luc besson

ANNA: Sasha Luss Is Boundless In The Newest Trailer

A brand new trailer went live over the weekend for director Luc Besson’s latest, Anna. The new female-fronted assassin thriller has debut actress Sasha Luss in the title role, and I’m actually fascinated as to this one will turn out when it hits theaters seeing as the campaign feels abnormally quiet to me apart from the usual requisite TV spots and social media blurbs. Beneath Anna Poliatova’s striking beauty lies a secret that will unleash her indelible strength and skill to become one of the world’s most feared government assassins. An electrifying thrill ride unfolding with propulsive energy, startling twists and breathtaking action. Luss is a supermodel making her foray into the action genre following her appearance in Besson’s previous film, Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets. With Anna inbound, arrival couldn’t have come at a better time though what with women currently taking center stage for a […]

ANNA: The Official Trailer Has Arrived For Luc Besson’s Latest Action Thriller, And I Already Hate This Conversation

Lee B. Golden III

It’d be nice to be able to talk about movies like French director Luc Besson’s latest, Anna, without having bring things up like the past year in which he’s faced multiple allegations of sexual assult by women in addition to a lawsuit from at least one victim. But…we don’t live in a world that ideal, and Summit is contractually obligated to distribute the new assassin thriller as it intended after acquiring it in October 2017. Alas, take from it what you will. It’s actress and model Sasha Luss’s outing next to an all-star cast from a director who banked big in 2014 with ScarJo starrer, Lucy, but lost big with Valerian and The City Of A Thousand Planets. That film was a major gamble for EuropaCorp which lost $101 million dollars the first half of the 2018-19 financial year as the studio faced up to $280 million dollars in debts […]

TAXI 5: Watch The First Teaser For The Fifth Entry In The French Action Comedy Franchise

Lee B. Golden III

It’s 20 years since producer Luc Besson struck gold with Gérard Pirès’s winning hit, Taxi, and with three more in the French-produced franchise next to an American reboot and a TV series. More than ten years have lapsed thereafter with helmer Gérard Krawczyk and franchise star Samy Naceri shepherding the action comedy saga, thus leaving it to writer and director Franck Gastambide to take the mantle on both sides of the lens for a fifth new outing. Gastambide takes his fourth turn behind the lens here and also stars next to Malik Bentalha for the story of a Marseille police transfer who commandeers a taxi and its hapless driver to stop a gang of Italian robbers with powerful Ferraris. Production was made official in late 2016 with a January release in France this year until it was pushed back for a date now sitting on April 11 from EuropaCorp. Gastambide […]

EuropaCorp Rebounds, Announces Action Thiller ANNA For Fall Production

Lee B. Golden III

Luc Besson hit it big with box office numbers upwards of over $460 million in 2014 with sci-fi thriller, Lucy. Sadly, his latest effort with French novel adaptation, Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets never panned out in the same capacity. The certainly had its ambitions upon releasing this summer, although they weren’t enough with EuropaCorp ultimately inclined to restrategize in the wake of big losses in the past financial year and scale down its TV and film slate. Thus, the syllabus currently includes Besson’s newest action thriller, Anna, following a co-production deal exclusively reported at Variety which is now set to go before cameras next month. Russian model, actress and Valerian co-star, newcomer Sasha Luss is set to headline a cast featuring Helen Mirren, Luke Evans and Cillian Murphy. EuropaCorp’s own Marc Schmuger is producing with Lionsgate planning its release under its Summit Entertainment label. “We are delighted […]

VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS Lands A Final Trailer

Lee B. Golden III

A lifetime of sci-fi and literary appreciation, nearly four decades of filmic output, two (maybe) scripts, well over $180 million dollars and almost 15 times the visual shots used in his 1997 sci-fi, The Fifth Element, director Luc Besson now has something meaty to present the summer moviegoing crowd in Valerian: The City Of A Thousand Planets. His latest interview with Deadline gives a greater scope at the strain he now faces in comparison to his previous work and especially in the wake of technological advancements in filmmaking, notably sampled in James Cameron’s 2009 hit, Avatar, and so it’s worth reading in my opinion. For now, however, we have the final trailer in our midst this week ahead of the film’s July 7 release. Actress Cara Delevingne and actor Dane Dehaan make way as interstellar space agents who journey to a bustling space metropolis to investigate a looming threat that […]

