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Producer Tendeka Matatu’s London and South Africa-based production company Ten10 Films is expanding and rebranding as Ten10 Entertainment.

The Ten10-produced neo-noir thriller “Cold Harbour” is currently streaming on Netflix.

The name change reflects the outfit’s rapidly growing global slate of original series and film projects, which will be overseen by new head of development Jafta Mamabolo, an actor, writer, director and producer from Johannesburg.

Based out of South Africa, Mamabolo’s primary mandate is to expand the company’s Africa-focused entertainment slate. The first projects that he will oversee include young adult series “Abel & Ashanti” with producer Bill Borden; the African-futuristic “Akebul-an Chronicles” with Fremantle; and a limited series based on the book “Call Me American” by Abdi Nor Iftin.

Mamabolo first found continental acclaim in Africa at age 11 when he landed a prime role on “Soul Buddyz,” then Southern Africa’s most-watched youth program. His acting...

Stars: Samuel L. Jackson, India Eisley, Callan McAuliffe, Carl Beukes, Deon Lotz, DeVille Vannik, Zane Meas, Lionel Newton, Jaco Muller, Terence Bridgett | Written by Brian Cox | Directed by Ralph Ziman

Yasuomi Umetsu’s (chief animator for Arms Corporation who has also worked as a designer on Akira, Spriggan, Elfen Lied and Casshern) original anime Kite was, when first released in 1998, a highly controversial graphic story of hard, gory action and illicit eroticism. Banned in certain countries across the globe due to its scenes of rape and revenge, in Japan it has sold nearly a million DVD units. It has also been released in Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Russian, Czech Republic, Slovakia and the United States – where it remains popular; yet the original Ova and its sequel, have never had a UK release. In fact this Us film adaptation is the first time the franchise has been legitimately available in this country.

Three new action-packed clips have surfaced for the live-action feature film adaptation of the anime Kite. It looks like the filmmakers may have done a decent job of bringing this story to the big screen. The movie stars Samuel L. Jackson, India Eisley, Callan McAuliffe, Cleo Rinkwest, Russel Savadier, Keci Eatock, Matthew Van Leeve, and Jaco Muller.

Kite was directed by Ralph Ziman, and the story follows a young orphaned schoolgirl named Sawa, who is living in a failed state, during a time of post-financial collapse, "where the corrupt security force profits on the trafficking of young women. When her father, a cop, is slain by someone dirty inside the force, she vows to track the murderer down with the help of her father’s ex-partner."

The first clip you watch is called "Toys," and it's been labeled a red-band clip, the second is called "Rescue," and the third "Disguise.

Go Fly One: Ziman’s Anime Adaptation a Denuded, Unnecessary Endeavor

Those familiar with Yasuomi Umetsu’s 1998 fifty minute anime of the same name will be sorely disappointed in Ralph Ziman’s modernized update of the controversial Kite. But a faithful, live action rendition would have crossed the boundaries and limits of what defines exploitation cinema since we’re talking about an orphaned school girl sex slave assassin. A more fitting nod came from Quentin Tarantino, who culled the origin tangent of O-Ren Ishii in Kill Bill from Umetsu, in an anime sequence deemed too violent for live action. While a faithful adaptation would have seemed gratuitous, this end product is unable to elicit any kind of response at all, feeling utterly uninspired in look, tone, or content.

In a ravaged world facing the after effects of a global financial collapse, a young girl in Johannesburg named Sawa (India...

I dunno how to properly gauge this first clip from Ralph Ziman’s “Kite,” the adaptation of the popular Japanese anime about a teen hitgirl out for revenge. There’s something a bit off about it, but hey, it’s only a minute-plus clip, and the rest of the movie could be better. They sure went for gruesome, what with the bullet-through-the-hand gag and all. The thing with the old lady was just downright awkward, though. For some reason, I thought they had shot this thing in another language then dubbed it into English, but no? Never Underestimate a Girl with Nothing to Lose. Based on the groundbreaking, cult classic anime, Kite tells the story of Sawa (India Eisley, “The Secret Life of the American Teenager,” Underworld: Awakening), a young woman living in a corrupt society where crime and gangs terrorize the streets. When Sawa’s mother and policeman father...

One of several projects on his upcoming slate, here's a new clip featuring Samuel L. Jackson in the live-action remake of Yasuomi Umetsu’s Japanese anime film "Kite," which The Weinstein Company acquired worldwide rights to last year. Samuel L. Jackson stars alongside India Eisley in the film adaptation with South African director Ralph Ziman, helming. "Kite," in short, centers on a young girl named Sawa (Eisley) orphaned in her early teens, after her parents are brutally murdered, who becomes a hitman (or is it hitwoman?), and, with the help of her father's ex-partner Karl Aker (played by Samuel L....

