Notizie

Luke Evans and Noomi Rapace are reteaming for the action thriller Traction, from writer and director Lorraine Darrow.

Evans and Rapace earlier starred in the 2019 film Angel of Mine. Evans has movie credits that include Beauty and the Beast, Nine Perfect Strangers, Criminal and Weekend in Taipei. Rapace is best known for Close, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.

The character-driven Traction will see Rapace play Kate, a former U.S. soldier leading a humanitarian mission in war-torn Chechnya. The assignment takes a perilous turn and Kate is forced to take on a cynical American war photographer, played by Evans, and a schoolteacher and her injured student as the group must evade both Russian forces and guerrilla fighters.

Production on Traction will start in Spain in August. WestEnd Films is handling worldwide sales and shopping the film in Cannes. Traction is produced by CrossDay Productions’ Janette Day,...

Luke Evans has been tapped to co-star alongside Noomi Rapace in “Traction,” an action-thriller about a former U.S. soldier leading a humanitarian mission through war-torn Chechnya. The film will be written and directed by Lorraine Darrow, the filmmaker behind “Pas Sages.”

Kate (Rapace), accompanied by her trusted Chechen ally Magomed, finds her mission taking a perilous turn when they unwittingly harbor a young rebel, Larissa, and her mysterious package. “Traction” follows them as they are forced to take on a cynical American war photographer (Evans), a schoolteacher and her injured student. Together, the group must navigate treacherous terrain and evade both Russian forces and guerrilla fighters.

Rapace and Evans previously shared the screen in 2019’s “Angel of Mine.” Evans’ credits include “Beauty and the Beast,” “Nine Perfect Strangers,” “Criminal” and “Weekend in Taipai.” Rapace is best known for her performances in “Prometheus,” “The Girl with the Dragon,” and “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.

The South Korean box office remained firmly under local control for the third consecutive weekend as “The Match” retained the top spot with $2 million, accounting for 52.79% of total weekend revenue.

The sports drama, based on the legendary Go rivalry between Cho Hun-hyun and Lee Chang-ho, added 306,028 admissions, bringing its cumulative gross to $11.8 million and total admissions to 1.81 million, according to Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council.

Opening in second was the U.S. espionage thriller “The Amateur,” which debuted with $325,352 from 47,963 admissions. The film, starring Rami Malek as a CIA cryptographer who goes rogue, has now grossed $492,149 since its April 9 release.

South Korean comedy-drama “Lobby” slipped to third place with $290,668 and 41,512 additional viewers. The film has now grossed $1.6 million with over 243,000 total admissions.

In fourth, “Attack on Titan The Movie: The Last Attack” continued to draw anime fans, earning $283,162. The Japanese franchise finale has amassed nearly...

While it once seemed improbable, it looks like Coyote vs. Acme may soon be coming to a theater near you!

According to Deadline, Ketchup Entertainment is in advanced negotiations to acquire the animated/live-action hybrid feature from Warner Bros, in a deal that's estimated to be in the $50 million range. The independent distributer-financier previously rescued The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie, which is currently playing in theaters.

In recent years, Ketchup has also been behind the releases of Weekend in Taipei, Goodrich, Hellboy: The Crooked Man, Memory, Ferrari, Hypnotic, and Bushwick.

The trade does note that the deal could still fall apart, but things are progressing in the right direction for now. If/when the deal is finalized, expect to see Coyote vs. Acme hit theaters sometime in 2026.

The studio previously tried to sell the film early last year for approximately $70 million, which is believed to...

Variety reports that Snoop Dogg is set to star in The Last Man, an original sci-fi movie written and directed by Luc Besson. While the pairing may seem like an odd one, Dogg and Besson have actually worked together before. Dogg voiced one of the main characters in Arthur and the Minimoys, which was released almost 20 years ago.

The plot of The Last Man is being kept under wraps. The only details refer to it as a post-apocalyptic tale believed to be inspired by The Planet of the Apes. It may also be connected to Dogg’s Last Man Standing song, released in 2009. “I’ve been a big fan of Snoop Dogg’s music ever since ‘Who Am I,’” said Besson in a statement. “We first met 20 years ago, and we’ve always wanted to work together again. We just needed the right project that would excite us both — and this is it,...

George Huang’s “Weekend in Taipei” (2024) is the stuff of old, familiar action movies. The narrative is jaded, the characters tiringly dull, action formulaic. There’s not even a shard of pretense to serve up something alluring or formally captivating. The story is dead on arrival. There are molls, figures returning from the past, and an excessively smart kid who pokes into matters he should leave cold. To top it all, the acting seems to belong to some overly sincere league, trying to inject meaning and intention into empty gestures and stiffly boring narratives.

