DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS Is A Go At Warner Bros.!

I'll sadly be the first to admit I've only ever played one game of Dungeons And Dragons whilst not having a single clue as to what I was doing. This was about eleven years ago when I was in college and I was more focused on other things, so I'm very much still new to role-playing games of any kind. At any rate, Dungeons And Dragons has established itself quite the fanbase in the last forty years and now it's making its way back to the big screen for a new age of moviegoers.

No, I've never even seen the previous film with Marlon Wayans and Jeremy Irons and unless it comes on TV while I'm bored one evening, I likely don't plan to. Besides, today's standards in epic filmmaking will surely grant Warner Bros. a chance to do-up what Legendary is doing for Duncan Jones's upcoming Warcraft movie; Better graphics, better casting and much more immersive production value are at our disposal nowadays, and with all longstanding legal matters from yesteryear now settled, a new film can now be a reality.

Warner Bros. Pictures, Hasbro’s Allspark Pictures and Sweetpea Entertainment are moving forward on a feature film franchise based on Dungeons & Dragons, the world’s most popular role playing game. Hasbro’s Brian Goldner and Stephen Davis, Courtney Solomon and Allan Zeman of Sweetpea Entertainment, and Roy Lee (“The LEGO Movie,” “How to Train Your Dragon”) are attached as producers.

Highlighting the priority being given to the project, Warner Bros. Pictures already has a script, written by David Leslie Johnson (“The Conjuring 2,” “Wrath of the Titans”).

“We are so excited about bringing the world of Dungeons & Dragons to life on the big screen,” said Greg Silverman, President, Creative Development and Worldwide Production, Warner Bros. Pictures. “This is far and away the most well-known brand in fantasy, which is the genre that drives the most passionate film followings. D&D has endless creative possibilities, giving our filmmakers immense opportunities to delight and thrill both fans and moviegoers new to the property.”

“This is such an enormous opportunity to bring the rich fantasy setting of the Forgotten Realms to life and, together with the creative powerhouse of Warner Bros., use movies to tell the stories that have enchanted passionate D&D fans for decades,” said Stephen Davis, Executive Vice President and Chief Content Officer of Hasbro, Inc. “D&D is the role-playing game that started it all and now we have the opportunity to ignite a franchise for its legions of avid fans in a way never done before.”

Dungeons & Dragons first became popular in 1974, and since then has amassed millions of players and fans worldwide. The hugely popular property has also influenced numerous writers, directors, game designers, and other creative professionals throughout its four decades.

“We are thrilled that this beloved property can finally make its way to the big screen after 20 years, and that it can be realized by Warner Bros., which has been responsible for the biggest fantasy franchises over the past two decades,” said Courtney Solomon of Sweetpea Entertainment.

Today’s announcement reflects the resolution of Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast LLC’s complaint against Sweetpea Entertainment, Inc. and Sweetpea BVI, Ltd. and the counterclaims filed by Sweetpea against Hasbro in May 2013 related to the Dungeons & Dragon brand. Solomon and Zeman will be attached to produce all Warner Bros.-produced Dungeons & Dragons film and television productions. All rights for future Dungeons & Dragons productions have been unified and returned to Wizards of the Coast, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hasbro.

Ronda Rousey Biography, MY FIGHT/YOUR FIGHT Gets The Big Screen Treatment!

Courtesy of Regan Arts

Ronda Rousey is having a most epic year so far. Well into a fruitful career as a mixed-martial arts champion now 12-0 after defeating challenger Bethe Correia over the weekend at UFC 190 in just 34 seconds, the currently-reigning bantamweight champion is also managing a lucrative career as a film actress with three titles to her name, including her 2014 debut in The Expendables 3, and this year's releases of the movie adaptation of HBO's Entourage and the blockbuster success of James Wan's Furious Seven.

Her success is so far chronicled in My Fight/Your Fight, her new book published back in May as it discusses her time competing in Olympic judo up to her status now as a top-tier professional fighter. Such a resume has often spoken of prospects leading to my own questions on social media among others about who could possibly star in a biopic about Rousey's life. Dare I say I among a likely many fans and folks alike saw today's news coming with word from THR that Rousey will be starring in, as well as producing a feature film adaptation of her book with a script by executive producer Mark Bomback, and Mary Parent also producing.

Mile 22 is also in the cards for Rousey which brings her together with Lone Survivor star and director Mark Wahlberg and Peter Berg, and The Raid 1 and 2 star Iko Uwais. Of course there are other titles in the works as well and though they aren't being mentioned in the headlines as of late, they're still worth looking out for.

