News

The new live-action remake of the 1986 fantasy feature “Highlander”, to be directed by Chad Stahelski (“John Wick”), will star Henry Cavill (“The Witcher”), starting in 2025 in Scotland:

“…created by screenwriter Gregory Widen, the series began with ‘Highlander’, a 1986 fantasy feature starring actor Christopher Lambert as ‘Connor MacLeod’, the Highlander.

“There have been four theatrical ‘Highlander’ films, one made-for-tv film, two live-action television series, an animated television series, an anime film, a flash animation series, original novels, Dynamite Entertainment comic books and various licensed merchandise.

“‘Connor MacLeod’, was born in Glenfinnan in the ‘Scottish Highlands’ in the 16th century, MacLeod is one of a number of ‘immortals’ empowered by an energy called the ‘Quickening’.

“Other immortal protagonists from the MacLeod and other clans were introduced over time…

“…including ‘Juan Sánchez-Villalobos Ramírez’ (Sean Connery),, an Egyptian immortal, ‘Duncan MacLeod’, ‘Quentin MacLeod’, ‘Colin MacLeod’ and ‘Julie MacLeod’, each of whom exists in their own timelines…...

The new live-action remake of the 1986 fantasy feature “Highlander”, to be directed by Chad Stahelski (“John Wick”), starring Henry Cavill, has seen a production start delay as a result of Stahelski having to ‘fix’ the “John Wick” spinoff, “Ballerina”, originally directed by Len Wiseman (“Underworld”), with 3 months of reshoots:

“…created by screenwriter Gregory Widen, the series began with ‘Highlander’, a 1986 fantasy feature starring actor Christopher Lambert as ‘Connor MacLeod’, the Highlander.

“There have been four theatrical ‘Highlander’ films, one made-for-tv film, two live-action television series, an animated television series, an anime film, a flash animation series, original novels, Dynamite Entertainment comic books and various licensed merchandise.

“‘Connor MacLeod’, was born in Glenfinnan in the ‘Scottish Highlands’ in the 16th century, MacLeod is one of a number of ‘immortals’ empowered by an energy called the ‘Quickening’.

“Other immortal protagonists from the MacLeod and other clans were introduced over time…

“…including ‘Juan...

It is exceedingly rare in today's IP-dominated movie marketplace to see an original film spawn a long-running franchise. Granted, these motion pictures aren't always wholly original. But while they tend to be derivative of narrative formulas that have worked in the past, they are at least written from scratch with no significant assistance from a novel or a comic book or a video game or, nowadays, the origin story of a popular brand.

So, kudos to Gregory Widen and Paul Maslansky for possessing the creative chutzpah to launch two very successful franchises in, respectively, "Highlander" and "Police Academy." The former gave fans four feature installments over a 14-year-span, while the latter rattled off six entries once a year between 1984 and 1989 (and a late-in-the-day seventh with much of the same cast in 1994).

"Police Academy" was especially zeitgeisty, trafficking in the zany spoof gags made popular by the Zaz team of David Zucker,...

Henry Cavill’s career in the past few years has had a lot of highs and lows. After being at the top of his professional life, working as both Superman in the DC Universe, and The Witcher for Netflix, he lost it all in a matter of months. Fans were forced to watch as one of the most talented and beloved actors was underappreciated by Hollywood over and over again.

Henry Cavill as Superman in Man of Steel | Warner Bros

However, a lot has changed since then, and the actor has become involved in several anticipated films here and there. While Argylle and The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare were certainly interesting films, one specific film has piqued the audience’s interest a lot more.

Ever since it was announced that Cavill would be starring in the reboot of the iconic Highlander series, everyone has been curious about updates on what...

"Backdraft" is a deluxe dad movie. It's a dad movie with daddy issues wherein the un-dad protagonist attains maximum manhood by becoming his dad. That all these dads and potential dads are not just firemen, but Chicago firemen blasts this dad movie into the Daddysphere.

Now that a whole generation of moviegoers that grew up watching "Backdraft" with their dads are themself dads, it's time for Hollywood to tempt dad movie fate with a dad movie remake. Why are dad movie remakes such a perilous undertaking? Because dad movies only become dad movies by becoming couch worthy. This takes years of rewatches on casual Saturday and Sunday afternoons. And there are dad movie tiers. Some dad movies are bad movies that contain enough dad-friendly elements to justify the sit in a chore-less situation. Others are good enough to make a little nagging worth it.

"Backdraft" is an "I thought you...

