Plot: A deep dive into the Bruce Lee exploitation film craze that dominated grindhouse cinema after the iconic martial artist’s death.
Review: Flashback to the year 1994. On my 13th birthday, while cruising the video store for a movie to watch with my friends at my birthday sleepover, on a whim, I decided to rent Enter the Dragon. I was never the same. After watching it, I enrolled in Karate classes and tried to learn as much about Bruce Lee as possible. While cruising those same video store aisles, I was very confused by how many kung-fu movies had his name and image on the cover, given that, even back then, I knew there were only four Bruce Lee movies, plus Game of Death. And why were they constantly misspelling his name? Who was Bruce Le? Or Bruce Li? Or Bruce Liang?
This, of course, was my introduction to the...
Review: Flashback to the year 1994. On my 13th birthday, while cruising the video store for a movie to watch with my friends at my birthday sleepover, on a whim, I decided to rent Enter the Dragon. I was never the same. After watching it, I enrolled in Karate classes and tried to learn as much about Bruce Lee as possible. While cruising those same video store aisles, I was very confused by how many kung-fu movies had his name and image on the cover, given that, even back then, I knew there were only four Bruce Lee movies, plus Game of Death. And why were they constantly misspelling his name? Who was Bruce Le? Or Bruce Li? Or Bruce Liang?
This, of course, was my introduction to the...
- 7/1/2024
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
"Enter The Dragon" may be one of the best martial arts films of all time, but the Bruce Lee-led project didn't exactly come together easily. Over 50 years after its release, the lore surrounding the movie's fraught creation is by now stacked higher than a pile of guys taken down by super-skilled fighter Lee (played by the late actor with the same last name). Among the anecdotes surrounding its production? Behind-the-scenes fights, recasts, a minuscule budget, script problems, and more.
"The whole budget was $450,000," associate producer Andre Morgan told the BBC last year, paring down the already shockingly small $850,000 number that's commonly cited. Morgan was confident in his number, saying, "Remember, you heard it from somebody that was there. I prepared the budget; I signed the budget." The shoestring budget didn't get in the way of the movie's success; in theaters, it earned over $100 million worldwide according to the BBC piece,...
"The whole budget was $450,000," associate producer Andre Morgan told the BBC last year, paring down the already shockingly small $850,000 number that's commonly cited. Morgan was confident in his number, saying, "Remember, you heard it from somebody that was there. I prepared the budget; I signed the budget." The shoestring budget didn't get in the way of the movie's success; in theaters, it earned over $100 million worldwide according to the BBC piece,...
- 6/1/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
Featuring: Bruce Li, Bruce Le, Bruce Liang, Dragon Lee, Angela Mao, David Chiang, Phillip Ko, Sammo Hung | Directed by David Gregory
It is an understatement to say that Bruce Lee left a massive impact through his short filmography. After being denied a lead role by the Shaw Brothers studio, Lee signed onto an upstart company called Golden Harvest whose subsequent films made him into an international star. As his tragic death came on the cusp of kung-fu movies being introduced to the global market, a question lingered about who would replace Lee.
Director David Gregory has crafted a comprehensive exploration of what followed Lee’s passing; a sub-genre named Bruceploitation which focused on casting Bruce Lee lookalikes to star in imitation martial arts films. The resulting cash-in features were made to exploit the deceased star’s international popularity during a time when intellectual property laws were less strict, with even...
It is an understatement to say that Bruce Lee left a massive impact through his short filmography. After being denied a lead role by the Shaw Brothers studio, Lee signed onto an upstart company called Golden Harvest whose subsequent films made him into an international star. As his tragic death came on the cusp of kung-fu movies being introduced to the global market, a question lingered about who would replace Lee.
Director David Gregory has crafted a comprehensive exploration of what followed Lee’s passing; a sub-genre named Bruceploitation which focused on casting Bruce Lee lookalikes to star in imitation martial arts films. The resulting cash-in features were made to exploit the deceased star’s international popularity during a time when intellectual property laws were less strict, with even...
- 5/27/2024
- by James Rodrigues
- Nerdly
The 2023 Tribeca Festival feature film lineup has been unveiled.
This year’s festival takes place June 7 — 18 and includes a range of feature narrative, documentary, and animated films. The 2023 Tribeca Festival launches 109 feature films from 127 filmmakers across 36 countries, with 93 world premieres, one international premiere, eight North American premieres, one U.S. premiere, and six New York premieres.
There are 43 first-time directors and 29 directors returning to Tribeca with their latest projects. A total of 41 percent of all feature films are directed by women and, for the first time, more than half of competition feature films are directed by women at 68 percent. Additionally, 36 percent of feature films are directed by Bipoc filmmakers, including two Indigenous filmmakers.
This season, it’s all about the actor-director, with films from a slew of A-list stars behind the camera. Highlights include the world premieres of Chelsea Peretti’s meta-comedy “First Time Female Director” and John Slattery’s...
This year’s festival takes place June 7 — 18 and includes a range of feature narrative, documentary, and animated films. The 2023 Tribeca Festival launches 109 feature films from 127 filmmakers across 36 countries, with 93 world premieres, one international premiere, eight North American premieres, one U.S. premiere, and six New York premieres.
There are 43 first-time directors and 29 directors returning to Tribeca with their latest projects. A total of 41 percent of all feature films are directed by women and, for the first time, more than half of competition feature films are directed by women at 68 percent. Additionally, 36 percent of feature films are directed by Bipoc filmmakers, including two Indigenous filmmakers.
This season, it’s all about the actor-director, with films from a slew of A-list stars behind the camera. Highlights include the world premieres of Chelsea Peretti’s meta-comedy “First Time Female Director” and John Slattery’s...
- 4/18/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
The 2023 Tribeca Festival has revealed its feature narrative, documentary and animated film lineups.
The selection consists of a number of actor-directed titles, including the world premieres of David Duchovny’s Bucky F*cking Dent, Michael Shannon’s Eric Larue, Chelsea Peretti’s First Time Female Director, John Slattery’s Maggie Moore(s), Lily Rabe and Hamish Linklater’s Downtown Owl and Jennifer Esposito’s First Kill; the North American premiere of Steve Buscemi’s The Listener; and New York premiere of Randall Park’s Shortcomings.
The documentary lineup features films about Stan Lee, Biz Markie and Dan Rather, with a conversation with Rather and director Frank Marshall following the world premiere of the Rather documentary. The Rather talk is just one of the live events set to take place following screenings, which also include a performance from Gloria Gaynor after the world premiere of Gloria Gaynor: I Will Survive, a...
The selection consists of a number of actor-directed titles, including the world premieres of David Duchovny’s Bucky F*cking Dent, Michael Shannon’s Eric Larue, Chelsea Peretti’s First Time Female Director, John Slattery’s Maggie Moore(s), Lily Rabe and Hamish Linklater’s Downtown Owl and Jennifer Esposito’s First Kill; the North American premiere of Steve Buscemi’s The Listener; and New York premiere of Randall Park’s Shortcomings.
The documentary lineup features films about Stan Lee, Biz Markie and Dan Rather, with a conversation with Rather and director Frank Marshall following the world premiere of the Rather documentary. The Rather talk is just one of the live events set to take place following screenings, which also include a performance from Gloria Gaynor after the world premiere of Gloria Gaynor: I Will Survive, a...
- 4/18/2023
- by Hilary Lewis
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The 22nd edition of the Tribeca Festival unveiled a 2023 lineup with a record number of female helmers and heavy on films directed by actors like Chelsea Peretti’s First Time Female Director, John Slattery thriller Maggie Moore(s) with Tina Fey and Jon Hamm, David Duchovny’s Bucky F*cking Dent and Steve Buscemi’s The Listener.
Marvel also screens its first original documentary, Stan Lee by David Gelb, as the fest unspools June 7-18 in New York City. Also making an appearance: Downtown Owl by Lily Rabe and Hamish Linklater, and Eric Larue by Michael Shannon.