Covering Fantasia for the first time was a hectic, enjoyable experience. They give you a badge with your name on it and everything. However, as for this year’s lineup, I have a little trouble being enthusiastic. With some major exceptions like Guardians of Galaxy, not listed here only because it’s appearance at the Festival seemed more coincidental than prestigious, a lot of the hyped up releases played weakly. Also, I’ve been no stranger to openly criticizing Fantasia audiences as a whole, more than willing to behave as sheep (or, in this case, cats) and applaud even the weakest of films due to a genre-note or laugh –however unintentional. So I found respite in some of the quieter films, and maybe a few major ones. No matter; Here are five things that truly deserve to gain wider audiences.

The Top Five Films of Fantasia

Time Lapse

Written by...

Callan McAuliffe in Beneath The Harvest Sky.

After Callan McAuliffe landed roles in two studio films, Flipped and I Am Number Four, several years ago, the teenager says he naively expected a glittering Hollywood career would ensue.

That.s now how the actor.s career has panned out but he shot four indie movies around the world in the past 18 months, working with Samuel L. Jackson, Sir Ben Kingsley and Gillian Anderson.

.I am no A-lister,. the Los Angeles-based McAuliffe, 19, told If today on a visit to Sydney as a national ambassador for Unicef promoting children.s rights. "I would rather be a working actor than a mega-famous star..

.I have to audition for every role but when you get the job, it.s very rewarding. I.ve been very fortunate, with a bit of luck and hard work. I have done some diverse movies, although some are not my type of movie.

A poster has been released for Samuel L Jackson's ive-action film adaptation of Yasuomi Umetsu's 1998 anime, Kite. This looks like a great movie and a fun adaptation. If you haven't seen the trailer for it yet, click here to check it out!

The live action version was directed by Ralph Ziman, and it follows a young orphaned schoolgirl named Sawa "living in a failed state, post-financial collapse, where the corrupt security force profits on the trafficking of young women. When her father, a cop, is slain by someone dirty inside the force, she vows to track the murderer down with the help of her father’s ex-partner."

The movie also stars India Eisley, Callan McAuliffe, Cleo Rinkwest, Russel Savadier, Keci Eatock, Matthew Van Leeve, and Jaco Muller. The movie will be released on October 10th, 2014, and it looks like a really fun adaptation. Thanks to IGN for the poster.

Kite

Written by Brian Cox (no, not that one)

Directed by Ralph Ziman

USA/Mexico, 2014

Kite is hyperbolic in every sense imaginable. It’s hyper-stylized without reason, hyper-violent, and incredibly stupid. It’s also under-developed, though it masquerades having depth.

Sawa (India Eisley) is a teenage girl living in an unspecified post-apocalyptic city. Through opening text we’re told that the origins of the breakdown of society stem from a severe financial crisis, leaving the Numbers gang to roam the streets and profit on their sex trafficking of young girls. Sawa is driven by vengeance, as the leader of the Numbers, The Eram (played by the only actor who seems to be having fun in this film), murdered her parents. With help from her father’s ex-partner (Samuel L. Jackson playing… Samuel L. Jackson), she wreaks havoc on The Eram’s trade, killing low-level clientele and working scum. The gang...

Hey, remember “Kite”? The movie about a teenage hitgirl based on the Japanese anime by Yasuomi Umetsu? The film has been adapted to the big screen (or big-ish, anyway) by Ralph Ziman is still coming to a theater, it just might not be to one very near you, and chances of you seeing it in theaters will likely be nil. Instead, the film will be hitting DirectTV over a month before it even opens in limited release for, one assumes, contractual obligations. The film itself looks pretty action packed, though of course fans of the anime shouldn’t be expecting that movie’s gratuitous level of sex. There seems to be plenty of violence, though. Check out the new trailer and about 25 new images below. A cult classic, by Yasuomi Umetsu, renowned for its stylistically graphic depictions of violent action and sensuality, concerns a young woman named Sawa who, after the murder of her parents,...

Samuel L Jackson features in the new trailer for Kite.

India Eisley and Callan McAuliffe also star in the action thriller adapted from the anime of the same name.

The Ralph Ziman-directed film centres around a young girl who becomes a deadly assassin following the murder of her mother and policeman father.

Jackson plays a cop who used to work with her father and decides to help her strike back against the corrupt state in which they live.

But he comes to question whether he has helped her or transformed her into a monster.

Kite will be released on DirecTV on August 28, and VOD and Us theatres on October 10. A UK cinematic release is yet to be confirmed.

"I made a monster… a beautiful monster."

You can never have too much of Samuel L. Jackson in your life, so here's a new trailer that has been released for his action film project Kite. It's sure to give you a nice little Sam Jackson high.

