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Rob Zombie has said that for every one film project of his that moves forward, there are five potential projects that fall by the wayside. We haven’t heard of quite that many unmade Rob Zombie movies, but we have heard of several over the years that never got off the ground… and unfortunately, most of them sounded pretty interesting. A little over a year ago, Zombie had said he didn’t know what his next movie is going to be, but he did know what it’s not going to be: he won’t be continuing his Firefly franchise, and he doesn’t want to make a sequel to The Munsters (which was poorly received). So while he figures out his next cinematic move, we we have put together a list of Rob Zombie Movies We Want To See!

Dr. Satan Prequel/Sequel

Okay, so this flies right in...

Stars: Désiré Mia, Andy Allo, Mario D’Leon, Alex Winter, Patton Oswalt, Junes Zahdi, Julie Ann Emery, Olunike Adeliyi, Alok Vaid-Menon, John Siciliano | Written and Directed by Lexi Alexander

Absolute Dominion, directed by Lexi Alexander, is a sci-fi action film that ambitiously blends martial arts, dystopian world-building, and socio-political commentary on religion and power. Now there is a sentence I didn’t see myself writing when I woke up this morning.

In a future ravaged by religious wars, Absolute Dominion gives us a fairly controversial yet completely on the pulse premise. Imagine a religious Mortal Kombat tournament where representatives of various faiths (even an atheist organisation) fight to determine the world’s sole religion, thereby restoring peace because ‘One Religion = No War’. Try to understand that we are attempting to blend some truly high-concept ideas with visceral, punchy-kicky action. Well now you have my attention, no spoilers right now but despite...

The architecture of a story often rests on a single, foundational question, a central “what if” that dictates the reality to follow. For Absolute Dominion, that question is a spectacularly wild one: what if, to permanently end all religious wars, humanity agreed to settle its spiritual disputes within the confines of a martial arts tournament?

The film opens in a near-future where such conflicts have not just continued but have escalated, tearing apart landmarks and societies. Out of this global chaos, a proposal from a widely followed internet personality, delivered with the casualness of a stand-up routine, somehow becomes global policy. Each of the world’s faiths will train and field a single champion. The last one standing will determine the sole, state-sanctioned religion for every person on Earth.

Into this bizarre, high-stakes theological arena steps Sagan Bruno, a young man representing not a deity or a holy text, but...

Some ideas are just so good that they transcend the limitations of the medium where they first appeared. The Punisher is a great example of this, as despite originally being introduced as a Spider-Man villain back in 1974, this extremely versatile character has cemented himself as a cultural icon even among folks who have never read a single comic-book.

That’s why it makes sense that every single Punisher movie is entertaining in its own unique way, as the character remains compelling whether the adaptation embraces comic-book excess or focuses on the hard-boiled vigilante elements of this gun-toting anti-hero. However, while the Thomas Jane incarnation of Frank Castle will always be my nostalgic favorite, the most balanced depiction of the character also happens to be the most underrated, and that’s what we’ll be discussing today. If you haven’t already guessed, I’m referring to Lexi Alexander’s hyper-violent 2008 thriller Punisher: War Zone,...

Marvel films existed long before the creation of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which officially kicked off with 2008's "Iron Man." No, we're not just talking about the early 20th Century Fox features, either. Dating back to the early 1990s, the comic book titan has produced a substantial collection of motion pictures -- with decidedly mixed results. Early on, the studio struggled to connect with general audiences, resulting in ambitious box office misfires like the notorious "Howard the Duck," which failed to replicate the success of DC Comics' "Superman: The Movie" or "Batman."

Beginning in the late 1990s, however, Marvel found its footing with surprise hits like "Men in Black" and "Blade," paving the way for Bryan Singer's "X-Men" and Sam Raimi's hugely successful "Spider-Man" trilogy a few years later. Since then, the studio has produced nearly 40 films and created the famed MCU -- a franchise juggernaut that continues,...

It was December of 2008, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe was but a twinkle in Disney's eye. Jon Favreau's "Iron Man" had become a huge box office success earlier that year, and its post-credits stinger -- wherein Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) enticed Tony Stark to join the Avengers -- whetted the appetites of superhero fans everywhere. Disney would go on to purchase Marvel in 2009 and put that Avengers hint into action, ushering in a decade-long period of superhero ultra-dominance in theaters.

Before that happened, though, many superhero movies were still excitingly hit-and-miss, free of the McU's eventual homogeneity. The "X-Men" movies were up-and-down in quality, for instance, and Marvel characters like Daredevil and Elektra were only fitfully accepted by fans. Importantly, not all of these films had nine-figure budgets. Many studios, while recognizing that superheroes were moneymakers, weren't always willing to invest piles of cash in them. That wouldn't...