In all, 109 feature, narrative, documentary and animated films from 127 directors across 36 countries will showcase emerging and household names.
Tribeca is expanding its Midnight offering this year, and will also present its second annual Human/Nature award for environmental storytelling to world-premiering Common Ground by Rebecca and Josh Tickell.
Related music and live events...
Marvel also screens its first original documentary, Stan Lee by David Gelb, as the fest unspools June 7-18 in New York City. Also making an appearance: Downtown Owl by Lily Rabe and Hamish Linklater, and Eric Larue by Michael Shannon.
In all, 109 feature, narrative, documentary and animated films from 127 directors across 36 countries will showcase emerging and household names.
Tribeca is expanding its Midnight offering this year, and will also present its second annual Human/Nature award for environmental storytelling to world-premiering Common Ground by Rebecca and Josh Tickell.
Related music and live events...
- 4/18/2023
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
The Golden Angel Awards ceremony in San Gabriel, California, was an occasion that kept politics in the foreground, but which simultaneously managed to downplay the frosty current state of U.S.-China diplomatic relations.
The awards event on Friday night also served as the opening ceremony of the 18th edition of the Chinese American Film Festival (Caff) and Chinese American TV Festival (Catf), annual events which showcase Chinese movies in the home state of American moviemaking.
After an elegant fashion show by Chinese womenswear brand Yu Tai Xiang, U.S. Congresswoman Judy Chu took to the stage to speak about the upcoming midterm elections in the U.S., talk up Chinese-American history, and to rail against the recent rise in anti-Asian hate crimes in the U.S.
“We need the [U.S.] public to know that Aapi [Asian American and Pacific Islander] history is American history,” she said.
Caff organizer James Su laid down a similarly laudable message.
The awards event on Friday night also served as the opening ceremony of the 18th edition of the Chinese American Film Festival (Caff) and Chinese American TV Festival (Catf), annual events which showcase Chinese movies in the home state of American moviemaking.
After an elegant fashion show by Chinese womenswear brand Yu Tai Xiang, U.S. Congresswoman Judy Chu took to the stage to speak about the upcoming midterm elections in the U.S., talk up Chinese-American history, and to rail against the recent rise in anti-Asian hate crimes in the U.S.
“We need the [U.S.] public to know that Aapi [Asian American and Pacific Islander] history is American history,” she said.
Caff organizer James Su laid down a similarly laudable message.
- 11/7/2022
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Set during World War II while Korea is under the Japanese rule, the simple plot here is about Korean rebels who’re willing to give up their lives fighting against the evil invaders. Li Jun Dong (Jhoon Rhee) is their leader and he works as a gardener in a local church. One day, being chased by the Japanese, rebel Jin Zhang Zhi (Carter Wong) seeks shelter in the church. Together, Li and his student Mary (Anne Winton) step in and beat up the attackers who then run away.
Now that the church is not a safe heaven, the three of them take off but the priest stays behind and is captured by the returning Japanese. While checking on the priest’s welfare, Huang Li Chen (Angela Mao) also gets into trouble with them. Li then sets out to rescue Father Louis (Andre Morgan) alone but is outnumbered.
Now that the church is not a safe heaven, the three of them take off but the priest stays behind and is captured by the returning Japanese. While checking on the priest’s welfare, Huang Li Chen (Angela Mao) also gets into trouble with them. Li then sets out to rescue Father Louis (Andre Morgan) alone but is outnumbered.
- 2/3/2021
- by David Chew
- AsianMoviePulse
Bruce Lee’s cinematic legacy may already be secure, but it’s about to be boosted by impressive Blu-ray releases, courtesy of The Criterion Collection, that will see his five legendary, genre-transformative Hong Kong action films in a way we’ve never before imagine, digitally restored in 4K resolution.
The Criterion Collection has officially announced Bruce Lee: His Greatest Hits, which will be released on July 14. The 7-disc Blu-ray box set will showcase 4K digital restorations of fist-flying films, The Big Boss, Fist of Fury, Game of Death, and The Way of the Dragon. Additionally, Lee’s signature film and iconoclastic actioner, Enter the Dragon, will also be included in this set; an eye-opening addition, since the film—as a co-production of Warner Bros. and Lee’s Concord Productions shingle—is typically left off the vast array of budget releases and box sets for Lee’s films. Indeed, Enter‘s presence here is two-fold,...
The Criterion Collection has officially announced Bruce Lee: His Greatest Hits, which will be released on July 14. The 7-disc Blu-ray box set will showcase 4K digital restorations of fist-flying films, The Big Boss, Fist of Fury, Game of Death, and The Way of the Dragon. Additionally, Lee’s signature film and iconoclastic actioner, Enter the Dragon, will also be included in this set; an eye-opening addition, since the film—as a co-production of Warner Bros. and Lee’s Concord Productions shingle—is typically left off the vast array of budget releases and box sets for Lee’s films. Indeed, Enter‘s presence here is two-fold,...
- 4/14/2020
- by Joseph Baxter
- Den of Geek
If your only introduction to the work of Bruce Lee was a certain summer tentpole last year, The Criterion Collection is here to change that. This summer, they will be releasing a box set of five of his greatest kung-fu actioners, spread across seven beautiful discs with a plethora of special features.
Officially titled Bruce Lee: His Greatest Hits, it includes the best of the martial arts legend’s 1970s work, including 4K digital restorations of The Big Boss, Fist of Fury, Game of Death, and The Way of the Dragon, along with a new 2K digital restoration of the rarely-seen 99-minute 1973 theatrical version of Enter the Dragon and the 102-minute “special-edition” version.
All in all, it’s the perfect tribute to the man who would’ve turned 80 this year, but sadly left us far too soon at 32. See the trailer, full list of special features, and cover art below.
Officially titled Bruce Lee: His Greatest Hits, it includes the best of the martial arts legend’s 1970s work, including 4K digital restorations of The Big Boss, Fist of Fury, Game of Death, and The Way of the Dragon, along with a new 2K digital restoration of the rarely-seen 99-minute 1973 theatrical version of Enter the Dragon and the 102-minute “special-edition” version.
All in all, it’s the perfect tribute to the man who would’ve turned 80 this year, but sadly left us far too soon at 32. See the trailer, full list of special features, and cover art below.
- 4/13/2020
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Halting all film releases and closing cinemas over Chinese New Year was the most dramatic possible expression of the emergency response to the novel coronavirus threat that spread from the city of Wuhan in January. The movie distribution and exhibition sectors had been counting on a billion dollars of box office revenue over the 10-day holiday period, a peak season that determines the growth trajectory for the whole year.
Yet, bad as the virus impact is for the movie releasing sectors, there could be longer-term consequences for China’s film production and eventually for its emerging rights sales businesses.
“This will reduce the number of productions in 2021. This will be bad for employees in this sector, from post-production or special effects or crew. Everyone,” says Tony Lu, a producer working on “The Wandering Earth” sequel at director Frant Gwo’s studio.
Two of the world’s newest and largest film...
Yet, bad as the virus impact is for the movie releasing sectors, there could be longer-term consequences for China’s film production and eventually for its emerging rights sales businesses.
“This will reduce the number of productions in 2021. This will be bad for employees in this sector, from post-production or special effects or crew. Everyone,” says Tony Lu, a producer working on “The Wandering Earth” sequel at director Frant Gwo’s studio.
Two of the world’s newest and largest film...
- 2/20/2020
- by Patrick Frater and Rebecca Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Without a doubt, Bruce Lee is a martial arts icon. He’s a cinematic fixture in pop culture and in the new documentary Be Water premiering at Sundance on January 25, filmmaker Bao Nguyen touches on his role as martial artists, but he goes beyond that and paints a picture of Lee’s impact in Hollywood during the ’60s, his trailblazing role as Asian advocate and an American institution.
