International martial arts star Donnie Yen (“IP MAN”) will square off against Vin Diesel in xXx: THE RETURN OF XANDER CAGE. Yen will play an alpha-warrior named Xiang in the hotly anticipated sequel, which is shooting in Toronto and the Dominican Republic this month for Revolution Studios, Roth Kirschenbaum Films, One Race Films and Paramount Pictures.
Yen co-stars with producer and star Diesel in a cast that also includes Bollywood star Deepika Padukone (“TAMASHA”), Tony Jaa (“ONG-BAK,” “FURIOUS 7”), Ruby Rose (“Orange Is the New Black”), mixed martial-arts sensation Conor McGregor, Nina Dobrev (“The Vampire Diaries”), Kris Wu (“SOMEWHERE ONLY WE KNOW”), Hermione Corfield (“MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – ROGUE NATION”), with Toni Collette (“THE SIXTH SENSE”) and Samuel L. Jackson (“THE HATEFUL EIGHT”).
D.J. Caruso (“I AM NUMBER FOUR”) is directing xXx: THE RETURN OF XANDER CAGE. The film is written by Chad St. John (“LONDON HAS FALLEN”) with current revisions by F. Scott Frazier (“COLLIDE”).
Yen is coming off the New Zealand-based shoot of the upcoming “CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON: SWORD OF DESTINY,” in which he stars opposite Michelle Yeoh. One of the world’s top martial-arts film stars, Yen is best known in the U.S. for his role opposite Jet Li in director Zhang Yimou’s “HERO,” the third-highest-grossing foreign-language release of all time in the U.S. He co-starred in the Jackie Chan-Owen Wilson action-comedy “SHANGHAI KNIGHTS” and performed the title role in the hugely influential “IP MAN” franchise, one of the highest grossing film series in Chinese history.
Yen’s numerous other films include “DRAGON,” which premiered to acclaim at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, and the Chinese blockbuster “THE MONKEY KING” as the Monkey King, opposite Chow Yun-fat. Yen, who was born in Canton, China, and raised in Boston, is one of the top action choreographers and has served as action director in dozens of films and has won numerous awards. He is currently developing a series of films for his own companies, Bullet Group Ltd and Bullet Films Productions, including the epic crime drama “DRAGON CITY.”
“There are only a handful of martial-arts stars who have crossed over to worldwide fame and Donnie Yen is the top of that elite cohort,” said Revolution CEO Vince Totino, who is executive producing the film along with Chief Operating Officer Scott Hemming.
“Donnie’s fighting skill and on-screen charisma make him a perfect foil for Vin,” said producer Joe Roth, who recently partnered with Jeffrey Kirschenbaum in their new venture, Roth Kirschenbaum films. “We are all excited to see these two great action stars go toe to toe.”
Donnie Yen just completed co-starring in ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY for Lucasfilm and Disney.
It was jointly announced today that the new Revolution Studios, Roth Kirschenbaum Films and Vin Diesel’s One Race Films will produce, and Paramount Pictures will distribute worldwide, the next film in the blockbuster “xXx” franchise. Producer and star Vin Diesel will reprise his iconic role as an extreme athlete-turned-superspy in the sequel, xXx: THE RETURN OF XANDER CAGE.
The film is shooting in Toronto, with additional filming in the Dominican Republic.
D.J. Caruso (“I AM NUMBER FOUR”) is directing xXx: THE RETURN OF XANDER CAGE. The film is written by Chad St. John (“LONDON HAS FALLEN”) with current revisions by F. Scott Frazier (“COLLIDE”).
The third explosive chapter of the blockbuster franchise that redefined the spy thriller finds extreme athlete turned government operative Xander Cage (Vin Diesel) coming out of self-imposed exile and on a collision course with deadly alpha warrior Xiang and his team in a race to recover a sinister and seemingly unstoppable weapon known as Pandora’s Box. Recruiting an all-new group of thrill-seeking cohorts, Xander finds himself enmeshed in a deadly conspiracy that points to collusion at the highest levels of world governments. Packed with the series’ signature deadpan wit and bad-ass attitude, xXx: THE RETURN OF XANDER CAGE will raise the bar on extreme action with some of the most mind-blowing stunts to ever be caught on film.