Kite is a live-action adaptation of the Japanese anime that was written and directed by Yasuomi Umetsu. The live action version was directed by Ralph Ziman, and the story follows a young orphaned schoolgirl named Sawa "living in a failed state, post-financial collapse, where the corrupt security force profits on the trafficking of young women. When her father, a cop, is slain by someone dirty inside the force, she vows to track the murderer down with the help of her father’s ex-partner."

The movie also stars India Eisley, Callan McAuliffe, Cleo Rinkwest, Russel Savadier, Keci Eatock, Matthew Van Leeve, and Jaco Muller. The...

"Looks like somebody used a landmine to clear their sinuses." Way back towards the beginning of the year, the first trailer for the live-action adaptation of the Japanese anime movie Kite debuted, showing Samuel L. Jackson in what seemed like a grittier, alternative sequel to Shaft. Now a new trailer shows a little more of what we can expect from the film. It's got an R-rating, so this won't be a tame thriller, and the world in which the story is set seems cool enough. Plus, this seems like an interesting role for Callan McAuliffe (Flipped) to continue his acting career. Could this be one of Jackson's surprise hits? Watch the trailer now! Here's the latest trailer for Ralph Ziman's Kite from IGN: Kite is directed by Ralph Ziman and based on Yasuomi Umetsu's iconic Japanese anime of the same name. When her cop father is killed, a...

Boasting an R-rating and the looming presence of Samuel L. Jackson, you would think there might there a bigger roar behind the anime adaptation "Kite." And while the buzz may still be a bit muted, a new trailer has arrived today to hopefully increase the noise around this one. Also featuring India Eisley and Callan McAuliffe, this is based on the comic by Yasuomi Umetsu, and is set in world where corrupt security forces profit on the trafficking of young women and gangs roam the street. But vengeance is the name of the game when a girl's policeman father and her mother are killed, and teams with a new pal, to mercilessly track down the murderer. And this trailer certainly has a lot of spunk and spirit, but we'll have to see what the Ralph Ziman film adds up to in the end. "Kite" hits DirecTV on August 28th, and...

What’s Samuel L. Jackson‘s next badass role? Staunch protector of a teenage killer. The legendary actor stars in the upcoming film Kite, a cult classic anime that’s been adapted into an action-packed thriller starring India Eisley (best known for her role on ABC Family’s The Secret Life of the American Teenager). Directed by Ralph Ziman, Kite tells the story of Sawa (Eisley), a young girl whose parents get killed in a gruesome double murder.

With the help of her father’s ex-partner Karl (Jackson) and a mysterious friend from her past (The Great Gatsby‘s Callan McAuliffe), Sawa navigates the corrupt society she grew up in, and becomes a merciless teenage assassin who will stop at nothing to seek revenge upon her parents’ murderer.

Kite will premiere exclusively on Directv on August 28 and will be released in theaters on October 10.

[Photo Credit: The Weinstein Company]...

What’s Samuel L. Jackson‘s next badass role? Staunch protector of a teenage killer. The legendary actor stars in the upcoming film Kite, a cult classic anime that’s been adapted into an action-packed thriller starring India Eisley (best known for her role on ABC Family’s The Secret Life of the American Teenager). Directed by Ralph Ziman, Kite tells the story of Sawa (Eisley), a young girl whose parents get killed in a gruesome double murder.

With the help of her father’s ex-partner Karl (Jackson) and a mysterious friend from her past (The Great Gatsby‘s Callan McAuliffe), Sawa navigates the corrupt society she grew up in, and becomes a merciless teenage assassin who will stop at nothing to seek revenge upon her parents’ murderer.

Kite will premiere exclusively on Directv on August 28 and will be released in theaters on October 10.

[Photo Credit: The Weinstein Company]...

The 18th annual Fantasia International Film Festival will be taking place once again in Montreal and the first wave of programming has been announced, revealing an eclectic mix of genre films from around the world:

“Montreal, June 19, 2014 – The 18th annual Fantasia International Film Festival is gearing up to take Montreal by storm with three weeks of inspiration and excitement starting July 17 until August 5, 2014. Our full 2014 lineup of programming and special events will be revealed shortly, but in the meantime, here’s an early First Wave Announcement of several selected highlights and info to whet your appetite.

Unveiling Our 2014 Poster Art: Fantasia Pays Tribute To Three Legendary Figures Of The Fantastic

On May 7 of last year, Ray Harryhausen, filmmaker and stop-motion special effects pioneer, passed away at the age of 92. Mr. Harryhausen created some of the most beloved and innovative fantastic film imagery of all time in such classics as The 7th Voyage Of Sinbad...