Keep an eye out for more details!

 

TWC Partners With Amazon To Release MACBETH In The U.S.

A U.S. theatrical date set for December is still pending following The Weinstein Company's acquisition director Justin Kurzel's 11th century epic drama, MacBeth back in May from global rep, Studiocanal. In the meantime, users of Amazon Prime Instant Video in Spring of next year will be the first to catch director Justin Kurzel's latest Cannes 2015 favorite, MacBeth following its big screen run.

THR brings word of the partnership between TWC and Amazon as per the latter's latest in continual efforts to deliver exclusive feature film content to its consumers in an era when subscription video services like Netflix have continually gained traction. Starring Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard, MacBeth gained huge praise at Cannes's In-Competion premiere, based on the work of William Shakespeare which focuses on the title character's rise to power in 11th century Scotland, at the behest of his temptress wife.

MACBETH is the story of a fearless warrior and inspiring leader brought low by ambition and desire. A thrilling interpretation of the dramatic realities of the times and a truthful reimagining of what wartime must have really been like for one of Shakespeare’s most famous and compelling characters, a story of all-consuming passion and ambition set in war torn 11th Century Scotland.

You don't necessarily have to be astute on all things Shakespeare to appreciate this one as it comes with a distinct tone that grounds itself in the necessary darkness and morbidity inspired by his classic work. Nonetheless, it's pretty noteworthy to know that its gotten such a global following with so many directors approaching it themselves in the last century; the one I'm familar with is Orson Welles's 1948 movie of the same name, so I'm personally looking forward to Kurzel's entry.

The director is on par to reunite with Fassbender and Cotillard this September to commence filming Assassin's Creed for release next December. As for MacBeth, Studiocanal will be heavy on promoting the film in Europe, particularly in France and Germany, as well as in the U.K. where the movie will release on October 2.

If you missed the trailer from June, have a look below!

Help Kickstart Leonardo Corbucci's Martial Arts Drama, THE ART OF FIGHTING

Actor and martial artist Jin Kelley is currently in the midst of a month-long crowdfunding campaign to help raise money for the post-production of a new proof-of-concept shortfilm. The Art Of Fighting is the name of the project from director Leonardo Corbucci and is just about halfway toward its current goal in the hopes of guaranteeing a fully-fledged feature, and not for nothing either - especially with backing by BJJ Master Rigan Machado, Hollywood stuntman and actor Jon Komp Shin and action legend, actor James Lew also on board.

The Art of Fighting is a story about a humble guy named Daniel.  Daniel is in the beginning stages of a relationship with his girlfriend Rosie.  Rosie wants Daniel to learn to fight until she realizes that not only does he know how to fight, but is an accomplished martial artist with a dark past.  

Through this journey Rosie learns from Daniel that winning isn't always everything. The journey is always about the fight, and has no base in emotions. Rage, fear, discomfort nor excitement shall control him, even for a single second.  

He can endure the bitterest cold or the fiercest heat. When faced with death itself, his mind is perfectly still. The odds, the dangers, and the opponents may be massively against him and yet his concentration, steady and sharp as a sword, may cut through them all. 

Yes, he is a spiritual being indeed – but his spirit is the distilled essence of violence in his art, .........the art of fighting! 

Looking at recent films like Phillip Rhee's Underdog Kids and Michael Baumgarten's upcoming drama, The Martial Arts Kid, it'll be nice to see another contemplative film that goes right to the heart of a positive message. I like this trend as it provides just a great balance to a lot of other films out there and I look forward to seeing what comes of this one.

Of course, that can't be done without your help. And as such, there are plenty of perks to check out now at the official Kickstarter page where you may also meet the cast and crew in their campaign video, as well as learn how to donate and what you'll earn in return.

It's Official! Channing Tatum Closes The Deal To Play GAMBIT!

Apparently NOW the word now after all the ruckus about actor Channing Tatum disbanding from Twentieth Century Fox's production of the comic book adaptation, Gambit, is that he's officially closed a deal to star. A new report by CBM via THR suggests there was uncertainty as to whether or not Tatum would be able to return for multiple movies seeing as how the studio is looking forward to replacing Hugh Jackman as its Marvel franchise mainstay while he finishes his last stint as The Wolverine.

Gambit was created by Jim Lee and Chris Clairemont and unveiled in X-Men comic book universe beginning in 1990, sporting a cajun accent with impeccable charm and the ability to charge most objects with energy, rendering them explosive. Tatum has long been in the running to star, and much to the delight of executives at Fox, including Lauren Shuler Donner who has produced all of the studio's Marvel X-Men movies so far, including Jackman's final Wolverine film in 2017 and next year's release of X-Men: Apocalypse to name a few.