“We are extremely pleased to be working with Vin, Samantha, Joe, Kirsch and Paramount to bring this fan-favorite franchise back to the screen,” said Revolution CEO Vince Totino, who is executive producing the film for the studio along with COO Scott Hemming. “’xXx’ is one of the jewels in Revolution’s rich library of commercially successful and acclaimed films, and now with Vin on board, a great script and director D.J. Caruso on hand, we are poised to deliver a worthy successor.”
“It’s great to be reteaming with Vin and Revolution on a long-anticipated sequel to this highly entertaining film,” said producer Joe Roth, who recently partnered with Jeffrey Kirschenbaum in their new venture, Roth Kirschenbaum Films. “Kirsch and I are looking forward to collaborating with Vince and Scott on this project and we’re all excited to be able to bring the fans what they’ve been asking for.”
Diesel is one of the most successful movie stars of the 21st century. In addition to the “xXx” franchise, which has earned nearly $350 million worldwide, he has starred in two other top-grossing action franchises: the three RIDDICK films, which together took in $267 million worldwide, and THE FAST & THE FURIOUS franchise, which has grossed nearly $3.5 billion worldwide.
The Dominican Republic portion of the shoot will make use of Lantica Media’s Pinewood Dominican Republic Studios, production services and its state-of-the-art horizon water tank.
Boring and predictable, THE LAST WITCH HUNTER is dreadful fantasy which will probably reach the upper echelons of countless ‘worst of’ lists come the end of the year. THE LAST WITCH HUNTER opens in the middle ages, where squadrons of Viking/warriors are battling witches who have unleashed the Black Death upon mankind. Valiant hero Kaulder (Vin Diesel with cool scraggly beard), defeats the all-powerful big-cheese Witch Queen (Julie Engelbrecht), annihilating her minions in the process. But before she dies, she places the curse of immortality on Kaulder, denying him an afterlife reunion with his dead wife and daughter. Jump ahead to contemporary New York City (played by Boston) where a clean-shaven Kaulder is hunting witches for a secret organization called ‘The Axe and Cross’, getting his orders from ‘Dolan the 36th’ (Michael Caine). After the 36th is murdered and replaced by the squirrely 37th (Elijah Wood), Kaulder teams up with young good-witch-turned-Manhattan-witch-bar-owner Chloe (Rose Leslie ) to battle Queen Witch who has returned for an epic showdown with Kaulder and to destroy mankind (or something like that) in the process.
THE LAST WITCH HUNTER often feels like the kind of film that would work better with even less plot – if they’d simply outlined the story as “we got to stop that witch” and then just rattled through the action sequences as quickly as possible. Director Breck Eisner tries to use special effects to cover up the film’s many weaknesses, but even on that point he fails badly. There’s a flaming tree/bone monster (lots of fire in this movie – Vin’s sword is often on fire!) called ‘The Sentinel’ that drags bad witches into a sort of ‘witch prison’ limbo that wouldn’t scare a 6-year old. There’s a massive swarm of flies to threaten Manhattan in a climax that that ends before it begins, and there’s Vin Deisel wielding that flaming broadsword for several bloodless PG-13 battles.
Not that I expect much range from Mr. Diesel but in THE LAST WITCH HUNTER he lacks the charisma and presence he delivers in the Fast and Furious franchise, standing around looking glum mumbling lines like “I know I’ve killed every one of you. I’ve done the math!” This kind of film needs a good villain to liven up the lame material – someone to vamp and camp it up, but Julie Engelbrecht as the evil queen is simply a bland mix of make-up, CGI and augmented vocals. Michael Caine phones in his extended cameo, while both Elijah Wood and Rose Leslie look like they want to fire their agents. My expectations for THE LAST WITCH HUNTER were pretty low, but not this low. Maybe some over-the-top cheesiness, or deadpan moments, or self-awareness, or fun would have helped but THE LAST WITCHUNTER takes itself way too seriously and the result is dismal. When fantasy film fans gather in generations to come, THE LAST WITCH HUNTER will be remembered as one of the immortal low points of the genre.
