thriller
Watch The New Trailer For THE EQUALIZER
After several months of slowly disseminating set pics and stills, Sony/Columbia recently began ramping up promitional efforts for director Antoine Fuqua‘s latest film, The Equalizer, loosely based on the original 1985-1989 TV series starring the late Edward Woodward. As such, the film granted the public with a brand new poster of the film just last week, which you can take a look at below:
Aside from other usual action tropes, the film is poised to be one of the more physically demanding roles that lead actor Denzel Washington (Man On Fire, 2 Guns, The Book Of Eli) endured in preparation for the titular role, as so illustrated by Fuqua of Washington‘s “sustained intensity” and minimal use of firearms in Washington’s featured action sequences. “He really hits those mitts,” Fuqua tells USA Today. “And you imagine what he’ll do to you. You might underestimate him. That’s your first mistake.” Fuqua then adds “His hand-to-hand work is pretty nasty when the monster comes out, …We used what was around him. You’d be surprised what he can do with a corkscrew. You’ll never open a bottle of wine the same way again.”
The film reunites Fuqua with Washington since their previous pairing on the award-winning 2001 crime drama, Training Day, and might do so again now that approving test audiences have already granted The Equalizer a sequel with franchise potential similar to Liam Neeson’s Taken trilogy. Despite this, as always, this will depend on how this one performs at the box office. “The audience will decide that,” Washington tells USA Today. “You can’t make No. 2 before you make No. 1. It’s called show business. We’ve handled the show part of it. We’ll see how the business part goes.”.
The Equalizer evens the score in theaters on September 26, 2014. Watch the trailer and stay tuned for more news ahead.
SYNOPSIS:
In The Equalizer, Denzel Washington plays McCall, a former black ops commando who has faked his death to live a quiet life in Boston. When he comes out of his self-imposed retirement to rescue a young girl, Teri (Chloë Grace Moretz), he finds himself face to face with ultra-violent Russian gangsters. As he serves vengeance against those who brutalize the helpless, McCall’s desire for justice is reawakened. If someone has a problem, the odds are stacked against them, and they have nowhere else to turn, McCall will help. He is The Equalizer.
H/T: Indiewire/Shadow And Act, USA Today, Yahoo! Movies
THE GUNMAN Takes Aim With New Release Dates
Pierre Morel is one of my favorite directors, and I’m pretty sure I’m not alone in that regard. The 2010 thriller From Paris With Love drew some mixed reactions, but Taken was a huge hit in 2008, preceeded by the popular parkour action favorite, Banlieue 13, so I’m more privy to believe that Morel‘s next, The Gunman, will further draw some positive impressions.
To our good fortune, that day will come to North American theatergoers on February 20, 2015, following Open Road Films’ acquisition of the film’s U.S. rights from international sales agent, Studiocanal earlier this month. The film will also release in the U.K. the same day as North America, preceeded by its release in France on February 18, and subsequent release in Australia and New Zealand on the 19, with Germany opening the film on the 26.
Based on the 2002 novel by Jean-Patrick Manchette, Morel directs leading man Sean Penn who plays a special forces soldier suffering from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), whose pursuit of a new life with his childhood sweetheart is stopped short when the organization he works for pulls him back in the field forcing him to trek from London to Barcelona and across Europe in order to clear his name. The Gunman is written by Don MacPherson with a screenplay by Dredd helmer Pete Travis.
Penn is joined by Idris Elba, Ray Winstone and Javier Bardem, with Mark Rylance and actress Jasmine Trinca rounding out the cast.
Stay tuned for more information, including some more poster art and hopeful teaser footage.
H/T: Deadline
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 martial artist Hannah Farmer.
Check it out below, and follow the film on Facebook to keep up with the film’s progress.
H/T: Eastern Film Fans
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 of author Uzodinma Iwela, whose 2005 novel publication (attributed to late Nigerian recording artist, Fela Kuti’s 1989 album of the same name) centers on the story of a young boy forced into servitude as a child soldier in an unnamed West African country. Red Crown Productions is currently putting the film together on-location in Ghana with WME holding North American rights for the film’s expected arrival by next year.
Also on deck is recent announcement of North American pick up for director James Watkins’ latest international suspense thriller, Bastille Day by Focus Features. Actress Adèle Exarchopoulos joins Elba in a script by Andrew Baldwin about a rogue CIA agent who is reluctantly forced to partner with an American con-artist to foil a terrorist plot in France. Vendome Pictures and Anonymous Content are producing the film which is expected to shoot this summer with financing by international sales agent Studiocanal.
