GAYONG: Malaysia’s Answer To ‘Ip Man’ Gets An Epic Teaser For The New Martial Arts Biopic
Gayong opens in Malaysian cinemas in May!
yayan ruhian
GAYONG: October Martial Arts Biopic Prod Taps ‘Mat Kilau’ Co-Star For Malaysia’s Answer To ‘Ip Man’!
I highly suggest looking into Malaysian actor Beto Kusyairy’s filmography, particularly if you’re a reader of this website and others like it. One quick-to-point title I’ll throw out is Syamsul Yusof’s Mat Kilau, readily available on Netflix and has Kusyairy joining lead actor Adi Putra in the story of a band of warriors rebelling against British colonial rule in the 1890s. Kusyairy has one of my more favorite moments in the movie that really got my action fanboy blood flowing and ultimately put him on the map for me as someone I’d like to see more of. That day finally arrived in recent weeks with Sol Pictures Sdn Bhd putting the word out for director Faisal Ishak’s upcoming production of Gayong, taken from the name of the titular Malaysian fighting style of Silat Gayong. What’s more is Kusyairy will star in the lead role of Silat Gayong grandmaster Datuk Meor […]
Updates: New Images For Lopez’s SELLBLOCK Revealed, Attaches Yayan Ruhian To Actioner JI
Filmmaker Pedring Lopez is getting a double dose of updates from a few projects. First up is a batch of stills from Sellblock, a new crime drama series which Lopez also produced via BlackOps Studios Asia, and Psyops8. Jericho Rosales (Basurero, Siargao, Pacquiao: The Movie) stars in the series which chronicles the activities of one of Asia’s biggest drug empires operating from inside a Philippines maximum-security prison. The cast also includes Empoy Marquez, Ronnie Lazaro, Mon Confiado, Maria Isabel Lopez, Ria Atayde, and Jaclyn Jose. Deadline covered the show when international sales agent Blue Fox took the show to MIPTV back in April: “Sellblock is more than just a series,” said Rosales. “It’s an immersive experience that will keep audiences on the edge of their seats. Working alongside such a talented team has been an absolute privilege, and I can’t wait for viewers to see the magic we’ve created.” Lopez […]
THE FURIOUS: Edko/XYZ-Produced Actioner Sets Sail For Thailand, Xie Miao Leading Pan-Asian Cast
Production is currently underway for The Furious, a new Hong Kong-produced action thriller being shot in Thailand. Variety’s Patrick Frater cites producer Bill Kong’s (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Rise Of The Legend, Jet Li-starrer Fearless) attachment as financier and producer via Edko Films alongside XYZ Films. The cast includes China’s Xie Miao (Eye For An Eye 1 & 2, Jet Li’s The Enforcer), Joe Taslim (The Raid: Redemption, The Night Comes For Us), Thailand’s Jeeja Yanin (Chocolate, Triple Threat), Yang Enyu (Eye For An Eye 2) and Yayan Ruhian (The Raid franchise, Boy Kills World). International action and stunt stalwart Kenji Tanigaki (Dennis Law’s Fatal Contact, Keishi Otomo’s Rurouni Kenshin franchise, Donnie Yen’s Sakra, Soi Cheang’s Walled-In: Twilight Of The Warriors) directing. When his daughter is snatched off the street, simple tradesman Konggu (Xie) fights his way through a complex web of criminals in a frantic attempt to win her back […]
BOY KILLS WORLD Narrates Bill Skarsgård’s Three-Step Plan For Boyhood Vengeance In The Official Trailer
I’m kind of hoping Deadpool 2‘s Zeitgeist gets an appearance in Shawn Levy’s Deadpool & Wolverine. Beyond that, 2024 is a good year to be Bill Skarsgård. With The Crow and Robert Eggers’s Nosferatu on deck, it’ll be a sweet, salacious tale of vengeance as teased in the newest official trailer for director Moritz Mohr’s Boy Kills World. Written by Tyler Burton Smith and Arend Remmers, the film also stars Jessica Rothe, Michelle Dockery, Isaiah Mustafa, Yayan Ruhian, Andrew Koji, Famke Jansen, and Sharlton Copley, and is produced by Sam Raimi and Roy Lee. Skarsgård stars as “Boy” who avows revenge after his family is murdered by Hilda Van Der Koy (Janssen), the deranged matriarch of a corrupt post-apocalyptic dynasty that left the boy orphaned, deaf and voiceless. Driven by his inner voice, one which he co-opted from his favorite childhood video game, Boy trains with a mysterious shaman (Ruhian) […]
Streaming Sleepers: Syamsul Yusof’s MAT KILAU Bolsters With Nationalistic Fervor, Martial Arts Action And Gallantry