Prior to Be Water, Nguyen directed the 2019 docuseries We Gon’ Be Alright based on Jeff Chang’s book of the same name and the docu feature Live From New York!, which detailed the history of the late-night sketch show. He said that doing the film sparked an interest in doing another project about American cultural institutions. With Live From New York!, he looked at SNL through a different lens and he wanted to do the same thing — this time with Bruce Lee.
Prior to Be Water, Nguyen directed the 2019 docuseries We Gon’ Be Alright based on Jeff Chang’s book of the same name and the docu feature Live From New York!, which detailed the history of the late-night sketch show. He said that doing the film sparked an interest in doing another project about American cultural institutions. With Live From New York!, he looked at SNL through a different lens and he wanted to do the same thing — this time with Bruce Lee.
- 1/24/2020
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
Days after China launched the world’s largest 5G network, Us and Chinese film executives at the Chinese American Film and TV Festival’s co-production summit discussed its impact on the entertainment world.
China’s three state-owned carriers China Unicom, China Mobile and China Telecom made 5G data plans available to consumers last Friday, a key step in Beijing’s push to becoming a global superpower capable of technologically rivaling the U.S.
The country is now home to the world’s largest commercial operating 5G network, available in 50 Chinese cities via plans ranging from RMB128 ($18) to RMB599 ($85). The connectivity means much faster data download and upload speeds, wider coverage and better connection stability.
“Content that used to take 40 minutes to download will now take just three minutes, thanks to 5G,” said Jack Gao, the former Wanda exec and current CEO of Smart Cinema, which hopes to disrupt current theatrical...
China’s three state-owned carriers China Unicom, China Mobile and China Telecom made 5G data plans available to consumers last Friday, a key step in Beijing’s push to becoming a global superpower capable of technologically rivaling the U.S.
The country is now home to the world’s largest commercial operating 5G network, available in 50 Chinese cities via plans ranging from RMB128 ($18) to RMB599 ($85). The connectivity means much faster data download and upload speeds, wider coverage and better connection stability.
“Content that used to take 40 minutes to download will now take just three minutes, thanks to 5G,” said Jack Gao, the former Wanda exec and current CEO of Smart Cinema, which hopes to disrupt current theatrical...
- 11/7/2019
- by Rebecca Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Morgan worked with Golden Harvest in Hong Kong in the 1970s, helping to bring stars like Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan to the world.
China-based producer Andre Morgan gave an in-depth overview of the seismic changes currently reshaping mainland China’s film industry in an Mpa workshop at Tiffcom, saying the local production sector is facing its “year of reckoning”.
In a wide-ranging talk that also covered the Japanese film industry and offered helpful tips for up-and-coming producers and directors, Morgan described the phenomenal growth the Chinese film industry has undergone since the early 2000s – and how that has resulted...
China-based producer Andre Morgan gave an in-depth overview of the seismic changes currently reshaping mainland China’s film industry in an Mpa workshop at Tiffcom, saying the local production sector is facing its “year of reckoning”.
In a wide-ranging talk that also covered the Japanese film industry and offered helpful tips for up-and-coming producers and directors, Morgan described the phenomenal growth the Chinese film industry has undergone since the early 2000s – and how that has resulted...
- 10/29/2018
- by Liz Shackleton
- ScreenDaily
Morgan worked with Golden Harvest in Hong Kong in the 1970s, helping to bring stars like Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan to the world.
China-based producer Andre Morgan gave an in-depth overview of the seismic changes currently reshaping mainland China’s film industry in an Mpa workshop at Tiffcom, saying the local production sector is facing its “year of reckoning”.
In a wide-ranging talk that also covered the Japanese film industry and offered helpful tips for up-and-coming producers and directors, Morgan described the phenomenal growth the Chinese film industry has undergone since the early 2000s – and how that has resulted...
China-based producer Andre Morgan gave an in-depth overview of the seismic changes currently reshaping mainland China’s film industry in an Mpa workshop at Tiffcom, saying the local production sector is facing its “year of reckoning”.
In a wide-ranging talk that also covered the Japanese film industry and offered helpful tips for up-and-coming producers and directors, Morgan described the phenomenal growth the Chinese film industry has undergone since the early 2000s – and how that has resulted...
- 10/27/2018
- by Liz Shackleton
- ScreenDaily
China-based producer Andre Morgan gave an in-depth overview of the seismic changes currently reshaping mainland China’s film industry in an Mpa workshop at Tiffcom, saying the local production sector is facing its “year of reckoning”.
China-based producer Andre Morgan gave an in-depth overview of the seismic changes currently reshaping mainland China’s film industry in an Mpa workshop at Tiffcom, saying the local production sector is facing its “year of reckoning”.
In a wide-ranging talk that also covered the Japanese film industry and offered helpful tips for up-and-coming producers and directors, Morgan described the phenomenal growth the Chinese...
China-based producer Andre Morgan gave an in-depth overview of the seismic changes currently reshaping mainland China’s film industry in an Mpa workshop at Tiffcom, saying the local production sector is facing its “year of reckoning”.
In a wide-ranging talk that also covered the Japanese film industry and offered helpful tips for up-and-coming producers and directors, Morgan described the phenomenal growth the Chinese...
- 10/27/2018
- by Liz Shackleton
- ScreenDaily
The Chinese film industry is facing a "bloodbath" after a glut of "dumb money" led to too many movies being made, producer Andre Morgan (The Cannonball Run; Way of the Dragon; Walker, Texas Ranger) said at the Tokyo film festival’s Tiffcom market on Thursday.
In what was dubbed a Master-Class Seminar by a pioneer of developing relationships between the U.S. and Chinese film industries, Morgan shared his take on the state of the business in the second-largest box-office market in the world.
The founder of production company Ruddy Morgan Organization, the producer started his work ...
In what was dubbed a Master-Class Seminar by a pioneer of developing relationships between the U.S. and Chinese film industries, Morgan shared his take on the state of the business in the second-largest box-office market in the world.
The founder of production company Ruddy Morgan Organization, the producer started his work ...
- 10/25/2018
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
The Chinese film industry is facing a "bloodbath" after a glut of "dumb money" led to too many movies being made, producer Andre Morgan (The Cannonball Run; Way of the Dragon; Walker, Texas Ranger) said at the Tokyo film festival’s Tiffcom market on Thursday.
In what was dubbed a Master-Class Seminar by a pioneer of developing relationships between the U.S. and Chinese film industries, Morgan shared his take on the state of the business in the second-largest box-office market in the world.
The founder of production company Ruddy Morgan Organization, the producer started his work ...
In what was dubbed a Master-Class Seminar by a pioneer of developing relationships between the U.S. and Chinese film industries, Morgan shared his take on the state of the business in the second-largest box-office market in the world.
The founder of production company Ruddy Morgan Organization, the producer started his work ...
- 10/25/2018
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Tom Cruise collaborator and Edge of Tomorrow helmer, Doug Liman has entered talks to take the directors chair in a new Cannonball Run remake.
The remake would be Liman’s next film; he is currently working on Choas Walking which stars Tom Holland and Daisy Ridley, which is due for release early in 2019.
Warner Bros were negotiating with Central Intelligence’s Rawson Thurber last year to take the helm but that seems to have fallen through. Cannonball Run franchise and Reno 911 stars Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant were in talks to pen the script. Andre Morgan and Alan Gasmer are producing the movie.
Also in the news – Hailee Steinfeld cast in Apple scripted series about Emily Dickinson
The original film was released back in 1981, directed by Hal Needham it had an all-star lead cast of Burt Reynolds, Roger Moore, Dom DeLuise and Farrah Fawcett. It also starred the likes of Dean Martin,...
The remake would be Liman’s next film; he is currently working on Choas Walking which stars Tom Holland and Daisy Ridley, which is due for release early in 2019.
Warner Bros were negotiating with Central Intelligence’s Rawson Thurber last year to take the helm but that seems to have fallen through. Cannonball Run franchise and Reno 911 stars Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant were in talks to pen the script. Andre Morgan and Alan Gasmer are producing the movie.