The grandaddy of all film fests, Fantasia 2014, is set to kick off on July 17th, and we have this year's artwork to share along with the first wave of event and film announcements.

From the Press Release:

The 18th annual Fantasia International Film Festival is gearing up to take Montreal by storm with three weeks of inspiration and excitement starting July 17 until August 5, 2014. Our full 2014 lineup of programming and special events will be revealed shortly, but in the meantime here’s an early First Wave Announcement of several selected highlights and info to whet your appetite.

For this year’s edition and onwards, Fantasia will be returning to the freshly renovated Concordia Hall Cinema as its main base, which now features an even larger screen, new seating, and upgraded projection and sound.

Unveiling Our 2014 Poster Art: Fantasia Pays Tribute To Three Legendary Figures Of The Fantastic

On May 7 of last year,...

Genre festival to open with Jacky in the Kingdom of Women [pictured]; other titles include Guardians of the Galaxy, Boyhood, The Harvest and Suburban Gothic.

Riad Sattouf’s Jacky in the Kingdom of Women will receive its Canadian premiere as the opening film of this year’s Fantasia International Film Festival.

The Montreal-based genre festival runs July 17-Aug 5 and has also announced it will hold a special screening of Guardians of the Galaxy.

Other first wave announcements include six world premieres: Leo Gabriadze’s Cybernatural; Jean Luc Herbulot’s Dealer; Aik Karapetian’s The Man in the Orange Jacket; Sarah Adina Smith’s The Midnight Swim; Dan Bush’s The Reconstruction of William Zero; and Richard Bates Jr’s Suburban Gothic.

Fantasia has also announced six international premieres, including John McNaughton’s The Harvest and Park Jae-hyun’s The Huntresses, and ten Canadian premieres such as The Mo Brothers’ Killers and Mike Cahill’s I Origins.

Richard Linklater’s critically...

It is that time of the year again in which we start preparing for our favourite film festival in the world. For the unfamiliar, Sound On Sight has delivered some of the best coverage of the Fantasia Film Festival since we first launched back in 2008. In the past we’ve published up to 55 reviews, dozens of features and recorded six podcasts dedicated entirely to the three and a half week long event. So be sure to come visit us again and again throughout the months of July and August, as we will surely be all over the 2014 edition. The 18th annual Fantasia International Film Festival is taking Montreal by storm, starting July 17 until August 5, 2014. They’ve just released their new poster and along with the first wave of films, and as expected, Fantasia’s programmers aren’t disappointing. Here’s the press release. Enjoy!

****

Montreal, June 19, 2014 – The 18th annual Fantasia...

Chairman and CEO Charles S Cohen announced (17) that the company has picked up North American and English-language remake rights to the French thriller.

Eric Barbier directed Berenice Bejo, Yvan Attal and Jean-Francois Stévenin in The Last Diamond (Le Dernier Diamant), the French Vertigo Productions thriller about a jewel thief who befriends a gem expert in the run-up to a significant auction.

Cohen Media Group evp John Kochman brokered the deal with agency Other Angle Pictures head of sales Olivier Albou and anticipates an early 2015 Us theatrical release.

The film is set to receive its international premiere at Colcoa in Los Angeles on April 25 and opens in France at the end of the month.

Cohen recently partnered with Dreamworks Studios on the remake of French thriller The Prey, which Charles Cohen is producing.

Anchor Bay Films has secured North American rights to Distant Horizon’s live action adaption of Yasuomi Umetsu’s anime revenge story Kite starring [link=nm...

A troubled shoot won't ease the concerns of followers of Kite, the cult Japanese anime written and directed by Yasuomi Umetsu. The Hollywood movie version has been in production for years, but filming stalled when original director, David R. Ellis, died in his Johannesburg hotel room during filming. Ralph Ziman (The Zookeeper) took over directorial duties and this is our first glimpse of the live action adaptation starring Samuel L. Jackson. The original series - consisting of two 30 minute episodes - was banned in many countries, including Norway, where it was outlawed for scenes of "child pornography", which is a criminal offence in Norway. That said, Kite is considered a cult classic in many circles and a Hollywood version was always going to find the going tough. No pressure there then. Synopsis: The film, which takes place in a post-financial collapse corrupt society, follows a girl who tries to track...

A troubled shoot won't ease the concerns of followers of Kite, the cult Japanese anime written and directed by Yasuomi Umetsu. The Hollywood movie version has been in production for years, but filming stalled when original director, David R. Ellis, died in his Johannesburg hotel room during filming. Ralph Ziman (The Zookeeper) took over directorial duties and this is our first glimpse of the live action adaptation starring Samuel L. Jackson. The original series - consisting of two 30 minute episodes - was banned in many countries, including Norway, where it was outlawed for scenes of "child pornography", which is a criminal offence in Norway. That said, Kite is considered a cult classic in many circles and a Hollywood version was always going to find the going tough. No pressure there then. Synopsis: The film, which takes place in a post-financial collapse corrupt society, follows a girl who tries to track...