I started following niche film sites roughly eighteen years ago, which is eventually how I came to learn about filmmaker Syamsul Yusof upon the release of KL Gangster 2 back in 2013. That film, even though I haven’t seen it to this day, put Malaysia on the map for me as I aspired to keep up a little more with the goings-on of action cinema around the world at the start of FCSyndicate, which makes it all the more interesting now to see streamers like Netflix finally take notice and bring forth more Malaysian action cinema to global audiences, and to their credit, launching Mat Kilau: Kebangkitan Pahlawan following its Malaysia Day rollout in September. Based on a true story, the film is set in the late nineteenth century in the lands of Pahang as the British and its East Indian army look to colonize the country, levying heavy taxes […]
BEN & JODY Review: Sasongko’s Latest Dramatic Brew Serves Hard-Hitting Thrills
Streaming isn’t without its share of controversy, although it really depends on the platform in terms of what kinds of titles are given wider releases outside their respective regions. With Netflix, it certainly helps that they’ve placed Indonesia under their radar and have met the demand accordingly with such releases like Ben & Jody, the new feature to hit the streamer from recurring director Angga Dwimas Sasongko. The film is the third latest entry of the Filosofi Kopi franchise created by Dee Lestari, and dating back to 2015, with two movies and two miniseries in its wake. Actors Chicco Jerikho and Rio Dewanto, who also appeared in Randy Korompis’s Foxtrot Six, reprise their respective roles in the franchise from a script written by Sasongko and co-scribe M. Nurman Wardi, with a story that sets the drama against the backdrop of an activist movement, and topped with an equal serving of […]
TARUNG SARUNG Review: An Indonesian ‘Karate Kid’ Spiritual That Aims To Inspire
Filmmaker Archie Hekagery is currently embedded in television work of late with two dramas, including an adaptation of his 2019 debut, Wedding Arrangement. Somewhere between now and then, he found momentum in working with international action star Yayan Ruhian for a regional production that would inject a little more culture in the contemporary spectacle of martial arts cinema for audiences abroad. His 2020 sophomore feature, Tarung Sarung is just that kind of film, combining romantic melodrama and comedy with martial arts choreography that offers a worthy and watchable piece of cinema for action fans and curious completists. The good news is that it’s well-shot and edited and looks amazing, and the performances are really up to par with actor Panji Zoni and actress/singer Maizura leading the way. Picture this: A teenage boy so spoiled rotten and bullish, that when he pays another woman with his own car after a minor […]
MAT KILAU: Meet The Legendary Malaysian Warrior In The Official Trailer
Malaysian filmmaker Syamsul Yusof has been on the climb with local hits like actioners KL Gangster 1 & 2, KL Gangster spin-off Abang Long Fadil and horror thrillers Munafik 1 & 2 to name a few. Indeed though, he’s got a third canon installation of KL Gangster on the way but not for staking his claim with the long-awaited release of period action drama, Mat Kilau, starring Adi Putra in the title role. Yusof penned the script with Shahruddin Dali to adapt the story of the legendary warrior known for rebelling against the British in the late 19th century. The Studio Kembara production also stars Fattah Amin, Beto Kusyairy, Johan As’ari, Dato Jalaluddin Hassan, Dato Rahim Razali, Ellie Suriaty and action star Yayan Ruhian who also designed the action sequences. Mat Kilau: Kebangkitan Pahlawan (otherwise known via Google translation as “Mat Kilau: Awakening of the Hero”) opens in Malaysia beginning […]
Meet Malay Warrior MAT KILAU In The First Poster And Character/BTS Reels
Crossing over to Malaysia for bit, we’ve got a handful of behind-the-scenes character reels and an official poster for Mat Kilau, the latest from director Syamsul Yusof who is best known for the first and second KL Gangster action thrillers, as well as the award-winning horror Munafik and its 2018 sequel. Production actually took place roughly four years ago and from a few online reads, it wasn’t an easy shoot. According to Yusof himself, Studio Kembara reseached the legendary hero for two years and eventually tried its own incarnation of “Mat Kilau” but failed to make headway with just fifty percent of it completed. When Yusof was tapped to take over the project, he suggest a redo with his own touch, and from that point on, production still hit a few snags, sans details. Nonetheless, four years in and with random photos all but standing as the only evidence of […]
Witness The Birth Of A New Hero In The Official Trailer For SATRIA DEWA: GATOTKACA!