Also in the news – Hailee Steinfeld cast in Apple scripted series about Emily Dickinson
The original film was released back in 1981, directed by Hal Needham it had an all-star lead cast of Burt Reynolds, Roger Moore, Dom DeLuise and Farrah Fawcett. It also starred the likes of Dean Martin,...
- 6/5/2018
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Action specialist Doug Liman is in early negotiations to direct a remake of “The Cannonball Run” for Warner Bros.
Jesse Ehrman and Paul Perez are overseeing the project for the studio. Warner Bros. was negotiating last year with “Central Intelligence” director Rawson Thurber to helm a reboot of the “Cannonball Run” franchise and “Reno 911” stars Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant were in talks to write the script. Andre Morgan and Alan Gasmer are producing the movie.
The original franchise starred Burt Reynolds, Frank Sinatra, Roger Moore, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., and Dom DeLuise. The films centered on an illegal cross-country race where the participants played dirty tricks on one another.
The series produced three films, with the first, “The Cannonball Run,” released in 1981 by Fox with an impressive $72 million in box office. Warner Bros. acquired all sequel and remake rights to the franchise from original copyright owners Brock Yates,...
Jesse Ehrman and Paul Perez are overseeing the project for the studio. Warner Bros. was negotiating last year with “Central Intelligence” director Rawson Thurber to helm a reboot of the “Cannonball Run” franchise and “Reno 911” stars Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant were in talks to write the script. Andre Morgan and Alan Gasmer are producing the movie.
The original franchise starred Burt Reynolds, Frank Sinatra, Roger Moore, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., and Dom DeLuise. The films centered on an illegal cross-country race where the participants played dirty tricks on one another.
The series produced three films, with the first, “The Cannonball Run,” released in 1981 by Fox with an impressive $72 million in box office. Warner Bros. acquired all sequel and remake rights to the franchise from original copyright owners Brock Yates,...
- 6/5/2018
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
Doug Liman is in early talks to direct Warner Bros.’ “The Cannonball Run,” a revamp of the 1980s Comedy films directed by Hal Needham and starring Burt Reynolds, an individual with knowledge of the project tells TheWrap.
Andre Morgan is producing with Alan Gasmer, while Albert S. Ruddy and Raymond Chow will serve as executive producers. Morgan produced the first “Cannonball Run” movies.
Released in 1981, “The Cannonball Run” chronicled an illegal cross-country race in which drivers of highly varying vehicles compete to make the trip from Connecticut to Redondo Beach, California in the shortest possible time. The hit comedy fictionalized the real-life Cannonball Baker Sea-To-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash, a tongue-in-cheek protest of speed limit laws held five times during the 1970s.
Also Read: Doug Liman Quits as 'Justice League Dark' Director
The original film was released by 20th Century Fox. Warner Bros., however, released the 1984 sequel, and acquired...
Andre Morgan is producing with Alan Gasmer, while Albert S. Ruddy and Raymond Chow will serve as executive producers. Morgan produced the first “Cannonball Run” movies.
Released in 1981, “The Cannonball Run” chronicled an illegal cross-country race in which drivers of highly varying vehicles compete to make the trip from Connecticut to Redondo Beach, California in the shortest possible time. The hit comedy fictionalized the real-life Cannonball Baker Sea-To-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash, a tongue-in-cheek protest of speed limit laws held five times during the 1970s.
Also Read: Doug Liman Quits as 'Justice League Dark' Director
The original film was released by 20th Century Fox. Warner Bros., however, released the 1984 sequel, and acquired...
- 6/4/2018
- by Umberto Gonzalez
- The Wrap
Exclusive: We are hearing that Edge of Tomorrow director Doug Liman is in early talks to take over the directing reigns of Warner Bros.’ reboot The Cannonball Run, the 1980s action comedy franchise made popular by star Burt Reynolds and director Hal Needham.
Warner Bros. production executives Jesse Ehrman and Paul Perez are overseeing the re-imagining for the studio.
Last year, Skyscraper filmmaker Rawson Marshall Thurber was in talks to direct a Cannonball Run reboot from a script by Night at the Museum scribes Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant. A deal with Thurber wasn’t reached. Word is Liman will work off of Lennon and Garant’s version with a new scribe to be announced.
Cannonball Run I and II were directed by Needham and featured all star ensembles with ’80s stars like Reynolds, Farrah Fawcett, Roger Moore, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr and Dom DeLuise. They played roles...
Warner Bros. production executives Jesse Ehrman and Paul Perez are overseeing the re-imagining for the studio.
Last year, Skyscraper filmmaker Rawson Marshall Thurber was in talks to direct a Cannonball Run reboot from a script by Night at the Museum scribes Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant. A deal with Thurber wasn’t reached. Word is Liman will work off of Lennon and Garant’s version with a new scribe to be announced.
Cannonball Run I and II were directed by Needham and featured all star ensembles with ’80s stars like Reynolds, Farrah Fawcett, Roger Moore, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr and Dom DeLuise. They played roles...
- 6/4/2018
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Warner Bros is negotiating with Thomas Lennon & Robert Ben Garant to write and Rawson Thurber to direct a relaunch of the Cannonball Run franchise. Andre Morgan and Alan Gasmer (Vikings) are producing. Studio set this up last year, originally intending for Etan Cohen to both write and direct. Lennon & Garant wrote the Night At The Museum franchise. Thurber helmed Dodgeball and Central Intelligence and will next team with Dwayne Johnson in Skyscraper for…...
- 6/12/2017
- Deadline
2nd Annual Asian World Film Festival Opens in Culver City October 24: Best of Asian World CinemaExecutive Director, Georges N. Chamchoum
This is the first festival of its kind to play in the United States, giving audiences the unique opportunity to see films from Japan and Turkey and everywhere in-between. The festival is held at the height of the awards season to give these Asian filmmakers maximum exposure. The festival’s Executive Director, Georges N. Chamchoum is announcing films from 51 countries which are eligible. Greater recognition to the region’s wealth of filmmakers will strengthen ties between the Asian and Hollywood film industries.
All films selected by their countries as Oscar® or Golden Globes® contenders are automatically invited. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association recognizes these showings as the required official screenings for their members who vote on the Golden Globes®. At last year’s inaugural event some 30 films from 27 countries participated.
This is the first festival of its kind to play in the United States, giving audiences the unique opportunity to see films from Japan and Turkey and everywhere in-between. The festival is held at the height of the awards season to give these Asian filmmakers maximum exposure. The festival’s Executive Director, Georges N. Chamchoum is announcing films from 51 countries which are eligible. Greater recognition to the region’s wealth of filmmakers will strengthen ties between the Asian and Hollywood film industries.
All films selected by their countries as Oscar® or Golden Globes® contenders are automatically invited. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association recognizes these showings as the required official screenings for their members who vote on the Golden Globes®. At last year’s inaugural event some 30 films from 27 countries participated.
- 10/18/2016
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Get Hard director Etan Cohen will direct the long-gestating The Cannonball Run remake, according to Deadline.
Warner Bros. has acquired the rights for the property, citing that the new interpretation isn’t being viewed as an out-and-out remake; rather, Warner is hoping to relaunch the “Cannonball sea to shining sea memorial trophy race” that played out across the 80s comedy flick and its two sequels, Cannonball Run 2 and Speed Zone. Burt Reynolds, Frank Sinatra, Roger Moore, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. and Dom DeLuise were just some of the stars that featured across the cult comedy series.
Cohen (Tropic Thunder, Men in Black 3) will take point to write and direct the modern rendition of The Cannonball Run, flanked by Andre Morgan, Alan Gasmer (Vikings) and Jesse Ehrman who are attached to produce.
Indeed, this isn’t the first time that a potential do-over of The Cannonball Run has flirted...