Born in Germany, to a Palestinian father and German mother, Lexi Alexander, a former World Kickboxing Champion, worked her way up from stunt-woman to Oscar-nominated director with her live-action short film Johnny Flynton, a drama about a boxer. Lexi followed up her Academy Award nomination with feature films including the SXSW Jury & Audience Award winning …

The post Lexi Alexander (Punisher: War Zone) Directs Martial Arts Movie Absolute Dominion | Ft. Alex Winter, Patton Oswalt appeared first on Horror News | Hnn.

Okay, settle down and listen up, because this premise is a doozy. In the near future, religious extremism leads to so many terrorist attacks that all the world’s faiths finally agree to stop killing each other. Instead, they’ll each train one martial artist and hold a big fighting tournament. The faith that wins will take over the world, and all the others will be outlawed.

That’s Lexi Alexander’s “Absolute Dominion,” and if it sounds more like a Patton Oswalt routine than a real movie, Alexander seems to agree. The movie literally begins with Patton Oswalt, playing a very Patton Oswalt-ish influencer, suggesting the religious rumble off the top of his head. He seems just as surprised as anybody that it went viral, let alone got taken seriously. It says a lot about contemporary culture that whereas once our minds boggled trying to imagine how the dystopian...

Martial arts decide the fate, and the faith, of humanity in the first trailer for next month’s indie action thriller, Absolute Dominion. Combining action classics like Bloodsport, The Hunger Games, and Mortal Kombat, Absolute Dominion drops audiences in a dystopian future in which the world’s governments decide to end the ongoing holy wars that have devastated civilization by gambling everything on a martial arts tournament. Which, considering the state of the real world, is some political policy we could get seriously behind.

Directed by Lexi Alexander, who is best known for helming the likes of the Marvel movie Punisher: War Zone starring the late Ray Stevenson on the big screen, as well as Arrow, Limitless, Taken, and S.W.A.T. on the small screen, Absolute Dominion is all set to land on Digital and in select theaters on May 9, 2025. You can check out more about the movie, and the trailer,...

"We need to make sure he doesn't make it into the top 50." Giant Pictures has unveiled the official trailer for an indie martial arts action thriller film titled Absolute Dominion, the latest feature made by Punisher: War Zone director Lexi Alexander. This will be out on VOD in May to watch. It's sort of a modern reboot of Bloodsport or Mortal Kombat, set in the near future involving a grand tournament. In 2063, desperate for a solution to save humanity from a global holy war on religions, the world's governing bodies establish a fierce, no-holds-barred martial-arts tournament to determine a champion whose faith will govern humanity and restore peace for the future. Created by an internet personality (played by Patton) the event is called The Battle Of Absolute Dominion. All qualifying belief systems will send one representative to compete, the last fighter standing wins Absolute Dominion for one faith. Can you...

It has been far too long since we've had a film from Lexi Alexander. Her work in films such as Punisher: War Zone and Green Street Hooligans is legendary, and she's worked in television on such shows as Supergirl, American Gothic, and How to Get Away with Murder. While there are more women making action films these days, it's still not enough, and any new work by Alexander is a reason to get our interest, especially with a premise such as for her upcoming feature, Absolute Dominion. In addition to the above still (courtesy of Giant Pictures), we're happy to present the first look at the trailer and poster. In the year 2063 Ad, the world faces catastrophe as zealots and extremists wage a global...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

On the eve of the EFM Screen has learned that US distributor Giant Pictures is launching an international sales division.

Giant Pictures general manager, Nick Savva, Tom Bairstow formerly of Sony Pictures Television Europe, and former Cinedigm president Bill Sondheim will lead the new venture and head to Berlin with an inaugural slate that includes Alex Braverman’s 2023 Venice and Telluride Andy Kaufman documentary Thank You Very Much.

The sales roster includes martial arts action title Absolute Dominion from Green Street Hooligans director Lexi Alexander, 2023 Lido selection and boxing drama The Featherweight from Robert Kolodny, and absurdist comedy and 2024 Fantastic...

Exclusive: Giant Pictures has acquired Lexi Alexander’s (Green Street Hooligan) martial arts action movie Absolute Dominion for international sales and U.S. release.

The movie’s cast includes newcomer Désiré Mia, Patton Oswalt, and Alex Winter, who also produced. Pic is slated for a spring 2025 release and it will be on sale at the upcoming EFM in Berlin.

Absolute Dominion takes place In the year 2063 Ad, when the world faces catastrophe as zealots and extremists wage a global holy war in the name of spiritual superiority. In a desperate attempt to save humanity from itself, the world’s governing bodies vote to establish ‘The Battle of Absolute Dominion,’ a fierce martial-arts tournament that will determine a champion whose faith will govern humanity and restore peace for the future.

Pic is written and directed by Lexi Alexander and is produced by John McKeown, Alex Winter, and Scott Puttnam. Cast comprises Désiré Mia,...

