joe carnahan

Michelle Yeoh And Selina Lo To Star In BOSS LEVEL

I’ve seen my fair share of time loop thrillers. Joe Carnahan, the man with the plan for the upcoming reinstallment of The Raid has his own vested in Boss Level, and once more returning actor Frank Grillo to the big screen courtesy of Entertainment Studios following their acquisition from Emmett/Furla/Oasis a few days ago. Grillo is already joined by Naomi Watts, Ken Jeong, and Mel Gibson for the new movie still in production, and as it stands, word brings that martial artists, actresses Selina Lo and the incomparable Michelle Yeoh are now attached to the film. Production is already underway in Atlanta, Georgia with a 2019 release in tow, as reported via Patrick Frater’s exclusive at Variety on Friday. Groundhog Day with an action genre twist – BOSS LEVEL follows the story of ROY PULIVER who is trapped in a time loop. Every day he wakes up and the assassins that are pursuing […]

THE RAID: Writer Adam G. Simon Divulges On Joe Carnahan’s ‘Cool Jump-Off Point’

Lee B. Golden III

Screenwriter Adam G. Simon took to WTF Nation Radio on Monday to discuss a plethora of topics such as the Oscars, the industry and a number of social issues. The noted Man-Down scribe who had no filter in offering praise for the likes of Fighting helmer Dito Montiel and Man-Down star Shia LeBeouf, also put noted co-scribe and helmer of The Raid reboot, Joe Carnahan in the crosshairs while stating his excitement on the opportunity with hosts Ice And Flash. “Dude I’m so fuckin’ stoked about this. It’s just so good to be working with great people.” said Simon who spoke of Carnahan and the film’s currently sole attached actor, producer Frank Grillo as “…two of the greatest people I’ve ever had the pleasure of fucking working with.” The Raid reboot is one of several that Carnahan and Grillo have stirring under their WarParty banner, including Ben Hernandez Bray’s feature […]

Frank Grillo In Talks To Reach BOSS LEVEL For Director Joe Carnahan

Lee B. Golden III

Deadline is reporting that Joe Carnahan will be possibly reteaming with Frank Grillo for the new action thriller, Boss Level. The film is a co-production between Emmett/Furla/Oasis and DiBonaventura Pictures along with Carnahan and Grillo via their WarParty banner, and Scott Free. Carnahan also wrote the script which tells of Grillo in the role of a retired special forces veteran in a life-or-death-on-repeat fight to find the person responsible and kibosh the never-ending death loop he’s trapped in. Actor Mel Gibson is also in talks for an unspecified role which would see the two actors back on screen since appearing in Martin Campbell’s 2010 thriller, Edge Of Darkness. Financing will be provided by Emmett/Furla/Oasis whose Randall Emmett and George Furla will produce with Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Mark Vahradian. Scott Free’s Jules Daly is executive producing. Grillo previously paired with Carnahan for The Grey (2009) prior to producing the actor’s […]

East L.A. Crime Drama, EL CHICANO, Taps Ben Bray To Direct, WarParty To Produce

Lee B. Golden III

Nearing forty five years as a stunt professional with several televsion and shortfilm directing credits in his wake, filmmaker and stunt coordinator Ben Bray is now setting the stage for his feature directing debut, El Chicano. The film marks Bray’s latest partnership with producer Joe Carnahan whose WarParty banner just secured its WarChest Fund with help from a Calgary-based investment group in Alberta, Canada for four-to-five films budgeting under $20 million dollars. via Variety: The new pic tells the story of two fraternal twin brothers, Pedro and Diego Hernandez, both raised in the toughest barrio of East L.A. Pedro is 10 years old, and a Vato Loco in the making, while his brother Diego follows his brother’s stylistic lead and influence but is, at the same time, his diametric opposite in both bearing and character: Pedro is the dark to Diego’s light, but as young chavalitos on the mean streets […]

WHEELMAN: Frank Grillo Puts The Pedal To The Metal In The First Teaser

Lee B. Golden III

Set the date and feast your eyes on the first official teaser for Jeremy Rush’s directorial debut, Wheelman. The Netflix-bound action thriller has upcoming Beyond Skyline star, actor Frank Grillo leading the way among the cast as well as producing with partner Joe Carnahan – the team repping its WarParty production banner ahead of its ambitious upcoming remake of Indonesian action thriller, The Raid next to XYZ Films. Obviously the task here is to showcase their efforts in a way that means business with Rush shepherding the production centered on a getaway driver as he’s thrust into a high stakes race-to-survive after a bank robbery goes terribly wrong. With a car full of money and his family on the line, the clock is ticking to figure out who double-crossed him, and the only person he can trust is his fourteen-year-old daughter…All reasons to think fast, and drive faster. Grillo is […]