Warner Bros. has acquired the rights for the property, citing that the new interpretation isn’t being viewed as an out-and-out remake; rather, Warner is hoping to relaunch the “Cannonball sea to shining sea memorial trophy race” that played out across the 80s comedy flick and its two sequels, Cannonball Run 2 and Speed Zone. Burt Reynolds, Frank Sinatra, Roger Moore, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. and Dom DeLuise were just some of the stars that featured across the cult comedy series.
Cohen (Tropic Thunder, Men in Black 3) will take point to write and direct the modern rendition of The Cannonball Run, flanked by Andre Morgan, Alan Gasmer (Vikings) and Jesse Ehrman who are attached to produce.
Indeed, this isn’t the first time that a potential do-over of The Cannonball Run has flirted...
- 3/16/2016
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
Just when you thought it was safe to get back on the highway, a long-dormant movie franchise just had its rights picked up by a major studio. If you prefer your comedy with only the loosest of plots, and packed to the gills with celebrity cameos, you may be about to get your wish. Warner Brothers just picked up the rights to the Cannonball Run franchise, and they.ve already got a writer and director on board. Warner Brothers has tapped Etan Cohen, the writer of Men in Black 3 and Tropic Thunder to both write and direct the revival of the 1980.s comedy franchise. According to Deadline, the new movie with the title Cannonball is being called a "relaunch" rather than a reboot, which we suppose means it qualifies as a sequel to a series that hasn.t seen a new entry since 1989. Andre Morgan, a long-time producer, including...
- 3/16/2016
- cinemablend.com
Warner Bros. Pictures has acquired the film rights to the "Cannonball Run" franchise and have set "Tropic Thunder" and "Get Hard" scribe Etan J. Cohen to write and direct a new film in the series.
The studio is deliberately saying this is Not a remake or a reboot, but rather a "relaunch" of the series which began in 1981 and ran for three films with the last in 1989, all three were helmed by Hal Needham but released by different studios - Fox, Warners and Orion respectively.
Both the old and the new film follow a variety of eccentric competitors who participate in a wild and illegal cross-country road race where they will do anything to win including low-down, dirty tricks.
The original three films boasted impressive names including Burt Reynolds, Roger Moore, Frank Sinatra, John Candy, Farrah Fawcett, Brooke Shields, Peter Fonda, Jackie Chan, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Shirley MacLaine,...
The studio is deliberately saying this is Not a remake or a reboot, but rather a "relaunch" of the series which began in 1981 and ran for three films with the last in 1989, all three were helmed by Hal Needham but released by different studios - Fox, Warners and Orion respectively.
Both the old and the new film follow a variety of eccentric competitors who participate in a wild and illegal cross-country road race where they will do anything to win including low-down, dirty tricks.
The original three films boasted impressive names including Burt Reynolds, Roger Moore, Frank Sinatra, John Candy, Farrah Fawcett, Brooke Shields, Peter Fonda, Jackie Chan, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Shirley MacLaine,...
- 3/16/2016
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
After directing the Will Ferrell-Kevin Hart comedy “Get Hard” for Warner Bros., Etan Cohen has been set to write and direct “Cannonball,” a new riff on the popular “Cannonball Run” franchise that starred Burt Reynolds, an individual with knowledge of the project has told TheWrap. Andre Morgan is producing with Alan Gasmer, while Albert S. Ruddy and Raymond Chow will serve as executive producers. While 20th Century Fox released the first “Cannonball Run” movie, which chronicled an illegal cross-country race where the participants weren’t afraid to cheat or play dirty. Also Read: Will Smith, Joel Edgerton to...
- 3/15/2016
- by Jeff Sneider
- The Wrap
Exclusive: Warner Bros has acquired the rights to the Cannonball Run franchise and set Tropic Thunder scribe Etan J. Cohen to write and direct Cannonball. Andre Morgan and Alan Gasmer (Vikings) are producing. The studio isn’t calling this a remake but rather a relaunch of a film based on the famous “Cannonball sea to shining sea memorial trophy race” that was captured in three Hal Needham-directed films that starred Burt Reynolds, Frank Sinatra, Roger Moore, Dean Martin…...
- 3/15/2016
- Deadline
The Asian World Film Festival (Awff), which is dedicated to bringing the best of a broad selection of Asian World cinema to Los Angeles, has added East West Artists (Ewa) Co-Founder Jaeson Ma as Director of International Relations. The Festival slate will consist of select foreign language films that have been officially submitted to the Academy of Motion Picture, Arts & Sciences (AMPAS) as their country’s Oscar® hopeful and those submitted to the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) for Golden Globe consideration.
Awff has also enlisted several notable industry executives for its Honorary Board, including former studio executive Teddy Zee and Carolco Pictures executive producer Mario Kassar ("Rambo," "Basic Instinct") as well as the former Mayor of Los Angeles, Antonio Villaraigosa. With The Wrap serving as the official media partner, Awff will take place October 26-November 2, 2015 and will be based at ArcLight Cinema in downtown Culver City and the luxury iPic Theaters in Westwood.
After recently teaming up with Ma on "The Shack," starring Octavia Spencer, Sumire and Sam Worthington, producer Lani Netter secured Ma, recognizing his ability as a strategic consultant and producer, cultivating global Asian talents at Ewa, (which is in partnership with Untitled Entertainment), and since his expertise directly aligns with Awff’s goal of drawing greater recognition to an underrepresented region of talent and filmmakers.
“Jaeson Ma is an ideal partner and asset to Awff because of his long established relationships with the Hollywood and Asian filmmaking industries. He's a trusted ally and invaluable addition,” said Netter, who serves as the Festival’s Director of Development and Philanthropy.
On joining the Awff Board, Ma shared, “Awff will showcase films and talents from the fastest growing region for entertainment, which is very exciting. There are many incredible films in Asia that are not realized by the international marketplace but now they have a fighting chance to be recognized and celebrated at the highest level through Awff."
The Festival’s Advisory Board welcomed producer Stefan Brunner, Shoreline Entertainment producer, Alex Flores, producer Medha Jaishankar, Emmy-winning TV and film director Jeremy Kagan, Igor Kokarev, scholar and expert on Soviet and American Film History, producer Brad Littlefield, producer and Founder and CEO of the Hollywood Film Academy Gia Noortas, South Korean film producer Keon-Seop Park, producer Eliyas Qureshi, producer Nick N. Raslan and Thomas Small, writer and Cultural Affairs Commissioner to the City of Culver City.
I'm excited to announced that I will be joining a great group including His Royal Highness Prince Gharios of Ghassan, Hany Haddad, immediate Past Chair of Board of Directors at the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, Lebanese philanthropist Maya Ibrahim, Amin Maalouf, best-selling author and member of the French Academy, Oscar®-winning producer Andre Morgan (Million Dollar Baby), director George Ovashvili, Hon. Roy Paul, judge for the Superior Court of Los Angeles County, South Korean film producer and distributor Chul Shin, community leader and Co-Founder of the Hollywood Schoolhouse, Ferris Wehbe, Weissman/Markovitz Communications Chairman and Co-Founder Murray Weissman and Korean activist and public figure Grace Yoo, to serve on this year’s Honorary Board.
Awff will open with a red carpet awards gala on Monday, October 26, recognizing celebrities and well-known foreign talent and filmmakers who have been major contributors throughout the Asian world film community, followed by seven days of films at ArcLight Cinema and the iPic Theater and with the closing night Festival Awards presented along with the closing night film on Monday, November 2. Throughout the week there will also be expert panels on subjects like film financing, distribution, PR, marketing and awards campaigns, editing for a global audience and more to be announced.
Films that will be accepted by the Festival include those from the 50 countries recognized by the Academy and HFPA. Priority will be given to those in the Best Foreign Language Film categories at the 88th Academy Awards and 73rd Golden Globes. In rare cases, the Asian World Film Festival will consider other outstanding films that are not in contention for the Oscars® or Golden Globes, but which have received critical acclaim on the international film festival circuit. More detailed guidelines are available at www.asianworldfilmfest.org/submissions.