The new live-action remake of the 1986 fantasy feature “Highlander”, to be directed by Chad Stahelski (“John Wick”), will star Henry Cavill (“The Witcher”), starting January 2025 in Scotland:

“…created by screenwriter Gregory Widen, the series began with ‘Highlander’, a 1986 fantasy feature starring actor Christopher Lambert as ‘Connor MacLeod’, the Highlander.

“There have been four theatrical ‘Highlander’ films, one made-for-tv film, two live-action television series, an animated television series, an anime film, a flash animation series, original novels, Dynamite Entertainment comic books and various licensed merchandise.

“‘Connor MacLeod’, was born in Glenfinnan in the ‘Scottish Highlands’ in the 16th century, MacLeod is one of a number of ‘immortals’ empowered by an energy called the ‘Quickening’.

“Other immortal protagonists from the MacLeod and other clans were introduced over time…

“…including ‘Juan Sánchez-Villalobos Ramírez’ (Sean Connery),, an Egyptian immortal, ‘Duncan MacLeod’, ‘Quentin MacLeod’, ‘Colin MacLeod’ and ‘Julie MacLeod’, each of whom exists in their own timelines…...

The episode of Wtf Happened to This Horror Movie? covering The Prophecy 3: The Ascent was Written and Edited by Jaime Vasquez, Narrated by Travis Hopson, Produced by Andrew Hatfield and John Fallon, and Executive Produced by Berge Garabedian.

After two movies, 1995’s The Prophecy and 1998’s The Prophecy II, Christopher Walken’s leading antagonist Gabriel undergoes a spiritual makeover that fans of the first two films couldn’t have seen coming. After back-to-back films of Walken setting objects – and people – on fire, among other acts of evil, archangel Gabriel proved just how sinister he could be. So, what made him change his tune? Find out what happened on Wtf Happened to The Prophecy 3: The Ascent.

Christopher Walken was the first of a handful of actors to sign up for 1995’s The Prophecy. The stellar cast included Elias Koteas, Virginia Madsen, Eric Stoltz, and Viggo Mortenson. The film told...

In Gregory Widen's 1995 horror film "The Prophecy," angels look like ordinary people but are a little ... off. They are typically clad in black suits, but move like birds, snapping their heads around quickly, as if constantly aware of potential danger. They also have unnatural balance, able to perch on the edges of buildings or the backs of chairs without toppling over. When an angel calls Uziel (Jeff Cadiente) dies in the first "Prophecy," a medical examiner finds that the corpse is missing its eyes and that its blood chemistry is similar to that of an unborn fetus. Angels, it seems, are also intersex, possessing both a penis and a vagina. Angels, it seems, lurk among us, resentful of humanity.

The archangel Gabriel (Christopher Walken), still carrying his trumpet, is planning a war on humanity, hoping to foster the world's most evil soul, which was culled from the body of...

The episode of Wtf Happened to This Horror Movie? covering The Prophecy II was Written by Mike Holtz, Narrated by Adam Walton, Edited by Jaime Vasquez, Produced by Andrew Hatfield and John Fallon, and Executive Produced by Berge Garabedian.

In 1995, Gregory Widen, writer of Backdraft and Highlander set out to tell a story about the darker side of angels with The Prophecy, formerly known as Daemons and God’s Army. The story involved an archangel named Gabriel, played by the absolute legend that is Christopher Walken, who had become jealous of God’s love for human beings. Or as he referred to us… monkeys. Does that make Ross from Friends our daddy? I knew some ladies (and men) in the 90s that would have totally been into that Look, We’Re Getting Sidetracked. The hurt was so deep for Gabriel and these fallen angels that it caused a Civil War...

Vinegar Syndrome’s 2023 Black Friday Pre-Order is now Live, and the sale is running from today (September 22) all the way through 11:59 Pm Edt on Sunday, September 24.

In addition to the sales and discounted pre-orders, several brand new titles have been put up for grabs today, including The Prophecy 3-film trilogy on 4K Ultra HD!

Here’s everything that was announced today…

“Our latest Vsu, D.A.R.Y.L., the 1985 cyborg/sci-fi Hollywood crossover film from Ozploitation director, Simon Wincer, and starring Mary Beth Hurt, Michael McKean, and Colleen Camp hits 4K Uhd in an extras jammed edition, featuring an exclusive new restoration by Vinegar Syndrome!

“Then, upping the ante even further, we’re proud to present the 4K Uhd debut of one of the bloodiest, boldest, and most unusual horror franchises of the 1990s, The Prophecy 1-3, including new and exclusive 4K restorations of Gregory Widen’s The Prophecy...

