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Before Ana de Armas became a Hollywood staple, she starred in War Dogs, a wild, gun-running rollercoaster based on a true story except, not really. Released nine years ago, the film marketed itself as a high-octane retelling of two 20-something hustlers landing a $300 million Pentagon arms deal.

Characters were fictionalized, timelines tweaked, and dramatic liberties taken like they were on sale. Ana de Armas played the worried girlfriend role, but even her part was a narrative invention. Turns out, the truth was messier, darker, and way less glam than Hollywood made it look.

War Dogs let Ana de Armas shine, but just don’t believe everything it says is “true” Jonah Hill (left) and Miles Teller (right) in War Dogs (2016) | Credits: Warner Bros. Pictures

Back in 2016, Ana de Armas starred in War Dogs, a wild ride “based on a true story” except, well, it wasn’t entirely true. And that’s putting it mildly.

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Ana de Armas is a brilliant and beautiful actor, and she has proven her acting chops time and time again by giving several brilliant performances in recent years. She even added James Bond to the growing list of films. The Cuban actress is fluent in both Spanish and English, and she has made a great career for herself in Hollywood by working with brilliant directors and actors. So, if you also love Armas’ brilliant performances and want to see more of her, here are the 8 best movies starring Ana de Armas you can watch right now.

8. Ghosted (Apple TV+) Credit – Apple TV+

Ghosted is a romantic comedy spy action-adventure film directed by Dexter Fletcher from a screenplay co-written by Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, Chris McKenna, and Erik Sommers. The 2023 film follows Cole who falls head over heels for...

War is no laughing matter, just in case anybody needs reminding. But there has always been a strain of comedy war films, from "Operation Petticoat" and "Operation Dumbo Drop" via the Mutual Assured Destruction laffs of "Dr. Strangelove" to war-adjacent capers like "The Greatest Beer Run Ever." In 2016, Todd Phillips gave us "War Dogs," a movie that plays somewhat like a stoner version of the latter with illegal firearms instead of cans of warm Pabst Blue Ribbon.

Inspired by a "Rolling Stone" article about two young Miami dudes who became unlikely gun runners for the U.S. Government, a black comedy about the murky world of international arms dealers will always be relevant in our era of perpetual war. Following movies like "Old School" and "The Hangover," Phillips might not have seemed like the obvious choice to direct a greed-is-bad black comedy about such a serious subject. As he proved in his later "Joker" movies,...

Movies have done a great job of telling stories, whether they are fictional or real-life incidents. Films are a great way to reach a wider audience. Over the years, there have been plenty of films that are adaptations of books or stories from other sources that have resonated with audiences on a deeper level, showcasing the success of films to reach and connect with audiences in ways that are otherwise not possible.

Movies excel at conveying stories, whether by capturing significant moments in history, bringing biographies to life, or immersing viewers in life-changing events. They might not always be recreated with pinpoint accuracy; often, the movie is fictionalized or exaggerated to keep the audience hooked. And yet, they can be educational and fun watches at times.

Let’s dive into a list of movies that are based on true stories that are a must-watch if you want to feel inspired,...

Todd Phillips is one of the most successful comedy movie directors of all time. The filmmaker began his career by directing comedies such as Road Trip, Old School, and Starsky & Hutch, and then helmed 2009's The Hangover, which instantly became a comedy sensation. This led to Phillips making two more Hangover movies, completing the trilogy. After the massive success of the Hangover movies, Phillips had a lot more freedom to take on whatever projects he wanted.

This led to him directing Joker in 2019. Joker was another massive success for Phillips, earning him an Academy Award nomination for Best Director. This year, Phillips also directed the much more controversial sequel Joker: Folie à Deux. However, before he directed either of the Joker movies, Phillips directed a dark comedy crime film in 2016, which was his first film after The Hangover Part III.

War Dogs Gets A Solid Review From Real Arms...

2016's War Dogs movie was based on real events, but the War Dogs' true story was different than what appeared in the film. At the center of the film, the two real-life protagonists, Efraim Diveroli (Jonah Hill) and David Packouz (Miles Teller) are low-level arms dealers who manage to win a contract with the Pentagon worth $300 million to arm American allies in Afghanistan. The premise alone makes it hard to believe that War Dogs is a true story, but while there are some embellishments, this strange tale has a lot of truth to the story.