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Luc Besson’s THE FIFTH ELEMENT Snags A Two-Day 20th Anniversary 4K Theatrical Screening Event In May

Lee B. Golden III

I remember first catching the trailer for Luc Besson’s upcoming sci-fi, Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets and likening it to the director’s equally splendid intergalactic futuristic sci-fi bid, The Fifth Element. Granted the film’s over-the-top bravado and almost anime-style delivery, the formula itself applied a groundbreaking tale that garnered the film’s succession at the box office nearly 20 years ago. 20 years later, The Fifth Element is now heading back to limited theaters this May for a two-day anniversary screening event. The presentation will be shown on May 14 and May 17 at 2:00pm and 7:00pm (both local time), in 4K resolution hosted by Fathom Events and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment prior to the film’s then-homebound release debut on 4K Ultra HD on July 11. Per the announcement: From its opening scenes in 1914 Egypt to its towering views of 23rd Century New York City, and its […]

Luc Besson’s VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS Rockets Online With The Official Trailer

Lee B. Golden III

Last November proved to be rather fun and engaging with the fan-attributed lauch of the initial teaser trailer for Luc Besson’s Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets. Fans even got their own trailer (as did we), and thus, with a release date now set for July 21 in the U.S. following EuropaCorp’s partnership with STX Entertainment, the official trailer is now online and just as full of interstellar action and spectacle. SYNOPSIS: In the 28th century, Valerian (Dane DeHaan) and Laureline (Cara Delevingne) are a team of special operatives charged with maintaining order throughout the human territories. Under assignment from the Minister of Defense, the two embark on a mission to the astonishing city of Alpha—an ever-expanding metropolis where species from all over the universe have converged over centuries to share knowledge, intelligence and cultures with each other. There is a mystery at the center of Alpha, a […]

Coming Of Age Assassin Tale PLAYGROUND Launches Trailer For Blackpills/Vice Digital Mobile Series

Lee B. Golden III

Action choreographer Olivier Schneider (Spectre) is one of those people truly worth keeping an eye on as yet another in the stunt and screenfighting field getting a footing in the directing field. He’s done so accordingly with Pascal Sid (Behind The Walls) in teaming up for the mobile exclusive action-packed series, Playground, French startup, Blackpills, has signed a deal with Vice where it is now available. Playground was created by Luc Besson and centers on Amy, a teenage girl who learns a horrible truth about her parents and soon finds herself swept into the Parisian underworld as an assassin in training. Variety exclusively unveiled the trailer below on Wednesday for the series which is produced by Paris-Based Together Media.

VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS Presents A Boundless New Trailer For The Loyal Besson Crowd

Lee B. Golden III

French producer and filmmaker Luc Besson has always had an appreciation for sci-fi. It showed in the 1997 futuristic actioner, The Fifth Element which contained some of the wackiest and far-out set pieces ever seen, albeit befitting of 90’s cinemafare. Fast forward up to 20 years later by then when it’ll surely show once more by next year’s release of Besson’s latest intergalactic endeavor, Valerian and the City of A Thousand Planets. Taking its cues from the 1971 installment of Pierre Christin and Jean-Claude Mézières’s 22-part French comic series, Valérian and Laureline, the film was announced four years ago, whereupon Besson was already plotting his forthcoming success with the 2014 mind-bending action science allegory, Lucy. Within that period and thereafter and one year, 6000 storyboard drawings and up to 2734 VFX and 100 natural shots later, the promotional campaign has now finally segued onward with its first official trailer. SYNOPSIS: […]

VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS Lands With A New Poster!

Lee B. Golden III

Readying for its next phase of publicity to set thing in motion is director Luc Busson’s Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets. Folks attending New York Comic Con will be able to get a glimpse at numerous stills and props and other items, as well as the chance to meet Besson and award-winning illustrator and co-creator of the classic French graphic novel, Jean-Claude Mézières. As for all else, the film is slated for release on July 21, 2017 and the latest official poster has arrived in time for comic con. Check it out below and set the date for next summer for the film which also casts actress and singer Rihanna along with Ethan Hawke, John Goodman, Herbie Hancock and Kris Wu. SYNOPSIS: Rooted in the classic graphic novel series, “Valerian and Laureline,” visionary writer/director Luc Besson advances this iconic source material into a contemporary, unique and epic […]