When someone says “There can be only one” what immediately pops into your head? For just about everyone it will be the movie Highlander. That’s how ingrained into pop culture the franchise has become. It’s impressive considering that the original film was actually a massive flop. Yep, the first film died at the box office and seemed destined to fall into obscurity. But just like the immortals in the film, it would rise from the dead and live on. The path to the first film wasn’t without its own pitfalls and near-death experiences. Let’s find out what happened to the 1986 film Highlander here on Wtf Happened To This Movie.

W​riter Gregory Widen was on a vacation in Scotland where he visited a museum. When he happened upon a suit of armor, he began to wonder about the man that had originally worn it. What would...

Benjamin Franklin once famously claimed “in this world, nothing is certain except death and taxes.” That might have been true in 1789 but, in 2022, it should probably be amended to include “remakes and reboots.” Remakes, reboots or whatever your preferred term may be, are increasingly commonplace in the world of moviemaking. It’s more common than most realize too. All that obscures that fact is that many have simply proven so bad that, without a VHS/DVD bargain bin to go to, they’ve been consigned to nothing more than distant memory. Who remembers the remakes of Jacob’s Ladder or Point Break, for example?

So when news first broke that Highlander was set to become the latest beloved cult classic to get rebooted for a modern audience, there was understandable apprehension. After all, there was an undeniably unique alchemy to the success of the original film. Something that’s never quite...

Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

Rating: R

On 4K Ultra HD: December 13, 2022

Running Time: 117 minutes

Cast: Christopher Lambert, Roxanne Hart, Clancy Brown, and Sean Connery

Written by: Gregory Widen, Peter Bellwood, and Larry Ferguson

Directed by: Russell Mulcahy

Produced by: Peter S. Davis, William N. Panzer

Executive Producers: E.C. Monell

Associate Producers: Eva Monley, Harold Moskovitz, John H. Starke

Director of Photography: Gerry Fisher

Production Designer: Allan Cameron

Edited by: Peter Honess

Casting by: Diane Dimeo, Anne Henderson, Michael McLean

Costume Designer: Jim Acheson

Synopsis:

The original Highlander, in electrifying 4K! When Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert) is slain in battle in the Scottish Highlands, his kinsfolk don’t mourn the tragedy of his death – they mourn the seeming witchcraft that’s brought him back to life. But MacLeod can’t die, and neither can Juan Ramírez (Sean Connery), who befriends Connor and shows him what it means to be immortal. Time dissolves,...

When it comes to interesting pieces of pop culture, there's nothing like the "Highlander" franchise. Created by Gregory Widen, this undergraduate assignment turned movie centers around Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert), an immortal being destined to duel others like him for sole supremacy. Through countless violent battles, iconic running sequences, and fascinating romantic subplots, audiences watched Connor, along with other notable heroes such as Duncan MacLeod (Adrian Paul), head-slice their way to the ultimate prize — over and over and over again. Despite its repetitive and campy style, die-hard fans can't get enough of this odd and ever-expanding story. With its iconic soundtrack, equally memorable dialog, and deliciously cheesy elements,...

The post Every Highlander Movie and TV Series Ranked appeared first on /Film.

Forty-four years after The Duellists, Ridley Scott draws swords again with his star-studded swashbuckler The Last Duel. But which one-on-one fight film is the champion? Let mortal combat begin …

Inspired by Ridley Scott’s The Duellists, Gregory Widen wrote a screenplay about immortals trying to hack each other’s heads off with big swords. Former Olympic fencer Bob Anderson choreographed the showdown between Christopher Lambert and evil Clancy Brown, who is clearly having too much fun to live. “There can be only one!” Followed by a zillion sequels and TV spin-offs.

(Warning: This post contains spoilers through the finale of Netflix’s “Midnight Mass.”)

“Midnight Mass” poses many a giant theological, philosophical and logical questions to its viewers. And while we don’t have the answer to most of those, we do have one for a pretty simple, but immediately obvious, question: How does Father Paul go out in the daytime?

So as those of us who have watched “The Haunting of Hill House” creator Mike Flanagan’s new seven-episode limited series now know, Father Paul (Hamish Linklater) is actually Crockett Pot’s elderly Monsignor Pruitt, who had his health and youth restored by The Angel (played by Quinton Boisclair) that sucked his blood and fed him some of his own, when Pruitt stumbled upon him in a cave desert on a trip to the Holy Land. Father Paul/Monsignor Pruitt brings The Angel that turned him into a vampire back to Crockett Island with him,...