Quick Links What Is Green Street Hooligans? Where To Watch Green Street Hooligans There Are Numerous Green Street Hooligan Sequels As Well

Charlie Hunnam is one of the most underrated actors on both the big screen and small screen. He's perhaps best known for his role as Jax Teller in FX's Sons of Anarchy. There, he received numerous acting nominations such as "Best Actor in a Drama Series" for both the Satellite Awards and the Critics' Choice Television Awards, the latter of which he was nominated twice for.

The British actor is known for other notable roles such as Raleigh Becket in Pacific Rim and King Arthur in King Arthur: Legend of the Sword. Currently, Hunnam is set to star in the lead role in the upcoming Prime Video crime drama Criminal as well as murderer Ed Gein in the third season of Netflix's Monster entitled "The Original Monster.

Frank Castle has always been a vicious vigilante, but he is at his most brutal in the 2008 film Punisher: War Zone. While the film went largely unwatched at the time of its release, it's now streaming for free 16 years later, providing Marvel fans who've never seen it an opportunity to check it out at no cost.

Currently, Punisher: War Zone is streaming on Pluto TV. A box office bomb, the film was not a big money-earner upon release. It grossed $10 million worldwide with a budget of around $35 million. Critics in 2008 were also not very kind with their reviews, and Punisher: War Zone has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 29%. Despite the disappointing reception, however, the film has since earned cult status with some fans considering it to be Marvel's most underrated movie ever.

Related The Punisher's Kevin Nash Reacts to Someone Else Playing The Russian in Deadpool & Wolverine

The Russian can...

Punisher: War Zone is the lowest-earning Marvel movie, facing box office struggles and marketing challenges. Jon Bernthal's Punisher deserves a big-screen project for deeper exploration and interaction with other MCU characters. The time is right for another Punisher movie with Bernthal's exceptional portrayal and the McU's shift towards darker themes.

The time has come for Marvel to address its lowest-grossing movie ever and bring one of its best characters to the silver screen again. The Punisher has been notably absent from the MCU timeline, likely due to his highly violent and graphic brand of vigilante justice. However, with his pending return in the McU's future, it's possible that Marvel could adapt the character into a movie, and in the process redeem its worst performing movie ever.

The Punisher's on-screen history began with the 1989 film starring Dolph Lundgren, followed by a 2004 reboot with Thomas Jane. In 2008, Punisher: War Zone...

A Marvel movie released during the earliest days of the MCU is the lowest-grossing Marvel movie. It outpaces recent Marvel flops like The Marvels and Madame Web, earning $10.1 million against a $35 million budget. A different iteration of the character is set to appear in an upcoming MCU project, offering a chance at redemption.

The Punisher has endured as one of the most complex comic book characters, but his box-office record hasnt been all that impressive, as is evident from the low earnings of Marvel films like Punisher: War Zone. Following the footsteps of 1989s The Punisher starring Dolph Lundgren and 2004s Punisher reboot starring Thomas Jane, this movie found the late Ray Stevenson playing the ex-Marine-turned-vigilante Frank Castle. The Lexi Alexander-directed action thriller pitted the titular hero against Dominic Wests villain Jigsaw, a mob boss behind the death of Castles family and who vows revenge on Castle for disfiguring his face.

Fan Siu-wong, Kurt Russell, Zoe Bell, Mike Star, Fred Stoller, Johnny Barnes, Keanu Reeves’ fist, and Hugo WeavingScreenshot: YouTube

With the release of Amazon’s Mma-inspired remake of Road House, The A.V. Club is looking at the most brutal, compelling, and consequential punches to the face in cinema. Now,...

As the conflict between Israel and Gaza continued to escalate, Israelis and their allies in Hollywood pleaded for support and said they were riven with anxiety for the well-being of friends and family.

“Some of the immediate reaction is disbelief, rage and anger. And I think I’ve settled in over the last 24 hours to just immense sadness,” said Casting Networks co-ceo Rafi Gordon, who was born and raised in Israel before moving to the United States as a teenager. “This feels like a 9/11 kind of moment, where I don’t know what normal is on the other side of this.”

“People have tried justification for violence for 3,000 years and it doesn’t work. We need to find justifications for peace,” MRC co-founder and co-ceo Modi Wiczyk, who has close family in Israel, told TheWrap two days after surprise attacks by Hamas left some 900 Israelis dead and thousands wounded.

“It...

Killer Collectibles highlights five of the most exciting new horror products announced each and every week, from toys and apparel to artwork, records, and much more.

Here are the coolest horror collectibles unveiled this week!

The Warriors 4K Uhd from Arrow Video

The Warriors will come out to play on 4K Ultra HD on December 12 from Arrow Video. Both the 1979 theatrical cut and the 2005 alternate version have been newly restored in 4K from the original camera negative with Dolby Vision.

