American gambler on the run from the Mob. The screenplay was later revised by Brian Gatewood, Alessandro Tanaka, Geoff Moore, David Posmentier […]

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RocketJump Celebrates 1 Billion Views With A Video Update

Visionary online filmmaker Freddie Wong and the guys over at RocketJump have made a huge name for themselves over the last four years, namely known for showcasing creative, VFX-heavy and spectacular shortfilms that are full of stylish action. In 2014, their efforts have lended them over a billion views on their YouTube channel, and the group is looking toward bigger goals in the years ahead. How big? Well, for starters, RocketJump announced a partnership with Lionsgate in a deal last month which benefits everyone involved, but essentially provides RocketJump the means to utilize their resources to create and promote their content more conveniently and expansively. And on Monday, Wong shared a video on the channel to explain the future of RocketJump, the future of its online content, plans to work on feature films, and a lot more. I’ve shared some of Wong‘s work on my site having only learned of […]

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Marvel Hosts Q & A For New Trailer Unveiling Of MARVEL'S GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY

I’m not a fan of trailer teasers, so I didn’t bother pushing the latest three for director James Gunn‘s new film, Marvel’s Guardians Of The Galaxy. Aside from the tedious promotional stuff, full trailers are the milk and cookies that moviegoers look forward to when looking up a film on line. Speaking of which, said film above now has a full trailer which you can check out below courtesy of the film’s official Facebook page following today’s live Q and A about the film with the cast and crew. From Marvel, the studio that brought you the global blockbuster franchises of Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and The Avengers, comes a new team–the Guardians of the Galaxy. An action-packed, epic space adventure, Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” expands the Marvel Cinematic Universe into the cosmos, where brash adventurer Peter Quill finds himself the object of an unrelenting bounty hunt after […]

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'Consequences' Surround The New English Title For SPL 2

Thai action star Tony Jaa just got some screentime in Cannes with the unveiling of footage from his new internationally cast action thriller, Skin Trade with Dolph Lundgren and Michael Jai White, which could lead to some exciting distribution news in the days or weeks ahead. In the meantime, principal photography is already underway as of May 1 for Jaa’s new action thriller, Sha Po Lang 2, and the second of two posters have already begun circulating the internet for the film’s presentation in Cannes this month. View it below: In light of the new poster unveiling this month, co-producer Mike Selby has confirmed from producers Wilson Yip and Paco Wong who designed the new poster that the film’s accompanying English sales title will be A Time For Consequences. Serving as a thematic sequel/prequel following the spectacular 2005 crime pic, Sha Po Lang, the new film is directed by Cheang […]

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NINJA THE MONSTER Kickstarts Shochiku's New Film Initiative

Budgets are usually an issue for some directors; I guess the opposite is true for risk when it comes to some studios. Me, personally, I’m all for a director using as much money as possible to allow the creative process to fully flourish and make the film not only excellent, but memorable. And there are directors who are able to achieve this on various productions throughout the world with low budgets, as opposed to Hollywood where studios will spend hundreds of millions of dollars to make a film, a move that can go one of two way depending on the title, which brings us the latest from Shochiku. Back in 2010, rival studio, Nikkatsu launched a short series of small-budgeted productions subsidized under production label, Sushi Typhoon, producing and distributing gonzo cult favorites like Deadball, Yakuza Weapon, Cold Fish and Mutant Girls Squad before shutting down in 2011. Four years […]

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Everyone Fights For Something In The New Trailer For READY ACTION! VIOLENCE MOVIES

There’s a lot happening here in this trailer – a film that appears to package what looks like three stories either divided or interwoven into one film, each written to lend some curiosity behind the obscure profanity and view of knives amidst some of the small bits of dark comedy, action and mild tension. It could all mean something much more – either that, or I’m simply overthinking it, but whatever the case is, the film is titled Ready Action! Violence Movies, an anthology film collectively directed by Jung Jae-woong, Choe Won-kyung and Kim Do-kyoung with actors Min Ho-yeol, Lee Ka-young and Oh Sung-guen as the main players. The film releases June 5 in Korean cinemas. SYNOPSIS: 1. Extreme (Min-ho is unbeatable) by Jung Jae-woong  ●”Why did you do that to me?” – Min-ho is lost and searching for his way back to Seoul in an isolated village when he gets […]