There can be only one Highlander, but apparently, Henry Cavill can be many superheroes.

Adding to his growing list of marquee franchises, the star of “Man of Steel” and Netflix’s “The Witcher” is in negotiations to star in Lionsgate’s reboot of “Highlander,” the 1986 fantasy adventure film that spawned an entire pop-culture ecosystem, including sequels, TV series, tie-in novels, comics and video games.

Chad Stahelski (“John Wick”) is directing, with Neal H. Moritz, Josh Davis and David Leitch producing. Amanda Lewis, Patrick Wachsberger and Gregory Widen will executive produce. Kerry Williamson (“What Happened to Monday”) is writing.

Cavill’s role is unclear, but he will be one of two leads in the film. The original film starred Christopher Lambert as Connor MacLeod — a Scottish warrior born in the 16th century who learns he is an immortal after he dies in battle, only to come back to life — and Sean Connery as Connor’s mentor,...

Henry Cavill is in early talks to star in one of the two lead roles in Chad Stahelski’s “Highlander” reboot, an individual with knowledge of the situation told TheWrap.

Neal H. Moritz and Josh Davis are producing, while Amanda Lewis, Patrick Wachsberger and Gregory Widen will executive produce.

The original 1986 “Highlander” film starred Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery and Clancy Brown, and was directed by Russell Mulcahy. It chronicled the ages-old war between immortal warriors. The film had four sequels and three TV series, including USA’s “Highlander: The Series” starring Adrian Paul.

Cavill was most recently seen in “Zack Snyder’s Justice League” and “Enola Holmes.” His other credits include “Mission: Impossible — Fallout,” “Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice,” “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” and “Man of Steel.”

On the TV side, Cavill stars in Netflix’s fantasy drama series “The Witcher,” and also starred in “The Tudors.

Exclusive: In the world of the Highlander films, there can be only one and Henry Cavill has his eyes on the title. Sources tell Deadline that the Man of Steel star is in talks for one of the lead roles in Lionsgate’s reboot of Highlander with John Wick director Chad Stahelski helming. Kerry Williamson penned the script.

Neal H. Moritz and Josh Davis are producing the project. Amanda Lewis, Patrick Wachsberger and Gregory Widen will exec produce. Peter Davis, the original producer of the first film, was also on board to produce before his death this past February.

The original 1986 Highlander pic starred Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery and Clancy Brown as immortal beings, hunting down one another and collecting more power. The film — with its “There can be only one” catchphrase — spawned four sequels and three television series including the popular USA series starring Adrian Paul.

The plot of this latest take is unknown,...

Peter S. Davis, the producer of the popular cult Highlander franchise, died in his sleep February 21 at home in Calabasas, CA, his son, Epic magazine co-founder Joshua Davis, told Deadline. He was 79.

Davis began his career as a Wall Street lawyer and launched his own firm in his 20s before heading to Hollywood in 1977. He produced more than 20 films during his career, including the early Brad Pitt starrer Cutting Class (1988), Joe Pesci’s Family Enforcer aka Death Collector (1976), and Sam Peckinpah’s last film The Osterman Weekend (1983). He worked with Bob Shaye and Bill Panzer to produce New Line Cinema’s first film, Stunts starring Robert Forster.

Above all, Davis is known for Highlander (1986), which began as an overlooked script written by UCLA undergrad Gregory Widen. Davis convinced Fox and Thorn/Emi to back the film in the early 1980s and recruited Sean Connery for the role of Juan Sánchez-Villalobos Ramírez.

Peter S. Davis, the producer behind the cult film “Highlander,” died this past weekend at his home in Calabasas, California, at the age of 79.

Davis was key to the creation of the hit 1986 film, having discovered the initial screenplay written by Gregory Widen while he was a student at UCLA. Davis gathered the team behind the film, including financing from studio Thorn Emi. But the biggest get for Davis was the casting of the late Sean Connery as Juan Sánchez-Villalobos Ramírez, the immortal warrior who welcomes Christopher Lambert’s Connor MacLeod into the battle among immortals to gain an unknown but powerful prize.

“The Highlander” struggled when it was first released, but began to gain a cult following in Europe and later in the U.S. when it was released on VHS. Soon, the mantra “there can be only one” became a part of pop culture, with MacLeod becoming a star-making role for Lambert.

Yasuke is one step closer to the big screen.

Lionsgate has tapped Highlander creator Gregory Widen to script Black Samurai, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.