February marked a first for the long-awaited adaptation of Indonesian superhero adventure, Satria Dewa: Gatotkaca, launching a brief teaser filled with high-flying feats and intensity introducing actor Rizky Nazar for the title role. The Hanung Bramantyo-directed film, which is aiming as the first of a slate of films based on the Indonesian comic IP created by Rene Ishak, now has a first full trailer that dives deep into the thrills that audiences await. A young Indonesian man named Yuda learns the shocking truth that he is the heir apparant to extraordinary powers and part of a long line of warriors raged in a war between good and evil that could tear our world apart. Yuda must embrace his destiny and fight the forces of evil, lead by Aswatama, a Kurawa warrior with plans to destroy the world as we know it and plunge mankind into an eternity of darkness. Satria […]
BOY KILLS WORLD: Bill Skarsgård Toplines SA Shoot For Dystopian Actioner With Samara Weaving and Yayan Ruhian
Bill Skarsgård is set to lead Boy Kills World from debut director Moritz Mohr. Arend Remmers (Sløborn) and Tyler Burton Smith (Kung Fury: The Movie) penned the script which also brings actress Samara Weaving, and international action star Yayan Ruhian. Bill Skarsgard (Deadpool 2, It Chapter Two) will lead the cast as protagonist Boy, a deaf mute with a vibrant imagination. When his family is murdered, he escapes to the jungle and is trained by a mysterious shaman to repress his childish imagination and become an instrument of death. Also attached are Samara Weaving (Ready or Not, Bill and Ted Face the Music), who will play assassin June 27, and martial arts expert Yayan Ruhian (Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens, The Raid: Redemption), who will be Boy’s mentor. Tom Grater’s Deadline exclusive on Thursday bills the film as a “dystopian fever dream” which will be shot in South Africa. Mohr’s own […]
‘John Wick 3’ Actors Yayan Ruhian And Cecep Rahman Pair Up With ‘Maria’ Director For Mystery Project
The next and virtual EFM is set to launch on March 1, wherein you can expect tons of news on film development and acquisitions to arise. Nilalang and Maria director Pedring Lopez will especially be on hand for his own projects, including one that will finally see Indonesian action stalwarts Cecep Arif Rahman and Yayan Ruhian of The Raid franchise and John Wick 3 fame, together on set once more. Lopez took to social media on Wednesday to celebrate, although official title and any and all details about the project are currently under wraps until the announcements are made via EFM and trade news reports. “I’ve been working on this project in secret for a while, even during the pandemic.” Lopez tells Film Combat Syndicate. “You know what it is with Cecep and Yayan [laughs], but what they’re planning is brutal and bloody!” Rahman and Ruhian (also in tow for […]
SKYLIN3S: Watch The Incredible Official Trailer For The Third Chapter Of The ‘Skyline’ Saga
FrightFest’s virtual attendees are just days away from its closing premiere event for Liam O’Donnell’s new movie, Skylin3s. Third in line for a saga that’s made a resounding comeback from 2010 through 2017, Skylin3s bookends the current trilogy forthwith, starring Lindsey Morgan (Beyond Skyline, The 100) in what O’Donnell himself ascribes to as the first superhero movie of the franchise. When a virus threatens to turn the now earth-dwelling friendly alien hybrids against humans, Captain Rose Corley must lead a team of elite mercenaries on a mission to the alien world in order to save what’s left of humanity. Skylin3s is getting a select theatrical and on-demand release on December 18, 2020. In the meantime, you can also read more on the director’s thoughts by clicking here, and with any luck, I’ll be able to check in with more coverage on this film in the weeks and months ahead. Also […]
Cameras Roll On SATRIA DEWA: GATOTKACA, Cecep Arif Rahman And Yayan Ruhian Join Indonesian Superhero Franchise Installer
It’s been a long-time coming for the Satria Dewa franchise’s transition to the big screen, and now Variety’s Vivienne Chow has the latest on production for the first installment, Gatotkaca, which will open in 2021. Cameras are now rolling as of August 6, after a two-month delay with strigent Covid-19 safety protocols currently put in place for cast and crew. Hanung Bramantyo is directing the project from a script by Night Bus scribe Rahabi Mandra and featuring Rizky Nazar in the title role of Yuda, “a young man with superpowers”. The film also stars John Wick 3 actors Yayan Ruhian and Cecep Arif Rahman, the latter who’s been involved with the project since etching out last year’s proof-of-concept short from Juara director Charles Gozali who is no longer attached to the project. The Satria Dewa universe series draws on Indonesian folklore ideas that can be traced back more than 700 […]
ASHIAP MAN Brings Smiles With His Superheroics In The Official Trailer