There’s an influential tycoon at the center with a syndicate at his beck and call. The rival has to cook his goose and bring him to account for his many crimes. Luke Evans gives a valiant effort, fully committing to his role, but the screenplay offers little depth to his character or to those he interacts with,...

Weekend in Taipei is an action-drama that revolves around an undercover DEA agent John Lawlor, who falls in love with a mercenary driver, Joey in Taipei. Fifteen years later they crossed paths, and they had too many secrets to uncover. Joey was married to a Taiwanese drug lord, Kwang, and most of her days were spent shopping and driving high-speed cars. She was unhappy in her marriage, and even though it had been almost a couple of decades since she met John, she was still in love with him. Kwang had adopted her son, Raymond, but the boy had never accepted him as his stepfather. He knew that Kwang was a criminal, and he could not figure out why his mother chose to marry him in the first place. Joey always told him that Kwang helped them when she did not have anyone to turn to, but what had happened...

Disgraced actor Kevin Spacey continues his comeback with the first trailer for the upcoming thriller The Contract...in which the American Beauty and House of Cards star plays The Devil. Which is perhaps a little on the nose? Anyway, The Contract is all set to debut at the Cairo Film Festival later this week, with Variety revealing the first look at this surprisingly low-budget-looking psychological thriller about a journalist who, in looking for a scoop, crosses paths with the Devil himself Kevin Spacey.

Directed by Italian filmmaker Massimo Paolucci, the thriller is based on an idea by Caroletti, which has been scripted by his wife, Eva Henger, and is produced by Tm Entertainment and Sandro Lazzerini. The movie is led by The Dark Knight star Eric Roberts alongside Spacey, with the rest of the cast including Vincent Spano and Jennifer Caroletti.

According to the synopsis, Roberts stars as a down-and-out...

Who doesn’t love a fun action movie? With John Wick and The Fast Saga changing the game for what audiences have come to expect from big-budget action movies, other movies are often relegated to second-class efforts. Luc Besson, the creator of The Transporter and Taken franchises, has cemented his own brand of action movie that has been around for decades. Partnering with co-writer and director George Huang, Besson has produced the new movie Weekend in Taipei, which mines the classic style of nineties-era action movies for a fun, brisk movie experience (check out our review Here).

Weekend in Taipei follows DEA agent John Lawlor (Luke Evans) as he returns to Taiwan after fifteen years away. The last time he was there, he had a romance with criminal transporter Joey (Gwei Lun-mei). Lawlor is in town to pick up evidence to take down drug kingpin Kwang (Sung Kang). Unbeknownst to John,...

Hollywood has faced increasing scrutiny over the past decade over how the business works behind the scenes, even down to the treatment of the underlings serving Tinseltown's all-powerful executives. There have even been narrative films about the headline-making subject, such as She Said (2022) and The Assistant (2019), and the excellent current HBO series, The Franchise. But 30 years ago, Hollywood was also turning the lens on itself, with meta features like Swimming with Sharks. In the satirical comedy-drama, Kevin Spacey plays an esteemed but abusive producer who treats his latest assistant (Frank Whaley), as expected, like garbage.

Decades later, the topical film was adapted to the small screen for a series of the same name, starring Kiernan Shipka and Diane Kruger. MovieWeb recently spoke with George Huang, the original film's writer and director, amid the release of his latest feature Weekend in Taipei and learned more about how the original Swimming With Sharks...

“Venom: The Last Dance” (Sony) was the default #1 with a $16.2 million gross. That’s an uninspiring number for the top spot, but the threequel now stands at $394 million worldwide and predecessor “Venom: Let There Be Carnage” totaled $507 million. “Dance” could do the same.

The modestly budgeted “Heretic” (A24) and “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” (Lionsgate) are battling for a #2 slot that won’t be certain until Sunday’s actuals come in. Both did around $11 million, a bit over projections.

However, the most noteworthy aspect of the box office on this post-election weekend is that the top 20 is so wildly eclectic that it’s quite possible even the most committed cinematic completist will never see them all.

That’s all the more strange with Veteran’s Day on Monday, making this a four-day weekend for many. Usually that encourages major studios to place their top films, but studios held back due...

“Weekend in Taipei” is a thrilling action movie that flashes back to the 1980s and combines family drama, foreign intrigue, and action. It was directed by George Huang and written by the famous action movie writer Luc Besson. The movie takes viewers on a thrilling ride through Taiwan’s busy streets and criminal underworld.