The Todd Phillips movie has a lot of fun embracing the oddity of this crime story. Efraim and David's contract means they're responsible for arming allies of the US with weapons in Afghanistan. When things go awry, the pair set off on a globetrotting adventure that sees them meddle with corrupt politicians and volatile arms...

Long-time John Wick executive producer David Leitch discussed the development of his upcoming film adaptation of Kung Fu, based on the classic martial arts drama from the 1970s.

Last Jan. 31, it was confirmed that Leitch had been tapped to helm the Kung Fu reboot movie, with IP Man star Donnie Yen attached for the lead role. Speaking with Collider, Leitch opened up about the upcoming project, while expressing how special this project is to him due to the significance of martial arts in his life. "I'm obviously really passionate about both those things," he said. "And you know, kung fu, martial arts is a huge part of my life, has been since I was a kid. I'm a huge fan of Donnie and his work and his films. And so the potential of that is really, really interesting. We're in the development phase with Donnie, and it's really exciting, and...

Classic 1970s television series Kung Fu is heading to the big screen, and Donnie Yen will star – more here.

A feature film based on the classic 1970s TV series Kung Fu has been in development for some time, and now it seems to be moving forward at Universal Pictures and 87North.

According to Deadline, John Wick director David Leitch will helm the film from a screenplay by Stephen Chin, with Ip Man star Donnie Yen set to play Kwai Chang Caine, a role first inhabited by David Carradine.

Martial arts icon Bruce Lee famously auditioned for the lead role in the original 1972 series, but lost out, of course, to Carradine. He played Caine, a spiritual monk who roams the Old West in the 1800s, wandering into confrontations and fist fights every week. The show proved popular, with phrases like ‘grasshopper’ making their way into the cultural lexicon.

Two sequel series,...

Donnie Yen, known for his work in action films, will star in the Kung Fu film adaptation, bringing his considerable skill and recognition to the martial arts drama. Kung Fu was previously adapted into a CW show of the same name in 2021. The film is doing right by including the original creator of the Kung Fu TV series, Ed Spielman, as a producer, allowing for input from the creative force behind the original narrative.

Actor Donnie Yen is reunited with the producers behind John Wick for a film reboot of the series Kung Fu. Yen is best known for his work in action films such as the IP Man franchise and John Wick: Chapter 4. In the latter film, Yen played a blind assassin named Caine, who is determined to find and kill the titular protagonist, John Wick.

As reported by Deadline, Yen is now set to star in a...

Donnie Yen is set to lead a feature adaptation of the classic '70s TV series Kung Fu, produced by Universal Pictures alongside 87North. Director David Leitch praised Donnie Yen as a "true martial arts master" and expressed excitement about collaborating on reimagining the beloved story for the big screen. The original Kung Fu first aired in 1972 and follows a Shaolin monk who travels through the American Old West.

John Wick: Chapter 4 and renowned martial arts actor Donnie Yen has found his next big project, leading a feature adaptation of the classic ’70s TV series, Kung Fu. If that were not already enough to have martial arts and action movie fans excited, the project is being produced by Universal Pictures alongside 87North, the studio known for the likes of the John Wick franchise, Nobody, and the upcoming The Fall Guy.

The original Kung Fu was first aired way back in...

With a film based on one cult TV series on the way, it appears that David Leitch is not done digging into nostalgia for movies. He and his 87North production partners are now developing a film based on 1970s series Kung Fu, with Donnie Yen lined up to star.

Stephen Chin has written the script for the new film, which will put a new spin on the show. Created by Ed Spielman, the original series ran between 1972 and 1975 on ABC and starred David Carradine as Kwai Chang Caine, a master martial artist who fled China after his master was murdered.

He wandered the Old West helping the downtrodden and weathering rampant racism while eluding assassins trying to kill him. He was a peaceful man until provoked, which happened at least once an episode.

The racism angle was somewhat controversial as, according to Bruce Lee’s widow, the martial arts legend...

Kung Fu is getting rebooted as a feature film.

Per Deadline, it's been announced that a Kung Fu movie is in development, based upon the original TV series of the same name. The film will star Donnie Yen, one of Hong Kong's biggest action stars who has also appeared in movies like Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Disney's live-action Mulan, the IP Man movies, and last year's John Wick: Chapter 4. The film is being eyed by David Leitch to direct with the screenplay coming from Stephen Chin.

Related Rogue One's Donnie Yen Worried He Was Too Old for Star Wars Donnie Yen wasn't sure if he was the right age to take the role of Chirrut mwe in Rogue One, but his children wanted to see him in a Star Wars movie.