The action thriller is directed by Walter Hill from a script he co-wrote with David Shaber (Nighthawks), based on Sol Yurick’s 1965 novel. Michael Beck, James Remar, Deborah Van Valkenburgh, Marcelino Sánchez, and David Harris lead the ensemble cast.

The limited edition set comes with a 100-page book featuring new writing by film critic Dennis Cozzalio plus archival material, a double-sided poster with Laurie Greasley’s new artwork and the original key art,...

The Expendables 4 finally hit theaters. The last entry in the series The Expendables 3 was released almost a decade ago. Between its PG-13 rating — a switch from the R-rating of The Expendables and The Expendables 2 — and its poor critical and commercial reception, many weren't hopeful that The Expendables 4 wouldn't happen. Nevertheless, the fourth movie finally entered production in 2021 and wrapped filming in October, officially resurrecting the franchise once more.

Update September 25, 2023: This article has been updated following the release of The Expendables 4 and with more details about the film behind the scenes as well as the film's box office performance.

Led by Sylvester Stallone and featuring a cast that included Jason Statham, Bruce Willis, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, and other action movie stars, the Expendables franchise began back in 2010 with the release of The Expendables, which quickly spawned the 2012 sequel The Expendables 2. The second...

When people think of Frank Castle on the silver screen, actors like Jon Bernthal and Dolph Lundgren come to mind. However, the late Ray Stevenson‘s portrayal in Lexi Alexander’s 2008 crime-drama Punisher: War Zone hides in the shadows of the character’s cinematic history. The film was planned as a sequel to 2004’s The Punisher, starring Thomas Jane and John Travolta. War Zone picks up five years into the anti-hero’s journey into darkness, with Frank encountering his most significant threat in the villain Jigsaw, played by Dominic West.

Jonathan Hensleigh, who directed The Punisher, was supposed to return with Jane reprising the title role. However, setbacks kept the film from progressing, with Hensleigh and Jane hard-quitting the project out of frustration. Jane expressed his exasperation by saying, “What I won’t do is spend months of my life sweating over a movie I don’t believe in. I...

The untimely passing of actor Ray Stevenson has shocked us all. I personally fell in love with the actor when I first saw him as Titus Pullo in the excellent series Rome. I still can’t believe that he’s gone. What a loss. Which is why on this week’s The Arrow in the Head Show, we decided to revisit his take on Frank Castle in the 2008 Punisher: War Zone. Stab the embed above to hear our thoughts!

Directed by Lexi Alexander, the film is about: Frank Castle, aka The Punisher, turns the streets of New York City red as he wages a one man war against the crime syndicate responsible for the death of his wife and two kids. Aided by his trusted sidekick, Microchip, he almost kills Billy Russoti and leaves him horribly disfigured. Billy renames himself Jigsaw and with the help of his crazed brother Loony Bin Jim,...

Lexi Alexander's 2008 film "Punisher: War Zone" may be one of the most gonzo mainstream superhero films ever made. Like going to a drive-in on acid, "War Zone" is brutally violent to a cartoonish degree. The mayhem tally is one for the record books. The title character, played by Ray Stevenson, punches a man so hard, his fist exits the back of his head. In another scene, the Punisher hangs by his knees from a chandelier, a gun in each hand, spinning around as he lays waste to a ballroom full of baddies. The film's villain falls face-first into a bottle-crushing machine, leaving his face a stitched-up patchwork mask. In one amazing shot, a hopped-up parkour enthusiast is exploded with a rocket launcher while in midair. The film's final line of dialogue is one of the Punisher's friends complaining that he has human brain matter on him.

"War Zone" is a hoot,...

Hearing about Ray Stevenson’s unfortunate passing made me want to revisit one of his best movies….

Punisher: War Zone (2008)

Director: Lexi Alexander

Stars: Ray Stevenson, Dominic West, Julie Benz

Is There A Plot?

Former family man Frank Castle spends his time violently eradicating organized crime, but after an eventful night of sending a mob boss face-first through a glass crusher and accidentally killing an undercover FBI agent, The Punisher finds himself being hunted by those on both sides of the law.

What’S The Damage?

The Punisher has had an interesting foray in to live action over the years. The 1989 Dolph Lundgren movie still holds up, but he honestly could’ve been any generic vigilante. Jon Bernthal gave us a more psychologically complex Frank Castle in his Netflix series, while Thomas Jane provided what fans had long been clamoring for…The Punisher punishing Tampa, Florida. However, Punisher: War Zone...

Multiple fandoms were shocked at the sudden passing of actor Ray Stevenson, a staple of genre films and television. His (second) foray into the Star Wars universe comes in Ahsoka, set to debut in August on Disney+. He also appeared in the Marvel multiverse a few times, including as the best adaptation of Frank Castle in the underrated Punisher: War Zone.