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GODZILLA Will Return For A Sequel

From L to R: Director Gareth Edwards with actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson on the set of Godzilla (2014). Photo: Warner Bros. Godzilla continues to reign supreme scoring some major high marks with $103M worldwide at the box office and rising, making it the single largest opening weekend of the year. While some may have been, and continue to be doubtful of director Gareth Edwards‘ newest monster thriller reboot, in large part, all positive opinions outweigh any negative critiques that may be out there. Point in fact, our own Darren Bailey screened the film earlier this month and glossed over it in his latest review, callng it “the single greatest creature movie since Jurassic Park.” I saw it in 3D in a late night showing on Friday, and I might see it again. However, if you have not seen it yet, all signs point to it as a must-see, if not merely […]

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RIGOR MORTIS Set To Haunt U.S. Theaters This June

We’re far off from Halloween, but it’s never too late for a cool, ghoulish action horror flick. Hence, look no further than the latest trailer for the multiaward-nominated upcoming U.S. release of Juno Mak‘s directorial debut, Rigor Mortis, starring Chin Siu-Ho, Kara Wai, Nina Paw, Anthony “Friend” Chan, Lo Hoi Pang and Richard Ng. Well Go USA is theatrically releasing the film following its acquistion late last year. Rigor Mortis is slated for a day-and-date release on June 6, 2014 in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle, Honolulu, Houston, Lubbock, Toronto and other select cities. SYNOPSIS: A washed-up actor, desperate and suicidal, moves into a haunted Hong Kong apartment housing tower where supernatural creatures, ghost hunters, taoist exorcists, and the souls of the undead walk among his neighbors.  An eerie, chilling homage to the classic Chinese vampire movies of the 1980s, RIGOR MORTIS is the directorial debut of Hong Kong […]

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All-Girl Action Flick, BITCHFIGHT Gets A Merciless New Promo!

Actress, martial arts legend and International Sports Hall Of Famer Cynthia Rothrock was in Burbank, California to promote her latest family action drama, The Martial Arts Kid at Dragonfest on Sunday. Meanwhile, action fans were also able to get a glimpse of her very much more badass, bloody and not-so family-oriented all female action flick, Bitchfight, with producer and director Dean Meadows. Although no plot details have been made available, footage arrived on Sunday in the form of a new brutal, gritty, grindhouse-style promo that was shot late last year and can now be viewed in the embed below. Billed as “old school exploitation for a new grindhouse generation”, principal photography will commense later this year in London with Rothrock joined by a supporting cast of multifaceted actresses, namely former WWE wrestler Jemma ‘Inferno’ Palmer, martial artist and stuntwoman Maria Hippolyte, model Sophia Disgrace, trainer and model Tayah Kansik and mixed […]

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CANNES 2014: What's New With Idris Elba?

CANNES 2014: What's New With Idris Elba?

From being a ‘Loser’ and a ‘Taker’ to being the gatekeeper of Asgaard and canceling the apocalypse in a Jaeger, actor Idris Elba has served his own good fair share of excitement for filmgoers in several action roles throughout his career in recent years. Point in fact, some fans have even gone so far in the past few years as to generate talk among fans of him hopefully inheriting the role of James Bond in the 007 franchise – rumors he no less dispelled earlier this year. But that doesn’t mean the action will disappear. Nope, not by a long shot. The Marché du Film in Cannes is in full effect this month, and Elba has made quite a few headlines along the way, starting with the current production of Sin nombre helmer, Cary Fukanaga’s new war drama, Beasts Of No Nation. Fukanaga’s script is based on the inspired work […]

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Harbor City Is Under Siege In The New Teaser For 3D Cop Thriller, BLACK AND WHITE 2: THE DAWN OF JUSTICE