"Donnie Yen is both an immensely talented actor and an action film legend, and it is...

Kung Fu, the long-gestating adaptation of the 1970s TV show, is getting a jolt with actor Donnie Yen boarding the project to star. The well-known martial artist and star is in talks to lead the feature for Universal, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.

Frequent Universal collaborator David Leitch has been on the project since 2020, producing with Kelly McCormick via their Universal-based 87North Productions alongside Guy Danella. Stephen L’Heureux is producing via Solipsist Films. Leitch, who has Fall Guy due out this spring, is eying the director’s chair for Kung Fu, which has a script from Stephen Chin and counts Kung Fu TV creator Ed Spielman as an executive producer.

Yen is a global star, known for his work spanning Hong Kong and Hollywood. He leads the Ip Man films, and was among the cast of the $1 billion grosser Rogue One: A Star Wars Story as well as Disney’s...

David Leitch’s 87North is getting ready to reboot the classic martial arts/ western series Kung Fu, and it looks like they’ve found their Caine: the one and only Donnie Yen. The press release doesn’t reveal if Yen is actually playing Caine, but it seems like a no-brainer. The series was infamously developed by Bruce Lee as a starring vehicle for himself, only for the role to be eventually cast with David Carradine in the lead. In the end, it worked out fine, with Bruce Lee gaining immortality with his kung-fu movies for Golden Harvest in Hong Kong (which would have never happened had he been tied to a series), while Carradine became iconic as the enigmatic Caine.

Caine roams the Wild West in the series, looking for his long-lost brother. He was a peace-loving protector of the innocent who only fought when provoked (which happened A...

Exclusive: World-renowned actor and influential Hong Kong action filmmaker Donnie Yen is set to star in 87North and Universal Pictures’ Kung Fu, a feature adaptation of the classic ’70s TV series. Kelly McCormick, David Leitch, and Guy Danella will produce through 87North, with Leitch eyeing to direct.

Stephen Chin wrote the screenplay. Stephen L’Hereaux will also produce, and Ed Spielman, creator of the original Kung Fu television series, will executive produce.

The original ABC series starred David Carradine as a master martial artist who fled China after his master was murdered. He wandered the Old West helping the downtrodden and weathering rampant racism while eluding assassins trying to kill him. He was a peaceful man until provoked, which happened at least once an episode.

With his ground-breaking work on and off camera, Donnie Yen is among the exceedingly few actors of his generation to work at the highest levels...

Bruce Lee changed the cultural landscape. But he never lived to see just how he influenced martial arts and martial arts movies, the image of Asian men on screen, numerous directors from Ang Lee, who is planning on making a movie about Bruce Lee starring his son Mason, and Quentin Tarantino, action stars such as Jackie Chan, Arnold Schwarzenegger, comedians such as Eddie Murphy and Margaret Cho and singers including LL Cool J and RZA.

Lee was just 32 when he died on July 23, 1973 of what was described as “death by misadventure.” There have been numerous theories of what actually caused his death. One forensic scientist announced he died of cerebral edema due to a reaction to ingredients in the medication Equagesic he had taken. A 2022 study in the Clinical Kidney Journal stated that the cerebral edema was caused by hyponatremia-a lack of sodium in his blood. (Lee actually underwent surgery...

Exclusive: Jules Daly, who spent 17 of her 28 years at Rsa Films as president of the film, TV and commercials production company started by Ridley and Tony Scott, is transitioning into an independent producing deal with sister company Scott Free Productions. Daly launches her own banner, Big Red Films, with seven feature film projects.

Rsa, which is approaching 50 years in business with tons of commercials including Scott’s famed 1984 Apple spot, will now be run by company veteran David Mitchell. Mitchell has produced high-profile commercials with Jake Scott and many other directors including Michael Mann, Jordan Scott, Terence Neale, Samuel Bayer, Chris Cunningham and Ridley and Tony Scott. He has been elevated to Rsa managing director.

While much of running Rsa consisted of managing thousands of commercials shot by emerging director clients in locales all over the world, Daly also produced films that included the Joe Carnahan-directed The Grey, The...