Kite Trailer, Clips. Ralph Ziman‘s Kite (2014) movie trailer, ‘Elevator’ movie clip, ‘Bathroom’ movie clip, ‘Witness’ movie clip stars India Eisley, Samuel L. Jackson, Callan McAuliffe, Cleo Rinkwest, and Russel Savadier. Kite‘s plot synopsis: based on Yasuomi Umetsu‘s anime film, “Jackson plays a crooked detective who [...]

Continue reading: Kite (2014) Movie Trailer, Clip: India Eisley Kills in Film Adaptation...

One of several projects on his upcoming slate, here's your first look at Samuel L. Jackson in the live-action remake of Yasuomi Umetsu’s Japanese anime film Kite, which The Weinstein Company acquired worldwide rights to last year. Samuel L. Jackson stars alongside India Eisley in the film adaptation with South African director Ralph Ziman, helming. Kite, in short, centers on a young girl named Sawa (Eisley) orphaned in her early teens, after her parents are brutally murdered, who becomes a hitman (or is it hitwoman?), and, with the help of her father's ex-partner Karl Aker (played by Samuel L. Jackson), works to...

“When her cop father is killed, a young woman tracks the murder with the apparent help of his ex-partner.”

That’s the plot of the upcoming live-action remake Kite- an adaptation of the classic Japanese anime A Kite. The 1998 animated original was written and directed by Yasuomi Umetsu, and ran 60 minutes. This new take has been directed Ralph Ziman and will be distributed by The Weinstein Company.

In the video below the film’s biggest star, Samuel L. Jackson, provides an introduction from the set of his current project Big Game in Munich, and we’re given our first look at how Ziman has adapted Umetsu’s original.

The film will also star India Eisley, Callan McAuliffe, and Cleo Rinkwest. Kite set to be released later this year.

The post Samuel L. Jackson Gives Us A Look At ‘Kite’ appeared first on Latino-Review.com.

The late director David R. Ellis was supposed to reteam with his Snakes on a Plane star for a live-action adaptation of the Japanese anime movie Kite. But since he died just before production was supposed to begin, South African director Ralph Ziman (Gangster’s Paradise: Jerusalema) had to take over the project. It's been a year since then, and now it sounds like the project is gearing up for the big screen release as Bloody Disgusting has gotten ahold of an early trailer for the film introduced by star Samuel L. Jackson, proclaiming his affection for the original work. There seems to be some cool action, but Jackson could just as easily be playing Shaft again in this film and there wouldn't be much of a difference. Watch it! First trailer for Ralph Ziman's Kite, discovered by Bloody Disgusting (see a 5-minute clip there too): Kite...

Here's the first trailer and clip for Samuel L. Jackson's latest film project, Kite, which is a live-action adaptation of the Japanese anime that was written and directed by Yasuomi Umetsu.

The story follows a young orphaned schoolgirl named Sawa "living in a failed state, post-financial collapse, where the corrupt security force profits on the trafficking of young women. When her father, a cop, is slain by someone dirty inside the force, she vows to track the murderer down with the help of her father’s ex-partner."

The action thriller was directed be Ralph Ziman, and also stars India Eisley, Callan McAuliffe, Cleo Rinkwest, Russel Savadier, Keci Eatock, Matthew Van Leeve, and Jaco Muller.

There's an introduction by Jackson, and the movie looks like it could end up being entertaining, but we'll see. I also included a YouTube embed of just the trailer.

Kite (2014) Trailer, Clip and Samuel Jackson Introduction.

Kite has released nine minutes of footage.

Samuel L Jackson stars in the anime adaptation. The video posted by Bloody Disgusting features a trailer followed by an extended clip from the action movie.

The Ralph Ziman-directed film centres around a young girl who becomes a deadly assassin following the murder of her mother and policeman father.

Jackson plays a cop who used to work with her father and decides to help her strike back against the corrupt state in which they live.

India Eisley and Callan McAuliffe also feature in the movie.

Kite will arrive later in the year but is yet to announce its release date.

Trailer Ryan Lambie 6 Jan 2014 - 06:59

Live action anime adaptation Kite gets its first trailer, with an introduction from a casually-dressed Samuel L Jackson...

A live-action adaptation of Yasuomi Umetsu's ultraviolent anime about a deadly young female assassin has been in various stages of development for years, but we can now be sure that Kite is finally nearing completion.