It’s interesting to look at television dramas and watch them translate into big screen theatrics. In particular, you can guarantee there’s a little bit more muscle being flexed when there’s action involved; Such is the case with producer and director Tsai Yuen-Tsun‘s latest upcoming 3D blockbuster, Black And White 2: The Dawn Of Justice. Gifted with a mild increase in budget since its 2012 theatrical predecessor, Black And White: The Dawn Of Assault, the new film is one in a continual string of ambitious features coming from overseas with combined efforts from top-notch professionals around the world to help further enhance the scope of the action, as well as the story telling involved. “We have always wanted to create a highly entertaining modern action genre, which not only has the universal appeal but also offers more enjoyable elements for the Asian audience because of the local colors embedded in the […]

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The Trailer For HOLIDAY Brews Quirky Romance With A Touch Of Energizing Action

The task of keeping up with the pacing of movie production in Southeast Asia, particularly in India, can be pretty challenging. As it stands, the industry over there tends to generate close to a thousand of these films every year, including some pretty big actioners, with the quality, size and scale of stuntwork almost consistently increasing with each film, a trend that sites pretty normal for bonafide action hero Akshay Kumar who happens to be a pretty big deal for his fanbase at home. This summer, that trend continues with the latest action romance drama from director A.R. Murugadoss titled Holiday, a remake of his 2012 feature, Thuppaki ( and also one of three known remakes of the same film to date) which now sees Kumar in the lead as a military captain whose short-lived vacation puts him back in the line of fire against terrorist cells. As per the […]

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Details On Nick Cheung's Role In FROM VEGAS TO MACAU 2

Details On Nick Cheung's Role In FROM VEGAS TO MACAU 2

The Dante Lam-directed mixed martial arts drama, Unbeatable, continues to be a headline maker for actor Nick Cheung (That Demon Within, The White Storm) who just received another award earlier this month for his role in the film, hosted at 21st annual Beijing College Student Film Festival. And nowadays, with things stirring up from Cannes, you will likely hear Cheung‘s name being mentioned more often regarding his newest attachment as a debut director for the new poltergeist hunter thriller, Ghost Rituals, which is being screened for buyers along the Marché du Film courtesy of international sales agent, Darclight. But that isn’t all for the actor-turned-director who is still in the business of acting, and you will find him doing just that now that with updated reports declaring he is set to star as new protégé alongside lead actor Chow Yun-Fat in the forthcoming sequel action adventure, From Vegas To Macau […]

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DRAGONFEST Returns This Sunday!

Following previous coverage on the revival of Martial Arts History Museum founder and president Michael Matsuda’s upcoming events for Dragonfest 2014, a fresh new press release was unveiled this weekend announcing more details on who will attend. The festival appears to have an amazing slate of programs and guests lined up, including a wide array of seasoned film and martial arts veterans, actors and filmmakers alike, including Dragonfest’s original founder, actor Gerald Okamura. Moreover, one of the biggest bookmarks of the festival also happens to be the screening of a scene from director Michael Baumgarten’s new film, The Martial Arts Kid, a drama-heavy action picture which just recently announced its partnership with New Jersey-based outreach program, Bullying…We’re Kickin It. The film co-stars Don “The Dragon” Wilson and Cynthia Rothrock, the latter who will be among other big names in martial arts cinema going to the event this Sunday. All of […]

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Survive The Night When THE PURGE: BREAKOUT Hits Your City!

The first installment of The Purge got some mixed reactions by critics when it was released last year. I personally enjoyed the first and look forward to the sequel, The Purge: Anarchy when it releases later this summer. Bearing this in mind, those who enjoy the dystopian future America that writer and director James DeMonaco has crafted will get to endulge the experience first hand in the form of what is being described as an “immersive real-life horror escape-experience” when Universal Pictures and Blumhouse Productions launch “The Purge: Breakout” this summer. The official press release below has all the details: UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif., May 16, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — The Purge: Breakout, an immersive real-life horror-escape experience, will travel throughout the United States this summer, offering fans an opportunity to step inside the world of the film franchise The Purge, Universal Pictures and Blumhouse Productions announced today. The Purge: Anarchy arrives […]

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THE RAID 2 Gets A U.S. Street Date!