The prizes given out are of significant value to enhance the awards campaign and will feature top prizes for Best Film, Jury Selection and Audience awards including The Wrap’s Awards Special Screening Series and full page ads in the Foreign Film and Oscar Wrap issues valued at over $50,000.
Awff has also enlisted several notable industry executives for its Honorary Board, including former studio executive Teddy Zee and Carolco Pictures executive producer Mario Kassar ("Rambo," "Basic Instinct") as well as the former Mayor of Los Angeles, Antonio Villaraigosa. With The Wrap serving as the official media partner, Awff will take place October 26-November 2, 2015 and will be based at ArcLight Cinema in downtown Culver City and the luxury iPic Theaters in Westwood.
After recently teaming up with Ma on "The Shack," starring Octavia Spencer, Sumire and Sam Worthington, producer Lani Netter secured Ma, recognizing his ability as a strategic consultant and producer, cultivating global Asian talents at Ewa, (which is in partnership with Untitled Entertainment), and since his expertise directly aligns with Awff’s goal of drawing greater recognition to an underrepresented region of talent and filmmakers.
“Jaeson Ma is an ideal partner and asset to Awff because of his long established relationships with the Hollywood and Asian filmmaking industries. He's a trusted ally and invaluable addition,” said Netter, who serves as the Festival’s Director of Development and Philanthropy.
On joining the Awff Board, Ma shared, “Awff will showcase films and talents from the fastest growing region for entertainment, which is very exciting. There are many incredible films in Asia that are not realized by the international marketplace but now they have a fighting chance to be recognized and celebrated at the highest level through Awff."
The Festival’s Advisory Board welcomed producer Stefan Brunner, Shoreline Entertainment producer, Alex Flores, producer Medha Jaishankar, Emmy-winning TV and film director Jeremy Kagan, Igor Kokarev, scholar and expert on Soviet and American Film History, producer Brad Littlefield, producer and Founder and CEO of the Hollywood Film Academy Gia Noortas, South Korean film producer Keon-Seop Park, producer Eliyas Qureshi, producer Nick N. Raslan and Thomas Small, writer and Cultural Affairs Commissioner to the City of Culver City.
I'm excited to announced that I will be joining a great group including His Royal Highness Prince Gharios of Ghassan, Hany Haddad, immediate Past Chair of Board of Directors at the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, Lebanese philanthropist Maya Ibrahim, Amin Maalouf, best-selling author and member of the French Academy, Oscar®-winning producer Andre Morgan (Million Dollar Baby), director George Ovashvili, Hon. Roy Paul, judge for the Superior Court of Los Angeles County, South Korean film producer and distributor Chul Shin, community leader and Co-Founder of the Hollywood Schoolhouse, Ferris Wehbe, Weissman/Markovitz Communications Chairman and Co-Founder Murray Weissman and Korean activist and public figure Grace Yoo, to serve on this year’s Honorary Board.
Awff will open with a red carpet awards gala on Monday, October 26, recognizing celebrities and well-known foreign talent and filmmakers who have been major contributors throughout the Asian world film community, followed by seven days of films at ArcLight Cinema and the iPic Theater and with the closing night Festival Awards presented along with the closing night film on Monday, November 2. Throughout the week there will also be expert panels on subjects like film financing, distribution, PR, marketing and awards campaigns, editing for a global audience and more to be announced.
Films that will be accepted by the Festival include those from the 50 countries recognized by the Academy and HFPA. Priority will be given to those in the Best Foreign Language Film categories at the 88th Academy Awards and 73rd Golden Globes. In rare cases, the Asian World Film Festival will consider other outstanding films that are not in contention for the Oscars® or Golden Globes, but which have received critical acclaim on the international film festival circuit. More detailed guidelines are available at www.asianworldfilmfest.org/submissions.
The prizes given out are of significant value to enhance the awards campaign and will feature top prizes for Best Film, Jury Selection and Audience awards including The Wrap’s Awards Special Screening Series and full page ads in the Foreign Film and Oscar Wrap issues valued at over $50,000.
- 8/19/2015
- by Peter Belsito
- Sydney's Buzz
Xin Cheng Jiang’s sci-fi love story wins at Beijing Film Market.
Sci-fi love story The Gate, a film about a tour guide who finds himself in a virtual gaming world, has won the Mpa Grand Prize in Beijing. The film’s writer/director, Xin Cheng Jiang, is known as an influential commercial TV director.
The award was presented at the Motion Picture Association (Mpa) - Beijing Film Market (Bfm) Film Workshop, held during the Beijing International Film Festival (Biff).
The prize includes sending Xin Cheng Jiang on “a week long film immersion course in Los Angeles”.
Mike Ellis, president and MD for the Mpa Asia Pacific, also awarded a President’s Special Recognition Prize to director Yang Jin for the project Instant Love - a comedic love story set in Tokyo about a Chinese man who will do anything to win the heart of a Japanese girl.
The prize will see Yang Jin attend the Asia...
Sci-fi love story The Gate, a film about a tour guide who finds himself in a virtual gaming world, has won the Mpa Grand Prize in Beijing. The film’s writer/director, Xin Cheng Jiang, is known as an influential commercial TV director.
The award was presented at the Motion Picture Association (Mpa) - Beijing Film Market (Bfm) Film Workshop, held during the Beijing International Film Festival (Biff).
The prize includes sending Xin Cheng Jiang on “a week long film immersion course in Los Angeles”.
Mike Ellis, president and MD for the Mpa Asia Pacific, also awarded a President’s Special Recognition Prize to director Yang Jin for the project Instant Love - a comedic love story set in Tokyo about a Chinese man who will do anything to win the heart of a Japanese girl.
The prize will see Yang Jin attend the Asia...
- 4/22/2015
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Elizabeth Rice (Mad Men) and Matthew Settle (Band Of Brothers) will star in Singaporean director Kelvin Tong’s English-language horror film The Faith Of Anna Waters.
The film is produced by Peter Poon, Leon Tong and Kat Goh under the Boku Films banner. Andre Morgan is executive producing through Ruddy Morgan Organization, along with Hong Kong-based Sun Entertainment Culture’s Alvin Chau and Alex Dong. Singapore’s Media Development Authority is supporting the film.
Scheduled to start shooting in early September, the film follows a female crime reporter who travels from Chicago to Asia to investigate the apparent suicide of her sister. At her sister’s house she encounters a string of other bizarre suicides involving emails, internet videos and allusions to the Tower of Babel.
The cast also includes Singapore’s Adrian Pang and Jaymee Ong, as well as Australian actors Colin Borgonon and Adina Herz. Crew includes Australian DoP Wade Muller, production designer...
The film is produced by Peter Poon, Leon Tong and Kat Goh under the Boku Films banner. Andre Morgan is executive producing through Ruddy Morgan Organization, along with Hong Kong-based Sun Entertainment Culture’s Alvin Chau and Alex Dong. Singapore’s Media Development Authority is supporting the film.
Scheduled to start shooting in early September, the film follows a female crime reporter who travels from Chicago to Asia to investigate the apparent suicide of her sister. At her sister’s house she encounters a string of other bizarre suicides involving emails, internet videos and allusions to the Tower of Babel.
The cast also includes Singapore’s Adrian Pang and Jaymee Ong, as well as Australian actors Colin Borgonon and Adina Herz. Crew includes Australian DoP Wade Muller, production designer...
- 9/3/2014
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
Richie Mehta’s Siddharth was awarded best film at the close of the Beijing International Film Festival (Bjiff), while Wong Kar Wai’s The Grandmaster picked up three prizes including best director.
The Grandmaster also scooped best actress for Zhang Ziyi and best cinematography for Philippe Le Sourd at the festival’s Tiantan Awards on Wednesday night. Wong Kar Wai and Zhang both won prizes for the film in the same categories at the recent Asian Film Awards in Macau.
