Lee Min-Ho And Tiffany Tang Join Shin Terra's BOUNTY HUNTERS

Chinese co-production status has opened the floodgates for numerous titles to benefit film production in recent years, as is the case for 7th Grade Civil Servant helmer Terra Shin's new $30 million dollar action comedy, Bounty Hunters, following its appearance at Cannes. Harmonious Entertainment Shanghai, Pegasus Motion Pictures, and Starhaus Entertainment are backing the Chinese-Korean co-production with Pegasus representing the film globally.

Korean rising star Lee Min-Ho, and Mainland actress Tiffany Tang have been attached to star with Lee playing a mentally and physically talented member of a quintet of bickering bounty hunters assigned to capture a high profile fugitive for the FBI. Further cast and plot info are currently light but the gist of the film is being principally established as a fresh approach to the Chinese-language action adventure genre with a diverse cast, and Ip Man 3D scribe Edmond Wong providing the screenplay.

Production kicks off on September 2 with locations in China, Korea, Hong Kong, Thailand, and other Asian countries, including Korea's Jeju Island for a likely 2016 date.

Check back for more info.

H/T: Variety, Jaynestars

Lionsgate Enlists Avi And Ari Arad To Produce Game Adaptation, BORDERLANDS

Look out for another live-action video game adaptation heading our way from Lionsgate! Word has it from Variety that father-and-son producer duo Avi and Ari Arad are developing a big screen rendition of the hit shooter RPG, Borderlands.

The film, based on the game, will take place on the corporate-abandoned planet of Pandora where access to a mysterious vault containing alien technology will ultimately determine life or death for a group of colonial survivors against a burrowing alien menace. Gearbox Software created the game which published in 2009 through Take-Two Interactive Software's 2K label, selling to the tune of well-over thirty-million copies globally to date.

Cast and crew details are pending, though folks at Take Two are clearly sold on the Arads' in the producers' chair. “Lionsgate has emerged as a major creative force in the global marketplace with an incredible portfolio of brands; our partners at Gearbox have pioneered and cultivated an iconic property; and Avi and Ari Arad are two of the most successful producers of action franchises,” Take-Two Interactive Chairman and CEO Strauss Zelnick has stated. “This alliance is ideally positioned to create a bold, provocative, no-holds-barred motion picture phenomenon that will delight ‘Borderlands” current legions of fans and captivate moviegoers around the world.”

Lionsgate co-chairs are also sharing their faith whilst insistent in staying true to the game's "in-your-face" nature as Borderlands adds to their M.O. of merging into video game territory. Avi Arad, is also involved in one other live-action game developing for film, Uncharted, as well as Sony's latest Spider-Man franchise with Marvel, and is one of several names producing the live-action adaptation of Ghost In The Shell.

Curious to know what Borderlands looks like? Check out a gameplay trailer from several years ago and stay tuned for more info!

Chilean Actioner, REDEEMER, Gets A Japanese Poster And Trailer

Yes, I fully admit to being invariably biased when it comes to specific action film titles. Ernesto Diaz Espinoza's festival favorite and recent Dark Sky Films U.S. release, Redeemer, fits the mold with Chilean action hero Marko Zaror starring in the title role of a man seeking redemption for his previous atrocities through dispensing unmitigated vigilante justice.

Zaror dominates the film with sheer veracity in his choreography and performance with long time martial arts and film cohort and friend, actor José Luis Mosca in the role of the principal killer villain, and you can read all about it in my 2014 review, as well as my earlier interview with Zaror back in May. There's plenty more where that came from in what lies ahead for Zaror with the current post-production and pending release of family superhero action adventure, The Green Ghost. For now though, we have close to ten years of action-packed awesomeness predicated by a genuine action star talent with only the biggest hopes in the world that certain projects will arise, including the earlier-announced development of One Good Thing, written by XYZ Films's own Todd Brown of Twitchfilm.com.