In addition, there’s much more ahead for Elba fans and action cinephiles alike, especially for those who have grown fond of Banlieue 13, Taken and From Paris With Love helmer Pierre Morel whose new film, The Gunman, also earned a spot in Cannes this week. Based on the 2002 novel by Jean-Patrick Manchette, Elba joins actors Ray Winstone, Javier Bardem and leading man Sean Penn who plays a special forces soldier suffering from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), whose pursuit of a new life with his childhood sweetheart is stopped short when the organization he works for pulls him back in the field forcing him to trek across Europe in order to clear his name. Open Road Films picked up the North American rights to the film last week prior to unveiling its sales poster, which you can check out below.
Elba is also poised to star with actress Taraji P. Henson in the forthcoming September thriller, No Good Deed, his latest reunion with director Sam Miller since the 2010 UK television crime drama, Luther. As to whether or not he will return to guard the Bifrost once more as Heimdall for the Ragnarok storyline in Thor 3 for Marvel, that remains to be seen as things are still very early.
Stick around.
H/T: Variety, Screendaily, AICN, Cocoa Fab
The New Poster And Trailer For MAN ON HIGH HEELS Unleash Inner-Femme Fury!
When you think of a movie title such as director Jang Jin‘s new film, Man On High Heels, you can’t help but see it as almost anything but an action thriller, which is exactly what it is. And a tasty looking one at that, based on the most recent teasers that were unveiled by late last month.
Well, guess what? The film is granting interested onlookers a full first trailer and an even more refreshingly brutal poster for the new film featuring lead actor Cha Seung-Won in this third outing with the aforementioned director. So, make no mistake. This is definitely one for the niche it was meant for, no matter what orientation you share.
Man On High Heels opens domestically on June 4.
SYNOPSIS:
Ji-wook is a cold-blooded detective who would brutally assault and stop at nothing to catch criminals. However, despite his perfectly masculine appearance, Ji-wook struggles with a secret desire to be a woman. At last, Ji-wook decides to get a sex change. However, a gang Ji-wook brutally arrested by force plots revenge against him. While Ji-wook resigns and secretly dreams of transforming into a real woman, people close to him get caught up in a conspiracy and killed. When the one person he must protect, Jang-mi, also falls in danger, Ji-wook faces a crossroads in making his choice.
Watch An Action-Packed Promo For BLACK AND WHITE 2: THE DAWN OF JUSTICE
Check it out the now English-friendly featurette below, and stay tuned for some teaser and trailer, Fall release news ahead.
It's A Marathon Of Mayhem In Norboru Iguchi's New Thriller, LIVE
On the morning of a certain Tuesday, a mysterious “death race” is suddenly announced on television. Viewers are enthralled by the excitement of the competition, with participants getting knocked out of the race one after another in unpredictable ways. Meanwhile, survivors refer to a certain guide book for tips on how to succeed.
FOR THE EMPEROR Gets An Official Trailer
Live in South Korea and fancy an Korean-language action-packed, lovesick crime story? Then mark your calendar on June 12 for director Park Sang-Jun‘s new noir thriller, For The Emperor. The official trailer went online this week, in addition to a slate of stills which you can check out now via AsianWiki.
EXCLUSIVE: S.P.L. 2 Gets An Official Preliminary Synopsis
International action star Tony Jaa is currently in Hong Kong putting together his scenes to be featured in director Pou Soi Cheang‘s new film, S.P.L. 2, the forthcoming thematic prequel follow-up to the 2004 film set for a 2015 release. Subscribers to Jaa‘s official Facebook page will regularly see posts of Jaa with the team training and rehearsing scenes, as well as doing make-up and costume tests for the start of production, which ultimately see actors Simon Yam and Wu Jing reprising their respective roles from the first film alongside actor Max Zhang now in the fray as reportedly the film’s villain.
However, things are still early, as we still don’t know the full details on how the characters being played by Yam and Wu will apply, much of the focus is further drawn to hints at what the plot will entail, which sees Jaa starring as a prison guard who helps an undercover cop escape in exchange to help save his dying daughter. For all intents and purposes now, producer Paco Wong has provided a brief, exclusive synopsis for the film to glance at below, courtesy of Mike Selby:
A tough Hong Kong cop named Kit busts a major gangster only to find his cover blown and his main witness gone. The gangster, in retaliation, has him kidnapped and put in a Thai jail with a false criminal identity.
A lowly prison guard Chai with extraordinary fighting skills guards kit and prevents his escape from prison.
The prison guard’s daughter suffers from a rare form of leukemia and Kit is the only donor who can save her.
The prison guard discovers Kit’s real identity and helps him to escape in return for his agreeing to save his daughter.
Together, Kit and Chai must face the gangster and his minions and take them down.
As said before, things are early and we might see more news ahead pertaining to more plot details and cast mentions, including the possibility of whether or not Hong Kong action legend and S.P.L. co-star Sammo Hung will reprise his old role once more. Furthermore, the plot here presents so many possibilities and ways in which this story could be told that could definitely enhance the drama from start to finish.
