Tag: Atomic Blonde

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‘The Wolverine’s Hiroyuki Sanada Joins Brad Pitt In ‘Bullet Train’

Deadline reports that Japanese actor Hiroyuki Sanada (Westworld) has taken a role in Sony’s Bullet Train, an action film is set on a Japanese bullet train filled that happens to be filled with assassins with various motivations.

Hiroyuki Sanada is a legendary actor in Japan along with roles in Hollywood films such as The Last Samurai, The Wolverine, and had a brief cameo in Avengers: Endgame playing a Yakuza boss. I have to assume he would be playing some sort of Yakzua character in the film given the subject matter.

The rest of the cast consists of Brad Pitt (Once Upon A Time In Hollywood), Joey King (The Dark Knight Rises), Andrew Koji (G.I. Joe Origins: Snake Eyes), Michael Shannon (Knives Out, Man of Steel), Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Godzilla, Kick-Ass, Avengers: Age of Ultron), Brian Tyree Henry (Godzilla vs Kong, Widows, Joker, Eternals), Logan Lerman (Fury, Hunters), Lady Gaga (Gucci, A Star Is Born, Machete Kills), Masi Oka (Heroes), and Zazie Beetz (Joker, Deadpool 2).

Filming is taking place in Los Angeles with director David Leitch (Deadpool 2, John Wick, Atomic Blonde) at the helm.

SOURCE: DEADLINE

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Brad Pitt’s ‘Bullet Train’ Enlists Logan Lerman and ‘Deadpool 2’ Production Designer David Scheunemann

There had been so many casting announcements concerning Sony’s upcoming assassin flick Bullet Train that they’ve been hard to keep track. But yesterday it was revealed by Deadline that Logan Lerman (Gamer, Fury, Hunters) has taken yet another undisclosed role in the action film directed by David Leitch (Deadpool 2, John Wick, Atomic Blonde).

The rest of the cast consists of Brad Pitt (Once Upon A Time In Hollywood), Joey King (The Dark Knight Rises), Andrew Koji (G.I. Joe Origins: Snake Eyes), Michael Shannon (Knives Out, Man of Steel), Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Godzilla, Kick-Ass, Avengers: Age of Ultron), Brian Tyree Henry (Godzilla vs Kong, Widows, Joker, Eternals), Lady Gaga (Gucci, A Star Is Born, Machete Kills), Masi Oka (Heroes), and Zazie Beetz (Joker, Deadpool 2).

Logan and Brad previously worked together on the WWII thriller Fury from David Ayer, so this will be a reunion of sorts for the two actors.

I’m starting to get a little concerned that Sony and Leitch have only hired two Asian actors of Japanese heritage out of the ten announced given that the film’s setting is supposed to be Tokyo, Japan. A location predominately populated by Japanese people and not westerners. Hopefully, they’ll start to notice how odd this looks to people and we’ll hear more Asian actors joining the cast.

Filming is taking place in Los Angeles under the working title of Haiku #87, a reference to the train in the action flick. The Ronin has learned that Leitch is expected to reunite with production designer David Scheunemann (Atomic Blonde, Deadpool 2, Hobbs & Shaw), who recently worked on Karen Gillan’s Gunpowder Milkshake.

Sony has yet to give Bullet Train an official release date.

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Zazie Beetz Reunites With ‘Deadpool 2’ Director By Joining The Cast of Brad Pitt’s ‘Bullet Train’

Deadline reports that Joker actress Zazie Beetz has joined the cast of Sony’s Bullet Train, an action film about assassins set on a Japanese bullet train. She’ll be reunited with Deadpool 2 director David Leitch and actor Brad Pitt who played the Vanisher in a brief cameo.

Bullet Train’s cast also includes Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, and Andrew Koji.

Zazie also worked with Brian Tyree Henry on the FX series Atlanta.

Filming is said to be taking place in Los Angeles, California.

SOURCE: DEADLINE

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‘Eternals’ Actor Brian Tyree Henry Joins Brad Pitt’s Assassin Flick ‘Bullet Train’

Deadline is reporting that Widows actor Brian Tyree Henry is the latest addition to the growing cast of Sony’s assassin action film Bullet Train from John Wick director David Leitch (Atomic Blonde, Deadpool 2, Hobbs & Shaw). As the title would suggest the story takes place on a Tokyo bullet train populated with multiple assassins.

Brian Tyree Henry was recently revealed to be playing an openly gay character in Marvel’s Eternals and will also be seen in Godzilla Vs Kong next year.