Stuntman turned director David R Ellis was making the movie in Johannesberg when he sadly died in January last year. Director Ralph Ziman then stepped in to complete it. The result is a hyper-stylised, violent yet inevitably less explicit take on the Japanese original, with India Eisley playing the worryingly youthful-looking killer Sawa, and Samuel L Jackson providing support as a corrupt cop.

The (very Nsfw) first trailer and clip, introduced by Samuel L Jackson, gives an idea of the film's look and feel: a kind of grungy collision of Leon,...

Upcoming movie Kite is based on Yasuomi Umetsu's anime that is known for its graphic depictions of sex and violence. Samuel L. Jackson plays Karl Aker, a corrupt detective and India Eisley (The Secret Life of the American Teenager, Underworld: Awakening) plays Sawa, a young girl who is out to track down those responsible for killing her father with the help of Aker. Callan McAuliffe (I Am Number Four, The Great Gatsby) co-stars. Ralph Ziman (Gangster's Paradise: Jerusalema, The Zookeeper) took over as director after the death of David R. Ellis, who worked with Jackson on Snakes On A Plane. Kite was filmed in Johannesburg and the first trailer is embedded below. ...

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

There are a lot of movies coming in 2014, but one you might have unfortunately forgotten about is "Kite." Why should you keep this one on your radar? Well, it's an adaptation of an anime that is renowned for it's rather graphic sexuality, and not only does Samuel L. Jackson star in the movie, he's a big fan of the material as well, which hopefully means this version will retain some of the spirit of the source material. At any rate, you'll be able to judge for yourself, as nine minutes from the movie—a trailer followed by a lengthy clip—have emerged by surprise online, presumably ahead of schedule, considering there isn't even a release date yet for "Kite." The film is based on the comic by Yasuomi Umetsu and directed by Ralph Ziman. India Eisley (“The Secret Life of the American Teenager,” “Underworld: Awakening”) and Callan McAuliffe ("The Great Gatsby,...

It.s a good week for Samuel L. Jackson fans, who already got a first look at the actor in the upcoming action comedy Barely Lethal. People looking for something similar but far more extreme are going to be pleased with the above trailer and series of clips from the upcoming action drama Kite, the live-action remake of Yasuomi Umetsu.s 1999 anime A Kite. At least, I think they.ll be pleased. I.m not quite sure what I saw up there, but I know part of it was pink. It.s admittedly nice to get a trailer with a handful of clips behind it, plus Jackson.s intro, although it reeks of "leaked video" rather than official studio output. (Thanks to Bloody Disgusting for seeking it out.) In any case, it.s a long look at South African director Ralph Ziman.s first film since 2008.s impressive crime drama...

I haven’t followed director Ralph Ziman’s live-action adaptation of “Kite” as closely as others, but I gotta say I like what I’m seeing. Not only is 2014 shaping up to be a fantastic year for action cinema — check out the latest “Raid 2″ trailer if you doubt these words — there’s apparently plenty of Samuel L. Jackson to go around. I can’t say that’s necessarily a bad thing. “Kite” tells the story of a young woman who tracks down her murdered father’s killer with a little help from the cop’s ex-partner. Judging from the trailer and clip embedded below, there’s tons of nastiness on-tap for those who’ve been patiently awaiting this film’s arrival. If this Jackson flick doesn’t do it for you, then check out “Big Game,” “Barely Lethal,” “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” and the upcoming “RoboCop” remake to get your fix.

A first look at anime Ova adaptation Kite has come online (via Bloody-Disgusting ) in the form of a trailer and five-minute clip. Featuring an introduction by star Samuel L. Jackson, the video can be found below. Also starring India Eisley, Callan McAuliffe, Cleo Rinkwest, Russel Savadier, Keci Eatock, Matthew Van Leeve and Jaco Muller, the Ralph Ziman-directed action thriller is based on "A Kite," written and directed by Yasuomi Umetsu. The anime Ova told the story of a sexually abused orphaned schoolgirl, Sawa, who becomes an assassin. The original is famous for its high level of sex and violence. Update: Video removed by request.

The first trailer, a five-minute clip and a video introduction by Samuel L. Jackson are all included in this nine-minute clip below showcasing a first look at Ralph Ziman's live-action feature film adaptation of the super violent anime "Kite".

Jackson plays a crooked detective who uses homeless children to do his dirty work. He takes in a young woman named Sawa (India Eisley) after the murder of her parents, training her to kill and exact street justice against his targets.

Callan McAuliffe also stars. If the embed below doesn't work, try here.

Source: Bloody Disgusting...