Best actor at Beijing’s Tiantan Awards went to Guillaume Gouix for French director Sylvain Chomet’s Attila Marcel, which also won best music. Korean director Lee Joon-ik’s Hope won best supporting actress for the performance of child actor Lee Re. Alan Rickman won best supporting actor for his role in Patrice Leconte’s A Promise.
Peter Ho-sun Chan’s American Dreams In China won best screenplay (Zhou Zhiyong, Zhang Ji and...
The Grandmaster also scooped best actress for Zhang Ziyi and best cinematography for Philippe Le Sourd at the festival’s Tiantan Awards on Wednesday night. Wong Kar Wai and Zhang both won prizes for the film in the same categories at the recent Asian Film Awards in Macau.
Best actor at Beijing’s Tiantan Awards went to Guillaume Gouix for French director Sylvain Chomet’s Attila Marcel, which also won best music. Korean director Lee Joon-ik’s Hope won best supporting actress for the performance of child actor Lee Re. Alan Rickman won best supporting actor for his role in Patrice Leconte’s A Promise.
Peter Ho-sun Chan’s American Dreams In China won best screenplay (Zhou Zhiyong, Zhang Ji and...
- 4/24/2014
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
Now that rapper RZA’s directorial debut The Man With the Iron Fists is out in theaters this Friday, he’s a man in demand.
EW.com can confirm that the Wu-Tang Clan leader is set to direct not just one, but two, upcoming films: Genghis Khan, a biopic about the famed Mongol warrior, from a script by John Milius, who is also executive producing with Andre Morgan and Peter Lam as co-producers, and action thriller No Man’s Land, from a script by Trey Ellis and David Klass, with Pandemonium’s Bill Mechanic and Reginald Hudlin (Django Unchained) producing.
EW.com can confirm that the Wu-Tang Clan leader is set to direct not just one, but two, upcoming films: Genghis Khan, a biopic about the famed Mongol warrior, from a script by John Milius, who is also executive producing with Andre Morgan and Peter Lam as co-producers, and action thriller No Man’s Land, from a script by Trey Ellis and David Klass, with Pandemonium’s Bill Mechanic and Reginald Hudlin (Django Unchained) producing.
- 10/29/2012
- by Solvej Schou
- EW - Inside Movies
Wu-Tang Clan frontman turned "The Man With the Iron Fists" director RZA is already moving onto his next gigs with two more feature projects in the works.
First up, he's signed on to direct John Milius’ long in development epic biopic about the ruler of the largest empire the world has ever seen - Genghis Khan.
The story will be told from the point of view of the early 13th century Mongol conqueror's son and grandson. Milius penned the script and is executive producing.
Andre Morgan and Peter Lam are producing and shooting aims to begin in China next year.
Before that, RZA is expected to direct "The Warriors"-esque action thriller "No Man’s Land".
Trey Ellis and David Klass penned the story of a man who steals a powerful criminal's diamond that soon proves to be far more valuable than initially thought.
With the help of a dancer,...
First up, he's signed on to direct John Milius’ long in development epic biopic about the ruler of the largest empire the world has ever seen - Genghis Khan.
The story will be told from the point of view of the early 13th century Mongol conqueror's son and grandson. Milius penned the script and is executive producing.
Andre Morgan and Peter Lam are producing and shooting aims to begin in China next year.
Before that, RZA is expected to direct "The Warriors"-esque action thriller "No Man’s Land".
Trey Ellis and David Klass penned the story of a man who steals a powerful criminal's diamond that soon proves to be far more valuable than initially thought.
With the help of a dancer,...
- 10/29/2012
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
RZA is making his anticipated directorial debut with The Man with the Iron Fists, due out this weekend in the Us, followed by a December release here in the UK.
With his first feature behind the camera about to roll into theatres, THR are reporting that the multi-hyphenate has already set his sights on a further two projects.
First up is set to be action/thriller, No Man’s Land. The script comes from David Klass (Kiss the Girls) and Trey Ellis (Good Fences), and takes place over one night, described as having echoes of Walter Hill’s cult classic, The Warriors.
The story revolves around,
“a man who steals a powerful criminal’s diamond that soon proves to be far more valuable than initially thought. With the help of a dancer, he attempts to stay alive and cash in on the jewel.”
Next up, RZA has signed on to direct Genghis Khan,...
With his first feature behind the camera about to roll into theatres, THR are reporting that the multi-hyphenate has already set his sights on a further two projects.
First up is set to be action/thriller, No Man’s Land. The script comes from David Klass (Kiss the Girls) and Trey Ellis (Good Fences), and takes place over one night, described as having echoes of Walter Hill’s cult classic, The Warriors.
The story revolves around,
“a man who steals a powerful criminal’s diamond that soon proves to be far more valuable than initially thought. With the help of a dancer, he attempts to stay alive and cash in on the jewel.”
Next up, RZA has signed on to direct Genghis Khan,...
- 10/29/2012
- by Kenji Lloyd
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Earlier this month, word broke that The Man with the Iron Fists ' first time director RZA was already lining up a sophomore feature with a big screen adaptation of Grant Morrison and Darick Robertson's Happy . Today, The Hollywood Reporter brings word that the musician-turned-filmmaker has a further two projects on the table with Genghis Khan and No Man's Land . Genghis Khan , a biopic about the Mongolian warlord/emperor, was written by John Milius ( Conan the Barbarian , Apocalypse Now ) and has been on its way to the big screen in various iterations for years. Scripted by Trey Ellis and David Klass, No Man's Land follows a jewel thief who spends an action-packed night in over his head after taking possession of a rare diamond. Peter Lam and Andre Morgan will...
- 10/29/2012
- Comingsoon.net
Omnilab Media managing director Christopher Mapp is one of the 12 new additions to the list of ‘Ambassadors’ for the inaugural ScreenSingapore event and market.
Other Australian Ambassadors include Rgm’s Devesh Chetty, Icon Productions’ Bruce Davey, Hoyts’ Delfin Fernandez, Golden Village’s David Glass, Ahl’s David Seargeant and Village Roadshow’s Robert Kirby.
ScreenSingapore has been conceived by the Singapore Media Development Authority as an international cinema event offering policy makers, industry buyers, sellers, producers and creative talent from all over the world a platform to exchange ideas, business opportunities and showcase their product. It will include an entertainment trade/technology market, premieres of upcoming Asian and Us releases, conferences, masterclasses and workshops.
Screen Singapore will be held from June 5-12.
The 52 Ambassadors are:
Milt Barlow
China Lion Film Distribution
Bill Block
Qed International
Moritz Borman
Onda Entertainment
Nadia Bronson
Nadia Bronson & Associates
Devesh Chetty
Rgm Media Ltd
Sukee Chew...
Other Australian Ambassadors include Rgm’s Devesh Chetty, Icon Productions’ Bruce Davey, Hoyts’ Delfin Fernandez, Golden Village’s David Glass, Ahl’s David Seargeant and Village Roadshow’s Robert Kirby.
ScreenSingapore has been conceived by the Singapore Media Development Authority as an international cinema event offering policy makers, industry buyers, sellers, producers and creative talent from all over the world a platform to exchange ideas, business opportunities and showcase their product. It will include an entertainment trade/technology market, premieres of upcoming Asian and Us releases, conferences, masterclasses and workshops.
Screen Singapore will be held from June 5-12.
The 52 Ambassadors are:
Milt Barlow
China Lion Film Distribution
Bill Block
Qed International
Moritz Borman
Onda Entertainment
Nadia Bronson
Nadia Bronson & Associates
Devesh Chetty
Rgm Media Ltd
Sukee Chew...
- 3/23/2011
- by Miguel Gonzalez
- Encore Magazine
Yesterday, Vulture debuted the first 15 pages of long-deceased writer/director Sam Peckinpah’s buried script, “The Texans.” Judging from the first few pages, the film is a classic western, involving Native Americans and the takeover of their land, with “Avatar”-like nature messages strewn throughout. The genre has seen somewhat of a revival, most recently with the Coen Brothers’ “True Grit.” Producer Al Ruddy (“The Godfather,” “Million Dollar Baby”) found the script while cleaning out his belongings after dissolving his long-time partnership with producer Andre Morgan. The screenplay had been sitting in his desk for almost 20 years. Ruddy remembered that he…...
