keanu reeves
Keanu Reeves Teams With ‘John Wick’ Helmers For Action TV Series, RAIN
If you CLICK HERE, you will see a trailer for the 2009 hitman thriller, Rain Fall. It starred The Dark Knight Trilogy actor Gary Oldman with Shinobi: Heart Under Blade actor Kippei Shiina in the English-language action pic which Lionsgate picked up for release a few years after it was released in Japan in 2009, and now, the title is back in a new iteration set for television with leading action man, actor Keanu Reeves.
Reeves, along with stunt auteurs and filmmakers David Leitch and Chad Stahelski, and author Barry Eisler have partnered up with LA-based Slingshot Global Media for the forthcoming production of the new action series, Rain. The show will be based on Eisler’s eponymous twelve-year running action espionage novel series character, John Rain, a military-trained half-Japanese/Caucasian hitman whose employ is based on three rules: No women or children, no assistance or outside help, and only principle targets are allowed-no collateral or “message sending” targets.
An official description of the forthcoming series so far reads as follows, courtesy of Deadline:
Rain centers on John Rain (Reeves), a half-Japanese, half-American contract assassin who specializes in taking out his targets by making it look like death by natural causes. An outsider in whatever world he’s in, Rain ironically finds that the one identity he knows – that of being a hitman – is the very thing that prevents him from bringing others closer into his life. Eisler’s series of novels featuring Rain, on which the show is based, includes “A Clean Kill in Tokyo”, “A Lonely Resurrection”, “Winner Take All”, “Redemption Games”, “Extremis”, “The Killer Ascendant”, “The Detachment”, and “Graveyard Of Memories”.
Reeves, who is also half-Asian (elemental to his role in the 2013 samurai spectacle, 47 Ronin) will make his television debut as the lead actor, and is also executive producing the series with Leitch and Stahelski. The series is also one of a handful of big moves for stuntmen moving in on the forefront of mainstream filmmaking behind the camera for Leitch and Stahelski, following their co-directorial action-packed hitman debut, John Wick, also starring Reeves; Lionsgate is theatrically releasing John Wick on October 24, 2014.
Stay tuned for more info on Rain as the news progresses.
Film Of The Week: MAN OF TAI CHI (2013)
SYNOPSIS:
It's All Action In The Latest Featurette For 47 RONIN
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Catch Two New Clips + A New Hyper Comic For 47 RONIN!
Keanu Reeves makes an explosive return to an action-adventure in 47 Ronin. After a treacherous warlord kills their master and banishes their kind, 47 leaderless samurai vow to seek vengeance and restore honor to their people. Driven from their homes and dispersed across the land, this band of ronin must seek the help of Kai (Reeves)—a half-breed they once rejected—as they fight their way across a savage world of mythic beasts, shape shifting witchcraft and wondrous terrors.
47 Ronin Unleashes Its Origins In The Animated Prequel Short, THE WAY OF THE WARRIOR
Crave hosted a brand new animated prequel shortfilm this week titled 47 Ronin: The Way Of The Warrior. The shortfilm comes as movie goers are less than two weeks away from the premiere of the forthcoming feature length samurai epic, 47 Ronin.
Daniel Bernhardt Joins The Russian Mafia In Reeves' Next, JOHN WICK
Promising a spectacular action packed revenge thriller, Deadline has reported that actor and martial arts action star, and The Hunger Games 2: Catching Fire co-star Daniel Bernhardt (Bloodsport 2, 3 and 4, The Cutter, Parker) has been added to the cast of the next Keanu Reeves-starring action vehicle, John Wick. Based on a screenplay by The Package scribe Mark Kolstad, the film features Reeves in the title role, following the story of a former hitman whose late wife’s dog is murdered by a thug and his friends who steal his 1969 Ford Mustang, leading Wick to a climatic showdown with the thug’s father, a Russian New York crime boss who makes Wick a target.
Produced by Basil Ilwaynk and Mike Witherill, and executive produced by Reeves along with Kevin Scott Frakes and Raj Brinder Singh for Thunder Road Pictures and H & W Movie Partners, the New York-based production of John Wick was intially announced back in May, marking the forthcoming directorial debut for Chad Stahelski and David Leitch, the owners and operators of California-based Hollywood stunt training, film and choreography studio, 87Eleven Action Design. The film, featuring fight direction by 87Eleven’s own Jonathan Eusebio and Jon Valera, will also star actress Bridget Moynahan as Wick’s wife, in addition to actors Michael Nyqvist and Alfie Allen as the nefarious father and son crime family. Actress Adrianne Palicki and actors Dean Winters and Willem Dafoe round out the current main cast, with Bernhardt playing one of Nyqvist‘s henchmen, and Dafoe playing friend to Reeves‘ character who is ultimately hired to kill him.
Reeves is currently set to appear in the upcomimg fantasy samurai action adventure, 47 Ronin, set to release in Japan on December 6, and in North America on Christmas Eve this month. Dafoe will also appear in director Scott Cooper’s upcoming family crime drama, Out Of The Furnace in the U.S. on December 6.