While promoting "Django Unchained" a year ago, Samuel L Jackson revealed that he was planning to re-team with his "Snakes on a Plane" director David R Ellis for a live-action adaptation of a Japanese anime, called "Kite." Two weeks later, Ellis passed away, but Jackson was determined to complete the project. Ralph Ziman stepped in to direct, and we now have the first trailer and a five minute clip from the movie. Check everything out below. The story focuses on a young woman named Sawa who, after the murder of her parents, is taken off the streets by a crooked detective employing homeless children to do his dirty work. Trained to kill, she exacts street justice against the detective's chosen targets, until she is able to break free of the abusive and manipulative control he has over her. Video:...

One film set to hit next year is "Kite," a live action remake of Yasuomi Umetsu's infamous 1998 anime feature.

Rising young Australian actor Callan McAuliffe plays the best friend of the female lead (India Eisley), and recently sat down with Empire to discuss adapting an animated work famous for its extreme gory violence and strong sexuality:

"I suppose in an effort to make it a little more accessible, it has been toned down a tiny bit, but it is still exceedingly violent and there is a lot of the original material in there.

It's definitely not something that young children should watch! It still maintains a lot of the elements that fans will be happy with.

There are things it's impossible to get across with live action, such as the expressiveness of the characters, which would be overly theatrical in live action. So it has a more cinematic feel to it.

Last weekend, Stan Lee’s Comikaze convention hit Los Angeles. One of the films to show off footage and bring guests to the show was anime adaptation Kite, starring Samuel L. Jackson, Callan McAuliffe and India Eisley. Empire took the chance to sit down with McAuliffe to talk adaptation issues, working with Jackson and his other recent job, Jon Wright’s Our Robot Overlords.Kite, as you may be aware, is the live-action remake of the anime known for its intensely violent action and decidedly Nsfw sexuality. As McAuliffe points out, director Ralph Ziman and his team made adjustments for their version. “I suppose in an effort to make it a little more accessible, it's been toned down a tiny bit, but it is still exceedingly violent and there is a lot of the original material in there. It's definitely not something that young children should watch! It still maintains...

Director Ralph Ziman’s “Kite”, the live-action adaptation of the Japanese manga/anime of the same name, has just wrapped up production in South Africa. The film stars Samuel L. Jackson along with Callan McAuliffe, with “Underworld: Awakening’s” India Eisley playing the female lead, Sawa. In the movie, as in the comics and anime, Sawa is a young teenage girl in a dystopian city seeking to avenge her father’s killers with the help of his ex-partner, played by Samuel L. Jackson. McAuliffe (“I am Number Four”) will play Oburi, the young boy who befriends and falls for Sawa. Which is complicated, since Sawa is also a teenage hitman. Or, er, hitwoman. Hitgirl. One of those. Hopefully that’s the extent of the movie’s faithfulness to the source material, which can be a tad, er, gratuitous at times. In an interview with the Aussie McAuliffe, Aussie newspaper The...

Samuel L. Jackson stars in Ralph Ziman's remake of Yasuomi Umetsu’s Japanese Ova, Kite. The live-action film stars nineteen-year-old India Eisley (Underworld: Awakening, Maleficent) as Sawa, sixty-four-year-old Samuel L. Jackson (The Avengers, Captain America: The Winter Soldier) as Karl Aker (Akai) and eighteen-year-old Callan McAuliffe (The Great Gatsby) as Oburi. If you've seen the original Ova, you know why the ages are important here. The project was very nearly shelved when David R. Ellis (Snakes On A Plane) passed away back in February but Ralph Ziman (Gangster's Paradise: Jerusalema ) quickly stepped in to keep the project moving. "Kite, is a character-driven action film that charts the story of Sawa (Eisley), a young woman living in a failed state after the financial collapse, where a corrupt security force profits on the trafficking of young women. When Sawa's policeman father is killed, she vows to track the...

The Cannes Film Festival doesn’t begin in earnest until tomorrow, when The Great Gatsby opens the prestigious 12-day cinematic showcase and the shiniest of celebrities descend on the luxurious Mediterranean resort, but the Cannes film market is already revving on all cylinders. Warner Bros. is reportedly on the verge of acquiring the U.S. rights to How to Catch a Monster, Ryan Gosling’s directorial debut that he’ll also star in, along with Eva Mendes, Saoirse Ronan, and Christina Hendricks. The fantasy film is still in production, but as Deadline originally reported, the weight of Warner Bros. will...

