Armand Assante Joins Tony Schiena's DARC, Nick Powell To Direct

Decorated former Karate champion and real-life law-enforcement liason, actor Tony Schiena's new film, Darc, has been long in development for several years now and appears to finally be moving forward since last year's update. The film has since switched its directorial duties from Damian Lee to veteran stunt professional-turned-filmmaker Nick Powell following his debut helmer, Outcast with Nicholas Cage and Andy On.

Darc is finally assembling a principal cast for its production led by actor Armand Assante for producer and former Steven Seagal cohort Julius Nasso to produce, while actors Watanabe Tetsu (Why Don't You Play In Hell?), Shiina Kippei (Assassination Classroom) and newcomer Ikushima Sho rounding out the current list. Darc initially began making the rounds several years ago with a promotional reel as far back as 2010 featuring Schiena in action.

From a script by Schiena roughly based on his own exploits against global human sex trafficking, Schiena will play the role of a violent criminal whose services are solicited by Assante's role - an Interpol agent out for revenge when the Yakuza kidnap his daughter. Nasso, who initially met Schiena in London seventeen years ago, is best known for his lucrative collaborations with Seagal on several major Hollywood productions including Marked For Death, Out For Justice, Under Siege 2: Dark Territory and On Deadly Ground.

Schiena's most notable credits include recently starring in director Daniel Zirilli's 2010 films, Locked Down with actor Vinnie Jones, and MMA thriller Circle Of Pain with an appearance by Kimbo Slice, as well as the 2004 direct-to-video action thriller, Wake Of Death starring Jean-Claude Van Damme. Assante, an Emmy award-winner best known for roles in the 1992 drama, The Mambo Kings and the winning 1996 TV biopic, Gotti, is expected to appear in the upcoming international action thriller, The Whole World At Our Feet, later this year, among other titles.

Stay tuned for new info in the months ahead!

H/T: THR