Michael De Luca and Stephen L’Heureux are producing the film as a co-production between Solipsist Films and De Luca Productions.

The period action drama is based on the historical tale of Yasuke, who is known to be the first black samurai to serve a warlord in Japan. Under a warlord named Oda Nobunaga in the mid-1500s, he is known to be the only known African to reach that ranking in feudal Japan.

Widen co-wrote Highlander, the 1986 film about...

Exclusive: Lionsgate has commenced Highlander creator Gregory Widen to script Black Samurai, an action drama grounded in the historical tale of Yasuke, reputed to be the first black-skinned samurai to serve a warlord in Japan. Mike De Luca and Stephen L’Heureux are producing, and the film is a co-production between Solipsist Films and De Luca Productions. Yasuke lived in the mid-1500s, and history on his origins and exactly how he came to become a sword for a warlord…...

Exclusive: Highlander creator to direct first film since The Prophecy; team also includes UK outfit Bad Penny Productions.

An eclectic array of international producers are assembling on intriguing European Film Market (Efm) script See How We Are, the new project from Gregory Widen, the creator of the Highlander and The Prophecy franchises.

Producers on the fantasy project include Stephen L’Heureux (Sin City: A Dame to Kill For) of Solipsist Films, Phin Glynn (Mad to be Normal) of Bad Penny Productions and Wild Tales [pictured], The Secret In Their Eyes and Neruda producer Axel Kuschevatzky.

Widen, who also wrote 90’s thriller Backdraft, has written the script and will direct, marking only his second feature as director after the first instalment in The Prophecy (1995) franchise, starring Christopher Walken and Viggo Mortensen.

Bad Penny Productions, the fledgling UK outfit whose slate includes David Tennant projects Mad To Be Normal and You, Me And Him, will also finance...

Happy Hangsgiving, Fangoria Fans! What are you thankful for this horrorday season? Well, if it’s for a new episode of We’LL See You In Hell, you’re in luck as we’ve got a brand new installment with all the trimmings. And on this We’LL See You In Hell, Joe & Pat go biblical on Gregory Widen’s […]...

Filming has started in Western Australia on the new Ben C. Lucas science fiction thriller, Other Life,.

The film, starring Jessica De Gouw, Thomas Cocquerel, and Tj Power, will be shot of five weeks, with Entertainment One taking care of the release in Australia and New Zealand.

This is the second feature for Lucas, whose debut, Wasted on the Young, was acquired by Paramount in Australia and nominated for an Aacta Award after a successful festival circuit including Sydney Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival, Pusan International Film Festival, South By Southwest Film Festival, and Torino Film Festival.

Otherlife will be produced by Jamie Hilton, Michael Pontin, Janelle Landers, Aidan O.Bryan, Marco Mehlitz,Tommaso Fiacchino, and Bo Hyde. Executive producers include Phil Hunt, Compton Ross, Kendal Morgan Rhodes,Josh Pomeranz, Viv Scanu, and Stephen Boyle.

OtherLife is based on the popular novel, Solitaire, by Kelley Eskridge. The screenplay has...

A high concept science fiction feature OtherLife will be made in in Western Australia, starting production in June. The project will be directed by expat Western Australian filmmaker Ben C. Lucas (Wasted on the Young) and produced by Jamie Hilton of See Pictures (The Little Death, The Waiting City) and Aidan O’Bryan and Janelle Landers from Western Australian based production company Wbmc (Son of a Gun, Wasted on the Young), alongside international producers Cherry Road Films. It is the third film confirmed to be shot in Western Australia with ScreenWest support this year (the others being Jasper Jones and Blue Dog), and Culture and the Arts Minister John Day has also confirmed a further three feature films are in the final stages of financing. ““This is positive news for the Western Australian screen industry,” he said in a statement issued to the media. “Western Australia is being recognised as...

It’s hard to nail down the personification of the ultimate evil. The Prince of Darkness deserves to be more than just a cackling, dark figure in the background or an over-the-top sleaze. This is an angel who has been cast out of Heaven and carries a major grudge. Neglecting the depth of his pain or not seizing the opportunity to have a little fun in the exercise of his machinations is always a problem, with no discernible representation able to strike a perfect balance yet. The best contemporary performances on film leave something to the imagination and twist our perception of the iconic role just enough to make it seem fresh or threatening. What follows is a list of cinematic Satans that have made an indelible impression, ranked from worst to best.

Gabriel Byrne in “End of Days”

Gabriel Byrne in End of Days (1999)

Byrne is a talented actor...

With every horror fan’s favorite time of year just right around the corner, I thought it would be fun to put together a list of 31 genre-related titles currently available on Netflix Instant that undoubtedly will get you ready for the Halloween season.

Happy Haunting!

Invaders from Mars (Tobe Hooper)

David is the only one who knows the truth about the aliens invading his small town in this remake of the 50s science-fiction classic.

Re-Animator (Stuart Gordon)

Based on a story by H.P. Lovecraft, this campy send-up follows an egotistical medical student who develops a serum that miraculously revives the dead.

Fright Night (Tom Holland)

When Charley Brewster discovers that his suave new neighbor is a vampire, he seeks help from actor Peter Vincent, famed for portraying a ghoul hunter.

Creepshow 2 (Michael Gornick)

Join the rotting but amiable Creep as he introduces this anthology of three gruesome tales written by the master of horror,...

Oh, I see what you did there, Fox. Sneaky. I like it. I'm not even remotely surprised that Fox is working to make a new "Predator" movie. I don't really care what they call it… reboot, remake, sequel, update… whatever. They'll never stop making "Predator" movies. They'll do it anytime they've got an idea that's even vaguely commercial, because it's an evergreen property for them. They don't have to license any rights. They're not playing with someone else's material. Like with the "Alien" series, they own "Predator" completely, and they've proven repeatedly that they're willing to bend those icons in a million different ways. Attaching Shane Black to co-write and direct the film is, for anyone who knows the first film, an especially sly move. Black is in the original film, playing one of the soldiers, and he appeared in that film during the heyday of what are known as the Pad O' Guys days,...

For a movie who’s most famous tag line is “there can be only one,” there are sure a ton of Highlander sequels, TV spinoffs (live action and animated), novels, comic books, and reboots. But that should come as no surprise; this is Hollywood, and the immortal Scottish swordsman epic is one of the most indelible franchises of the past 30 years.

The original Highlander arrived in 1986, and is easily the most hallowed of all Highlander properties, featuring the holy triumvirate of genre stars: Christopher Lambert (NCIS: La, Greystoke: The Legend Of Tarzan, Lord Of The Apes, Mortal Kombat), Sean Connery (The James Bond, Dr. Jones, The Rock, The Untouchables, The Hunt For Red October), and Clancy Brown (The Shawshank Redemption, Starship Troopers, ER, Flubber, Pet Sematary II, John Dies At The End, and ubiquitous voice actor). The hit spawned Highlander 2: The Quickening (1991), a TV show starring Adrian Paul that...

Exclusive: Summit Entertainment has found a director for its reboot of Highlander, the tale of a sword-wielding Scottish immortal Connor MacLeod. Cedric Nicolas-Troyan will make his feature directorial debut after serving as visual effects supervisor and second unit director on Snow White And The Huntsman. Summit is moving ahead with script by Iron Man scribes Art Marcum and Matt Holloway that hews close to the 1986 Russell Mulcahy-directed original that starred Christopher Lambert as the title character, who, after being mentored by Ramirez (Sean Connery), spends centuries dueling rivals until it’s only him and the murderously brutal barbarian Kurgan (Clancy Brown). They battle to be the final immortal who’ll influence mankind’s future. For Kurgan, that means raining hell on the world if MacLeod can’t stop him. Neal H. Moritz is producing with original film and series producer Peter Davis. Justin Lin, who once planned to direct,...

Ryan Lambie Mar 11, 2019

Another 25 unsung greats come under the spotlight, as we look at the underrated movies of 1995.

The year covered in this underrated movie rundown was significant for a number of reasons. It was the year that saw the release of Toy Story--the groundbreaking movie that would cement Pixar's reputation as an animation studio, and set the tempo for CG family movies for the next 23 years and counting. It was the year that saw James Bond (played by Pierce Brosnan for the first time) emerge for GoldenEye after a six-year break. It was also the year of Michael Mann's Heat, and the moment where Terry Gilliam scored a much-deserved hit with 12 Monkeys. Plus it was the year Mel Gibson's Braveheart had a battle cry of freedom that reverberated all the way to the Oscar stage.

As ever, we're focusing on a few of the...

Odd List Ryan Lambie Simon Brew 24 Oct 2013 - 06:46

Another 25 unsung greats come under the spotlight, as we provide our pick of the underappreciated films of 1995...

The year covered in this week's underrated movie rundown was significant for a number of reasons. It was the year that saw the release of Toy Story - the groundbreaking movie that would cement Pixar's reputation as an animation studio, and set the tempo for CG family movies for the next 18 years and counting. It was the year that saw James Bond (played by Pierce Brosnan for the first time) emerge for GoldenEye after a six-year break. It was also the year of Michael Mann's Heat, Dogme 95, and the moment where Terry Gilliam scored a much-deserved hit with 12 Monkeys.

As ever, we're focusing on a few of the lesser-known films from this particular year, and we've had to think carefully about what's made the cut and what hasn't.

Villains have always been and will always be some of the most fascinating and memorable characters in the world of genre film. Here we will take a look at the greatest villains of cinema from the 1990’s.

The criteria for this article is the same as in my previous articles Cinema’s Greatest Villains: The 1970’s and Cinema’s Greatest Villains: The 1980’s: the villains must be from live-action films-no animated features-and must pose some type of direct of indirect lethal threat. The villains can either be individuals or small groups that act as one unit.

The villains must be human or human in appearance. Also, individuals that are the central protagonists/antiheroes of their respective films were excluded.

Brad Dourif as The Gemini Killer in The Exorcist III (William Peter Blatty, 1990): Veteran actor Dourif is intense and unforgettable as an executed murderer inhabiting someone else’s body in...

Summit Entertainment has confirmed that Juan Carlos Fresnadillo ("28 Weeks Later") will direct a 're-imagination' of the cult film "Highlander", to be co-financed by Rcr Media Group.

Summit acquired the rights to remake the film from Davis-Panzer Productions, Inc., May 2008.

Summit's "Highlander" is written by Art Marcum and Matt Holloway. Neal H. Mortiz and Peter Davis will produce the project along with Enrique López Lavigne and Belen Atienza. Rcr Media Group's principles Rui Costa Reis and Eliad Josephson will executive produce the film with Justin Lin.

The original, $16 million "Highlander" feature, released in 1986 by 20th Century Fox, was directed by Russell Mulcahy, based on a story by Gregory Widen, following 'Connor MacLeod', an immortal Scottish swordsman.

The film depicted the climax of an ages-old battle between warriors, focusing on an elaborately-interwoven past integrated into present day storylines.

"...From the 'Dawn of Time' we came, moving silently down through the centuries,...

When Connor MacLeod said “there can be only one” at the end of Russell Mulcahy’s 1986 cult classic Highlander, he clearly had no idea how popular the film was going to become. USC film student Gregory Widen’s tale of immortals living amongst us – forced to fight to the death with swords in a battle known as The Gathering – caught on with geeks around the globe (we geeks love swords – which made Highlander becoming popular a no-brainer) and spawned one of the worst sequels ever (Highlander 2), a decent third and marginal fourth entry, a television series that ran six seasons, a spin-off series, a terrible film on SyFY, comics, a kid-friendly animated show, an awful videogame…and now, a remake. Early reports about a Highlander redux...

Read More...

According to reports, screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg ("Twilight"), will reboot Summit Entertainment's "Highlander" movie franchise, from producer Neal H. Moritz and director Justin Lin ("Fast Five").

The original "Highlander" fantasy-action feature, budgeted at $16 million, from Thorn Emi Screen Entertainment and Highlander Productions Limited, distributed by 20th Century Fox, was released in 1986, directed by Russell Mulcahy and based on a story by Gregory Widen.

Starring actors Christopher Lambert as 'Connor MacLeod'/ 'Russell Nash', Sean Connery as 'Juan Sanchez Villa-Lobos Ramírez', Clancy Brown as' The Kurgan/'Victor Krugerand' and Roxanne Hart as 'Brenda Wyatt', depicted the climax of an ages-old battle between immortal warriors, focusing on an elaborately-interwoven past and present day storylines.

"...From the 'Dawn of Time' we came, moving silently down through the centuries, living many secret lives, struggling to reach the 'Time of the Gathering', when the few who remain will battle to the last. No...

Spoiler Laden!

This week, The Rite, starring Anthony Hopkins, gets released to theaters, and Kevin Smith’s long awaited horror-comedy Red State will premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. There’s big money to be found in horror films, and ironically, religion has provided a great deal of source material for the genre. It’s not hard to imagine why, with fights between angels and demons, plagues, vengeful gods, and people rising from the dead (and let’s not go into the similarities between communion and vampirism). Where some find inspiration, others find the darkness. So while we wait for these two new offerings in this holy genre, let me offer these films as the best of the religious horror phenomenon...

10: Demon Knight (1995)

Tales from the Crypt brings us a twist on the Holy Grail legend. William Sadler plays a drifter who is being chased by a demon (Billy Zane...

Gregory Widen was just an undergraduate in the screenwriting program at UCLA when he wrote a script entitled Shadow Clan for a class assignment. He sold the script for $200,000 to producers William Panzer and Peter S. Davis, who then sent it to be re-written. Add one music video director (Russell Mulcahy), a charismatic leading man (Christopher Lambert) and an ensemble cast, and film history was made. While not a box office success on release in 1986, Highlander did well overseas, and gained a cult following on home video, eventually leading to five sequels, three spin-off television series, an animated direct-to-video movie, books, comic books, video games and a slew of quotable lines (as well as many welts, since my friends and I spent many hours with makeshift swords fighting each other). Highlander has become a cult classic in the hearts of many.

Flashback to Connor’s youth, as he and his...

Gregory Widen, the creator of the 1980's Highlander films, is set to adapt the popular graphic novel Ascend for theatrical production.

Ascend was created by Keith Arem and Christopher Shy, and describes the post-apocalyptic 'Purgatory Wars'. Apparently all hell has broken lose - in a rather literal sense. In the realm of Ascend, all of Heaven and Hell has ruptured into chaos and war, and the forces of good and evil are locked in combat for control of human souls.

The story of Ascend revolves around the two brothers Sebastian and Gideon. Gideon has risen through the ranks of angels to become one of the most powerful among the Legions of Heaven; however, Sebastian realizes he carries the 'key' to ending the war, and must somehow stop his own brother from carrying out his plan in order to prevent the entire realm of existence from falling into ruin.

Gregory Widen...

Ex-business-guy-turned-actor Michael Teh is one of those multicultural hotties we so rarely get to feast our eyes upon in horror and sci-fi movies like Megashark vs. Giant Octopus. This versatile and sexy Australian-born actor has been everyone from Jesus to a sexy Native American fighting off hordes of angry ghosts in the sci-fi/horror Wraiths of Roanoke to a member of a medieval Mongol horde. Michael gets to action-your-socks-off in his new movie White Wall - a futuristic thriller in which he displays tons of leather and ass-kicking. Hopefully a drop-kick or two. Maybe a shirtless scene? Michael joins us as Mr. June in our growing pantheon of Scary Studs. I hope you enjoy him as much as we do...

The 'sexy' brooding look

You can play Native American, Jesus, and Asian...but what is your real cultural heritage?

In Western iconography Jesus has always been portrayed as a white man,...

Give ‘Em Hell Malone, Sean Connery holding umbrellas in Highlander, remaking Teen Wolf, fainting zombies and 3-D sharks in a supermarket. It's Mr Russell Mulcahy...

We had the pleasure of talking to Australian born director Russell Mulcahy, best known to most of us as the director of Highlander, The Shadow and, more recently, Resident Evil: Extinction. (I've also just managed to get hold of a copy of his film Ricochet, which I remember being a solid and underrated 90s action-thriller, starring Denzel Washington and John Lithgow, but more on that soon.)

The interview was to promote his latest film, Give ‘em Hell Malone (released on DVD today), which stars the ever dependable Thomas Jane as an old school private eye, living in a bizarre setting of the past and present. But we were fortunate to have time to discuss his career at length too and get some great stories in the process.

One of the prevalent (and, frankly, valid) criticisms of The Haunting In Connecticut upon its theatrical release earlier this year was one that has been leveled at many films of its ilk: to wit, why don’t the characters just leave the house when the scary things start happening? One of the commentary tracks on Haunting’s recently released DVD, the filmmakers offer an explanation that the movie itself does not: Because they can’t afford to.

That would seem to make Haunting rather timely given the current housing crisis, except that it’s “Based on True Events” that occurred a couple of decades ago. The initially uninitiated could be forgiven for thinking that those “true events” were the ones that took place in Amityville, as Haunting’s story follows the template of Amityville Horror and countless similar features, with strange sounds, apparitions and incidents plaguing the Campbell family in their new dwelling,...

Richard Lewis' Ovation Entertainment, which launched earlier this month, is ramping up its development activities, inking a two-picture deal with scribe Gregory Widen and acquiring Steven Christopher Young's romantic comedy script Meant to Be. Picked to fall under the Widen deal are a rewrite job on the action-adventure The Rising and an original scripting job on The Quest, described as a period actioner based on historical events to be developed in the vein of Widen's Highlander. Jeffrey Miller was the original writer on Rising. Young's Meant to Be centers on a man's obsessive love for one girl since childhood. In order to get her to finally notice him, he changes everything he possibly can about himself in his quest for love.