A classically-trained British actor, Ray Stevenson worked steadily in the United Kingdom starting in 1990. However, his big break to American audiences came in the short-lived but well-loved Rome. Before Ahsoka, he provided his voice to The Clone Wars and Star Wars: Rebels as the villainous Mandalorian Gar Saxon. He played Marcus, leader of the Abnegation, in the Divergent movies. Perhaps most notably, Stevenson brought Volstagg to life in the first three Thor movies before being unceremoniously killed by Cate Blanchett's Hela. Still, Stevenson's first foray into Marvel came...

Ray Stevenson, a versatile actor known for genre fare such as Punisher: War Zone, the Thor movies, HBO’s Rome and much, much more, has died. He was 58.

Born George Raymond Stevenson on May 25, 1964, in Lisburn, Northern Ireland, he harbored acting ambitions from an early age. He enrolled at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, from where he eventually obtained his graduate degree.

From there, he kicked off a career in British and European TV, starting with 1993’s A Woman’s Guide To Adultery, in which he had a small role as a journalist. He racked up credits in a number of TV series well known to audiences, including Peak Practice, Holby City and The Bill.

But on the small screen, his true big break was HBO’s Rome, in which he played the cheery, violent Titus Pollo. It raised his profile, and he began to score bigger parts both on TV and the big screen.

In the opening of Lexi Alexander’s underrated 2008 action thriller Punisher: War Zone, we are introduced to the titular vigilante in an appropriately brutal fashion. Played to perfection by Ray Stevenson, it all worked because of the silent verve that he brought as he commanded the screen while hardly saying a word. Even just a simple nod after unleashing carnage spoke volumes, capturing the cold determination of the character and telling us everything we would need to know about what he was capable of. Though others have taken on the role, there were none who played him with quite the same sense of gravitas as Stevenson. This was true for each role he took on. Whether it was big or small, you just couldn’t take your eyes off of him.

Ray Stevenson, the actor known for his roles in "Thor" and "Rrr," among many, many other movies and TV shows over the years, has passed away at the age of 58. It's a remarkably unexpected, terrible bit of news, as Stevenson was truly one of those actors that added a whole lot to just about anything he was in. Case in point, he made the most of his chance to bring Frank Castle, aka The Punisher, to life in 2008's "Punisher: War Zone." Stevenson, it turns out, was bummed he never got the call to reprise the role.

Stevenson took over for Thomas Jane, who played the role of the Marvel Comics antihero in 2004's "The Punisher." Lionsgate changed things up for the sequel, though, with a new lead actor and a much more brutal take on the source material, as seen through the lens of director Lexi Alexander. The resulting...

Ray Stevenson understood the assignment.

From his early days as a dashing leading man on HBO's "Rome" to his late period as a consistently surprising character actor, the Irish actor was always a pleasure to watch. Sometimes, he'd steal the show on a glossy TV series like "Black Sails." Sometimes, he'd steal the show as the comedic relief in a Marvel Cinematic Universe movie. And sometimes, he'd steal the show in a low-budget genre movie that only cinematic junk food aficionados have seen. But he always stole the show. He always understood the assignment. He always delivered.

Stevenson has passed away at the age of 58, and he leaves behind a fascinating and varied body of work. But one role stands out amongst them all, and it represents his greatest attempt at mainstream stardom. It didn't work. The movie bombed. It was a critical failure, too. But time has been kind to it,...

Ray Stevenson, the prolific Irish actor who became famous in HBO's Rome, and has since starred as the Punisher in 2008's Punisher: War Zone, Volstagg in the Marvel Cinematic Universe Thor franchise, and was set to play Baylan Skoll in the upcoming Ahsoka series on Disney+, has died at age 58.

Born in Lisburn, Stevenson and his family moved to England when he was eight due to the Troubles. Stevenson initially pusued a career as an artist, and was actually working as an interior designer with a London architectural firm when he decided, at 25, to try to become a professional actor. He attended the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, graduating at age 29. He began appearing in a number of TV productions in the 1990s, before making his motion picture debut in 1998's The Theory of Flight, in a small, but important role against Helana Bonham Carter.

After a series of smaller...

Not many actors could claim they had played multiple Marvel characters and Star Wars characters in addition to famous historical figures and the villain in one of the biggest Tollywood hits of all time, but Ray Stevenson was one of them. As first reported by Italian news outlets and later confirmed by The Wrap and Variety, the actor died today at the age of 58. Born in Lisburn, Northern Ireland, Stevenson began acting in film and TV in the '90s. He would go on to become a bigger name thanks to his roles as Titus Pullo in the HBO series "Rome" and as Dagonet, one of Arthur's Knights of the Round Table, in Antoine Fuqua's 2004 period action-adventure movie "King Arthur."

As someone with a knack for playing hard-edged fighters and antiheroes, Stevenson was a natural fit to portray the Marvel comic book vigilante Frank Castle in Lexi Alexander's...