Besson's VALERIAN Grants A First Look At Our Actors In Costume

Lee B. Golden III

We’re a little over a year from the July 21, 2017 date set for the release of director Luc Besson’s newest foray into sci-fi, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets. That still leaves plenty of time to obsess with what Besson is up to for the forthcoming adaptation of duo Jean-Claude Mezieres and Pierre Christin’s 1967 French comic and this week, Besson is speeding things up via Twitter with a first-look at actor Dane DeHaan and actress Cara Delevingne in costume. Take a look below! Also starring are Rihanna, Clive Owen, Ethan Hawke, Kris Wu and Herbie Hancock in the $180 million dollar production currently in the hands of EuropaCorp.

Clive Standen To Star In NBC's TAKEN Series

Lee B. Golden III

If there were ever a doubt that a proper find for the role of a younger “Bryan Mills” lead for a Taken prequel series would be likely, you can quell your worries now. Actor Clive Standen, best know for his role in the currently-running History channel series, Vikings, will be the man leading point for the new NBC action drama inspired by the hit film franchise that starred Liam Neeson. Showrunner Alex Cary is writing and executive producing for director and executive producer Alex Graves which will set off the story of how our protagonist, Mills, acquired his particular skillset. Universal Television and EuropaCorp TV USA is producing with trilogy co-writer and producer Luc Besson, and EuropaCorp’s own Matthew Gross, Edouard de Vesinne and Thomas Anargyros. H/T: THR

NBC's TAKEN Series Lands A Director

Lee B. Golden III

Emmy award-winning producer Alex Graves (The West Wing, Homeland, Game Of Thrones) has been tapped to direct NBC’s forthcoming pilot for the series adaptation of hit film franchise, Taken, according to Deadline. Graves will direct from a script by executive producer and showrunner, Alex Cary, which will focus on the origins of principal franchise lead character, Bryan Mills, showcasing how he acquired his particular set of skills. Actor Liam Neeson originally portrayed the role of Mills in the highly-heralded first film from director Pierre Morel before starring in two sequels through last year with Oliver Megaton at the helm. EuropaCorp’s own Matthew Gross, Edouard de Vesinne and Thomas Anargyros will also serve as executive producers along with Taken franchise producer and co-writer Luc Besson, who is also seperately working on the upcoming feature sci-fi epic, Valérian And The City Of A Thousand Planets for 2017 release.

COLOMBIANA 2 Is In Development At EuropaCorp

Lee B. Golden III

One other takeaway from EuropaCorp’s CineEurope2015 presentation this week is one that definitely may have been longawaited for moviegoers fond of actress Zoe Saldana. By 2011 she had already claimed the female lead in J.J. Abrams’s rebooted Star Trek film in 2009 with a career big enough to give her a solo spotlight in future titles, namely director Olivier Megaton’s assassin thriller, Colombiana. Tackling the hitwoman genre, the film was written by Besson with co-scribe Robert Mark Kamen with a story that puts Saldana at the center of a professional killer’s tale of love, mystery, espionage and danger as her career brings her closer to avenging the death of her parents at the hands of a Bogota crime boss. The did commercially well though not enough to be a notable success, and it ultimately drew ire of critics aplenty while taking nothing away (if not very little) from Saldana’s status […]

LUCY Gets A Sequel!

Lee B. Golden III

Jesus H. Mother of all cookies and cream! Sources over at THR have reported that EuropaCorp is lending a nod to a Lucy sequel as per the studio’s English title slate presentation a CineEurope 2015. The first film starred Marvel leading lady Scarlett Johansson in a role that sees her racing against time when a drug she is forced to smuggle for a Korean crimeboss leaks through her bloodstream, granting her unique abilities. It’s a mind-bending story fantastically built around the question behind what one could achieve if they reached 100% usage of the human brain, and its a concept director Luc Besson was smart to play with having earned close to $460 million dollars globally, with Universal earning a chunk of that for its U.S. run. Besson himself wasn’t too sure about a sequel considering the ending but told folks at WonderCon last year that he would consider it […]