The main character is John Lawlor, a DEA agent played by Luke Evans, who goes to Taipei against his boss’s orders to complete a personal task. His goal was drug lord Kwang, who Sung Kang played scarily. This isn’t just another simple chase story, though. John meets up with Joey (Gwei Lun-Mei), an old friend now married to Kwang and has a teenage son named Raymond. This changes the story in a complicated way.

The story has many different parts, including a bad agent’s search for justice, a difficult love story, and the...

In 1982, Prince urged everyone to “Party like it’s 1999.” Aiming to party somewhere roughly in the middle of that timespan is “Weekend in Taipei,” a throwback in the sense that it recalls the unpretentious — if also unmemorable — pleasures of many boilerplate action movies released in the peak Vcr era. Luc Besson is both a co-writer and producer on this French-Taiwanese enterprise, which provides George Huang his first directorial feature in some time, 30 years after his very different debut, “Swimming With Sharks.”

With “Fast & Furious” alumni Luke Evans and Sung Kang as the male leads, this tale of a DEA agent venturing East to battle a crime syndicate raises expectations of flashy chase and fight scenes. Those are duly met, even if the script Huang and Besson have devised is flimsy stuff. These 100 minutes offer the kind of energetic, no-brainer fun you may remember little of the morning after — but...

It is almost fitting that George Huang’s Weekend in Taipei comes out nearly 30 years after his razor-sharp and ruthless black comedy, Swimming with the Sharks. You just have to wonder what took his son so long to make another movie. That biting, back-stabbing comedy still holds up and showcases the talents of a filmmaker who can embed comedy within any genre.

I mention this because Weekend in Taipei is a comedy wrapped in an action film. This doesn’t mean the movie’s tone is uneven or unsure of itself—far from it. While Huang’s script occasionally stumbles into a few tropes, like Luc Besson’s mysterious character arc or a Parent Trap-esque subplot, the experience is refreshing, super cool, funny, and ultimately one hell of a ride.

Luke Evans in Weekend in Taipei | Image via Ketchup Entertainment Related 6 Times Actors Nailed It as Zeus in Hollywood Weekend...

Luke Evans is a natural fit for Weekend in Taipei. The actor knows his way around action movies, whether it's playing the dangerous Owen Shaw in multiple Fast & Furious films or sinking his teeth into the title role in Dracula Untold. In his latest high-stakes effort, he portrays John Lawlor, a federal agent who's spent ages on the trail of drug lord Kwang. However, just as he nears his goal, Lawlor learns that he has a child with the woman he left behind 15 years ago -- who's also entangled with Kwang.

In an interview with Cbr, Evans discussed what attracted him to the part of John Lawlor and what he focused on to separate Lawlor from other movie action heroes. He also reflected on reuniting with co-writer and producer Luc Besson, whom he previously collaborated with on the spy thriller Anna, and the role that Taiwanese culture played in...

Weekend in Taipei debuts with a middling Rotten Tomatoes score. Directed by George Huang, with a script he co-wrote with Luc Besson, the new action film follows a DEA agent who falls in love with a Taipei-based transporter, though their relationship is cut short due to their involvement in crime and corruption cases, and 15 years later, they reunite during a fateful weekend in Taipei. The cast includes two Fast & Furious franchise stars, Luke Evans and Sung Kang, alongside Gwei Lun-mei, Wyatt Yang, Tuo Tsung-hua, Lu Yi-ching, and Patrick Lee.

Now, following its theatrical release in North America, the new action film has debuted with a middling Rotten Tomatoes score. Weekend in Taipei has debuted with a 50% score on Rotten Tomatoes with 12 reviews from critics, which could fluctuate as more come in. With fewer than 50 verified ratings from users, the movie doesn't yet qualify for an audience score.

What Weekend In Taipei...

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Luke Evans discusses bringing his action charm to the new film Weekend in Taipei and reuniting with Sung Kang from the Fast & Furious franchise for the film. He touches on the exhausting action scenes of the movie, and what it's like to play Jason Statham's brother. Weekend in Taipei hits theaters on Nov. 8, 2024.

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Action star Sung Kang and his director on the new film Weekend in Taipei speak to MovieWeb about the epic fight scenes of their new film, and how to create a good bad guy (and a good Asian character) without stereotypes. Weekend in Taipei hits theaters on Nov. 8, 2024.

In Weekend at Taipei, a former DEA agent and an ex-undercover operative rekindle their romance during a weekend in Taipei. As they reconnect, they're oblivious to the looming dangers stemming from their past operations.