He joins a cast that also consists of Oscar-winner Brad Pitt, Joey King (The Dark Knight Rises), Andrew Koji (Snake Eyes), and Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Kick-Ass, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Godzilla, The King’s Man).

Filming will be taking place in Los Angeles.

SOURCE: DEADLINE

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Aaron Taylor-Johnson Is The Latest Addition To Brad Pitt’s Assassin Action Flick ‘Bullet Train’

Deadline reports that British actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson has landed a role in the upcoming action flick Bullet Train from John Wick and Atomic Blonde director David Leitch.

Aaron’s credits include Kick-Ass, Godzilla, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Tenet, and the upcoming Kingsman prequel film The King’s Man.

The film from Sony Pictures has recent Oscar-winner Brad Pitt in the lead role with Joey King and Andrew Koji also playing fellow assassins on a Tokyo bullet train.

SOURCE: DEADLINE

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‘John Wick’ Actor Daniel Bernhardt Returning For ‘Matrix 4’ – Reprising Agent Johnson Role From ‘The Matrix: Reloaded’

Deadline reports that John Wick and Atomic Blonde actor Daniel Bernhardt will return to the Matrix franchise as he’ll reprise the Agent Johnson role for Matrix 4, currently shooting in Berlin, Germany.

Daniel Berhardt as Agent Johnson in The Matrix: Reloaded

Daniel is close with both directors Chad Stahelski and David Leitch, who are said to be helping with crafting the action sequences alongside Matrix 4 director Lana Wachowski. Chad and David had been integral to the action of the previous three films.

There is a good chance that Daniel’s Agent Johnson is taking over the role originally meant for Hugo Weaving’s Agent Smith, before Lana changed her mind about having Weaving return.

Bernhardt’s most recent credits include Netflix’s Altered Carbon, HBO’s Barry, and the DC Comics film Birds of Prey.

The sequel’s cast includes Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Jada Pinkett Smith, Priyanka Chopra, Jessica Henwick, Ibarra, Neil Patrick Harris, Toby Onwumere, Brian J. Smith, Eréndira Ibarra, Andrew Caldwell, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and Ellen Hollman.

The Matrix 4 is expected to be ready for a release date of April 1st, 2022.

SOURCE: DEADLINE

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Ryan Gosling and Director David Leitch Team On Stuntman Drama For Universal – Penned By ‘Iron Man 3’ Screenwriter Drew Pearce

Deadline is reporting actor Ryan Gosling has signed on to star in an untitled stuntman drama for Universal Pictures that will be directed by David Leitch (John Wick, Atomic Blonde, Deadpool 3) from a script penned by Drew Pearce (Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, Iron Man 3, Hotel Artemis, Hobbs & Shaw). 

Plot details on the project are currently tight-lipped but Ryan previously played a stuntman in the thriller Drive for director Nicolas Winding Refn.

Universal landed the project with a seven-figure deal after reported interest from Netflix, Paramount Pictures, and MGM Studios.  

Leitch is currently making the Brad Pitt action flick Bullet Train for Sony Pictures. 

Gosling recently attached himself to a new Wolfman film from Invisible Man writer/director Leigh Whannell that is at Universal Pictures as well. 

Ryan is also set to co-star with Captain America actor Chris Evans on the Netflix spy thriller The Gray Man directed by The Russo Brothers, one of the most expensive films ever produced at the streaming service. 

SOURCE: DEADLINE

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Charlize Theron Confirms ‘Atomic Blonde 2’ In Early Development At Netflix and Hopeful About ‘The Old Guard’ Sequel

While promoting her comic book Netflix film The Old Guard, actress Charlize Theron revealed to Total Film (via Games Radar) that she is indeed speaking with the streaming service as a home for their sequel to their 80s-set action flick Atomic Blonde, which she previously confirmed is in an early scripting phase.

THERON: “We took [Atomic Blonde 2] to them and Scott Stuber [Head of Original Films at Netflix] was really interested in it. We talked to him about it extensively, and we’re in the process of writing it right now. That character was set up in a way where she didn’t really reveal much of herself. So I feel like there’s a lot of potential there. The bar’s pretty high, but we’re excited about it.”

ATOMIC BLONDE – Sensual and savage, Lorraine Broughton is the most elite spy in MI6, an agent who’s willing to use all of her lethal skills to stay alive during an impossible mission. With the Berlin Wall about to fall, she travels into the heart of the city to retrieve a priceless dossier and take down a ruthless espionage ring. Once there, she teams up with an embedded station chief to navigate her way through the deadliest game of spies.