The Weinstein Company has acquired worldwide sales rights, excluding the U.S., South Africa and India, to the live-action remake of Yasuomi Umetsu’s Japanese anime movie Kite. The film, which has just completed shooting in South Africa, stars Samuel L. Jackson, India Eisley and Australia's Callan McAuliffe and was directed by Ralph Ziman (The Zoo Keeper, Gangster's Paradise: Jerusalema). Kite will be sold to international buyers at the Cannes Film Festival next week. The Weinstein Co.'s David Glasser said: "We look forward to showing buyers a first look at some early footage in Cannes.” Anant

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Almost one month ago, the news hit that director David R. Ellis (“The Final Destination,” “Snakes On A Plane”) had been found dead in his Johannesburg hotel room where he was staying while working on “Kite,” a remake of the 1998 Japanese anime film that was set to star Samuel L. Jackson. Now, rest assured that while Ellis is no more, his project will live on. South African director Ralph Ziman is set to take over at the helm. Jackson will stay on board, while India Eisley and Callan McAuliffe have also joined the cast. Ziman’s best-known directing credit is for 2008’s “Gangster’s Paradise: Jerusalema,” about crime in a post-apartheid black South African neighborhood. The film was generally well-reviewed and praised for its kinetic energy -- something Ziman will need to adapt the dystopian “Kite.” The original anime sparked controversy for its graphic depictions of an orphaned girl turned sex.

When the sudden news of Snakes on a Plane director David R. Ellis passing away surfaced last month, that left the adaptation of he Japanese anime movie Kite, starring Samuel L. Jackson, in limbo. The project was gearing up to start production when Ellis passed away, and it was unclear what would happen. Now a press release (found via The Film Stage) has revealed that South African director Ralph Ziman (Gangster’s Paradise: Jerusalema) will take over the project. In addition, Maleficent and Underworld: Awakening star India Eisley and The Great Gatsby and Flipped star Callan McAuliffe have both joined the cast. More below! The story doesn't depart too much from the original anime as it follows a young woman (to be played by India Eisley) living in a failed state, post-financial collapse, where the corrupt security force profits on the trafficking of young women. Her father, a police officer,...

As you’ll recall, director David R. Ellis was in South Africa doing pre-production on “Kite”, his adaptation of the Japanese anime by Yasuomi Umetsu when he suddenly passed away last month. The film was set to star Samuel L. Jackson, who was reuniting with Ellis after having worked together on the viral hit (but as it turns out, not box office hit) “Snakes on a Plane”. Well the show must go on, and the producers have hired a replacement director in local filmmaker Ralph Ziman (“Gangster’s Paradise: Jerusalema”), who will take over directing the film in Johannesburg, with production set to begin sometime later this month. Jackson will remain on the film, and will be joined by young castmembers India Eisley (below, last seen playing Kate Beckinsale’s daughter in “Underworld: Awakening”) and Callan McAuliffe (top, of “I am Number Four” fame). Unlike the sex and violence-heavy offering of the Japanese anime,...

In my interview with Samuel L. Jackson in December, ahead of the release of Django Unchained, he mentioned that one of the projects on his slate was a live-action adaptation of a Japanese anime film called Kite (Yasuomi Umetsu’s 1998 work), which was to be directed by David R. Ellis (who also directed Mr Jackson in Snakes On A Plane). However, as some of you may know, David R. Ellis died on January 7 (this year). Taking over for him, revealed this morning, is South African director Ralph Ziman. Ziman's last film was 2008's Gangster's Paradise: Jerusalema, a film I wrote about on my old blog (S&A wasn't around at the time),...

South African filmmaker Ralph Ziman ("Gangster’s Paradise: Jerusalema") has come onboard to helm the live action remake of Yasuomi Umetsu’s 1998 Japanese anime "Kite".

At the same time, Callan McAuliffe ("Underground: The Julian Assange Story") and India Eisley ("Maleficent") have joined the cast which includes the previously announced Samuel L. Jackson.

The story is a character-driven actioneer about a young woman living in a failed state, post-financial collapse, where the corrupt security force profits in human trafficking.

When her police father is slain, she vows to track the murderer down with the help of her father's ex-partner - unaware he is the man who had her father killed.

Ziman replaces the late David R. Ellis, and filming aims to begin in Johannesburg later this month.

Moisés Cosio, Alejandro Saevich, Anant Singh and Brian Cox are producing.

Source: Deadline...

After two decades working as a stunt man in movies like Smokey and the Bandit, Scarface, and Road House, David R. Ellis moved into the director's seat on the animal-centered Disney movie Homeward Bound 2: Lost in San Francisco. From there he went on to helm a string of movies that blended horror and action, but undoubtedly is best known for the willful insanity that is Snakes on a Plane. Ellis' next venture, which reunited him with Snakes on a Plane star Samuel L. Jackson, was similarly wild and ambitious. In 2011, word hit that he was developing a live-action remake of the 1998 anime Kite. Unfortunately, Ellis died earlier this month, leaving the future of this remake uncertain. Preproduction for principal photography in Johannesburg, South Africa, was already underway, so producers scrambled to find a replacement for Ellis. Deadline reports they found one in South African director Ralph Ziman, who helmed...