Some of the best action films take us around the world and use the beauty of international locations to complement the eloquence (or grittiness) or their fight choreography. A new film from director George Huang (Swimming With Sharks) takes us across the world to Taiwan but features some action stars you'll instantly recognize from one of the most successful American action franchises. Famed actors Luke Evans and Sung Kang previously co-starred in multiple Fast & Furious films, but in Weekend in Taipei out this week they're not exactly portraying allies.

Evans plays John, a disgruntled DEA agent who refuses to quit a job that ultimately reconnects him with the long-lost Taiwan-set family he once left behind, while Kang plays Kwang, the villainous career criminal who has since taken John's family under his wing. MovieWeb recently caught up with the cast to learn more about the thrills of tackling their respective roles.

Perhaps the most unexpected thing about Weekend in Taipei is its humor. I went into the film knowing there would be a lot of action, a sprinkling of romance, and a family plot, but the comedy sometimes through dialogue and sometimes situational took me by surprise. Immediately I knew this was a film that wasnt about to take itself so seriously, and I could get on board with that. Directed by George Huang from a screenplay by him and Luc Besson, Weekend in Taipei isnt without its faults, but its charming, well-shot, thrilling, and, above all, entertaining.

Weekend In Taipei

Director George HuangRelease Date November 1, 2024Studio(s) EuropaCorpDistributor(s) Ketchup EntertainmentWriters George Huang, Luc BessonCast Erin Adele Clark, Tjarret Yong, Tou Tsung-Hua, Lu Yi-ching, Virginia Chien, Zach Ireland, Pernell Walker, Wyatt Yang, Gwei Lun-mei, Patrick Lee, Luke Evans, Sung KangCharacter(s) Airport Counter Clerk, Joey's grandmother, Bolo, Charlotte Fields, Kwang,...

Action movie fans have reason to be excited about Weekend in Taipei, which speeds into theaters with a great pedigree. Luke Evans and Sung Kang, both well-known for their roles in the Fast & Furious franchise, finally get to share the screen together in a film co-written and produced by genre legend Luc Besson. But the star power isn't the only draw: this isn't the prototypical action movie -- most notably in the way it handles its Asian characters and culture.

With the film's Nov. 8 release date on the horizon, Cbr spoke to Weekend in Taipei director/co-writer George Huang and Sung Kang about their favorite aspects of the project. The duo also dished on what it was like for them to collaborate on set and the importance of the Taiwanese community in making the movie. Plus, is it really more fun playing a villain than a hero?

Cbr: George,...

One look at a movie star like Luke Evans, and there's no surprise why he's led the charge in an onslaught of action films over the years. In his latest Asia-centered effort, Weekend in Taipei, he shows off his impressive physique to pummel an endless line of villains as a rogue DEA agent out for blood as he protects his makeshift family of sorts. Action-movie diehards will also remember Evans from multiple films in the Fast & Furious franchise as Owen Shaw, brother to Jason Statham's beloved character. Despite being bros, the two actors never really spent time together off-screen.

Evans noted in a recent MovieWeb interview that he did not, in fact, spend any time preparing with co-star Statham to ensure that they would authentically portray brothers on the big screen. "But Jason's great, and he's fun, and he's a nice human being. I enjoy being on set with him.

It’s not that clear cut that Sony’s Venom: The Last Dance will take No. 1 in its third weekend; the movie looking to do around $12M. Exhibitors are betting that A24’s Heretic could do as much, if not more. A24 projections are at $8M at 3,200 theaters for the Hugh Grant horror movie directed by A Quiet Place architects Scott Beck and Bryan Woods.

Heretic, which made its world premiere at TIFF, follows two young Mormon missionaries, who are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse. The R-rated movie counts 94% certified fresh reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. There were some sneaks in Salt Lake City, Ut, but overall previews kick off Thursday at 7Pm. The target is young folks, 18-34.

Venom 3 had a very good second Tuesday on Election Day of $3.3M,...

In recent years, Hollywood has shifted focus to action flicks in the style of '80s and '90s classics, from rebooting franchises like Bad Boys to John Woo's 2024 remake of The Killer. So when filmmaker Luc Besson (The Fifth Element) approached director, writer, and producer George Huang (Swimming with Sharks) with a pitch he couldn't refuse, the two set to work on the script for Weekend in Taipei, a thriller that races across beautiful locations in Taiwan.

From the creators of Taken and The Transporter, the new action movie Weekend in Taipei is hitting theaters on Nov. 8 courtesy of Ketchup Entertainment. Ahead of the big-screen debut, filmgoers can get a sneak peek by watching Cbr's new exclusive clip.