Ray Stevenson, a towering and imposing character actor best known for starring roles in “Punisher: War Zone” and the “Rome” television show, has died at the age of 58. While his passing has been confirmed by his publicists, the cause of death is currently undisclosed.

George Raymond Stevenson was born in Lisburn, Ireland, on May 25, 1964. He was the second of three sons, and his father was a Royal Air Force pilot. He moved to England at the age of 8 and eventually attended the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. He graduated at the age of 29. Stevenson had been a regular fixture at the movies and on television since the early 1990s.

His breakout movie role came in 1998’s “The Theory of Flight,” in which he played a gigolo tasked with helping Helena Bonham Carter’s character lose her virginity. His most notable big screen roles include the title role in Lexi Alexander...

On May 10, the Directors Guild of America sent a message to members that exemplified the muddled situation in which writer-directors find themselves amid the ongoing writers strike. In the communication, the DGA advised its members that minor script changes — like cutting for time and making small edits to dialogue during production — may be required of writer-directors during the strike if they are working on a project they wrote only in their capacity as a director.

The DGA considers small script changes to typically be part of a director’s workload, and the union’s “no-strike” clause requires it to put a good-faith effort toward requiring members to continue directing during the strike. But the “strike rules” governing what members of the Writers Guild of America can do during its strike mandate something different — that “hyphenates” (writers who are employed in additional roles) are prohibited from performing these “(a) through (h...

Thomas Jane portrayed Frank Castle in Jonathan Hensleigh's The Punisher, but he would subsequently be succeeded not once but twice. The Punisher has had a curious history his live-action adaptations compared to most other Marvel characters, first being played by Dolph Lundgren in 1989's The Punisher. Jane would later assume role in 2004's The Punisher, which was a moderate success and set up Castle's continued vigilante tale in The Punisher 2.

However, behind-the-scenes issues ultimately led both Hensleigh and Jane to depart The Punisher franchise, with Frank Castle being rebooted in 2008's Punisher: War Zone. Jane's portrayal of Frank Castle was generally well-received, which made his departure quite unfortunate, though he would later be seen in the role again in the 2015 short film Punisher: Dirty Laundry. Here is why Thomas Jane ultimately departed from The Punisher movie franchise.

Related: Is Jon Bernthal's Punisher The Villain In Daredevil: Born Again...

Jason Blum’s Blumhouse and James Wan’s Atomic Monster are in advanced talks to merge, according to an individual with knowledge of the situation.

After joining together the two iconic brands, Atomic Monster would have a first-look deal with Universal Pictures. Blumhouse is currently under a first look with Universal as well.

Post close, the parties expect that Atomic Monster and Blumhouse will continue to operate as separate labels, with each maintaining its own creative autonomy and brand identity. Atomic Monster is expecting to utilize the existing Blumhouse infrastructure to further scale their activities in film, TV and new content areas.

Also Read:

Netflix and Blumhouse Suddenly Drop Lexi Alexander’s Already-Shot ‘Absolute Dominion’

The alliance is expected to increase the combined companies’ output. The additional output will allow both companies greater latitude in taking on bold risk-taking original horror films.

Once combined, the companies will have more than...

Netflix and Blumhouse have parted ways with Lexi Alexander’s “Absolute Dominion,” a sci-fi martial arts film led by Patton Oswalt, Alex Winter and Julie Ann Emery.

An insider confirmed that Netflix will no longer distribute the film, while Blumhouse is no longer attached as a producer. Though the decision wasn’t easy, said the insider, they support Alexander finding another distributor.

Set in 2085, the movie centers on a futuristic martial arts tournament in which the victor wins absolute dominion for one religion. Greenlit by Netflix in April of this year, the Nevada shoot wrapped in August and the film is now in post-production.

Writer-director-producer Alexander did not directly comment on the decision. However, she retweeted the news with the message “Don’t worry, it’s not bad news. But here are the leads…” above images of four cast members.

Don't worry, it's not bad news. But here are the leads…...

Netflix will no longer distribute and Blumhouse Productions will no longer produce “Absolute Dominion,” a science-fiction martial arts drama from filmmaker Lexi Alexander.

Netflix greenlit the movie earlier this year, with Jason Blum and his Blumhouse Television banner on board to produce. It’s unclear why the two companies departed “Absolute Dominion,” but the filmmaking team is seeking new distribution. Principal photography took place this spring in Nevada. The project already wrapped filming, and it is currently in post production.

“Bill and Ted” actor Alex Winter, Patton Oswalt and newcomer Désiré Mia star in the violent, post-apocalyptic film, which takes place in 2085 A.D. after the world has been destroyed by religious warfare. Desperate to save humanity, global governing forces host a gripping, no-holds-barred, martial arts tournament. The last fighter standing wins Absolute Dominion for one faith.

Alexander, a former World Kickboxing Champion, also wrote and co-produced “Absolute Dominion.” She...

