Mike Leeder brings another round-up of the news-stories from the world of eastern action that you may have overlooked in the last few weeks…
Sniper: Ghost Shooter…
The Sniper series began back in 1993 with Tom Berenger and a young Billy Zane being assigned a mission that would leave both men with more than just memories. The series has spawned multiple sequels over the last 23 years with the latest being Sniper: Ghost Shooter. The film, directed by Don Michael Paul (CSI, CSI: Miami, Strong Medicine, Jet Stream) sees the son of Beckett, Berenger’s character, (Chad Michael Collins in his third Sniper outing) leading a team to battle extremists in the Middle East and Western Europe. However another deadly sniper has Beckett and his team in his sights and a deadly game of cat and mouse is raged on a new battlefield.
The film also stars recognisable faces such as Dennis Haysbert (24, Undercover, The Unit) and Stephanie Vogt.(Strike Back, The Forest, The Royals).
The Good, The Tough & The Deadly…
Too often the action genre seems to have been ignored when it comes to weighty tomes dedicated to cinema.. but the times they seem to be a’changing. The end of May sees the publication of a new book The Good, The Tough & The Deadly: Action Movie Stars 1960s-Present by David J Moore, the author of World Gone Wild: A Survivors Guide to Post Apocalyptic Movies.
The book takes an in-depth look at not only the action movies but also action movie stars from around the world, and includes over 1500 reviews by Moore, Zack Carlson and the legendary Vern (author of Seagalogy & Yippie Ki-Yay Moviegoer!) The fully illustrated book should serve as a tribute to the men and women who give so much to one of our favourite genres.
You can find out more about the release here…
The Bombing: Bruce Willis, Nicholas Tse, Mel Gibson, Fan Bing-bing get explosive…
We’ve seen some Eastern stars make inroads into western productions, but one eastern project may well be returning the favour. The Chinese language epic The Bombing, directed by Xiao Feng, tells the story of China’s resilience which the people of Chonqing endured more than 5 years of the Japanese forces bombing their city. Five different Chinese people fight their way through Japanese air force attacks to protect an important military machine in Chongqing, 1940.The film features an impressive cast from both East and West cinema… a production that includes Bruce Willis, Nicholas Tse, Fan Bing-bing, Adrien Brody, Kenny Bee and Simon Yam. (It’s interesting to note that Gibson, hired as a ‘creative adviser’ for this project was originally inked to appear in Jackie Chan’s Dragon Blade, while his role was eventually taken by Adrien Brody).
At the time he joined the project, Gibson said that: “I have seen so many changes in China. The Bombing has an excellent world-class team with outstanding producers, directors, cast and crew. Our crew is marvelous, modest but enthusiastic.”
Willis worked for eight days on the film, playing an American volunteer, teaching the Chinese civilians to fly planes during the conflict. The film was jointly funded by both the state-operated China Film Group China Film Group and private investors and went into production in the middle or 2015. Its schedule was a speedy one with the initial plan to have it shot, edited and ready for release around the end of 2015, the 70th anniversary year of the end of the Second World War, though it is only now reaching audiences.
Kickboxer: Retaliation – Mike Tyson joins the Sequel…
While we’re still waiting to see a full trailer for Kickboxer: Vengeance, the reboot of one of Jean-Claude Van Damme’s breakthrough movies, the shooting has already started on Kickboxer: Retaliation the first sequel to that reboot. The sequel which sees Alain Moussi reprising his role as Kurt Sloane, seems to be heading into Undisputed territory as the kickboxing hero finds himself forced to fight in an underground prison fight circuit. Haftor Julius Bjornssan (Game of Thrones) will play the main villain, while UFC fighter Paige Van Zandt and ‘Iron Mike’ Tyson last seen in Ip Man 3 are also joining the cast. Tyson – who will be seen in China Salesman battling Steven Seagal – will play a former fighter who has been forced to fight in the prison circuit.
There’s been no confirmation as yet as to whether Jean-Claude Van Damme will be reprising his role as Master Durant, who trains Moussi’s character to overcome the villainous Tong Po in the first film. Producer Dimitri Logothetis, who also directed Moussi in the unreleased Wings of the Dragon, will be in the director’s chair for the sequel and oversaw the direction of the Thai scenes with Jean-Claude Van Damme when original director John Stockwell (who helmed the US scenes) was unable to join the Thai portion of the shoot.
The Marine 5: Miz Returns…
WWE Studios and Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions will be partnering on the new action thriller The Marine 5: Battleground, directed by James Nunn (Eliminators with Scott Adkins). The film will features a number of WWE superstars including ‘The Miz’ who returns to the franchise as Jake Carter, along with Maryse, Heath Slater, Bo Dallas, Curtis Axel and Naomi. The film written by Ed McHenry and Rory McHenry will shoot in Vancouver and follow Jake Carter’s adventures after leaving the Marines.
Now working as an EMT, Carter finds himself protecting an injured man from a ruthless biker gang. With the odds stacked against him, Carter utilizes his unique Marine skills to stop the bikers’ rampage before any more innocent blood is shed.
“The ‘Marine series is a true fan-favorite and we are thrilled to join with Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions and director James Nunn to launch this next installment,” said Michael Luisi, President of WWE Studios. “For the first time ever, we will have six WWE Superstars in one live action film to ramp up the excitement and thrill audiences worldwide.”
The Original Django Returns…
The original Django movies starring Franco Nero (Enter the Ninja) served as inspiration for a certain movie called Django Unchained, directed by Quentin Tarantino. But now the original Django himself, played once again by Franco Nero, will be returning to play the character once more in a film set some 50 years after the first movie. Django is now a horse wrangler and extra on the set of D.W.Griffith’s controversial classic Birth of a Nation.
The great John Sayles (Brother from Another Planet) directs, with Louis Black, Carolyn Pfeiffer, David Hollander and Nancy P Sanders producing.
Here’s a reminder of the original Django…