War Dogs Warner Bros Reviewed by: Harvey Karten, Shockya Grade: B+ Director:  Todd Phillips Written by: Todd Phillips, Jason Smilovic, Stephen Chin Cast: Jonah Hill, Miles Teller, Ana de Armas, Shaun Toub Screened at: WB, NYC, 8/15/16 Opens: August 19, 2016 This is the age of entrepreneurship, when a couple of twenty-somethings can go into a garage, exploit some new technology, and sell the company for millions, even billions.  Mark Zuckerberg did it, but he was no slacker.  He went to Phillips Exeter Academy and then to Harvard and can address an audience in China with his fluent Mandarin.  So: do you have to be bright to be an entrepreneur?   [ Read More ]

The post War Dogs Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.

Long before ordering Miles Teller and Jonah Hill off to the front lines, The Hangover director Todd Phillips came close to enlisting Shia Labeouf and Batman V Superman star Jesse Eisenberg for his gleefully over-the-top action comedy, War Dogs.

Opening in theaters today, August 19, Phillips revealed to Cinema Blend that the thriller formerly known as Arms and the Dudes originally had Labeouf attached to the part of vain gunrunner Efraim Diveroli, with Eisenberg slotting into the role of his partner-in-war-crime, David Packouz.

So, what changed? According to Phillips, a deal didn’t stick, though considering that both he and screenwriters Stephen Chin and Jason Smilovic wrote the script with Jonah Hill in mind, it would appear things worked out for the best.

Just to speak to that first part, [Jesse Eisenberg and Shia Labeouf] were attached for a moment, and then we ended up pushing the movie an entire year and both guys became unavailable.

Chicago – “War Dogs” is an insufferable, self important, and heavy handed attempt at satire that can’t stop congratulating itself for all the big truths it’s blowing up, bro. “Old School” and “Hangover” director Todd Phillips fancies himself an auteur, but here it seems like he’s imitating David O Russell imitating Martin Scorsese.

Rating: 1.5/5.0

He’s picked a subject ripe for satire. Inspired by the true story, David (Miles Teller) and Efraim (Jonah Hill) play a couple of old high school friends in Miami who reconnect at a friend’s funeral during the early oughts in the middle of the Afghan and Iraq wars. David is struggling just to get by as a massage therapist with a wife and a baby on the way, while Efraim has found a way to make easy cash by exploiting the bureaucracy of the military.

Efraim bids on small military contracts for...

The kids are heading back to school, it’s getting a touch cooler (the multiplex is still a great place to beat the heat), the superheroes have packed it in (for a couple of months), so are we ready to return to the Middle East, or at least the big conflicts in the sand? That’s how we started out the year, with Michael Bay’s Benghazi docudrama. Well, there were two little films that followed, set in that hostile local. Two “dramadies”, one fact, the other fiction, to be precise. Tom Hanks was a “fish-out-of-water” in Hologram For The King, while Tina Fey was a TV news reporter (based on a real person) in Whiskey Tango Foxtrot. Yes, this new flick is a comedy, or at least that’s what the near constant onslaught of trailers and TV spots have been hammering home for the last several months. Hey,...

War Dogs, not unlike The Big Short, attempts to make entertainment out of outrageous, behind-the-scenes sausage-making that ultimately had an impact on the American economy. While Todd Phillips‘ film is not as insightful as Adam McKay’s picture, it’s a good time, even if it remains somewhat politically neutral. The boys get rich off of a war they oppose while praising Dick Cheney’s America for making it happen.

Miles Teller stars as David Packouz, a massage therapist living in Miami with pregnant finance Iz (Ana de Armas). At a funeral he crosses paths with his middle school pal Efraim Diveroli (Jonah Hill), a shape-shifter who is whomever you want him to be while he’s standing right in front of you. Fighting for small crumbs on a government bidding site designed to even the playing field, David and Efraim make small arms deals until one appears they can’t resist.

One of my favorite young actors, Miles Teller has been gaining steam as emerging A-lister over the last couple of years. This week, Teller is getting the same treatment that fellow near A-lister Jonah Hill got from me a few days ago from yours truly, in honor of their upcoming film War Dogs. Teller is very good in the film, as he pretty much always is, and even if it probably won’t launch his star any higher, it’s another interesting role in his quickly growing oeuvre. He deserves the attention, that’s for sure, so we’ll be showering him with it a bit more today… Once again for those of you who are curious, War Dogs is dramedy about two young men who became unlikely gun runners. It’s based on the true story of David Packouz (Teller) and Efraim Diveroli (Hill), who inexplicably won a $300 million...