John Wick also makes the latest project to see Reeves and Bernhardt back on the screen since starring opposite each other in 2003’s The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions where Stahelski also served as stunt coordinator. Earlier this year in an interview with The Action Elite founder and editor Eoin Friel, Bernhardt discussed plans for a previous shortfilm he directed in 2010 with then-leading actor Leitch titled Fetch. Click HERE for the interview.
John Wick will tentatively release in 2014, with dates and distribution announcements pending.
Catch The New Poster And Trailer For 47 RONIN!
Yahoo! Movies delivered the brand new poster and trailer for the upcoming period fantasy action adventure, 47 Ronin from director Carl Rinsch. The film comes off of a production slated that lasted a few years with Universal Pictures studio executives taking over the production toward the latter half of the process and will finally make its way to a North American Christmas Eve release, in addition to a worldwide distribution slate which you can view by clicking here.
The UK Gets A Trailer For 47 Ronin
The new UK trailer is up for the Christmas day release of 47 Ronin. The epic feature-length samurai adventure comes in light of actor Keanu Reeves‘ appearance in a steady slate of action vehicles with several films making their way to theaters, or home, including the recent digital release of Reeves‘ directorial debut of Man Of Tai Chi. The actor is also set to make his way to theaters for title role in the new hitman revenge thriller, John Wick, from directors Chad Stahleski and David Leitch, along with co-star Willem Dafoe (Out Of The Furnace).
MAN OF TAI CHI Publicity Extends Itself To Volkswagen Group's New Shortfilm, EXTREME PURSUIT
Hot off of China’s latest theatrical release of martial arts actiom drama Man Of Tai Chi, director Keanu Reeves and lead actor Tiger Chen have been touring their new film in several interviews and public appearances, as well as releasing extensive behind-the-scenes featurettes, and even a music video for the title song, Remember Me, sung by none other than Tiger himself. In addition, Reeves and his kung fu lead actor are now featured in a new sidestory shortfilm from Volkswagen Group called Extreme Pursuit, which stars Tian Yuen, Lam Suet, Tang Zeng, Jing Boran and Niu Qingfeng, and is directed by Liu Guonan with stunt coordination by Bruce Law.
Reeves And Chen Are Wired-Up Again In New BTS Footage For MAN OF TAI CHI
Actor and first time director Keanu Reeves will finally see the release of his new film, Man Of Tai Chi in China on July 5, 2013. This, in addition to the film’s acquisition by Radius/TWC last month at the Cannes Film Festival, sets up the next few months for fans to see some good teaser and trailer footage between now and the film’s release this Fall or Winter.
Today, we have some Chinese-language behind-the-scenes footage from the set of the film showing Reeves in all-black rehearsing and filming the final fight with martial arts actor Tiger Hu Chen, starring in his first time role as the lead. The film reunites Reeves with Chen and acclaimed action director Yuen Woo-Ping just over ten years after the worldwide success of The Matrix trilogy directed by Andy and then-Larry Wachowski.
Stay tuned for more Man Of Tai Chi updates!
Veteran Action Directors To Helm Reeves' Next, JOHN WICK
Actor and first time director Keanu Reeves has a few new films coming out this year, which include the upcoming Japanese samurai epic, 47 Ronin, and his cinematic martial arts directorial debut, Man Of Tai Chi. With these in mind, action continues to be consistent theme in Reeves’ career as he is now slated to star in an upcoming hitman thriller from producer Basil Iwanyk of Thunder Road titled, John Wick, based on a screenplay by Derek Kolstad.
New Teaser For Keanu Reeves's MAN OF TAI CHI
Today is another epic day in the history of martial arts action cinema as the new teaser for the upcoming film, Man Of Tai Chi is finally online. The film is actor Keanu Reeves‘s directorial debut and it is coming out swinging in total tournament movie fashion!
New Photos From MAN OF TAI CHI
Today there are new reports out featuring the first promotional photos for the upcoming directorial debut of Keanu Reeves‘s latest martial arts action film, Man Of Tai Chi, courtesy of Chinese online periodical, QQ.
The film, based on a screenplay by Michael G. Cooney, is a co-production from China Film Group, Wanda Group and Village Roadshow Pictures will also feature Reeves opposite lead actor Tiger Hu Chen in his first starring role. Yuen Woo-Ping is the film’s action director, along with Chad Stahelski and Jon Valera designing and coordinating the fights. The film will also star Karen Mok along with Iko Uwais, Jeremy Marinas, Steven Dasz and Brahim Achabbakhe and Ocean Hou. Lemore Syvan and Daxing Zhang are producers. Johnny Lee and Sharon Miller are serving as line producers.
Reeves, Chen and Yuen share the historic success of working together on the highly acclaimed science fiction martial arts fantasy action saga, The Matrix Trilogy, directed by Lana and Andy Wachowski.
Man Of Tai Chi is slated for release this year, so stay tuned for a date!
Check out the photos below from QQ.