- 1/19/2011
- The Playlist
With the 2010 edition of London's Terracotta Far East Film Festival just around the corner, word has come out that director Teddy Chen - fresh off of picking up seven awards at the Hong Kong Film Awards for festival closing title Bodyguards and Assassins - will be attending as a special guest. Full details below.
Fresh from his haul of seven awards at this year's Hong Kong Film Awards, including Best Film and Best Director, Teddy Chen, director of Bodyguards And Assassins, will be attending Terracotta Festival 2010 where his film will close the festival.
"We are absolutely thrilled to have Teddy come over - not just to support us, but for him to witness first hand how far his film has traveled and to see the British reaction to Bodyguards And Assassins" said Joey Leung, one of the festival organisers.
"It's also a great chance for the director and audiences to...
Fresh from his haul of seven awards at this year's Hong Kong Film Awards, including Best Film and Best Director, Teddy Chen, director of Bodyguards And Assassins, will be attending Terracotta Festival 2010 where his film will close the festival.
"We are absolutely thrilled to have Teddy come over - not just to support us, but for him to witness first hand how far his film has traveled and to see the British reaction to Bodyguards And Assassins" said Joey Leung, one of the festival organisers.
"It's also a great chance for the director and audiences to...
- 4/24/2010
- Screen Anarchy
Perhaps Love
SAN FRANCISCO -- Director Peter Ho-Sun Chan gets an "A" for ambition with his visually ravishing if overloaded romantic musical extravaganza Perhaps Love, in which Bollywood meets Bob Fosse. However, like its gorgeous leads -- Sun Na (Zhou Xun) and Lin Jian Dong (Takeshi Kaneshiro), former lovers who play actors that meet 10 years later on the set of a movie musical -- the film, a love story/triangle that journeys back and forth through time, is stunningly beautiful to look at but ultimately more flash than substance.
With a powerhouse pan-Asian cast that includes heartthrob Kaneshiro (whose popularity extends to Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan), Hong King singing sensation Jacky Cheung and Korean TV star Ji Jin-hee as well as high production values, Chan's first film in nine years could easily become a big hit in Asia but may be a harder sell in the U.S., where Bollywood is still an acquired taste.
While it borrows the backstage romance of Moulin Rouge, the opulence of The Phantom of the Opera and strives to be compared to All That Jazz and Chicago, Perhaps Love has neither the witty edge of Kander and Ebb nor the steam heat of Fosse. More to the point, it lacks a memorable score -- one would be hard-pressed to remember a single song after the credits roll -- and the lavish dance numbers designed by Bollywood choreographer Farah Khan are a feast for the eyes but short on sizzle.
Chan, who started out as an assistant for John Woo, packs his scenes full of performers and artifice. There's a recurrent circus motif, and at least one dramatic climax occurs midair on the trapeze, but he delivers more impact with simplicity. The scenes of stark, poetic imagery, far from the madding crowd, are poignant. In one touching flashback, the young lovers, who will torture each other later in life, share a cozy meal in their dank basement apartment. In another, the couple embraces as they sit alone on the surface of a frozen lake and, at dawn, Kaneshiro runs down a deserted city street. Peter Pau (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) provided lush, vibrant cinematography. Veteran lenser Christopher Doyle shot the Beijing sequences.
The film achieves an aura of enchantment with the help of sumptuous production design by Yee Chung Man, Chan's longtime collaborator, and Dora Ng's exquisite, whimsical costumes, which add to the dreamy, fairy-tale ambiance. But the sublime reverie often is too interrupted by the excesses of a complicated plot that is difficult to follow and even tougher to explain. It's sometimes hard to tell whether we're in the past or present reality, and the movie within a movie conceit, while executed with technical finesse, clutters the narrative and disrupts the audience's ability to bond with story or characters.
PERHAPS LOVE
Astro/Shaw (BHD) Ltd., Television Broadcasts Ltd., Stellar Megamedia Group Ltd. present
in association with Stellar Mega Film (Beijing) Ltd., Shanghai Film Group Corp., China Film Co-production Corp.
A Ruddy Morgan/Applause Pictures production
Credits:
Director: Peter Ho-Sun Chan
Screenwriters: Aubrey Lam, Raymond To
Producers: Andre Morgan, Peter Ho-Sun Chan
Executive producers: Andre Morgan, Qin Hong, Re Zhong Lun
Directors of photography: Peter Pau, Christopher Doyle
Production designer: Yee Chung Man
Music: Peter Lam & Leon Ko
Costume designer: Dora Ng
Editors: Wenders Li, Kong Chi Leung
Cast:
Lin Jian Dong: Takeshi Kaneshiro
Sun Na: Zhou Xun
Nie Wen: Jacky Cheung
Montage: Ji Jin-hee
No MPAA rating
Running time -- 105 minutes...
With a powerhouse pan-Asian cast that includes heartthrob Kaneshiro (whose popularity extends to Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan), Hong King singing sensation Jacky Cheung and Korean TV star Ji Jin-hee as well as high production values, Chan's first film in nine years could easily become a big hit in Asia but may be a harder sell in the U.S., where Bollywood is still an acquired taste.
While it borrows the backstage romance of Moulin Rouge, the opulence of The Phantom of the Opera and strives to be compared to All That Jazz and Chicago, Perhaps Love has neither the witty edge of Kander and Ebb nor the steam heat of Fosse. More to the point, it lacks a memorable score -- one would be hard-pressed to remember a single song after the credits roll -- and the lavish dance numbers designed by Bollywood choreographer Farah Khan are a feast for the eyes but short on sizzle.
Chan, who started out as an assistant for John Woo, packs his scenes full of performers and artifice. There's a recurrent circus motif, and at least one dramatic climax occurs midair on the trapeze, but he delivers more impact with simplicity. The scenes of stark, poetic imagery, far from the madding crowd, are poignant. In one touching flashback, the young lovers, who will torture each other later in life, share a cozy meal in their dank basement apartment. In another, the couple embraces as they sit alone on the surface of a frozen lake and, at dawn, Kaneshiro runs down a deserted city street. Peter Pau (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) provided lush, vibrant cinematography. Veteran lenser Christopher Doyle shot the Beijing sequences.
The film achieves an aura of enchantment with the help of sumptuous production design by Yee Chung Man, Chan's longtime collaborator, and Dora Ng's exquisite, whimsical costumes, which add to the dreamy, fairy-tale ambiance. But the sublime reverie often is too interrupted by the excesses of a complicated plot that is difficult to follow and even tougher to explain. It's sometimes hard to tell whether we're in the past or present reality, and the movie within a movie conceit, while executed with technical finesse, clutters the narrative and disrupts the audience's ability to bond with story or characters.
PERHAPS LOVE
Astro/Shaw (BHD) Ltd., Television Broadcasts Ltd., Stellar Megamedia Group Ltd. present
in association with Stellar Mega Film (Beijing) Ltd., Shanghai Film Group Corp., China Film Co-production Corp.
A Ruddy Morgan/Applause Pictures production
Credits:
Director: Peter Ho-Sun Chan
Screenwriters: Aubrey Lam, Raymond To
Producers: Andre Morgan, Peter Ho-Sun Chan
Executive producers: Andre Morgan, Qin Hong, Re Zhong Lun
Directors of photography: Peter Pau, Christopher Doyle
Production designer: Yee Chung Man
Music: Peter Lam & Leon Ko
Costume designer: Dora Ng
Editors: Wenders Li, Kong Chi Leung
Cast:
Lin Jian Dong: Takeshi Kaneshiro
Sun Na: Zhou Xun
Nie Wen: Jacky Cheung
Montage: Ji Jin-hee
No MPAA rating
Running time -- 105 minutes...
- 6/8/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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