Action Round-Up #43
Nov. 6, 2009
Hounsou in ELEPHANT WHITE
Word came from Variety that Djimon Hounsou (who will always be associated with DEEP RISING as far as I'm concerned ) will star in ELEPHANT WHITE for Nu Image/Millennium (RAMBO, THE EXPENDABLES with Pachya Pinkaew (director of ONG BAK). He portrays an assassin hired by a businessman to avenge the murder of his daughter by white slave traders in Thailand. Shooting takes place in March in Bangkok.
Ferrara not playing GAME OF DEATH
A couple weeks ago, I told you that Abel Ferrara and Wesley Snipes were reuniting after all these years to do GAME OF DEATH (after having worked together on 1990's KING OF NEW YORK). Well, turns out it's not to be, as Moviehole learned that the director has stepped aside to concentrate on his sure-to-be-bizarre JEKYLL AND HYDE movie starring Forest Whitaker and 50 Cent. Ferrara will be replaced by Giorgio Serafini. (And yes, that's what the director of BAD LIEUTENANT looks like. You expected much different?)
In the flick, Wesley Snipes stars as a diplomat's bodyguard who is injured in a botched assassination attempt. The bodyguard and his company all taken to the same hospital, where the former teams up with a nurse (Zoe Bell) to protect the diplomat from a team of ruthless assassins led by Zander (“Expendables” star Gary Daniels). The nurse soon learns that there is more to this sticky situation than expected.
Lookin' forward to seeing Zoe Bell kick some more ass on screen!
UNIVERSAL SOLDIER's new title!
We've been keeping you in the know pretty damn loyally as to what's going on with the new UNIVERSAL SOLDIER movie, which up until now had been called A NEW BEGINNING. That's not the case anymore though; the new title is UNIVERSAL SOLDIER: REGENERATION. Personally, I don't think it's any better or worse. It's not exactly a fist-pumper though, is it?
In addition, we've learned that the film has been rated R, for pervasive strong brutal violence and some language. It will be distributed by Sony's Stage 6 Films, which handles a lot of the company's smaller genre releases - it will likely get a DVD launch some time early next year.
BOONDOCK SAINTS go wide(r)!
After an impressive opening weekend where it grossed $500k in under 100 theaters, THE BOONDOCK SAINTS II: ALL SAINTS DAY is getting an expansion. The studio has announced that, November 13, it will open the flick to additional cities including Seattle, San Francisco, San Diego, Chicago, Detroit, Dallas, Atlanta, Houston, and more.
I still haven't gotten off my ass - or on it - and checked out the first film. I'm always hearing very mixed things; seems like a love it or hate it proposition. Maybe I'll do a double feature...?
It sure would be nice if BOONDOCK star Julie Benz dropped by for a chat...
Check out the JCVD Forums!
If you're anxious to get your JCVD fix - or just talk about the action icon who is still kicking strong, head on over to The International JCVD Forum where you can blab all things Jean Claude with other fans of watching people get their ass kicked by the Belgian. UNIVERSAL SOLDIER: REGENERATION is of course a hot topic, but so is KARATE, which is another 2010 release for Van Dammage. Read on for the synopsis; hopefully soon on "The Round Up" we'll have an exact release date for ya!
A legendary karate world champion (Van Damme), known as The Piston because of the speed of his legs, is famous and wealthy and has the martial arts world as his feet. But his ego takes control and his world begins to crumble around him. He loses his family and his life goes into a downward spiral. Before long, this one time champion is living like a bum on the streets of Los Angeles.
Then, the Piston meets KK, an internet fight promoter. KK has a dream... to find a fighter good enough to win the prestigious freestyle mega fighting championship in Las Vegas. The Piston returns to his karate roots in Japan to find the fighting edge he needs to become a champion again. He comes back to Las Vegas for his make it or break it fight, for the fight of his life in the cage against the undefeated young champion from New York The Bulldozer.
KILL YA NEXT WEEK WITH MORE ACTION!
1:31PM on 11/07/2009
For those who want to know, Universal Soldier: Regenaration is coming out January 5th on DVD and Blu-ray. I can't wait to blind buy this sucker on Blu-ray :) It's been getting lots of pos...
For those who want to know, Universal Soldier: Regenaration is coming out January 5th on DVD and Blu-ray. I can't wait to blind buy this sucker on Blu-ray :) It's been getting lots of positive reviews from the Fantastic Fest screening a few weeks ago so I'm psyched for it.
Cheers,
Alan