So there we have it. Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes helmer Rupert Wyatt is directing the darn thing from Robocop scribe Josh Zetumer's script and filming will begin soon in Louisiana for an October 7 release next year. The X-Men franchise has been quite epic so far, and with the studio moving on from Wolverine to vehicles like Deadpool and Gambit, the next several years should get even more interesting.

Personally I'm glad that Tatum has solidified his place in the film's production aside seeing as how much he's worked toward it. Sure, he's got his hands on other projects as well and that's fine, but an integral figure like Gambit has been long missing from the X-Men movies, so this was well worth the surprise. And if there are more Gambit titles to come, so be it.

Stay tuned for more info!

Photo: Nerdbastards.com

BOYKA: UNDISPUTED IV Wraps, Star Thanks His Fans, Cast And Crew, Talks Future Movies

Martial arts action cinema has seen a ton of glory in the field of film for many years with a multitude of memorable and iconic characters to lend credit to. One such role as of late has been actor Scott Adkins's delivery of born-again Russian mixed-martial arts champion, Uri Boyka, following two principle roles in the direct-to-video end of the Undisputed franchise, with the sequel and threequel in 2006 and 2010 respectively, from director Isaac Florentine.

Clock into 2015 well long after the third film as fans remained sizzling with hope for another installment and fans evidently got their wish in late 2013 prior to principle photography earlier this summer, and no less with a meaty handful of top notch action actors from select parts of the world all congregating in Sofia, Bulgaria for the production of Boyka: Undisputed IV. Adkins and Florentine are reunited once more with co-star and fight choreographer Tim Man since putting together the dazzling action in Fantastic Fest 2013 favorite, Ninja: Shadow Of A Tear - another title that is still garnering fandom in support of another, and granted, one that will assure fans more to come from Adkins and those in his corner.

Of course, none of this forward-movement is easy to come by. It took a really, really long time for another Undisputed movie to emerge, and now with its completion of principle photography, it's onto the next phase which is post-production, and hopefully it won't be long within that period before we see some footage. Until then, we can rest ourselves in the fact that another is in the can with an invariably exceptional amalgam of screenfighters - several of whom I have written about before on any number of indie projects. This, coupled with a great plot guarantees the franchise even further greatness for a character that has cultivated a generation of martial arts fans and athletes with the purposing of an idol that brings a world of electricity to a niche that will never run out of enthusiasm.

On that note, it's Adkins himself who had something to say to his followers via social media regarding the new film, its stunt players, the possible future of the character he plays, and more:

That's a wrap on Boyka: Undisputed IV. I've put my heart & soul into this shoot and pushed my body to it's absolute limit to bring you the next instalment of the greatest martial arts movie franchise the West has to offer. 

Yuri Boyka will face many new fights in this chapter, but none more dangerous than the fight within himself. 

I'd like to thank Teodora Duhovnikova, Paul Chahidi and Alon Aboutboul who brought their characters to life with and supported my performance in the best way possible. 

The fighters Emilien De Falco, Trayan Milenov, Andy Long, Brahim Achabbakhe and Martyn Ford for giving it their all (especially Andy Long who I sent to the hospital - sorry Andy). 

Tim Man, our fight choreographer, we couldn't do it without you my friend (2 more sections please). 

All the Bulgarian cast & crew for all their hard work and dedication. 

I love playing this character and we already have ideas on where to take him next so do me a favour - if you want to see more of Yuri Boyka and don't want to wait another 6 years to see it then please, please support this movie through the official channels and not illegal downloads. It needs to make a profit to justify a sequel, it's plain economics. 

Time for me to rest my aching bones. 

Cheers, 

Scott 

"If I'm the champion of the toilets? Then what does that make you when I kick the fucking shit out of you?!" 

~Yuri Boyka

So, for all intents and purposes, it's quite simple, really. Grant your monetary support to this movie and support Adkins and the cast and crew of his film the right way, and we will see plenty more. The same goes for his recently-completed craft of action with Florentine for Close Range, which still awaits a date; You can also catch Adkins opposite Wu Jing on September 1 when Well Go USA releases Wolf Warrior on DVD and Blu-Ray.

Stay tuned for more info!

AMC's INTO THE BADLANDS To Premiere With AMC FIGHTFEST In November!