Actor Atta Halilintar is taking the mantle for a subversive take on superheroes in Ashiap Man. He stars and also shares the helm for his first directoral gig with filmmaker Herdanius Larobu from a script by Cassandra Lassardi which may arrive this year. There’s no visible logline, but the official trailer is online and subbed and introduces Halilintar as Zul, the notable good samaritan of his village carrying on the moniker of a superhero. Judging by the trailer, it looks our protagonist’s faith will be put to the very test when an evil force emerges – with actual superpowers. We also get a shot of Yayan Ruhian playing mentor for a few beats in the trailer as well. Ashiap Man runs high on some of its ingredients here, with ample doses of action and spectacle to couple with its comedy and high drama, and I can instantly see this as […]
The Bell Rings For JAILBREAK: ROUND 2 With Yayan Ruhian And Cecep Arif Rahman Joining The Cast
The Hollywood Reporter‘s Borys Kit has the exclusive with Jailbreak: Round 2, the current working title for the new sequel in development from Kongchak Pictures and director Jimmy Henderson. Shooting in 2021, John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum actors Yayan Ruhian and Cecep Arif Rahman are set to join the sequel as villains, with Henderson back at the helm from a script by Kai Miller. The first film, Jailbreak, a multi-award winning hit from Henderson during Fantasia Festival in 2017, starred Jean Paul Ly, Dara Our, and former MMA athlete Tharoth Sam as members of an elite transport unit forced to protect a key witness while fighting tooth and nail through swarms of convicts in a compromised prison facility. Ly, Our and Sam are expected to return to their roles, joining Rahman and Ruhian for a story that “sees Cambodia’s ragtag, renegade team of martial arts commandos band to defeat a […]
WIRA Review: A Stimulating, Nascient Martial Arts Thriller That Lives Up To Its Name
It’s been an endeavor to witness today’s industry reshape itself to accommodate certain releases, none more prospective in this day and age for southeast Asia’s regional output with Netflix looking to meet the demand. The prospect and global appeal for director Adrian Teh’s own work is a welcome one, following last year’s introduction to Malaysian action star, actor Hairul Azreen with military thriller, Paskal: The Movie, and a spritely move toward genre fanfare with martial arts action thriller, Wira, that all but seals the fated interest of fans. Written by Paskal: The Movie and Polis Evo 1 & 2 scribe Anwari Ashraf from a story by Teh, a straightforward tale ensues of an ex-commando newly returned from service. Azreen plays Hassan, once a legendary and fearless fighter in the seedy criminal underbelly of his old neighborhood working for untouchable crimeboss, Raja (Dain Said). Hassan’s only goal is to reunite with […]
BLOOD RUSH: ‘The Night Comes For Us’ Director Boards Ranjeet Marwa’s Indo Action Thriller As Consultant [EXCLUSIVE]
Director Timo Tjahjanto is officially coming aboard as production consultant on Ranjeet S. Marwa’s latest thriller, Blood Rush. The move reunites between Tjahjanto, and his Headshot and The Night Comes For Us actors Zack Lee and Sunny Pang, who have since joined the cast since the film’s announcement at the top of the year. Pic hails from Rocket Sky High Motion Pictures Ltd. Marwa will direct from his own script which centers on Lee in the role of Max Wayan, a grieving widower whose secretive new life in the occult turns out to be more than he bargained for. Also joining the cast are actors Yayan Ruhian (The Raid franchise, Hit & Run), and Nathan Jones (Jet Li’s Fearless, Mad Max: Fury Road), and stunt performer/action actor Nick Khan (Aladdin, Invincible) who also serves as fight choreographer. In addition, actor Nicholas Vince (Hellraiser, Hellbound: Hellraiser II) is currently in talks […]
RUSH HOUR: A Word With ‘Blood Rush’ Writer/Director Ranjeet S. Marwa
Filmmaker Ranjeet S. Marwa is betting it all on his latest Indiegogo campaign these days to help make one of his biggest dreams come true with the new action thriller, Blood Rush. I first found out about this project and was astounded that a new name in the craft had emerged with such an ambitious talent roster on hand, featuring the incomparable Yayan Ruhian, Singaporean actor and action star Sunny Pang, and actor Zack Lee who has proven himself immensely as an actor capable of delivering a performance caliber worthy of audience praise. The Blood Rush campaign runs for about another month, and so I was compelled to help introduce this particular unknown director who has since continued to push his campaign in a series of videos on YouTube. For a more written record though, you’re welcome to acquaint yourselves with Marwa in the following exchange. Check it out, and […]
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