Universal Pictures' infamous Dark Universe was not an inherently bad idea. The studio had enjoyed great success crossing over its classic monster movie series going back to the 1940s, at one point even pairing them with comedy duo Abbott and Costello for a run of films. Then, director Stephen Sommers gave "The Mummy" a fresh coat of paint with his 1999 remake, a delightfully cheeky mix of "Indiana Jones"-style action/adventure and supernatural horror that would spawn two sequels and a series of spinoff films about The Scorpion King (a role originated by Dwayne Johnson in 2001's "The Mummy Returns").

Since then, however, Universal has struggled to effectively re-imagine most of its other monsters for the 21st century. Many of its attempts to do so have seen the studio trying to repurpose these characters as superheroes, starting with Sommers' 2004 movie "Van Helsing" and continuing on to 2014's "Dracula Untold," a...

Program Description

The Punisher is back and he’s on a killer mission when Punisher: War Zone arrives on 4K Ultra HD™ + Blu-ray™ + Digital SteelBook® October 18 from Lionsgate. Starring Ray Stevenson (Thor), Dominic West (The Wire), and Julie Benz (Dexter), Punisher: War Zone gives a new meaning to painting the town red as he wages his bloody one-man vigilante war. Punisher: War Zone will be available for the suggested retail price of 27.99 for 4K Ultra HD™ + Blu-ray™ + Digital SteelBook®.

Official Synopsis

Ex-Special Forces officer Frank Castle is back with all guns blazing as The Punisher, this time waging a one-man war on two fronts. While targeting the vicious mob boss, Billy Russoti, Castle horribly disfigures the gangster in a firefight that also claims the life of an undercover FBI agent. Seeking terrible vengeance, Russoti takes the name “Jigsaw” and begins recruiting the underworld’s most notorious criminals while the Feds form an anti-vigilante Strike Force.

The 2004 Marvel Comics adaptation The Punisher wasn’t a huge hit when it was released by Lionsgate, it made just under 55 million at the global box office, but that was still enough for Lionsgate to greenlight a sequel. And when The Punisher 2 first went into development, the idea was that The Punisher director Jonathan Hensleigh would be back at the helm, with Thomas Jane reprising the role of vigilante Frank Castle. But there were script issues, Hensleigh left the project, and Lionsgate started searching for another director. And during a panel at the Fanboy Expo Knoxville last weekend, Jane revealed that two of the directors who were considered for The Punisher 2 were Rob Zombie, who was then fresh off of working with Lionsgate on The Devil’s Rejects, and The Warriors‘ Walter Hill.

Jane said (with thanks to ComicBook.com for the transcription),

There were a couple of iterations of Punisher 2. One...

One could easily argue that we have never had an outright good "Punisher" movie. While several attempts have been made, nothing has truly managed to capture that character on screen in a way that seems possible. Jon Bernthal's Frank Castle from "Daredevil" season 2 seems the closest, even if his solo show missed the mark a bit. Thomas Jane gave it the old college try in 2004, with the actor stepping up to the plate for "The Punisher," an adaptation of the Marvel Comics title with Jonathan Hensleigh in the director's chair.

As it turns out, there was talk of a sequel to that iteration, and, what's more, several major directors were being courted to tackle the follow-up. Among those the studio considered? None other than the man behind "House of 1,000 Corpses" and "The Devil's Rejects," Rob Zombie.

Rob Zombie Nearly Directed Punisher 2

Jane revealed the intriguing information during an...

Action director Lexi Alexander is back with her first feature in over a decade, the Netflix martial arts drama "Absolute Dominion." As was first announced earlier today via Variety, the film has tapped Alex Winter and Patton Oswalt to appear. The duo joins Oluniké Adeliyi, Julie Ann Emery and Reagan Gomez, who were previously announced as starring. Alok Vaid-Menon, Andy Allo, Désiré Mia, Jennifer Jajeh, Juliana Joel,...

The post Alex Winter and Patton Oswalt Join Cast of Lexi Alexander's Netflix Martial Arts Movie Absolute Dominion appeared first on /Film.

Alex Winter (Bill & Ted Face the Music), Alok Vaid-Menon (Random Acts of Flyness), Andy Allo (Chicago Fire), Désiré Mia, Jennifer Jajeh (Transparent), Juliana Joel (American Gigolo), Julie Ann Emery (Better Call Saul), June Carryl (Y: The Last Man), Junes Zahdi (Counterpart), Laith Ashley (Pose), Mario D’Leon (Power), Nora Armani (The Blacklist: Redemption), Oluniké Adeliyi (The Expanse), Patton Oswalt (I Love My Dad), Reagan Gomez (Queen Sugar) and Shawn Mousavi (Echo 3) will star in the action-drama Absolute Dominion, which Lexi Alexander wrote and is directing for Netflix and Blumhouse Television.