Redeemer gets its day in the U.S. on September 1 on DVD, Blu-Ray and VOD prior to its release through Klockworx VOD in Japan on October 10. Trailers have already made the rounds and fans already know what the film looks like, but the Japanese poster and promo are up for viewing below, if anthing, for the overall appreciation and excitement that Zaror is getting a greater audience.

Check Out What's Ahead For FX Series, THE BASTARD EXECUTIONER!

FX is taking viewers on a gruesome and bloody trip back to the Middles Ages with Sons Of Anarchy creator Kurt Sutter's next vengeful endeavor, The Bastard Executioner. The promotional campaign has already begun ahead of the two-hour series premiere on September 15 with a slate of TV spots and more featuring Aussie stage actor Lee Jones in the title role.

The Bastard Executioner is a blood-soaked, medieval epic that tells the story of Wilkin Brattle, a 14th century warrior, whose life is forever changed when a divine messenger beseeches him to lay down his sword and lead the life of another man: a journeyman executioner. Set in northern Wales during a time rife with rebellion and political upheaval, Wilkin must walk a tight rope between protecting his true identity while also serving a mysterious destiny. 

Guided by Annora, a mystical healer whose seeming omniscience keeps Wilkin under her sway; manipulated by Milus Corbett, a devious Chamberlain with grand political aspirations; and driven by a deepening connection with the Baroness Lady Love, Wilkin struggles to navigate political, emotional and supernal pitfalls in his quest to understand his greater purpose.

Check out all the footage in the players beneath in addition to a first look featurette unveiled a week ago and be sure to head to fxnetwork.com for further goodies about the show!

Suretone Wrangles Up D'onifrio's THE KID For Lionsgate

It looks as if there won't be any love lost for 17-th century gunman and outlaw, Billy The Kid in what music man-turned-film producer Jordan Schur has in store for his first venture into film.

Deadline reports that actor Vincent D'onofrio will be making his directorial debut with The Kid, with James Franco and Ethan Hawke also starring.Written by Andrew Landham, The Kid centers on the a young boy whose fondness of the aforementioned legendary gunfighter not only changes when reality harshly sets in, but also reshapes what true heroism means with the help of Sherriff Pat Garrett as they set out to avenge the death of the boy's
father and sister's prostitution at the hands of the boy's uncle. 

Nick Thurlow and Sam Maydew are producing with former Geffen Records president and Suretone Records founder Jordan Schur seugeing into the film fray though his Suretone Pictures. Lionsgate will be releasing the film in the U.S. while further acquisitions await with the film's presentation at the Toronto International Film Festival later this year.

Stay tuned for more info.

Joe Carnahan To Direct Suretone's FIVE AGAINST A BULLET!

Deadline's continued coverage in music man-turned-film producer Jordan Schur's latest happenings with details for the new action thriller, Five Against A Bullet. The A-Team and Stretch helmer Joe Carnahan will be directing with a script written with Alex Litvak which focuses on five bodyguards tasked with protecting a mayoral candidate in Mexico's most powerful city when he is marked for death by a drug kingpin and his army after they murder his father and the previous mayor.

Actor Bruce Willis was reportedly initially attached to star while the film was developing at Colombia pictures. Schur will be financing the film along with that of silent partners and is producing the film through his Suretone Pictures banner, in addition to Di Bonaventura Pictures with Schur's, Mimran Schur Pictures and Lorenzo di Bonaventura also producing.

Five Against A Bullet is currently pending distribution in the U.S. in addition to further casting details.

Lightsabers Square Off In A New STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS TV Spot!

Yes, we know there's been an awakening. And yes, we've felt it...or whatever else anyone of us might be feeling aside from it in similar capacity. What we also know is actor John Boyega will be wielding a badass lightsaber in pure Jedi fashion as Finn opposite Adam Driver in the role of Kylo Ren who, judging by blurbs from around the web, either may or may not be a Sith.

At any rate, Star Wars: The Force Awakens looks like an early box-office Christmas present for Disney and Lucasfilm. And surely, the latest 16-second TV spot will guarantee even more excitement and anxiety among the fans as the December 18 date slowly approaches. Check it out below!