A comedy only in the bleakest way, satire only in the sense that the whole world has become a parody of itself. Appalling and amusing in equal measure. I’m “biast” (pro): nothing

I’m “biast” (con): nothing

I have read the source article (and I like it)

(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)

War Dogs was originally called Arms and the Dudes, which is a clever title, except it makes the movie sound like some sort of stoner comedy about bumbling weapons dealers from the guy who made the Hangover movies. And it’s not that at all. Oh, it is directed and cowritten by Todd Phillips, who wrote two and directed all three of the Hangover flicks, and it is about young arms dealers who frequently partake in illegal substances. But it’s not The Hangover with Guns. War Dogs is a comedy only in the darkest,...

I don’t think that Jonah Hill quite gets the appreciation that he deserves within the industry. Yes, he’s been cited by Oscar twice with Academy Award nominations in Best Supporting Actor (the first for Moneyball and the second for The Wolf of Wall Street) and has anchored a hugely successful comedy franchise, but still, he comes off as under-appreciated. Perhaps when he makes his directorial debut in a year or so that will change, but for now, he’s still underrated in my book. This week, he has a new film out in War Dogs, which could be another hit on his resume. He also has last week’s successful Sausage Party, an animated movie in which he is one of the voices. He certainly keeps busy, right? For those of you who are curious, War Dogs is dramedy about two young men who became unlikely gun runners.

From director Todd Phillips (“The Hangover” trilogy) comes War Dogs, starring Oscar nominee Jonah Hill (“The Wolf of Wall Street,” “Moneyball”) and Miles Teller (“Whiplash,” the “Divergent” trilogy).

Based on a true story, War Dogs follows two friends in their early 20s (Hill and Teller) living in Miami Beach during the Iraq War who exploit a little-known government initiative that allows small businesses to bid on U.S. Military contracts. Starting small, they begin raking in big money and are living the high life. But the pair gets in over their heads when they land a 300 million dollar deal to arm the Afghan Military—a deal that puts them in business with some very shady people, not the least of which turns out to be the U.S. Government.

The film also stars Ana de Armas (“Knock Knock”) and Oscar nominee Bradley Cooper (“American Sniper,” “American Hustle”). The screenplay is...

Take a look @ "War Dogs", the biographical comedy feature directed by Todd Phillips and written by Phillips, Jason Smilovic and Stephen Chin, starring stars Miles Teller, and Jonah Hill, based on a 'Rolling Stone' magazine article by Guy Lawson:

"...two arms dealers, 'David Packouz' and 'Efraim Diveroli', get a government contract to supply weapons for Us troops in Afghanistan..."

"War Dogs" opens August 19, 2016.

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "War Dogs"...

The incredible true story of two 20-year-old stoners who became international arms dealers will head to the big screen this August with War Dogs. The film, based on a 2011 Rolling Stone article, stars Miles Teller and Jonah Hill as the weed-loving, weapons-selling dudes, and in the newest trailer for the film, we see the dark, dangerous underbelly of their unlikely career path.

"This is the job: To do business with the people the U.S. government can't do business with directly," Hill's character tells Teller's. The film bounces from Fallujah,...

From director Todd Phillips comes War Dogs, a comedic drama based on true events, starring Oscar nominee Jonah Hill and Miles Teller. Just in time for the Fourth of July, we have the new full-length trailer for this explosive thriller. We also have the just debuted one-sheet that celebrates 'Money, Corruption and the American Dream!' This could very well end up being this generation's Scarface.

War Dogs follows two friends in their early 20s (Hill and Teller) living in Miami Beach during the Iraq War who exploit a little-known government initiative that allows small businesses to bid on U.S. Military contracts. Starting small, they begin raking in big money and are living the high life. But the pair gets in over their heads when they land a 300 million dollar deal to arm the Afghan Military, a deal that puts them in business with some very shady people, not...

Todd Phillips (The Hangover) introduces the Arms and the Dudes in today’s slick new trailer for War Dogs, an upcoming action-thriller that ships Miles Teller and Jonah Hill daring (read: idiotic) opportunists to the frontlines.

Hatching a plan to smuggle weapons across the globe and into the Afghan Military, War Dogs is set against the throes of the Iraq war, following Teller and Hill’s twenty-somethings who, after landing an eye-watering 300 million contract from the Pentagon, set about getting their hands dirty by doing business with exactly the kind of people that the Us government tends to keep at arm’s reach – and then some.

It’s a far cry from the trivial shenanigans found across The Hangover trilogy, but the above snippet is dripping with style, set against the fist-pumping riff of AC/DC’s “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap.”

What’s more, War Dogs is loosely based...

