new zealand
A Young Hero's Story Lives On In The New Trailer For THE DEAD LANDS
After his tribe is slaughtered through an act of treachery, Hongi – a Maori chieftan’s teenage son – must avenge his father’s murder in order to bring peace and honor to the souls of his loved ones. Vastly outnumbered by the band of villains, Hongi’s only hope is to pass through the feared and forbidden Dead Lands and forge an uneasy alliance with the mysterious “Warrior,” a ruthless fighter who has ruled the area for years.
A Warrior's Spirit Rises In The New Poster For Maori Action Epic, THE DEAD LANDS
Another day has arrived, and as such, another new poster has arrived for director Toa Fraser‘s Maori action drama, The Dead Lands. The new poster marks the official New Zealand release date for October 30 from Transmission Films.
Check it out below:
Written by Glenn Standring, the new film centers on actor James Rolleston in the role of Hongi, the son of a chieftain forced trek forbbiden territory to forge an uneasy alliance with a mysterious warrior in order to avenge his father and his tribe, and bring peace and honor to their souls. One of the biggest elements moviegoers can expect on top of its stunning New Zealand landscapes and prominence of Maori culture will be the presence of Mau rakau, an ancient style of Maori martial arts and weapons combat used for the film’s epic fight sequences, coordinated by Steve McQuillan (Ek Tha Tiger, Spartacus: Blood And Sand). So, rest assured, positive early screening reviews notwithstanding, The Dead Lands will be sure-fire effort in delivering a fully-fledged epic story when it gains a bigger audience in the months ahead.
XYZ Films has worldwide distribution rights following its acquistion at the top of the year. The film also just earned its first poster art this week for its opening-night premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival which kicks off on September 4. CLICK HERE to check out the festival poster art, as well as the film’s official teaser, and stay tuned for more info as it arises.
H/T: Trigger World
[UPDATED] ‘The Rebel’ Helmer Charlie Nguyen To Direct The Action For CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON: THE GREEN DESTINYt
Update: As it turns out, Nguyen will only be serving as co-producer and second-unit director, NOT action choreographer, following a Facebook post by Nguyen correcting tge matter, according to Twitch. Stay tuned for more updates, or at least until I learn Vietnamese. 🙂
While the domestic government-enforced ban and unceremonious leakage of Vietnamese filmmaker Charlie Nguyen‘s 2013 action vehicle, Bui Doi Cho Lon, left a huge hole for martial arts cinema fans last year, it appears the action will no less continue for The Rebel helmer who is said flown to New Zealand to over see action director duties for the production of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: The Green Destiny. Nguyen reportedly comes into the production after wrapping principal photography for the upcoming comedy titled Let Hoi Decide, as legendary action director Master Yuen Woo Ping has decided to extend action and fight choreography duties to Nguyen roughly a year after deciding to do both, with John Fusco providing the screenplay.
Actress Michelle Yeoh will be reprising her role from the first film with action star Donnie Yen, along with Nicholas Tse recently added to the cast, which is still in the slow and steady process of officially announcing names. The film is set to release in 2015 with Master Yuen previously reported to work on Tsui Hark’s next, Zu Warriors: Dawn Of Darkness, with further details awaiting production for Vigilantes: The Lost Order.
H/T: Twitchfilm
Pre-Production Begins For Yuen's CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON 2
Zhang Ziyi and Michelle Yeoh engage a sisterly clash of swords and will in Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000).
Well, it’s been a little over a year since it was reported that The Weinstein Company secured the rights to late Chinese author Wang Du Lu’s Crane/Iron pentalogy which inspired director Ang Lee’s 2000 award-winning Chinese-language wuxia epic, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Needless to say, it was a hit, and fourteen years later, the film is finally getting a sequel in the form of a prequel titled Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2: The Green Destiny.
This month, there’s more movement now being made for the film as pre-production has officially kicked off with plans to film most of the movie in New Zealand, courtesy of Auckland-based Iron Knight productions with the remainder of the film to be shot in China. The film is being directed by legendary action master Yuen Woo-Ping, with a script by Netflix Marco Polo series creator John Fusco, based on the fifth book of Wang’s Crane/Iron Pentalogy of novels.
The new movie will also reunite Master Yuen with actress Michelle Yeoh reportedly reprising her role from the first movie, along side the franchise’s latest addition, international action superstar Donnie Yen, all of whom previously share respective credits working on such kung fu classics like the 1993 Michael Mak film, Butterfly And Sword, and Master Yuen‘s 1994 film, Wing Chun. There’s no word yet on whether or not actress Zhang Ziyi will reprise her old role from the first film since recent news of her retirement from action roles. So, obviously, more updates lie in waiting.
The film is expected to be shot in both English and Mandarin languages and released sometime in 2015. In addition, more news is expected to come forward on Master Yuen‘s previously-announced July 2014 filming of Zu Warriors: Dawn Of Darkness, to be produced by Tsui Hark, as well as the contemporary potential trilogy kickoff, Vigilantes: The Lost Order.
H/T: NZ Herald, CriEnglish
Check Out This Bloody Set Photo From THE DEAD LANDS
The #DeadLandsMovie crew are having a bloody good time in New Zealand pic.twitter.com/Z8z5LULG6A
— XYZ Films (@XYZFilms) January 9, 2014
XYZ Films took to Twitter this week to share a new photo above, updating the progress on the New Zealand filming of director Toa Fraser‘s coming-of-age period revenge epic, The Dead Lands. A little help from XYZ executive Simon de Bruyn clarifies the item in the picture is called a “patu parāoa”, one of several types of patu representing the ancient weaponry of the Maori, the indigenous people of New Zealand. Further Googling details that this particular kind of weapon, carved from whalebone, would be used to bludgeon an enemy’s head, or thrust into the ribs or jaw.
Weaponry, of course, is one of several elements that will be emphasized in depicting an ancient style of Maori martial arts in Fraser‘s new film, with the aid of stunt coordinator Steve McQuillan (Spartacus, The Warrior’s Way, The Lord Of The Rings). XYZ Films is reportedly playing a key role with Fraser, producers Matthew Metcalfe and screenwriter Glenn Standring, and McQuillan, to help deliver and introduce the style of Maori hand-to-hand fighting in the same fashion that helped launch director Gareth Evans and action star Iko Uwais into the global spotlight with the success of The Raid: Redemption and its forthcoming sequel in March, The Raid 2: Berandal.
Recently wrapped from filming with worldwide sales rights already attributed to XYZ Films for most territories, The Dead Lands centers around the story of a chieftain’s teenage son, the sole survivor of the traitorous slaughter of his family and entire tribe, who journeys to a forbidden and feared land to seek the reluctant aid of its keeper, a mysterious “warrior”, to help avenge his people and bring peace and honor to their souls. James Rolleston stars along with Lawrence Makoare, Te Kohe Tuhaka, Xavier Horan, George Henare and Rena Owen.
Stay tuned for more