BAD BOYS FOR LIFE Loses Its Director

Lee B. Golden III

It was likely a matter of time but now it appears that Joe Carnahan is no longer directing Bad Boys For Life, according to THR. The film has hit its share of stops and starts over the last several years until Carnahan went to work on its development along with a script. That now seems doused with news of anything from “scheduling” to “creative differences”. Whatever the case though, it also means, principally, more time to focus on X-Force, in addition to his forthcoming reboot of Indonesian action vehicle, The Raid which Carnahan is directing as well as producing with its first cast addition, Frank Grillo, via their War Party banner and XYZ Films. From Columbia Pictures, Bad Boys For Life is currently on track to reunite its stars, Will Smith and Martin Lawrence for the third outing of the franchise slated for a November 9, 2018. That may change […]

X-FORCE Lands THE RAID Remake Writer/Director Joe Carnahan

Lee B. Golden III

Wednesday brought a flurry of news surrounding director Joe Carnahan who gave a slate of exclusives to various sites, including Collider.com and ComingSoon.net. Thus, following breaking news over The Raid remake and Uncharted, it was Comicbook.com that brought us the word that Carnahan is the man poised to direct the forthcoming X-Force adaptation. Carnahan will be joined by Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds in scripting the adaptation of the popular comic book property which began under Marvel in 1991 from creator Rob Liefeld. The film, while once set to have Never Back Down and Kick-Ass helmer Jeff Wadlow direct from his own script, is now part of a continued effort in picking up the momentum of R-rated comic book films as seen with last year’s critical and commerical success of Deadpool from director Tim Miller, and the current critical acclaim for director James Mangold’s latest, Logan, starring Hugh Jackman. Reynolds, whose […]

THE RAID: Carnahan, Grillo Dish The Details For Their Vision, Motivation, Risks And More

Lee B. Golden III

Yes, that is the movie that War Party duo, Frank Grillo and director Joe Carnahan are setting out to remaster with their own vision. It’s been an epicenter of much brouhaha for many a fan who already think that the 2011 Iko Uwais-led starrer and its sequel from director Gareth Huw Evans is enough with a third pending and a fanbase this apprehensive toward anything they love like The Raid being remade in any capacity is likely hard to please. Seriously. Just go on any chatboard or any Facebook group where fans gather to discuss the upcoming re-imagining of the hit action film and you will find yourself amid some of the most stubbon fans you’ll ever see. It’s a fun conversation at that, really, but it’s also important to highlight some specific points about just what the heck is going on about The Raid under War Party’s watch alongside […]

Joe Carnahan Confirms He Will Direct THE RAID

Lee B. Golden III

If you’re still in love with director Gareth Huw Evans’s The Raid and its 2014 hit sequel, you can still purchase both in a terrific package at Amazon. In the meantime, there has been much ado about remaking the first film which released in 2014 and it is still a hot topic among many a fan of the film pining for what lies ahead for its original stars in their current career growth, including Iko Uwais who will appear with actor Frank Grillo in the upcoming sci-fi, Beyond Skyline. Speaking of Grillo, it was he who confirmed at a TCA event last month that he and partner, filmmaker Joe Carnahan are currently attached to the project with XYZ Films, and with the goal of making the film their own, as supposed to merely mimicking Evans’s work. Still, nothing was yet mentioned from Carnahan who executive produced Grillo’s upcoming Wheelman for […]

Frank Grillo: “Joe Carnahan And I Are Relaunching THE RAID!”

Lee B. Golden III

The Raid At least two things could be said regarding the forthcoming remake of director Gareth Huw Evans’s hit 2011 crime thriller, The Raid – One: That it’s long overdue (depending on who you ask), and Two: Any mention of it is nothing short of a conversational powder keg for avid martial arts cinema fans. Some could care less, I suppose, but people have their tastes and The Raid assuredly caters to those of its target audience. The movie drew swelling audiences around the world in the span of a few years lending an electrifying, much-needed surge for Indonesian action cinema, and featuring some of the most physically arduous and tough performances in fight scene choreography ever shot on film. Much to our delight, it led to a sequel that immersed us even more than before, and in all their glory, further added to the genre fervor with actor Iko […]

BAD BOYS FOR LIFE Gets A 2018 Date From Sony

Lee B. Golden III

Titles are everything, especially for a film franchise with an extensive fanbase that dates back more than a decade. Such is is the case for the 1995 blockbuster actioner, Bad Boys from Michael Bay, an ample heavy-hitter for the 90’s action niche and perfectly ripe with as many one-liners as we can take right down to the rapid fire finish. Actors Will Smith and Martin Lawrence led the movie as Mike Lowry and Marcus Burnett – two odd-couple best friends and devout Miami detectives forced to switch roles in order to protect a murder witness amid the upheaval of an Internal Affairs investigation of their department. The film’s success ultimately led to a sequel in 2003, adding Gabrielle Union in the role of Marcus’s sister who turns out to be much more than anticipated for her brother while investigating a smuggling ring that extends to Cuba. The deadpan humor and […]

