Sci-Fi Action Thriller, SFv1 Begins Filming, Starring Kellan Lutz And More!

Director Shane Abbess is making  another return to the sci-fi genre this week following his recent intergalactic thriller, Infini. Filming is now underway for the new movie, SFv1 with actor Kellan Lutz now making headlines in joining Abbess's pot of familiar faces right in the director's backyard in Australia, including Infini co-stars Daniel MacPherson and Bren Foster.

Today's official announcement has more:

Filming has commenced on Shane Abbess’ (Infini, Gabriel) new film SFv1.  A Storm Alley Entertainment and Eclectik Vision production, in association with Phonetic Images, the sci-fi feature is being filmed in Sydney and outback South Australia over nine weeks. 

Starring Kellan Lutz (Expendables 3, Hercules 3-D, The Twilight Saga), Daniel MacPherson (Infini, Shannara Chronicles, The Cup), Temuera Morrison (Spartacus: Gods of the Arena, Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones, Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, Once Were Warriors), Bren Foster (Infini, The Last Ship, Terminus, Days Of Our Lives), with Rachel Griffiths (Saving Mr Banks, Beautiful Kate, Brothers & Sisters, Six Feet Under, Muriel’s Wedding) and introducing Teagan Croft, additional cast will be announced shortly. The film follows the international success of the recently released Infini (directed by Abbess, produced by Sidonie Abbene, Shane Abbess, Matthew Graham and Brett Thornquest, and starring Daniel MacPherson). 

Set in the future in a time of interplanetary colonization, Sy (Kellan Lutz), a mysterious stranger, meets Kane (Daniel MacPherson), a lieutenant working for an off-world military contractor. The unlikely pair must work together to rescue Kane’s young daughter Indi (Teagan Croft) and reach safety amid an impending global crisis caused by the very company Kane works for. 

Produced by Matthew Graham, Brett Thornquest, Sidonie Abbene and Shane Abbess, executive produced by Steven Matusko, SFv1 was co-created by Shane Abbess and Brian Cachia, written and is being directed by Shane Abbess, with director of photography Carl Robertson, production designer George Liddle, make-up/hair designer Jennifer Lamphee, costume designer Nicola Dunn, editor Adrian Rostirolla and composer Brian Cachia. 

In making the announcement director Shane Abbess said: “With intense characters and relationships, unique action, VFX and set pieces, the way we are telling the story is not only unique but monumentally ambitious in every department. To be able to make such an original film in such a risk aversive time is a real gift.” 

World-wide sales are being handled by XYZ Films.

Adi Shankar's Dark Superhero Drama GODS AND SECRETS Adds Five To Its Cast!

Bootleg Universe made quite a bit of noise earlier this year with filmmaker Joseph Kahn's Power/Ranger one-shot shortfilm. The short continued to gain virility with its release amid its controversy with producer Adi Shankar handling all PR on the matter and for what it's worth, it was a worthwhile attention getter, so it bring to mind the question as to what lies ahead for Shankar in the process.

Well, leave it to a new report from Deadline that The Grey and Dredd 3D producer, along with Stewart Yost, will be making his directorial debut for another darly-lit venture, and this time into superhero territory with the new fantasy drama, Gods And Secrets. From creators Shankar, Jenni Powell and Shawn Deloache, Discourse Productions is producing the project with Twilight Saga co-star Jackson Rathbone who is starring. The report states the new drama will be likened to The Watchmen in exploring the extra shades of grey opposite typical superhero stereotypes, with a plot described as follows:

In a world in which superheroes exist, personal foibles and the resulting celebrity culture are front and center. In the story, tragedy has struck the superheroic team Guardians of Justice, and in its aftermath secrets are revealed, lives are changed, and the war to end all wars begins.

Also starring are WWE superstar Diamond Dallas Page, star of the upcoming Bruce Willis action thriller Extraction - actor Kellan Lutz, You're Next star Sharni Vinson and actor and YouTube personality, Andy Milonakis. Stay tuned for more details!

Lutz, Miller Reunite For Contained Action Thriller, THE FEUD

Kellan Lutz is soon set to embark on a new journey as the host of Fox's May 27 game show, Bullseye. In the meantime, he's still taking on the title of action star these days and The Wrap is forwarding news that he'll be starring in the new contained action thriller, The Feud for Summerstorm Entertainment and Vandal Entertainment.

The Expendables 3 and The Legend Of Hercules actor will play Toland, a young man who attends his brother's funeral upon returning to his rural Midwest hometown, only to find himself trapped in an abandoned farming complex with his friends by a local crime lord and forced to use his skills and wit to survive while unlocking a greater mystery. David Matalon and Matthew Altman wrote the script for Navid McIlhargey and Gabriela Bacher to produce, pairing Lutz once more with director Steven C. Miller since completing the upcoming actioner, Extraction earlier this year with Bruce Willis and Gina Carano-starring.

Summerstorm Entertainment is a subsidary of Film House Germany for which The Feud holds a place in it's feature slate next to films like Big Game starring Samuel L. Jackson among others.

Kellan Lutz And More To Star In EXTRACTION With Bruce Willis

Kellan Lutz in THE EXPENDABLES 3 From Lionsgate

Director Steven C. Miller's latest action thriller, Extraction, has only just begun filming, and casting news is finally making the rounds. The film began principal photography just yesterday in Mobile, Alabama with producers Randall Emmett and George Furla and Adam Goldworm on hand, and now the film has officially added one other key cast member for the film's plot.

Following the film's announcement last month with action stars Bruce Willis and MMA fighter-turned-actress Gina Carano attached, Deadline is confirming the addition of actor Kellan Lutz to the mix. Lutz will play Harry Turner, a rookie C.I.A. agent who sets out in search of his kidnapped father, played by Willis, against the wishes of his superiors in the wake of the construction of a super-weapon called the Condor; The report also expands on last week's news of Carano's addition by THR, detailing her role as Victoria, a relentless field operative assigned to hunt Harry down.

Deadline also reports the addition of three more cast members, Lone Survivor co-stars Dan Bilzerian, Lydia Hull and Tyler Olson, although no particulars on their respective roles are available at this time.

Lutz has been up-and-coming for several years now following his recurring role in The Twilight Saga with a number of roles in titles such as Arena, Java Heat, The Legend Of Hercules and last year's ensemble actioner, The Expendables 3. A film with the likes of Willis and Carano will definitely serve as an ample contribution to his efforts to bolster his career in action stardom, and hopefully he keeps it going; One other update that caught my attention a few years back was for a film called Tattoo for which Lutz was attached. Its got an intriguing plot and I certainly hope he sees it through.

Carano is currently on deck for several other titles up for release soon enough, including Bus 657 with Robert DeNiro and Dave Bautista, Kickboxer: Vengeance with Bautista and debut lead Alain Moussi, and her forthcoming role in Deadpool for 20th Century Fox alongside lead actor Ryan Renyolds. Stay tuned for more info.