The film is directed by George Huang, who wrote the script with Luc Besson. Luke Evans and Sung Kang, both of whom were featured in the Fast & Furious franchise, star in the film alongside Gwei Lun-mei and Wyatt Yang. It's heavy on the action, and the sneak peek clip reveals one particularly intense sequence with a gunfight in a hotel. The clip can be viewed below.

Related 'That Same Feel': Jordana Brewster Shares Hopes for Fast & Furious 11

Fast & Furious star Jordana Brewster shares what she hopes to see in the upcoming eleventh, and possibly final, installment in the action franchise.

Evans is also known for his roles in The Hobbit,...

Plot: On a deep undercover assignment in Taipei, DEA agent John Lawlor was doing everything right… until he fell in love with his informant, beautiful Josephine “Joey” Kwang, one of the Asian underworld’s best transport drivers. Compromised and cover blown, John was forced to flee. Now, years later, John is back in Taipei for the weekend. But is he here to finish the job? Or to win back Joey’s love?

Review: Luke Evans is one of those actors who I always thought deserved to star in an action franchise. His James Bond-esque good looks and debonair stature made him a natural in The Hobbit franchise and The Fast Saga. Having appeared in supporting roles over the last few years, his last significant lead being 2017’s Professor Marston and the Wonder Women, Evans makes a case for headlining more action vehicles with Weekend in Taipei. Co-written by The Transporter and Taken creator Luc Besson,...

George Huang is back in the director's chair after a little over 20 years and is bringing Sung Kang with him in Weekend in Taipei. Huang had first broken out with the 1994 Hollywood satire Swimming with Sharks, which he wrote, directed and was the dialogue editor and sound effects editor, though after helming the romantic comedy Trojan War and sci-fi thriller How To Make a Monster, he would largely put directing on hold. He would, however, continue to work behind the scenes in a variety of capacities, including as a creative consultant on multiple Robert Rodriguez movies.

Kang has been on a steady rise to fame since his breakout turn in Justin Lin's Better Luck Tomorrow as Han Lue, a role that, thanks to Lin, he would carry on into the Fast and Furious franchise beginning with Tokyo Drift and has played all the way through the current films, save...

Luke Evans is a DEA agent whose personal connection to a case becomes all the more complicated in Weekend in Taipei. Having first found success on the stage with a variety of West End productions, Evans quickly rose to stardom on screen with supporting roles in the Clash of the Titans remake and Ridley Scott's Robin Hood, as well as Immortals, The Raven and Peter Jackson's Hobbit trilogy. More recently, Evans has found further success starring in the live-action Beauty and the Beast remake as Gaston, the Fast and the Furious franchise as Owen Shaw and Nine Perfect Strangers, among other titles.

Evans stars in Weekend in Taipei as John Lawlor, a Drug Enforcement Administration agent who has been on the trail of drug cartel boss Kwang for the better part of 13 years, often to the chagrin of his bosses. When an operation goes awry and John's asked to take a vacation,...

Weekend in Taipei, the thrilling new action film from the creators of The Transporter and Taken, is due out in theaters on November 8. Collider is thrilled to be exclusively showing off to our readers a fantastically fun, colorful, and retro trailer for the movie, reminiscent of those well-worn trailers you'd find at the start of your Blockbuster Video rental on a Friday evening. The movie stars Luke Evans, Sung Kang, and Gwei Lun-mei (Girlfriend Boyfriend), and is directed by Geoge Huang.

Ketchup Entertainment founder Gareth West has partnered with Zero Gravity Management and Ozark producer Mark Williams on a new television division.

The venture will operate as a division of Ketchup Entertainment dedicated to producing and acquiring premium series, with Ketchup also serving as the US distributor.

The partnership will focus on shows across multiple genres, ranging from thrillers and historical dramas to sci-fi and crime. The first slate of original projects is in development, while the acquisitions team is looking at completed shows. The partners anticipate releasing the inaugural series by mid-2025.

“This partnership allows us to create and distribute entertaining,...

Ketchup Entertainment has released a second and final official trailer for the upcoming action-thriller Weekend in Taipei, set to hit theaters in November. Directed by Taiwanese-American filmmaker George Huang and co-written with Luc Besson (Lucy), the film reunites Luke Evans and Sung Kang, who previously co-starred in the Fast & Furious franchise. The title arrives just in time for the holiday season, making it an exciting box office draw for fans of the genre.

Weekend in Taipei (originally titled Weekend Escape Project) follows former DEA agent John Lawlor (Evans) who unexpectedly reconnects with his ex-undercover partner (Gwei Lun-mei) while pursuing her druglord husband Kwang (Kang). