"The Assassins" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Film Business Asia reports that premiere distributor Well Go USA has pre-bought North American rights to the upcoming Chinese historical action film, The Assassins. The film stars Chow Yun Fat and is written by the screenwriter behind Zhang Yimou’s Hero and House of Flying Daggers. Directed by newcomer Zhao Linshan, The Assassins is currently in post-production.

The rights to the film are being sold by Arclight Films, a sales agency based out of Sydney, Australia and Los Angeles, California. In the article, the CEO of Arclight mentions that his company is producing and distributing more Asian films than any other non-Asian based company. Arclight is also selling the rights to the Chinese/Korean co-production of Dangerous Liaisons starring Zhang Ziyi; a martial arts picture called The Four; and a live-action, English-language retelling of Mulan.

Updates: Scope out a poster for The Assassins at Chinese Films. The cast and crew of the film will be making an appearance at the opening ceremony of the The Second Beijing International Film Festival on April 23. The film itself is expected to hit Chinese theaters in October. It’s set during the Three Kingdoms era with Chow Yun Fat starring as the famous military strategist Cao Cao.

We haven’t heard much about this film lately but it’s hitting Chinese theaters at the end of September and there is a new batch of stills featuring actress Shizuka Inoh in costume. At last, a trailer for this highly anticipated film. The Assassins releases in China at the end of September.

A new trailer for the film – sorry, no English subs this time. The plot involves several attempts to take the life of military strategist Cao Cao (played by Chow Yun Fat) during the Three Kingdoms era. The final poster is here, courtesy of Chinese Films. Yet another new trailer. Hey, we’re not complaining! Man, the producers of The Assassins sure are keen on advertising this movie. Here’s another new trailer.

BREAKING NEWS: Chinese Films reports that The Assassins has performed fairly well at the box office since its release two days ago. However, actress Shizuka Inoh has dropped out of her promotional obligations for the film, citing disappointment that several of her scenes were cut. Director Zhao Linshan stepped in to say that lead star Chow Yun Fat had more of his scenes cut than anyone, implying that such editing is simply a part of crafting a film.

"Bleak Night" DVD Cover

Cityonfire.com has received the following press release from 5 Points Pictures on September 26, 2012: Film distributor 5 Points Pictures is pleased to announce the Region 1 DVD release of Bleak Night will be available on January 22, 2013.

A grieving father (Cho Seong-ha, The Yellow Sea) seeks to understand the circumstances that led his teenage son, Ki-tae (Lee Je-hoon, The Front Line), to commit suicide. The discovery of a photo prompts him to seek out the young man’s friends, Dong-yoon and Hee-june. Before viewers’ eyes, a complex picture of the dynamic between them develops: Friends and foes. Bullies and victims. Brothers and strangers.

What could have pushed the bond between the three young men past its breaking point?

Writer and director Yoon Sung-hyun originally created Bleak Night – which was also his feature film debut – as a project for his coursework at the Korean Academy of Film Arts (KAFA). It features the on-screen talents of Lee Je-hoon (The Front Line, Architecture 101), Seo Jun-young (Tree With Deep Roots TV, Eighteen), and PARK Jung-min (Golden Time TV, Feast of the Gods TV) as the three teens at the story’s center, along with veteran actor Cho Seong-ha (The Yellow Sea, Helpless).

Since its world premiere at the Busan International Film Festival, Bleak Night has screened and received acclaim at events worldwide, including the Fantasia Film Festival, International Film Festival Rotterdam (Tiger Awards), Hong Kong International Film Festival, Taipei Film Festival, Munich International Film Festival, Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival, and the Korean Cultural Service/Subway Cinema Movie Night film series in New York.

Bleak Night was produced by KAFA Films. It is presented by the Korean Academy of Film Arts and CJ Entertainment.

5 Points Pictures’ release of Bleak Night will feature an upgraded English translation of the film, plus on-disc extras. Visit www.5pointspictures.com for more information.

"Predator" Japanese Theatrical Poster

THE MOVIE: David Ayer, the director of End of Watch, will team up with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sam Worthington in Breacher. The plot will revolve around members of an elite DEA task force who find themselves being taken down one by one after they rob a drug cartel safe house. Breacher is currently in pre-production and will start filming on October 2012. Breacher also stars Malin Akerman, Joe Manganiello, Olivia Williams, Josh Holloway and Terrence Howard.

Update: In an interview with Empire, Schwarzenegger says: “Breacher, especially, will be very like a new Predator,” he adds. “It’s a team around me and they get knocked off until there’s only me left. Except in this case there will be a different twist to the whole thing instead of some alien monster.”

Lone Wolf & Cub Complete Blu-ray Set (Animeigo)

It’s the end of September and there are plenty of great new releases on Blu-ray and DVD to look forward to, from Lone Wolf and Cub to Bond, James Bond. So let’s get started.

Here are your Blu-ray and DVD releases for the week of 9/25/12:

ASIAN CINEMA

Lone Wolf and Cub Complete (Blu-ray) – AnimEigo presents the entire 6-film “Lone Wolf and Cub” series, uncut and subtitled in hi-definition

Gamera the Brave (Blu-ray) – Tokyo Shock brings this 2006 family-friendly entry in the popular Gamera series to Blu

Wong Kar-Wai Double Feature: Fallen Angels + Happy Together (Blu-ray) – two 90’s Hong Kong classics from that master of cool, Wong Kar-Wai, courtesy of Kino Video

Man of Vendetta (DVD) – in this 2010 Korean thriller, a preacher must set aside his faith for some more secular-style revenge when his daughter is kidnapped

The Outlaw (DVD) – a detective turns bitter as he watches the worst of society get away with brutal crimes in this 2010 Korean thriller

Lady Ninja Kasumi Collection 1 (DVD) – Warning: Contains Adult Content! Tokyo Shock brings you 2006 female ninja’sploitation

Shaolin Deadly Kicks / Chase Step By Step (DVD) – Screenmagic Films delivers the low-budget 1974 kung-fu action

FOREIGN CINEMA

Sleepless Night (DVD) – this gritty 2011 French action flick has won praise from internet critics, who billed it as ‘Die Hard in a nightclub’

Ek tha Tiger (DVD) – a rip-roaring 2012 Bollywood action/romance starring Salman Khan of “Dabangg” and “Bodyguard” fame

Klown (Blu-ray/DVD) – a misguided man-child kidnaps his pregnant girlfriend’s nephew in order to show he has father potential in this raunchy 2010 Danish comedy

Delicacy (Blu-ray/DVD) – international cinema sweetheart Audrey Tautou (“Amelie”) stars as a widow trying to rebuild her life in this 2011 French drama

Goodbye First Love (DVD) – in this acclaimed 2011 French-language film, a 15 year-old girl tries to move on from her first true love as she grows older

The Man From Beijing (DVD) – despite the title, this is a 2011 German-language mystery/thriller based on a novel by the creator of Wallander

Snowman’s Land (DVD) – in this 2010 German thriller set in the Carpathian Mountains, what should be a routine job for a dogged hitman becomes a battle for survival

Shut Up! (Tais Toi) (DVD) – Jean Reno and Gerard Depardieu team up in this 2003 French film labeled as the ultimate buddy-caper comedy

Soul of Sand (Pairon Talle) (DVD) – this 2010 Indian drama shot on HD is a scathing satire on Indian politics and the caste system

Twisted Romance (DVD) – this 2008 Spanish-language film tells the story of an abusive romance between two men

The Light Thief (DVD) – a 2012 satire from Kyrgyzstan, detailing life in post-Soviet Central Asia

El Tinte De La Fama (the Color Of Fame) (DVD) – in this 2008 Spanish drama, a woman enters a ‘Marilyn Monroe Lookalike Contest’ at the behest of her husband and suffers an identity crisis as a result

MAINSTREAM

Marvel’s The Avengers (Blu-ray/DVD) – do I even need to introduce this movie? The biggest blockbuster of 2012, featuring Marvel comics’ colorful but dysfunctional heroes, is coming to home formats

Bond 50: The Complete 22 Film Collection (Blu-ray/DVD) – every Bond film released to date, from Sean Connery to Daniel Craig, is collected in one box set

Resident Evil: Damnation (Blu-ray/DVD) – not to be confused with Paul W.S. Anderson’s live-action series, this 2012 original Computer-Generated film follows the video game “Resident Evil” series continuity

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Part 1 (Blu-ray/DVD) – Frank Miller’s popular graphic novel from the Eighties is adapted into a two-part 2012 animated film

Soliders of Fortune (DVD) – Christian Slater, Sean Bean, and Ving Rhames get their own ‘Expendables’-style action flick with this 2012 movie

FDR: American Badass (DVD) – a 2012 action-packed Presidential spoof featuring Kevin Sorbo

The Samaritan (Blu-ray/DVD) – Samuel L. Jackson stars as a grifter trying to get back on the straight and narrow after a stint in prison in this 2012 thriller

CULT

Eating Raoul (Blu-ray) – the Criterion Collection offers this 1982 out there black comedy from director Paul Bartel in hi-def

Damsels in Distress (Blu-ray/DVD) – this 2012 comedy starring Greta Gerwig is the latest sharp-witted satire from writer/director Whit Stillman (“Last Days of Disco”)

CLASSICS

Mark of Zorro (DVD) – Douglas Fairbanks stars in a budget release of this 1920 swashbuckler that many consider to be the best Zorro film ever

HORROR

The Tall Man (Blu-ray/DVD) – Jessica Biel stars in the 2012 English-language debut of Pascal Laugier, the director of “Martyrs”

Night of the Devils (Blu-ray/DVD) – RaroVideo USA delivers this 1972 obscure Italian horror film to hi-def

Zombie (Blu-ray) – Blue Underground re-issues Lucio Fulci’s classic 1979 Italian horror classic as a single-disc, budget-priced Blu-ray

Maniac (Blu-ray) – the grimy 1980 slasher movie cult classic arrives on a one-disc Blu-ray from Blue Underground

388 Arletta Avenue (DVD) – Nick Stahl and Mia Kirshner star in this 2011 ‘found footage’ horror film

Dracula vs. Frankenstein (Blu-ray) – the 1972 monster mash-up in hi-definition

Demonic Toys (DVD) – the 1992 low-budget horror film from Full Moon Pictures

Dollman vs. Demonic Toys (DVD) – Full Moon Pictures delivers a crossover between the Dollman and Demonic Toys franchise with this 1993 horror flick

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