THE LAST WITCH HUNTER is set in a world never before seen on screen, with a story spanning over 800 years of one man’s quest to keep an army of vicious supernatural creatures determined to wipe out humanity at bay. Perfect movie for Halloween and WAMG has your passes to the advance screening!
The film stars Vin Diesel (The Fast & Furious film franchise), Elijah Wood (The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey), Rose Leslie (HBO’s “Game of Thrones,” PBS’ “Downton Abbey”) and Michael Caine (The Dark Knight trilogy, Interstellar).
The modern world holds many secrets, but the most astounding secret of all is that witches still live amongst us; vicious supernatural creatures intent on unleashing the Black Death upon the world.
Armies of witch hunters battled the unnatural enemy across the globe for centuries, including Kaulder, a valiant warrior who managed to slay the all-powerful Queen Witch, decimating her followers in the process.
In the moments right before her death, the Queen curses Kaulder with her own immortality, forever separating him from his beloved wife and daughter in the afterlife. Today Kaulder is the only one of his kind remaining, and has spent centuries hunting down rogue witches, all the while yearning for his long-lost loved ones. However, unbeknownst to Kaulder, the Queen Witch is resurrected and seeks revenge on her killer causing an epic battle that will determine the survival of the human race.
The film is directed by Breck Eisner (The Crazies), written by Cory Goodman (Priest) and Matt Sazama & Burk Sharpless.
THE LAST WITCH HUNTER opens on October 23, 2015.
WAMG invites you to enter for a chance to win a pass (Good for 2) to the advance screening of THE LAST WITCH HUNTER on Tuesday, October 20 at 7PM in the St. Louis area.
We will contact the winners by email.
Answer the following:
What 1986 fantasy film also featured immortals?
TO ENTER, ADD YOUR NAME, ANSWER AND EMAIL IN OUR COMMENTS SECTION BELOW.
OFFICIAL RULES:
1. YOU MUST BE IN THE ST. LOUIS AREA THE DAY OF THE SCREENING.
2. A pass does not guarantee a seat at a screening. Seating is on a first-come, first served basis. The theater is overbooked to assure a full house. The theater is not responsible for overbooking.
3. No purchase necessary.
The film is rated PG-13 for sequences of fantasy violence and frightening images.
Here’s a first look at the brand new trailer for THE LAST WITCH HUNTER starring Vin Diesel, Elijah Wood, Rose Leslie, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, Julie Engelbrecht, and Michael Caine.
This latest preview features a cover of The Rolling Stones’ “Paint It Black,” recorded by Ciara exclusively for the movie.
“I am honored to have been asked to cover such an iconic song by one of music’s greatest bands, the Rolling Stones, for the film. “Paint It Black” matches the film’s mystical and suspenseful plot perfectly. The film and song have the magical recipe that combines romanticism with a touch of black! I cannot wait to see and hear the film and the song on the big screen with the rest of the world” – Ciara
THE LAST WITCH HUNTER is coming to New York Comic-Con. Join Vin Diesel, Elijah Wood, Rose Leslie and director Breck Eisner, in the Main Hall on October 10, 2015 at 3:15pm for a Q&A and a sneak peek at the film before it hits theaters October 23.
The modern world holds many secrets, but the most astounding secret of all is that witches still live amongst us; vicious supernatural creatures intent on unleashing the Black Death upon the world. Armies of witch hunters battled the unnatural enemy across the globe for centuries, including Kaulder, a valiant warrior who managed to slay the all-powerful Queen Witch, decimating her followers in the process.
In the moments right before her death, the Queen curses Kaulder with her own immortality, forever separating him from his beloved wife and daughter in the afterlife. Today Kaulder is the only one of his kind remaining, and has spent centuries hunting down rogue witches, all the while yearning for his long-lost loved ones.
