Former Wrestler John Hennigan Deals With The Devil In DIABLO STEEL For 2016

It's been a few busy years for rising action star and former WWE wrestler John Hennigan. He's another in a slew of examples of professional athletes taking their entertainment craft into the world of film and much like the last several decades, the result proves to be rewarding in some capacity or another.

Some of Hennigan's own projects include The Asylum's Hercules Reborn, Demetrius Navaro's American Justice, the new MMA drama, Street and webseries projects like Video Game High School and Bat In The Sun's Superpower Beat Down, and that's not all among his list of things do. Right now, he's got a new film set to release next year in the form of action horror western flick, Diablo Steel. The title itself sounds awesome and very commanding of something spectacular for film fans so we'll see how this end goes soon enough.

Beverly Hills, CA, June 15, 2015 --(PR.com)-- Pro wrestler John Hennigan (a.k.a. John Morrison in the WWE and Johnny Mundo in Lucha Underground joins Sunrize Media and Twisted Tall Tale) as the title role in the action horror film “Diablo Steel” set to shoot in late 2015 

Hennigan will portray Diablo Steel, professional wrestler trapped in purgatory who sells his soul to the devil in order to come back from the dead and save the lives of his family and friends from the biker gang that murdered him. 

"My 12 year old self would watch 'Diablo Steel' over and over again," says John, "It's awesome to collaborate on the creation of an original story that draws on everything I'm passionate about." 

Ryan McGonagle (“Bloody Bobby”, “Adam & Steve”, “UIWA” as Johnny Hemp) and Jen Mathiasen (“Bloody Bobby”) Co-wrote the action horror. McGonagle and Sundeep Koneru (“Death Never Knocks”) Co-Executive Produce. “Diablo Steel” represents breakout director Ryan McGongale’s debut as a feature director. 

“The movie'll be like a 70's superhero western, lots of fights and car chases. Its a cross between 'Deathwish' and 'Big Trouble in Little China'. I couldn’t be more excited about the talent attached to Diablo Steel. I feel incredibly grateful to be collaborating with this group of artists. We really do have the perfect mix for a hit film,” says McGonagle. 

Curt Clendenin (“Blues Brothers”, “Bloody Bobby”, “Legally Blonde”) appears as Diablo Steel's wrestling manager, C.J. Rodney. Horror movie icon Robert Allen Mukes (“CSI”, “Weeds”, “House of 1000 Corpses” ) rides in the biker gang, “Hounds of Hell,” as gritty outlaw, Rattler. 

Mukes explains, "I'm stoked to be in an action film where I get to ride my motorcycle. People kept telling me for years, I should've been on 'Sons of Anarchy'. Its exciting to be working with this great gang." 

John T. Connor (“Birdman”, “Her”, “The Purge: Anarchy”, “Looper”) takes the helm as Director of Photography, with Robb Wilson King (“Death Never Knocks”, “Hostel” Part III”, “Breaking Bad”, “MacGruber”) as Production Designer. Chris LeKooreman and Edo Plasschaert of Beat Royalty Group (Sabrina Starke, Boys2Men, Mavien Bliss, Outkast, Hoodie Allen) are creating the soundtrack. 

John Hennigan adds, "Ryan & I have had many conversations about the intersection of super heroes, pro wrestling, and reality. That point where they converge is intriguing to me because that is where my consciousness drifts when I reflect upon the dreams of my childhood." 

Sunrize Media is a production company in Los Angeles, currently in Pre-Production, on “Diablo Steel”, slated for 2016 release.

MMA Action Drama, STREET, Is On The Way!

It'll be interesting to see how 2015 goes in the world of tournament thrillers. Post-production is underway for a new mixed martial arts drama now in the form of Street, which is hell of a title for an action flick of this kind. The film grants actor Beau Casper Smart his latest leading role, and considering a lot of his credits include dance features like Step Up 3D and Jon M. Chu's The LXD - The League Of Extraordinary Dancers webseries, it seems like something worth looking to for a role as athletic as this one.

Arnold Chon is the fight coordinator for this project and with a resume like his leading up to the current production of The Green Ghost in Texas with rising action stars Marko Zaror and Michelle Lee, I'm pretty psyched about how this one could look. There are already a handful of photos and posters that are available at the official Facebook page, but we finally have an official press release to denote the goods!

Beverly Hills, CA, January 26, 2015 --(PR.com)-- The film centers around a young man named Remo Street (played by Beau Casper Smart), a former wrestling champion who spends his days job searching and with great ingenuity forces himself to train at night whenever and however he can. It seems his life long dream of becoming a professional fighter just might elude him until one fateful night when destiny takes him an entirely new direction. 

While finishing one evening from a days job hunt this young man is forced to fight for his life when a chance encounter with a beautiful woman puts him in the corner of an up and coming champion, a Russian gangster and the seedy underworld of arson, gambling and bare knuckle boxing. His passion for fighting becomes a struggle to train a heartless champ and keep his family safe while he balances between the two worlds. 

As a MMA fight film produced by veteran producer Lyle Howry and Emmy award director Bradford May ,it will more than satisfy the hard-line fight fans. Choreographed by Arnold Chon, one of the industry’s most knowledgeable fight coordinators in on-screen MMA fights, every fight seen is action packed, believable, and delivers with a “punch.” That, coupled with Beau Casper Smart’s athleticism and acting performance, along with featuring some of MMA’s best fighters - past and present, such as: Frank Trigg, Emanuel Newton, Matt Mitrione, Uriah Hall, Jay Hieron, and one of WWE’s finest – John Hennigan (aka Johnny Nitro), makes Street destined to be on the top list of every fight enthusiast. Paralleling movies like Rocky and Rudy, Street is also an underdog film about second changes, redemption, faith, belief, and... never quitting. As such, the film is both heart-felt, motivational and inspiring.