It’s been three years since Todd Phillips’ “The Hangover III,” but the director’s new movie “War Dogs” looks well worth the wait.

Warner Brothers has released a new trailer for the film, which is based on the true story of David Packouz (Miles Teller) and Efraim Diveroli (Jonah Hill), two twenty-somethings who won a $300 million contract from the U.S government to arm America’s allies in Afghanistan. The title is a derogatory term for people who profit from war without ever setting foot on the battle field, but as Teller’s character explains, “we kind of liked it.”

In the movie, Teller plays the somewhat reluctant international arms dealer who recently left his job as a massage therapist in Miami to join his best friend from junior high school in selling guns and ammo. “David, we’re gun runners,” Hill says. “Let’s go run some guns.

Todd Phillips' War Dogs follows two 20-something Miami Beach stoners (Jonah Hill and Miles Teller) who land a $300 million deal with the U.S. government to arm the Afghan military during the Iraq War. The plot sounds implausible, but is based on a true story documented by Guy Lawson in a 2011 Rolling Stone profile (and his subsequent 2015 book Arms and the Dudes). The film's hilarious trailer outlines the basic plot, hinting at the decadence and danger awaiting the unlikely businessmen.

The clip opens with Hill and Teller securing their...

From director Todd Phillips (“The Hangover” trilogy) comes the action comedy War Dogs starring Oscar nominee Jonah Hill (“The Wolf of Wall Street,” “Moneyball”) and Miles Teller (“Whiplash,” the “Divergent” trilogy).

Based on a true story, War Dogs follows two friends in their early 20s (Hill and Teller) living in Miami during the first Iraq War who exploit a little-known government initiative that allows small businesses to bid on U.S. Military contracts. Starting small, they begin raking in big money and are living the high life. But the pair gets in over their heads when they land a 300 million dollar deal to arm the Afghan Military – a deal that puts them in business with some very shady people, not the least of which turns out to be the U.S. Government.

The film also stars Ana de Armas (“Knock Knock”) and Oscar nominee Bradley Cooper (“American Sniper,” “American Hustle...

Back in May, we got our first look at director Todd Phillips' new movie Arms and the Dudes, starring Jonah Hill and Miles Teller. Today, Warner Bros. has unveiled the first trailer and poster, giving this true-life tale the new title War Dogs. This project marks the first from the production company Joint Effort, which was formed by director Todd Phillips and Bradley Cooper, who can be spotted in the trailer during a casino scene.

Based on a true story, War Dogs follows two friends in their early 20s (Jonah Hill and Miles Teller) living in Miami Beach during the Iraq War who exploit a little-known government initiative that allows small businesses to bid on U.S. Military contracts. Starting small, they begin raking in big money and are living the high life. But the pair gets in over their heads when they land a 300 million dollar deal to...

Warner Bros. has blown the lid off the first trailer for wartime comedy War Dogs, shipping Miles Teller and Jonah Hill’s ignorant lowlifes to the frontlines all in the search of a quick buck.

Formerly titled Arms and the Dudes, Todd Phillips (The Hangover trilogy) is the director at the helm here, telling the true story of two friends who decide to cheat the system by exploiting a governmental loophole, opening up the chance to place wagers on military contracts from home soil.

What starts as a curious business venture leads to Hill and Teller falling in over their heads, landing a deal in the region of $300 million and a one-way ticket to the Middle East. From the fish-out-of-water dynamic to the brash and frankly annoying central characters, today’s first peek at War Dogs has more in common with The Hangover trilogy than its director alone, though we...

Here's the first trailer for War Dogs, formerly known as Arms and the Dudes. The film is based on the shocking-but-true story chronicled in a 2011 Rolling Stone article of two twenty-something Miami Beach stoners who worked the system and earned a $300 million weapons contract from the U.S. government to supply guns to our allies in Afghanistan during the war, and it stars Jonah Hill and Miles Teller as the two bro-tastic war profiteers.

The Hangover and Old School director Todd Phillips directed this one, but even if his name wasn't plastered all over this trailer, you probably would have been able to guess he was the one responsible for it. Teller is hated by just about every internet commenter I've ever seen, and he's playing another smarmy douchebag here. As much as I think this will be a little too genuinely bro-heavy for my tastes, I also read that...