This would confirm previous information that was circulating months ago via Discussing Film.

Who will ultimately direct the sequel is up-in-the-air since David Leitch is busy with Sony’s Bullet Train starring Brad Pitt and has multiple other projects cooking at various studios as well such as an Enter The Dragon remake for Warner Bros., a movie based on the video game The Division for Netflix, and a feature film based on the classic martial arts series Kung Fu.

I think there is a good shot that we’ll see Atomic Blonde 2‘s setting push into the 1990s and explore a post-Soviet Union world of espionage.

Charlize is also hopeful about Netflix giving a sequel to The Old Guard.

THERON: “We went into this talking about [a sequel] as a possibility, and it’s definitely something that excites us.”

THE OLD GUARD – A group of mercenaries, all centuries-old immortals with the ability to heal themselves, discover someone is onto their secret, and they must fight to protect their freedom.

The Old Guard is currently streaming on Netflix.

SOURCE: TOTAL FILM

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Oscar-Winner Brad Pitt Boards Sony’s Tokyo-Set ‘Bullet Train’ – Will Reunite With ‘Deadpool 2’ Director David Leitch

According to Deadline, Oscar-winner Brad Pitt will be reuniting with Deadpool 2 director David Leitch on Sony’s upcoming action flick Bullet Train taking a lead role.

There are finally some details revealed about the film as well.

Bullet Train is based on the Japanese novel Maria Beetle by Kotaro Isaka and was penned by screenwriter Zak Olkewicz.

 In the novel, five assassins find themselves on a fast moving bullet train from Tokyo to Morioka with only a few stops in between. They discover their missions are not unrelated to each other. The question becomes who will make it off the train alive and what awaits them at the terminal station?

Leitch is best-known as co-directing the first John Wick film then moving on to his solo directing career on projects such Atomic Blonde, Hobbs & Shaw, and the previously mentioned Deadpool sequel where Pitt cameos as the Vanisher.

There had been some expectations that production could begin before the end of the year.

SOURCE: DEADLINE

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‘Deadpool 2’ Director David Leitch’s Next Film Will Be Sony’s Japan-Set Action Film ‘Bullet Train’ – Eyes Fall Production Start

Director David Leitch has landed yet another studio action project according to The Hollywood Reporter. The co-director of John Wick will return to the world of assassins with Bullet Train for Sony Pictures and they’re hoping to begin sometime in the fall. 

They’ve also provided a brief idea of what to expect from the project. Its script is being handled by Fear Street screenwriter Zak Olkewicz. 

Bullet Train centers on a group of hitmen and assassins with conflicting motives on a train in Tokyo. 

Oddly enough, Bullet Train shares it’s title with an existing Japanese film from 1975 directed by Jun’ya Satô with legendary action stars Sonny Chiba (The Street Fighter, Kill Bill) and Ken Takakura (Black Rain, The Yakuza) in leading roles. I’m curious if the original film from Japan will have any influence on this new project.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1dO3Hjj8Lk

Sony is hopeful because of the contained setting of the project (on a train) they’ll be able to limit the number of people on set during the filming. 

David’s previous releases all have strong action sequences which has helped him gain the reputation of a solid action film director, thanks to his background in stunts.

At one point, Antoine Fuqua was attached to direct. 

The director has been putting together multiple deals to make multiple films at various studios, but I’m unsure if he’ll be able to make all of them. Here is a rundown of the other various projects that David has been reportedly attached to direct over the last year or so. 

  • A feature adaptation of the Ubisoft video game The Division for Netflix with Jessica Chastain and Jake Gyllenhaal attached to star. 
  • A remake of the classic Bruce Lee martial arts action film Enter The Dragon for Warner Bros. Pictures. 
  • Undying Love, a vampire action film set in Hong Kong and based on the Image Comics property. 
  • A feature film remake of the classic David Carradine series Kung Fu. 

Leitch is also producing a string of upcoming releases such as the Universal action flick Nobody starring Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul) coming to theaters on February 26th, 2021, the Toyko-set Netflix assassin film Kate starring Elizabeth Winstead (Birds of Prey), and the recently announced memory loss thriller for STX titled Fast & Loose. 

While sequels to Hobbs & Shaw, Atomic Blonde, and Deadpool 2 are said to be in early development stages. It remains to be seen if David will return to direct those projects. 

SOURCE: THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER