First Images of Tokyo-Set Action Flick ‘Kate’ Starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead & Produced By David Leitch

John Wick co-director David Leitch is producing a handful of action films with the recent success of Bob Odenkirk’s Nobody are likely going to be on folks’ radar from now on. Leitch is also behind Atomic Blonde, Hobbs & Shaw, Deadpool 2, and was recently working with Brad Pitt on the Sony flick Bullet Train.

One of the other productions produced by Letich is the Netflix film Kate that stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead, as Kate, a criminal that is poisoned in Tokyo, Japan and has 24 hours to dish-out revenge before she dies.

After she’s irreversibly poisoned, a ruthless criminal operative (Winstead) has less than 24 hours to exact revenge on her enemies and in the process forms an unexpected bond with the daughter of one of her past victims.

The first images have been released by Entertainment Weekly showing off the film’s slick visual style.

The rest of the cast includes Woody Harrelson (Solo: A Star Wars Story, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, True Detective), Michiel Huisman (The Haunting of Hill House), Tadanobu Asano (Thor: Ragnarok, Mortal Kombat, Midway), Jun Kunimura (Rain), Miyavi Lee Ishihara (Unbroken, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil), and newcomer Miku Martineau as Ani.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead isn’t a stranger to genre projects with credits such as 10 Cloverfield Lane, Fargo, Live Free or Die Hard, the DC Comics film Birds of Prey playing The Huntress. The Thing (2011), Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, Gemini Man, Black Christmas, and Quentin Tarantino’s Death Proof.

Another female led action flick on the horizon is Karen Gillan’s Gunpowder Milkshake, which is being released by Netflix.

SOURCE: ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

‘Ghost of Tsushima’: Sony Hires ‘John Wick’ Franchise Director Chad Stahelski To Make A Feature Film

Sony Pictures and PlayStation Productions are moving forward with a feature film based on their samurai action-focused video game Ghost of Tsushima and there is word from Deadline that they’ve selected John Wick franchise director Chad Stahelski to make it.

The game is developed by Sucker Punch Productions and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment and centers around samurai warrior Jin Sakai, the last surviving member of his clan, who must set aside the traditions that have shaped him as a warrior to wage an unconventional war for the freedom of Tsushima.

In 1274, a Mongolian invasion fleet led by Khotun Khan lands on the Japanese island of Tsushima. Realizing that he cannot defeat the Mongols by himself or with traditional samurai fighting tactics, Jin begins scouring the island to recruit allies and learn fighting techniques to aid in his quest to rescue Lord Shimura.

A screenwriter or idea when production would begin wasn’t mention in the report.

There is an expectation that we’ll see an Asian only cast given the setting and era.

However, given the violence involved with the samurai genre, it’s unknown if they’ll be aiming to make this an R-rated project. There is a good chance that with Chad directing that Sony might allow this to become a mature film project.

Chad is set to begin production on John Wick: Chapter 4 this June and has been developing multiple action projects including a Highlander reboot for Lionsgate.

Sony is hoping to mine a bulk of their video game IPs with an Uncharted film starring Spider-Man actor Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg on the way. Along with an HBO series adaptation of The Last of Us starring Pedro Pascal (Game of Thrones, The Mandalorian) as Joel.

We’ll keep our fingers crossed their new God of War games taking place in Norse mythology get a string of R-rated movies too.

SOURCE: DEADLINE

Netflix Adapting Keanu Reeves’ Comic ‘BRZRKR’ Into Live-Action Film & Anime Series – Reeves To Star In Both

Yesterday, Netflix announced they’ll be boarding the Keanu Reeves train as they’ve made a deal to adapt the BOOM! Studios/Reeves comic book BRZRKR for a live-action film and anime series as a follow-up afterwards. Reeves himself will, of course, star in both projects with the latter lending his voice.

BRZRKR is a brutally epic saga about an immortal warrior’s 80,000 year fight through the ages. The man known only as “B” is half-mortal and half-god, , cursed and compelled to violence… even at the sacrifice of his sanity. But after wandering the earth for centuries, B may have finally found a refuge – working for the U.S. government to fight the battles too violent and too dangerous for anyone else. In exchange, B will be granted the one thing he desires – the truth about his endless blood-soaked existence…and how to end it.

The anime series will further expand the BRZRKR universe by exploring different elements of the story. In the series, Reeves will reprise his role and voice his character. 

Keanu is coming off a shoot for Matrix 4 aka Matrix Resurrections at Warner Bros. with John Wick: Chapter 4 and John Wick: Chapter 5 on the horizon. While Lionsgate has suggested their plan is to film the next two John Wick installments back-to-back. There is a good chance John Wick: Chapter 5 will be the final film according to franchise creator Derek Kolstad.

Developing another action franchise at Netflix seems like the choice move there for Reeves.

SOURCE: NETFLIX

‘John Wick’ Creator Derek Kolstad Developing Live-Action Film Based On ‘Hellsing’ Manga For Amazon

Deadline has just revealed that John Wick creator/screenwriter Derek Kolstad is teaming-up with Amazon Studios to develop a live-action feature film based on the Japanese manga Hellsing from Kouta Hirano. An interesting take on the Dracula mythology seeing him joining The Hellsing Organization, a group that seemingly echos B.P.R.D. from the Hellboy comic books.

Written and illustrated by Kouta Hirano and published by Shōnen Gahōsha,  Hellsing reimagines Dracula as Alucard, a special agent bound to The Hellsing Organization, under the leadership of Integra Hellsing, great-granddaughter of Abraham Van Hellsing, to aid them in their mission to protect England and the world from vampires, ghouls, and other supernatural threats. The manga also focuses on Hellsing’s newest recruit, a female ex-police officer named Seras Victoria.

Kolstad has been closely involved with the John Wick franchise along with writing the upcoming Bob Odenkirk action flick Nobody and was working on Marvel’s Disney+ series The Falcon & The Winter Soldier. He is also developing a Dungeons & Dragons live-action series for Hasbro/eOne as Paramount is moving forward with their own feature film remake.

Derek is excellent at world building which should be a huge asset for the Hellsing film.

SOURCE: DEADLINE

‘Bullet Train’: Oscar-Winner Sandra Bullock Joins Brad Pitt In Assassin Flick

Sony’s action movie Bullet Train currently filming Los Angeles has reportedly added Oscar-winner Sandra Bullock (Gravity) according to Deadline. Bullock returning to the action genre after starting her career in movies like Speed and The Net.

Starring fellow Oscar-winner Brad Pitt and directed by David Leitch (Atomic Blonde, John Wick, Deadpool 2), the Tokyo-set film will focus on a group of assassins with varying motivations on a Japanese bullet train.

The rest of the cast consists of 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), Karen Fukuhara (The Boys, Suicide Squad), Brian Tyree Henry (Godzilla vs Kong, Widows, Joker, Eternals), Hiroyuki Sanada (The Wolverine, Avengers: Endgame, Sunshine, Westworld, The Last Samurai), Logan Lerman (Fury, Hunters), Lady Gaga (Gucci, A Star Is Born, Machete Kills), Masi Oka (Heroes), Zazie Beetz (Joker, Deadpool 2), and rapper Bad Bunny.

As previously revealed, film’s production team will include production designer David Scheunemann (Atomic Blonde, Deadpool 2, Hobbs & Shaw, Gunpowder Milkshake), cinematographer Jonathan Sela (John Wick, Atomic Blonde, Deadpool 2, Hobbs & Shaw, Transformers: The Last Knight), and stunt coordinator Greg Rementer (The Mandalorian, Nobody, Hobbs & Shaw).

Leitch is also lining-up his next film Fast & Loose starring Will Smith and produced the upcoming Bob Odenkirk actioner Nobody.

SOURCE: DEADLINE

‘Fast & Loose’: Will Smith Teaming Up With ‘Deadpool 2’ Director David Leitch For Memory-Loss Action Flick

Deadline reports that a bidding war is underway for an upcoming action film titled Fast & Loose from John Wick co-director David Leitch and starring Oscar-winner Will Smith. The outlet says that studios in the mix for the bidding include Warner Bros., MGM, Paramount Pictures, and Sony Pictures.

It’s script was penned by Jon and Eric Hoeber with Leitch expected to direct.

After the leader of an upper-echelon criminal organization suffers memory loss from an attack, he reunites with his crew, only to find that things aren’t what he thinks they are. When John Riley (Smith) wakes up in Tijuana after being left for dead with absolutely no memory, he follows a string of clues to uncover his identity discovering he’s been living two different lives: one, as a super-successful crime kingpin, surrounded by beautiful women, expensive toys, and a lavish lifestyle and the other as an undercover CIA agent, but with a puny salary, no family or home life whatsoever, and zero trappings of success. The problem is, he can’t remember which of these two personas is his true identity, and, more importantly, which life he really wants to live.

Leitch’s action credits go deep with Wick, Atomic Blonde, Deadpool 2, Hobbs & Shaw, and is currently shooting the Brad Pitt assassin movie Bullet Train in Los Angeles. He’s also behind the upcoming Bob Odenkirk movie Nobody as one of the film’s producers.

Smith recently had a hiccup with his film Gemini Man becoming a bit of a box office flop. However, Bad Boys For Life became one of the most profitable films of 2020 earning an impressive $426.5 million on a budget of $62.5 million, it’s box office success led Sony Pictures to quickly put Bad Boys 4 into development.

SOURCE: DEADLINE

‘John Wick 4’: Ian McShane Believes Sequel Will Begin Shooting This Year

Collider was able to speak with John Wick franchise actor Ian McShane and he revealed the fourth installment is still expected to begin filming this year. You might remember there had been production delays on John Wick: Chapter 4 because the extended shoot for The Matrix 4 with Keanu Reeves reprising the Neo role.

MCSHANE: “Keanu [Reeves] and I exchanged New Year’s greetings and said, ‘Hope to see you this year.’ I know the script is being written and they’re hoping to do it this year. I know they announced they were gonna do [John Wick 4] and [John Wick 5] together, but who knows. The studios announce all sorts of things. No doubt, at some point this year, we’re gonna do John Wick 4.”

Ian McShane plays Winston, who in the last film seemingly turned on John shooting him off the roof of The Continental, only for him to survive the fall and brought to the hideout of the Bowery King agreeing to go to war with The High Table. It remains to be seen if Winston actually tried to kill him (didn’t look shocked when told Wick lived) or if he was trying to remove him from further pursuit from The High Table and the price on his head.

Lionsgate had set the film’s release for May 27th, 2022 but it could be moved depending on when production actually starts.

SOURCE: COLLIDER

‘Dungeons & Dragons’ Series In Development From ‘John Wick’ Creator Derek Kolstad – Multiple Projects In The Works

As production is expected to begin soon in Belfast, Northern Ireland for a new live-action Dungeons & Dragons movie from Paramount Pictures, more projects within the fantasy table-top franchise is reportedly in the works. The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that Hasbro/eOne is now in the early stages of development on a series with the help of writer Derek Kolstad.

Derek Kolstad, the creator and writer behind the John Wick franchise, has been tapped to pen and develop a pitch for a live-action series based on the Dungeons & Dragons universe.

A screenwriter with massive action chops, Derek is best known for creating the successful John Wick franchise at Lionsgate starring Keanu Reeves, he’s also worked on Marvel’s The Falcon & The Winter Soldier and the Bob Odenkirk action flick Nobody that will be released by Universal next month.

They also mention that other writers are working on multiple other projects, but they stopped short from naming who they are and what they’re developing. This sounds a lot like how a handful of Transformers projects were developed all at once for Hasbro/Paramount, using a writers’ room format to hash-out many different film projects. While there are plenty of stories within the umbrella of the Dungeons & Dragons mythology, it’s unknown if the series will be something original or connected to various table top modules or existing stories/characters.

Paramount’s feature film starring Star Trek actor Chris Pine will be directed by with a release date of Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley, the duo behind the comedy Game Night. More casting announcements are expected within the coming weeks/months.

The fantasy genre is getting many high-profile television projects with a Lord of The Rings and Wheel of Time series at Amazon, both expected to have large budgets. HBO is about to begin production on their Game of Thrones prequel House of The Dragon this spring. Streaming giant Netflix has their The Witcher series adaptation starring Henry Cavill that is in the middle of filming Season 2 with another spin-off show in the works and they also recently secured film/television rights to Robert E. Howard’s iconic fantasy character Conan.

SOURCE: THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

‘Devotion’: Korean War Film Starring Jonathan Majors Adds ‘John Wick’s Thomas Sadoksi & Others – Begins Shooting Next Month

We’ve been really interested in the upcoming Korean War film Devotion, directed by JD Dillard with Lovecraft Country‘s Jonathan Majors and Top Gun: Maverick‘s Glenn Powell in leading roles.

The aerial epic will chart the true story of U.S. Navy fighter pilots, Jesse Brown and Tom Hudner, two young men from different worlds. Initiated together into the VF-32 squadron, they are pushed to their limits flying a new design of fighter jet. But their friendship is tested when one of them is shot down behind enemy lines.

Deadline reports that the cast has added Thomas Sadoski from HBO’s Newsroom, Christina Jackson from HBO’s Boardwalk Empire, and singer Joe Jonas. Thomas might be best known out of the three for acting previously seen as the New Jersey cop Jimmy from the first two John Wick movies starring Keanu Reeves.

Filming is said to begin this February in Georgia.

Majors recently caught the attention of Marvel Studios landing the role of comic book villain Kang The Conqueror in Peyton Reed‘s Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania, the Marvel Studios film is expected to begin shooting later this year in London.

SOURCE: DEADLINE

‘Nobody’: Bob Odenkirk Spent Two Years Training Including Hundreds of Hours Learning Fight Choreography Before Production Even Started

After the exciting trailer for Bob Odenkirk‘s action film Nobody it’s pretty interesting to hear him confirm he spent two years training for the film even before they shot a single frame. Here is what he had to say during a recent interview with IGN.

ODENKIRK: “I trained for two years before we started shooting. I knew I had a long way to go. I was a comedy writer for 25 years so I didn’t even exercise for most of my life. We weren’t trying to develop a superhero body. I look like a dad, I look like a regular guy. Maybe I eat fewer hamburgers than you, but I still eat hamburgers. I said, when this guy gets hurt I want that pain to linger. So many times people get punched and they shake it off and they’re fine. I wanted him to feel all the impact of the fighting and violence.”

They also reveal Bob spent hundreds of hours in the gym practicing the choreography for the fights which is going to be intense with the creator of John Wick, Derek Kolstad, writing the script and David Leitch producing the film, the action scenes had to be at next level than an average action flick. You might remember seeing behind the scenes videos for Keanu Reeves prepping for John Wick or Charlize Theron doing similar training for Atomic Blonde.

NOBODY – Sometimes the man you don’t notice is the most dangerous of all. Emmy winner Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul, The Post, Nebraska) stars as Hutch Mansell, an underestimated and overlooked dad and husband, taking life’s indignities on the chin and never pushing back. A nobody. When two thieves break into his suburban home one night, Hutch declines to defend himself or his family, hoping to prevent serious violence. His teenage son, Blake (Gage Munroe, The Shack), is disappointed in him and his wife, Becca (Connie Nielsen, Wonder Woman), seems to pull only further away. The aftermath of the incident strikes a match to Hutch’s long-simmering rage, triggering dormant instincts and propelling him on a brutal path that will surface dark secrets and lethal skills. In a barrage of fists, gunfire and squealing tires, Hutch must save his family from a dangerous adversary (famed Russian actor Aleksey Serebryakov, Amazon’s McMafia)—and ensure that he will never be underestimated as a nobody again. Nobody is directed by acclaimed filmmaker Ilya Naishuller (Hardcore Henry), from a script by Derek Kolstad, the narrative architect of the John Wick franchise, and co-stars legendary Emmy winner Christopher Lloyd as Hutch’s father and multi-hyphenate musician-actor RZA as Hutch’s brother, whose own hidden talents aid Hutch in his quest for vengeance.

Universal had planned on releasing the film on February 19th, 202 but have pushed to February 26th.

SOURCE: IGN