However, unbeknownst to Kaulder, the Queen Witch is resurrected and seeks revenge on her killer causing an epic battle that will determine the survival of the human race.
Directed by Breck Eisner, THE LAST WITCH HUNTER opens in theaters on October 23rd.
The WITCHES REVEALED web app has also just launched. Using facial recognition to automatically apply a variety of witch effects to pics, fans will be able to reveal their “true witch self,” made ugly by magic-fueled long life or beautiful by mixing potions for smoother skin, makeup, piercings, tattoos and more. Users can login to the web app via mobile or desktop by visiting http://www.witchesrevealed.com.
Explore the mysterious inside world of THE LAST WITCH HUNTER by visiting The Witches Brood – an online publication that encompasses witch culture and welcomes all fans hoping to experience the life of a real witch. With an opportunity to register as a witch, this resource includes in-world editorial, fashion photography, important news surrounding the lifestyle of witches, and potion recipes pulled straight from the film.
Watch the trailer for what many consider to be one of the best animated films in cinema history, THE IRON GIANT.
Warner Bros. Pictures and Fathom Events have announced that tickets are now on sale for the movie, being re-released in theaters for a limited engagement this fall, remastered and enhanced with two all-new scenes as THE IRON GIANT: Signature Edition.
This special screening comes to U.S. movie theaters on Wednesday, September 30 at 7:00 p.m. local time, with an encore event in select markets on Sunday, October 4 at 12:00 p.m. local time. See this one on the big screen!
Tickets for THE IRON GIANT: Signature Edition can be purchased online at www.FathomEvents.com, or by visiting participating cinema box offices. Fans throughout the U.S. will be able to enjoy the event in more than 500 movie theaters through Fathom’s Digital Broadcast Network. For a complete list of theater locations visit the Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change).
When THE IRON GIANT arrived in theaters, it was hailed as an “instant classic” (Joe Morgenstern, The Wall Street Journal). “Imagine E.T. as a towering metal man, that’s the appeal of this enchanting animated feature” (Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times). And the world soon learned another “giant” had arrived as well: filmmaker Brad Bird, who made his stunning directorial debut with this film and has gone on to win two Oscars, as well as worldwide acclaim for his work on both animated and live-action features.
Winner of nine Annie Awards, THE IRON GIANT is the tale of an unlikely friendship between a rebellious boy named Hogarth (voiced by Eli Marienthal) and a giant robot, voiced by a then little-known actor named Vin Diesel. The voice cast also included Jennifer Aniston and Harry Connick Jr.
Directed by Brad Bird, THE IRON GIANT was produced by Allison Abbate and Des McAnuff, adapted from poet Ted Hughes’ book, The Iron Man, with the screen story by Bird and the screenplay written by Tim McCanlies and Brad Bird. “The Iron Giant” was first released in the summer of 1999 by Warner Bros.
Following the re-release in theaters, a high-definition version of THE IRON GIANT: Signature Edition will be available to purchase from digital retailers in the fall of 2015.
Lionsgate has release a brand new, rockin’ trailer for THE LAST WITCH HUNTER.
Starring Vin Diesel, along with Elijah Wood, Rose Leslie, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, Julie Engelbrecht, and Michael Caine, this adrenaline pumping fantasy film follows Kaulder (Diesel) as his secret order – The Axe & Cross – leads the intense battle against the most horrifying witches in history.
The modern world holds many secrets, but the most astounding secret of all is that witches still live amongst us; vicious supernatural creatures intent on unleashing the Black Death upon the world. Armies of witch hunters battled the unnatural enemy across the globe for centuries, including KAULDER, a valiant warrior who managed to slay the all-powerful QUEEN WITCH, decimating her followers in the process.
In the moments right before her death, the QUEEN curses KAULDER with her own immortality, forever separating him from his beloved wife and daughter in the afterlife. Today KAULDER is the only one of his kind remaining, and has spent centuries hunting down rogue witches, all the while yearning for his long-lost loved ones. However, unbeknownst to KAULDER, the QUEEN WITCH is resurrected and seeks revenge on her killer causing an epic battle that will determine the survival of the human race.