Actor Daniel Wu took to this year's installment of the Television Critics Association with fellow film and production partner, Stephen Fung to discuss their latest endeavors this week. Front and center, of course, was the upcoming martial arts action fantasy series, Into The Badlands, with Wu leading the cast for a story that takes an edgy approach to Chinese folklore via steampunk and high-flying kung fu action.

Alas, the series will be making its way to AMC Television on November 15, which will accompany the launch of the two-week martial arts network feature block, AMC FightFest, for martial arts action fans. This is obviously good, good news for fans of the genre, as well as subscribers what AMC has to offer in its line-up as of late, zombies and all.

Friday's press release has more:

AMC announced today from the Television Critics Association (TCA) Press Tour that its new martial arts drama series “Into the Badlands” will premiere Sunday, November 15th at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.  In a land controlled by feudal barons, “Into the Badlands” tells the story of a ruthless, well-trained warrior named Sunny (Daniel Wu) and a young boy named M.K. (Aramis Knight) who embark on a spiritual journey across a dangerous land. From AMC Studios, the six-part series is created by executive producers/showrunners/writers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar (Shanghai Noon, “Smallville”), and executive produced by Oscar®-nominated producers Stacey Sher and Michael Shamberg (Pulp Fiction, Contagion), director David Dobkin (Wedding Crashers, Shanghai Nights), fight director Stephen Fung (Tai Chi Zero, House of Fury) and Daniel Wu (Tai Chi Zero).

“‘Into The Badlands’ is an exciting moment for us in that martial arts is not only a new genre for an AMC series, but also one that has been largely absent from television for 15 years,” said Joel Stillerman, president of original programming for AMC and SundanceTV.  “The team behind ‘Into The Badlands,’ led by showrunners Al Gough and Miles Millar, is comprised of some of the best martial artists and martial arts filmmakers in the world, and they have crafted a show that over-delivers against two big goals we set for the show: to create a compelling character drama, and to introduce the highest caliber of martial arts filmmaking to a weekly, ongoing series.”

The series premiere will coincide with AMC’s newest movie event, “AMC FightFest,” a two-week martial arts movie marathon beginning Monday, November 2through Friday, November 13. The on-air special event will feature some of the most iconic martial arts films in the history of the genre each weeknight at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT.

“In the same way AMC has historically engaged fanbases from horror through Westerns, ‘AMC FightFest’ is an opportunity for us to connect with and serve martial arts fans,” said Tom Halleen, executive vice president of programming and scheduling for AMC and SundanceTV.  “We are building an exciting lineup of films that target their passion for the genre as we prepare them for the amazing debut of ‘Into the Badlands.’”

“Into the Badlands” is set centuries from now, where a feudal society has emerged and the strongest and most brutal rose to wealth and power. This area came to be called the Badlands, and is divided among seven rival Barons who control the resources necessary to daily life and enforce their rule with the aid of loyal armies known as Clippers. Clippers enjoy status and comforts the general population can only dream of, and they are willing to sacrifice their lives in service to their Barons. Few Clippers ever live to see their 30th birthday, but Sunny (Daniel Wu) is no ordinary Clipper. Demonstrating lethal proficiency in martial arts, Sunny rose swiftly through the ranks to become Quinn’s (Marton Csokas) Head Clipper and most trusted advisor.
For decades, Quinn has been unchallenged as the Badlands’ most powerful Baron, but the territory’s newest Baron, The Widow (Emily Beecham), has begun staging brazen attacks on Quinn’s transport vehicles and is testing his appetite for a fight.  One of those attacks leads Sunny to M.K. (Aramis Knight), a teenage boy who has survived a deadly ambush. Sunny soon comes to understand that the teen harbors a dark secret and has a hefty bounty on his head.  As The Widow continues her campaign against Quinn, the destinies of the stoic assassin and the impetuous teenager become intertwined.  In their evolution as teacher and student, each will discover his true purpose; together, they will embark on an odyssey that could mean the difference between chaos and enlightenment for everyone in the Badlands.

“Into the Badlands” stars Daniel Wu (Tai Chi Zero) as Sunny; Marton Csokas (The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King) as Quinn; Aramis Knight (The Dark Knight Rises) as M.K.;  Oliver Stark (“Luther”) as Ryder; Emily Beecham (28 Weeks Later) as Widow; Orla Brady (“Dr. Who,” “Fringe”) as Lydia; Sarah Bolger (“Once Upon a Time,” “The Tudors”) as Jade; Ally Ioannides (“Parenthood”) as Tilda; and Madeleine Mantock (Edge of Tomorrow) as Veil.