As far as cast mentions go, it will be interesting to learn who plays the tough undercover cop taking on Zhang for the climatic epic martial arts showdown that awaits with Jaa front and center with action director Dion Lam staging the brutal action.
Soi Cheang is also producing the film with Wilson Yip, who directed the first film that featured Yam, Wu, and Hung with action star Donnie Yen.
Fans can also expect further information in the coming weeks pertaining to the upcoming release of Jaa‘s newly wrapped-up actioner, Skin Trade, which Selby produced along with Craig Baumgarten for director Ekachai Uekrongtham. The film will screen 9 minutes of footage for buyers at Cannes this month, courtesy of international sales agent Hyde Park International.
Tony Jaa Is A Uniformed Hero In A New Set Pic For SPL2
Action hero Tony Jaa took to Facebook on Thursday to unveil the latest costume try-on ahead of rehearsals for the forthcoming production of The Monkey King helmer Pou Soi-Cheang‘s latest film, SPL 2, the long-awaited follow-up to the 2004 crime thriller which starred Donnie Yen and Sammo Hung. Jaa‘s participation in the film was finally confirmed in recent months after a few years of speculation went by.
Check out the photo below with the enclosed caption.
“Costume and Rehearsal Time for SPL II. This is going to be a lot of fun. Great cast and great crew. TJ.”
In accordance with previous reports, it appears that based on the photo above, Jaa will likely star as the Thai prison guard who helps an undercover whose dying daughter’s fate rests on his willingness to help a cop break out of prison. Of course, this is just one aspect of a much more detailed plot that is still pending, with characters to be played by two of the first film’s principle stars, Wu Jing and Simon Yam, along with The Grandmaster co-star, actor Max Zhang who is reportedly playing the main villain.
The film is being produced by Paco Wong and SPL (2005) helmer Wilson Yip, with Champions and Revenge: A Love Story scribe Jill Leung Lai-Yin providing the script and The Storm Riders and Street Fighter: The Legend Of Chun-Li fight coordinator Dion Lam will be directing the action.
Production is officially coming underway, so by all means, stick around for more updates!
Help Put Oz On The Map For The New Martial Arts Thriller, MY BROTHER'S RAGE
MELBOURNE, Australia, April 25, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — Australian martial arts films have been few and far between, so Tom Kondovasis wants to make this one count. If it’s not the first, he wants it to be the best Australian action/thriller/drama feature film of all time.
Entrapment Ensues In The New South Korean Crime Thriller, A HARD DAY
South Korean director Kim Sung-Hyun has a riveting new suspense thriller coming this summer that centers around a cop whose life takes a destructive plot twist following a fatal car accident. Simply titled, A Hard Day, the film stars Lee Sun-kyun and Cho Jin-woong, and is currently nominated to be part of the Directors’ Fortnight line-up which kicks off at the Cannes Film Festival in France on May 15.
This week, we have a new full trailer following the release of a first trailer for the film earlier this month, both of which you can check out below. A Hard Day opens in South Korean cinemas on May 29.
SYNOPSIS:
On the way back from his mother’s funeral, special crimes detective Gun-su gets into an accident, killing a man instantly. In order to cover up his crime, he hides the body inside his mother’s coffin, with her inside. A few days later, Gun-su’s crime pops up on the police database and his partner is heading up the case. Gun-su feels distressed as his partner slowly uncovers more details of the accident. To make things worse, a witness to the accident approaches Gun-su by threatening his life.
Lots Of BTS Footage, Posters & TV Spot For BRICK MANSIONS
Hollywood Streams: BTS Of Brick Mansions:
Make Em' Pay In The New Teaser For MISTAKEN
Five years after leaving New Jersey, JoJo (Franklin Correa) returns home to surprise his mother for her birthday and thanksgiving. Thinking all is well he is noticed by local hustlers Tito (Jay Magicus) and Marlon (Dan Mceaddy) and quick knows everything is not up to par. Now, he must do whatever it takes to find out the truth on what really happened five years ago with the help of his ex girlfriend Vanessa (Crystal T. Williams) and try to evade DeVaughn (Herve Fontaine) who wants him dead before the boss LaShawn (Lester Greene) finds out JoJo is back in town since they we’re once best friends and partners. trying to cover his own tracks DeVaughn hired two sadistic guns for hire Curtis (Dominick Wright) and his partner Moses (Pete Sell) to get rid of JoJo before LaShawn finds out what is going on leaving you the edge of your seat for a climatic showdown and unforgettable ending.
[UPDATED] EMC Monkeys Presents: A Hybrid Special ID (SPL/Flash Point) Fan Short Tribute To Donnie Yen
Enjoy the video below, as well as the behind-the-scenes footage at the bottom of the page.