Directed by Breck Eisner, catch THE LAST WITCH HUNTER in theaters on October 23.
AxeAndCross.com explores the mythic history of the organization, spanning Kaulder’s 800 years of hunting witches.
Excitement for 2015’s San Diego Comic-Con is firing up, and Lionsgate has unveiled two brand new posters from THE LAST WITCH HUNTER to help fuel the feverish anticipation.
Starring the iconic Vin Diesel, along with Elijah Wood, Rose Leslie, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, Julie Engelbrecht, and Michael Caine, this adrenaline pumping fantasy film follows Kaulder (Diesel) as his secret order – The Axe & Cross – leads the intense battle against the most horrifying witches in history.
AxeAndCross.com explores the mythic history of the organization, spanning Kaulder’s 800 years of hunting witches.
The modern world holds many secrets, but the most astounding secret of all is that witches still live amongst us; vicious supernatural creatures intent on unleashing the Black Death upon the world. Armies of witch hunters battled the unnatural enemy across the globe for centuries, including KAULDER, a valiant warrior who managed to slay the all-powerful QUEEN WITCH, decimating her followers in the process.
In the moments right before her death, the QUEEN curses KAULDER with her own immortality, forever separating him from his beloved wife and daughter in the afterlife. Today KAULDER is the only one of his kind remaining, and has spent centuries hunting down rogue witches, all the while yearning for his long-lost loved ones. However, unbeknownst to KAULDER, the QUEEN WITCH is resurrected and seeks revenge on her killer causing an epic battle that will determine the survival of the human race.
Directed by Breck Eisner, catch THE LAST WITCH HUNTER in theaters on OCTOBER 23,2015
WAMG was among members of the media and invited guests to witness the Grand Opening of Fast and Furious Supercharged, the latest movie-themed attraction at Universal Studios Hollywood. The presentation treated everyone to an extensive display of cars from the movies, a dance performance, speeches by top Universal execs and L.A.’s mayor, all topped off by an exciting assortment of live car stunts including a 90-foot jump through a billboard that caught us by surprise.
After the presentation concluded, we were lucky enough to go on a test-ride of the adrenalin-pumping, high-speed adventure with Dom, Hobbs and the rest of the Fast and Furious gang. Coming at the end of the famous Back-lot Tram Tour, Supercharged literally puts you smack dab in the middle of a high-flying, breakneck speed chase. The technology is pretty cool, in that with the giant 360-degree screen and 3D glasses, riders get to experience the action side by side with Dom and Leti, as they race in cars and a helicopter so close to you, you could literally touch them. Great sound and visual effects add to the experience that really makes you feel like you are in the movie! This is just downright fun and it’s a fantastic way to end the tour with a rush of adrenaline. Needless to say, we highly recommend it. 5 out of 5 stars!
Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson and Jason Statham attended Tuesday’s red carpet premiere of Universal Studios Hollywood‘sall-new thrill ride, “Fast & Furious—Supercharged”, and were among the first to experience the attraction, which debuts as the grand finale to the world famous Studio Tour.
Also attending were Fast & Furious series filmmakers Neal H. Moritz and Chris Morgan.
After experiencing “Fast & Furious—Supercharged,” Vin Diesel reacted by saying, “Wow…wow was that cool. It’s incredible, it’s really remarkable. It’s not like anything I’ve ever seen. Everyone on the tram said, ‘Can we do it again?’ It’s super cool!”
This dynamic new ride, inspired by Universal Pictures’ blockbuster film and featuring cast members from the series, including Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson and Luke Evans, is a technologically advanced mega-attraction designed to catapult guests into the high-stakes underground world of street racing at perceived speeds of 120 miles per hour.
A high-octane adventure, “Fast & Furious—Supercharged,” is conceived as a new installment to the Fast & Furious franchise that can only be experienced at the Entertainment Capital of L.A. The ride opens TODAY! (June 24, 2015)
An exciting hydraulic motion-based ride, “Fast & Furious—Supercharged” tells an original Fast & Furious story. The attraction fuses sophisticated special effects with a state-of-the-art 3D audio system and 3D-HD imagery projected onto the world’s longest and most expansive 360-degree screen. Spanning nearly 400 feet in length to encircle Studio Tour guests within a newly constructed 65,000-square-foot structure on the legendary backlot, the sprawling custom-built screen employs 34, 4K projectors and a specially configured projection system to envelop guests in unprecedented realism.
Coupled with an intense blend of thrilling visceral effects, “Fast & Furious–Supercharged” takes guests on a wild ride that begins the moment they board the Studio Tour. Exclusive interstitial content filmed with cast members is featured on the tram monitors, highlighting interactions as the cast engages guests en route to the climactic ride. Along the tram route and featured at the ride, sightings of numerous prop cars from the Fast & Furious series, including Dom’s iconic Dodge Charger, enhance the story.
“We’ve perfected an exciting new form of immersive entertainment that combines over-the-top hyper-realistic action adventure with exhilarating custom-made special effects that will transport guests into the thrilling world of Fast & Furious, said Mark Woodbury, President of Universal Creative. “Our collaboration with Universal Pictures to create an authentic experience through epic storytelling and technological breakthroughs continues to be a hallmark of Universal Studios Hollywood.”
To supercharge your ride on Universal Studios Hollywood’s new web app, visit: Fast.UniversalStudiosHollywood.com. Join the conversation and share photos using #FastFuriousRide. For all the latest, “Like” on Facebook, follow on Instagram & Twitter at @UniStudios and add on Snapchat, username: UniStudios.
The unstoppable global franchise built on speed delivers its best, biggest and boldest film yet as FURIOUS 7 blasts onto Blu-ray, DVD and On Demand on September 15, 2015 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Grossing over $1.5 billion worldwide at the box office, FURIOUS 7 tears up the screen with more gravity-defying stunts, adrenaline-fueled fight scenes and pulse-pounding action than ever before. The Blu-ray features the all new extended edition with even more explosive thrills, along with the official music video of the chart-topping “See You Again” performed by Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth and over 90 minutes of exclusive bonus features, making an indispensable addition to the Fast franchise collection.
The entire Fast & Furious cast unites in purpose for an epic international adventure, hunted by a vengeful assassin from Abu Dhabi to London to Tokyo and the Dominican Republic as they try to retrieve a highly advanced piece of espionage technology, and rescue the gifted hacker who created it. Furious 7 also bids a touching farewell to Paul Walker, an integral member of the Fast family.
The film reunites franchise favorites Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Elsa Pataky and Lucas Black and introduces newcomers Jason Statham (The Expendables franchise, The Transporter), Djimon Hounsou (Blood Diamond, Gladiator), Tony Jaa (Ong-bak), Nathalie Emmanuel (Game of Thrones), Ronda Rousey (The Expendables 3) and Kurt Russell (Poseidon, Escape From New York).
The last witch hunter (Vin Diesel) is all that stands between humanity and the combined forces of the most horrifying witches in history in this awesome new trailer for Lionsgate’s upcoming film, THE LAST WITCH HUNTER.
The action adventure film stars Vin Diesel, Elijah Wood, Rose Leslie, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, Julie Engelbrecht, and Michael Caine.
The modern world holds many secrets, but the most astounding secret of all is that witches still live amongst us; vicious supernatural creatures intent on unleashing the Black Death upon the world.
Armies of witch hunters battled the unnatural enemy across the globe for centuries, including KAULDER, a valiant warrior who managed to slay the all-powerful QUEEN WITCH, decimating her followers in the process.
In the moments right before her death, the QUEEN curses KAULDER with her own immortality, forever separating him from his beloved wife and daughter in the afterlife. Today KAULDER is the only one of his kind remaining, and has spent centuries hunting down rogue witches, all the while yearning for his long-lost loved ones.
However, unbeknownst to KAULDER, the QUEEN WITCH is resurrected and seeks revenge on her killer causing an epic battle that will determine the survival of the human race.
THE LAST WITCH HUNTER opens this fall on October 23rd.