The first images from Arms & the Dudes, director Todd Phillips’ first film since The Hangover Part III, have landed online thanks to Phillips himself. Based on a Rolling Stone article of the same name, the film tells the true story of two young guys who won a $300 million contract from the Pentagon to supply America’s allies in Afghanistan with munitions. After 85 deliveries to the war-torn country worth over $66 million, their Miami offices were raided by federal agents and the two were charged with 71 counts of fraud. Phillips had been developing the project for a few years as a producer through his and Bradley Cooper’s production shingle at Warner Bros., but last year he finally pulled the trigger on directing. Miles Teller and Jonah Hill star in the two lead roles, and Phillips co-wrote the script with Stephen Chin and Jason Smilovic. The first images, which Phillips unveiled on his Instagram,...

Mark Gordon and Jason Isaacs are teaming for a private eye drama at ABC. In another competitive situation, the network has doled out a script commitment with penalty for their untitled contemporary effort. It's being billed as an hourlong character driven-drama about a former Lapd homicide detective whose disabling injury gives him a powerful new ability to solve difficult cases. Story: Jason Isaacs Tops Network TV Wish Lists The drama project is being developed for Isaacs, a Golden Globe nominee, with Stephen Chin on board to write it. The former Awake star was integral in the development and sale

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Wong Kar Wai is coming to the Academy. On Monday, July 22, as part of their summer-long celebration of kung fu, the Academy will present an on-stage conversation between Wong and "Mad Men" showrunner Matthew Weiner, followed by an advance screening of "The Grandmaster." The event will take place at the Academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater. The current Grand Lobby exhibition, "Kick Ass! Kung Fu Posters from the Stephen Chin Collection," will be on display for extended viewing hours following the screening.  Alas, the event is already sold out, but standby numbers will be assigned starting at 5:30pm on July 22. More info here. "The Grandmaster," centered on the martial arts grandmaster Ip Man (Tony Leung) who trained Bruce Lee, hits theaters stateside on August 23.

Action star, comedian and martial arts master Jackie Chan will be the special guest at “An Academy Salute to Jackie Chan,” featuring a screening of “Police Story III – Supercop.” Hosted by Entertainment Weekly’s Geoff Boucher, Chan will participate in an onstage conversation before the screening of the 1992 action movie, which co-stars Michelle Yeoh, on Monday, June 3, at 7:30 p.m. at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. There will be special viewing hours for the Academy’s latest exhibition, “Kick Ass! Kung Fu Posters from the Stephen Chin Collection,” in the Grand Lobby Gallery immediately following the screening. Special Evening Gallery Hours For Kick Ass! Kung Fu Posters From The Stephen Chin Collection Immediately Following The Screening The Academy’s summer of kung fu continues with a salute to this renowned martial arts master, action star and comedian. With over 100 film appearances, and through his frequent work as a producer,...

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences kicks off its new exhibition, “Kick Ass! Kung Fu Posters from the Stephen Chin Collection,” with a 40th anniversary screening of “Enter the Dragon” on Wednesday, April 17, at 7:30 p.m. at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. The evening will feature an introduction by Stephen Chin and an onstage discussion with the film’s cast and crew, including actor John Saxon, screenwriter Michael Allin, cinematographer Gil Hubbs and producers Fred Weintraub and Paul Heller. There will be special evening gallery hours immediately following the screening.

In 2011, producer and screenwriter Chin donated his collection of more than 800 kung fu film posters and related materials to the Academy. A six-sheet poster from “Enter the Dragon” is featured prominently in the exhibition, along with such collectibles as early English-language kung fu manuals, skateboards, trading cards and lunchboxes. A viewing station will feature action-packed...

The Stranger And The Gunfighter, 1976.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has received a collection of more than 800 kung fu film posters and other related materials from producer, screenwriter and former motion picture executive Stephen Chin, announced Academy COO Ric Robertson. The collection features marketing and promotional items including posters, lobby cards, photographs, toys, comic books, clothing and accessories from Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the Americas. It focuses predominantly on the 1970s, which many fans and scholars mark as the golden age of the kung fu film.

“Stephen is a true fan and an extraordinary collector,” said Robertson. “His dedication to documenting this important genre will help the Academy provide film enthusiasts and historians with a broader, deeper view of world cinema.”

The posters, many of which utilize bold graphics and dynamic depictions of action, will join the more than 44,000 posters held by the Academy.s Margaret Herrick Library,...

Director Todd Phillips has brought in some big money ($1.2 billion worldwide) for Warner Bros., so it's no surprise they have re-upped his contract. Deadline reports that he's been resigned to a new first-look deal through the end of 2013. Phillips' Green Hat Films has been based at the studio since 2005, after he directed the 2004 comedy Starsky & Hutch.

He is currently working on the third installment of The Hangover, and has four other projects in development. Here is what Green Hat is currently developing:

* An adaptation of the Tony D’Souza novel Mule, about a young couple that turns to drug trafficking to scratch a living during the recession. Green Hat’s Phillips and Scott Budnick are producing with Jamie Patricof and Lynette Howell’s Electric City Entertainment. They are out to writers.

*Arms and the Dudes, based on a Guy Lawson Rolling Stone article that chronicled the unlikely rise of two...

Exclusive: After the first three films made at Warner Bros by Todd Phillips’ Green Hat Films banner grossed over $1.2 billion worldwide, he has been re-upped to a new first-look deal that keeps him on the lot until the end of 2013. Phillips has been based at the studio since 2005, after he directed the 2004 comedy Starsky & Hutch for the studio. Green Hat, which is working on a third installment of The Hangover, has four other projects percolating at the studio as potential directing vehicles for Phillips. Green Hat is also partnered with Silver Pictures on Project X, a micro-budget comedy which opens March 2–with a cast of complete newcomers. Green Hat is developing: * An adaptation of the Tony D’Souza novel Mule, about a young couple that turns to drug trafficking to scratch a living during the recession. Green Hat’s Phillips and Scott Budnick are producing with Jamie Patricof and Lynette Howell’s Electric City Entertainment.

Yesterday, I wrote about how Warner Bros will turn the `60s series 77 Sunset Strip into a period feature film, with Greg Berlanti directing and Stephen Chin writing the script. The question on my mind: how to explain the involvement of A. Scott Berg as producer along with Berlanti and Kevin McCormick? After all, isn't the Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer of Maxwell Perkins, Samuel Goldwyn, Charles Lindbergh and Katharine Hepburn hip-deep in a mammoth bio of Woodrow Wilson? Berg, the son of filmmaker Dick Berg and brother of Icm chief Jeff Berg, told me that he actually got the [...]...

Warner Bros will adapt the TV series "77 Sunset Strip" into a period feature, directed by Greg Berlanti, from a screenplay by Stephen Chin. Berlanti will also produce with A. Scott Berg and Kevin McCormick.

"77 Sunset Strip" starred actors Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Roger Smith and Edd Byrnes, based on novels/short stories written by creator Roy Huggins.

The show aired from 1958 to 1964, winning a 1960 Golden Globe Award for best TV series, revolving around La detectives, 'Stuart ("Stu") Bailey', a character Huggins originated in his 1946 novel "The Double Take" and 'Jeff Spencer', a non-practicing attorney. The duo worked out of an office at 77 Sunset Strip, between La Cienega Boulevard and Alta Loma Road on the south side of the Strip.

Comic relief was provided by racetrack personality 'Roscoe' and 'Gerald Lloyd "Kookie" Kookson III', a hipster and aspiring P.I. who worked as a valet parking attendant at Dino's, the club next door to the detectives' office.

Warner Bros. is digging deep into the classic TV archives to get a hold of the series 77 Sunset Strip. According to Deadline, the studio hired Greg Berlanti, who.s busy prompting his new film, Life As we Know It, at ShoWest, to direct. He.ll also produce alongside author A. Scott Berg and Kevin McCormick via Langley Park. Stephen Chin is being courted to pen the script. 77 Sunset Strip is way beyond my years, but Wikipedia informs me it was a private detective series that ran from 1958 to 1964. Efrem Zimbalist Jr. starred as Stuart Bailey, one of two L.A. detectives, who were formerly government secret agents. His partner, Jeff Spencer, was played by Roger Smith. Together the duo worked as private eyes out of an office at 77 Sunset Strip. When not hard at work, they could be found at Dino.s, a swinging posh lounge and a prime source...

Warner Bros is dusting off its classic TV series 77 Sunset Strip, and turning it into a hip period feature. The film will be directed by Greg Berlanti, the Green Lantern writer who is previewing part of his new film, Life As We Know It, at ShoWest. Stephen Chin is in talks to write the script. Berlanti will produce with author A. Scott Berg and Kevin McCormick, through the latter’s Warner-based Langley Park shingle. The series ran from 1958-1964 and personified cool, from the catchy theme song to the ruggedly handsome detectives -- played by Efrem Zimbalist Jr. and Roger Smith. They [...]...