Sienna Guillory And Dave Bautista Head To WARRIOR'S GATE

Lee B. Golden III

Cockneys V Zombies helmer Matthias Hoene‘s latest China/French co-production, Warrior’s Gate is currently underway with filming as of last Monday. The production was announced a few years ago as part of a newly announced production partnership between Luc Besson and Mark Gao representing EuropaCorp and Fundemental Films, respectively and now that cameras are rolling with three names already cast, more have been added to the roster. Variety reports that Resident Evil franchise and Eragon co-star, actress Sienna Guillory and The Man With The Iron Fists and recently-cast Kickboxer remake co-star Dave Bautista will join lead actor Uriah Shelton in the film which centers on a young boy who magically travels back in time to ancient China where he learns to use his videogame skills to ultimately become a Kung Fu warrior. I’m sure there’s more to this gist of a plot as its early days with cameras rolling but this […]

Luc Besson Joins Twitter, Announces VALERIAN For 2017

Lee B. Golden III

Apparently director Luc Besson just joined Twitter, and with this, he’s announced a new sci-fi adventure to arrive in 2017 titled Valerian with a new poster logo. The film is based on the popular 1967 original French comic book, “Valerian And Laureline” which focuses its story on a spacetime-traveling agent and his female counterpart, to be played respectively by actor Dane DeHaan and actress Cara Delevingne. I’m not too sure about what this particular property will entail as I’m not at all familiar with the source material. However, considering Besson will be on top of it as writer and director after just recently killing it at the box-office with his 2014 sci-fi actioner, Lucy, Valerian sounds like an awesome treat in store, especially for fans of Besson‘s The Fifth Element, for which ‘Valerian’ co-creator Jean-Claude Mezieres was a concept designer; Perhaps depending on whether or not you enjoyed that one […]

Besson And Hoene Head For WARRIOR'S GATE Next Month!

Lee B. Golden III

Within the last few years following Luc Besson’s co-production partnering of EuropaCorp with Shanghai-based Fundemental Films for a slate of English-language films, its package also included a fantasy martial arts film titled Warrior’s Gate. Scant info has been granted for the latter, but thankfully things are about to change as production finally begins next month in lieu of current events at this year’s Beijing International Film Festival. THR reports that helmer Matthias Hoene is directing this, his second feature since winning acclaim with the 2012 action horror romp, Cockneys Vs Zombies. Rising star Uriah Shelton, Flowers Of War actress Ni Ni and Taiwanese-Canadian actor Mark Chao (Black And White 1 & 2) are joining the $48 million dollar French-Chinese co-production with a script by Besson and Robert Mark Karmen which centers on teenager who gets magically transported to China where he ultimately trains in kung fu in order to save […]

Take A Look At Actor Ed Skrein In New Set Video From TRANSPORTER: LEGACY!

Lee B. Golden III

In case you’ve been living under a rock, production is currently underway for Transporter: Legacy, the first in a new trilogy from producers Luc Besson and Mark Gao since their mid-Cannes deal announcement last year. Following the previous trilogy with action star Jason Statham, the new trilogy kicks off with new male lead, former Game Of Thrones actor Ed Skrein in a younger iteration of the franchise protagonist, ex-soldier, underworld courier and mercenary, Frank Martin who is forced to help four women with a heist in order to save his kidnapped father from Russian human traffickers. The new film is being shot on-location in France where new French language-only set video is now available for viewing, courtesy of a new report from Culture Box. Skrein is joined by True Blood actress Gabriella Wright and A Good Day To Die Hard co-star Radivoje Bukvic, with actresses Loan Chabanol and Tatiana Pajkovic […]

The New TRANSPORTER Reboot Starts Production

Lee B. Golden III

It might be an emotional process for The Expendables 3 co-star Jason Statham fans who have grown fond of the cockney-accented action cinema badass since leaving a hell of an impression in the first three films of Luc Besson’s Transporter saga began over a decade ago. However, the times have changed and with Statham moving on to other prospects, Besson and his company, so has Europacorp, after announcing its new production partnership with Shanghai-based Fundemental Films last year. Moviehole now reports this week that production has officially commensed on the new prequel trilogy rebooting The Transporter. Starring former Game Of Thrones co-star Ed Skrein whose attachment was announced back in February, the new film re-introduces its principle hero with a younger iteration of Frank Martin, who is forced to help four women with a heist in order to save his kidnapped father. Skrein is joined by True Blood actress Gabriella […]