In the martial arts pic currently in production, it’s 2085 A.D., and the world has been destroyed by religious warfare. Desperate to save humanity, global governing forces host a gripping, no-holds-barred, martial arts tournament. Last fighter standing wins Absolute Dominion for one faith.

Alexander, Jason Blum, John McKeown and Scott Putman are producing, with Chris McCumber and Jeremy Gold exec producing for Blumhouse Television.

Alex Winter (“Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure”) and Patton Oswalt (“Young Adult”) are set to appear in martial arts drama “Absolute Dominion” for Netflix.

“The Porter’s” Oluniké Adeliyi, “Better Call Saul’s” Julie Ann Emery and “Jerry Maguire’s” Reagan Gomez will also star in the project.

Helmed and written by stunt-woman turned director Lexi Alexander (“How to Get Away with Murder”), the high-octane sci-fi action film is co-produced by Blumhouse Television.

“It’s 2085 A.D. and the world has been destroyed by religious warfare,” reads the logline. “Desperate to save humanity, global governing forces host a gripping, no-holds-barred, martial arts tournament. Last fighter standing wins Absolute Dominion for one faith.”

Rounding out the cast are Alok Vaid-Menon, Andy Allo, Désiré Mia, Jennifer Jajeh, Juliana Joel, June Carryl, Junes Zahdi, Laith Ashley, Mario D’Leon, Nora Armani, Oluniké Adeliyi, and Shawn Mousavi.

Meanwhile martial arts expert Phil Tan has boarded...

A crew member on CBS’ FBI: Most Wanted recently tested positive for coronavirus — and the director of the last episode filmed claims that she was not informed until after the fact.

“A Human Resource person just called to tell me that someone on the crew of my last job tested positive for Covid 19,” Lexi Alexander, whose directing resume also includes La’s Finest, S.W.A.T., Supergirl and Arrow, claimed in a tweet on Thursday evening. “Then she casually told me not to worry that I’m probably not infected. I’m furious.”

More from TVLineWalking Dead Spinoff World Beyond Postponed, New Premiere...

A crew member on the set of CBS’ crime drama FBI: Most Wanted has tested positive for coronavirus, Deadline has confirmed. It’s the latest entertainment industry case in a pandemic that has now passed 200,000 cases worldwide and killed nearly 10,000.

Production had been shut down since March 12. The midseason series had some episodes to finish shooting as it had a 16-episode order, rather than the typical 13.

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Some cast and crew of the series from Dick Wolf Production and Universal TV had direct contact with the unidentified crewmember and were informed by human resources about the positive test. Director Lexi Alexander, who said she was told Wednesday, has been vocal on Twitter that...

A crew member who worked on “FBI: Most Wanted” has tested positive for Covid-19, the novel coronavirus, Variety has learned, and some who worked on the production are upset that they were not told earlier, ahead of the test results being received, so they could take precautionary measures against the respiratory illness.

The cast and crew of the CBS drama were officially informed Thursday morning via an emailed memo from NBCUniversal’s Universal Television, the studio behind the series.

According the NBCU memo obtained by Variety, the affected individual — whose identity has not been released for medical confidentiality reasons — received a positive diagnosis on Wednesday, March 18. This person had not been on the set of “FBI: Most Wanted” since Wednesday, March 11, and “had already recovered from a mild case by the time the test results came back today.” The memo, dated Wednesday, was emailed to the cast and crew the morning of Thursday,...

Crossface, the planned biopic about notorious pro wrestler and double murderer Chris Benoit, has been shelved. According to Benoit's son David, who has pro wrestling ambitions of his own, the movie was scrapped after the Benoit family saw the screenplay.

As explained by David in a new interview with Chris Van Vliet, the filmmakers needed the family's permission to move forward with the Chris Benoit project, but the Benoits rejected the proposal as the movie would have depicted the infamous tragedy.

"There was a director, everything bro. We had to step in because they wanted to do the tragedy about how it all went down. So we said no," David explains, adding that the Benoit family even hired a lawyer to assist in getting the project shut down. He added: "They needed our permission. She sent us the script and then the end was the whole murder/suicide was gonna be all in it.

Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. For daily updates follow us @NotebookMUBI.NEWSAgnès Varda, 1921—2019.Agnès Varda, vital initiator of the French New Wave, prolific auteur, nimble innovator, and constant inspiration as an artist and a person, has left us at the age of 90. "'In all women there is something in revolt which is not expressed,' Varda once said of her protagonist in Vagabond. Her films express exactly that sense of revolt, in both form and content." That's Christina Newland writing on Varda's cinema and its expression of the female experience for the New Statesman.Though it was first premiered at Venice in 2014, Abel Ferrara's Pasolini will finally have its North American release on May 10. The premiere coincides with “Abel Ferrara Unrated,” an upcoming retrospective of Ferrara's works at the Museum of Modern Art. Following a recent screening of High Life, Claire Denis stated that...