It’s Friday. You know what that means? It means it’s the perfect day to go nuts with excitement over anything if your subsequent weekend allows it. For me, such a day came back in March when my friend, independent filmmaker Jon Truei and I went to see director Gareth Evans‘ latest cult blockbuster, The Raid 2. And he knows first hand how nuts I was; I was inconsolable with every joyful butt kicking minute. And if you have seen the film yet, you know exactly what I mean. With that in mind, the film is still circulating in theaters around the world. And for filmgoers in North America who haven’t had a chance to see the film in theaters, then you needn’t worry too long. You’ll be able to finally bring the magical cinematic asskickery to your home theater with the film’s forthcoming DVD and Blu-Ray release in less than […]

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THE MARTIAL ARTS KID Aligns With Heavy Hitters To 'Kick' Bullying

If you’ve been tuned in for the past several months to the recent effots of White Tiger co-stars, actors and action legends Don “The Dragon” Wilson and Cynthia Rothrock, chances are you caught onto the current development of their new cinematic labor of love, The Martial Arts Kid, to be directed by Michael Baumgarten. Wilson and Rothrock can currently be seen in their recent campaign video for the film’s Kickstarter platform which launched last month, and and with three weeks left as of this write-up, the film just recently announced young lead actor Jansen Panettierre for the title role. In light of this, a new press release is out that puts focus on the broader issue of the film’s message, partnering with a New Jersey-based non-profit charity organization Bullying…We’re Kickin It. It’s a message firmly backed by everyone involved, including one of the film’s co-producers, Hollywood stuntwoman Cheryl Wheeler-Duncan, among other major […]

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The Noble Classics: VOL. 2

Rumors and blurbs of international action star and consummate filmmaker Jackie Chan‘s retirement have been nothing short of astonishing WTF moments in recent years, while it is true that past injuries and old age have rendered him unable to perform stunts with the same degree of great danger as he has done for well over four decades. However, as it stands, his consistently as a stunt man and leading action star, and the countless injuries Chan has suffered in the name of film and cinematic martial arts action, are a significant handful of reasons why he, and he alone has become one of the biggest success stories in action cinema history, if not the biggest. In this edition, we host resident contributor Graeme Noble’s weekend pics reflecting on just a mere portion of Chan’s ever-growing legacy as one that inspires millions around the world. And we do this by way […]

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Harrison Ford Tapped To Star In BLADE RUNNER Sequel

Harrison Ford Tapped To Star In BLADE RUNNER Sequel

32 years after Warner Bros theatrically released its award-winning futuristic noir thriller, Blade Runner, it appears talk of a sequel is stirring things up at Cannes this year with word that Alcon Entertainment has offered actor Harrison Ford to his reprise his role in the new film.  In the years since then, with various versions of the film being made available in one form or another until helmer Ridley Scott‘s 2007 version, The Final Cut, hopes for a sequel have periodically come and gone for various reasons, with at least one version being prepared in 2009 by Scott, along with brother, filmmaker Tony Scott before the latter reportedly committed suicide three years later. Based on late author Phillip K. Dick’s original 1968 publication, Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?, the first film is set in November in the year 2019, with Ford in the role of semi-retired LAPD detective Rick […]

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THE FLASH Meets His First Villain In A New Extended Promo

Following the official airing of a brand new trailer for the new CW superhero series, The Flash starring Grant Gustin, we now have an extended look of from the upcoming series which now offers a new villain and a special appearance by actor Stephen Amell as Arrow, the initial DC Comics TV series character from which the new series branches from. The Flash is poised to air this Fall on Tuesday nights at 8:00pm on the CW as part of the network’s new line-up. Watch the new 5-minute extended trailer and a sneak peek video of the CW Fall line-up below the official series description and check your local listings. DESCRIPTION: After a particle accelerator causes a freak storm, CSI Investigator Barry Allen is struck by lightning and falls into a coma. Months later he awakens with the power of super speed, granting him the ability to move through Central […]

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