Joe Carnahan Goes UNCHARTED To Script The Sony Adaptation

Lee B. Golden III

Have you ever seen the 2014 action comedy, Stretch? Yes, the one that The A-Team remake helmer Joe Carnahan directed which fell into release limbo months before finally being granted a Fall opening on VoD and Digital. I’ll tell you, if there was ever a film not to overlook in the course of your life and if you’re looking for something good, funny, energetic and full of laughs and spectacle, Stretch is something you’re going to want to add to your memories as a cinephile. That said, I’m pretty damn glad that Carnahan is the one sitting in to lead the way for the third installment of Sony’s Bad Boys trilogy and I’m glad to see he’s moved onto other prospects as well. For this, I speak of Variety’s latest reporting on the director’s involvement with Sony’s forthcoming live-action adaptation, Uncharted. A director is currently being sought after while Carnahan […]

Frank Grillo Takes The Wheel For Jeremy Rush's WHEELMAN

Lee B. Golden III

Universal Pictures Actor Frank Grillo is having a good year so far with prospects now propelling in the wake of his latest villainous appearance in Captain America: Civil War for Disney. The next few months will see him returning to the fray in the July 4 release of sci-fi action horror threequel, The Purge: Election Day while he stays the course to film Greg Plotkin’s Wolf In The Wild for the newly-launched Awesomeness Films. As of this week however, action fans can expect to see the Kingdom series star in thrilling fashion with Jeremy Rush making his directorial debut for Wheelman – which I think is a perfect title for any action film. Here, Grillo will also make his debut as producer, reuniting with The Grey (2011) helmer Joe Carnahan in addition to Myles Nestel for The Solution Entertainment Group who will present the film at Cannes. Rush’s script, as […]

Joe Carnahan To Direct Suretone's FIVE AGAINST A BULLET!

Lee B. Golden III

Deadline‘s continued coverage in music man-turned-film producer Jordan Schur’s latest happenings with details for the new action thriller, Five Against A Bullet. The A-Team and Stretch helmer Joe Carnahan will be directing with a script written with Alex Litvak which focuses on five bodyguards tasked with protecting a mayoral candidate in Mexico’s most powerful city when he is marked for death by a drug kingpin and his army after they murder his father and the previous mayor. Actor Bruce Willis was reportedly initially attached to star while the film was developing at Colombia pictures. Schur will be financing the film along with that of silent partners and is producing the film through his Suretone Pictures banner, in addition to Di Bonaventura Pictures with Schur’s, Mimran Schur Pictures and Lorenzo di Bonaventura also producing. Five Against A Bullet is currently pending distribution in the U.S. in addition to further casting details.

Joe Carnahan Just Might Be The One To Complete The BAD BOYS Trilogy!

Lee B. Golden III

A trilogy so far twenty years apart is a LONG time to wait for a third to happen, as particularly arduous as it’s been for Sony’s work on Bad Boys 3 following the sequel twelve years ago. The past few years seemed to show signs of life though, specifically with Safe House scribe David Guggenheim attached to write the script back in 2013 prior to fellow franchise lead Martin Lawrence lending some lip service on Conan last year. This time, a new Deadline report is helping make things all the more clearer and prosperous with word that The A-Team and The Grey helmer Joe Carnahan is currently eyeing a place in the director’s chair. If confirmed, he would ultimately replace Michael Bay who directed the first film in 1995 with Lawrence joining Will Smith before its sequel. Smith is currently busy filming Suicide Squad for Warner Bros. although the word […]

Joe Carnahan's STRETCH Finally Gets A Trailer And Release Dates!

Lee B. Golden III

Director Joe Carnahan‘s latest action comedy has stood the test of time. It was back in January that Universal Pictures initially switched gears and decided it wasn’t in their favor to spend $20 million dollars or more needed to advertise Carnahan‘s latest modestly budgeted $5 million dollar road comedy, Stretch for what would have been its release back in March. Since then, all news on the film came to a standstill while Carnahan took to Twitter in recent weeks to share random, hilarious behind-the-scenes clips of the film featuring actors Patrick Wilson and Chris Pine, and a few others. Fast forward to this week and the official word now brings the long-awaited action comedy full speed ahead with a new trailer and two release dates, marking one of the first batch of films Jason Blum’s newly launched multiplatform label, BH Tilt. SYNOPSIS: A limo driver (Wilson) discovers he only has […]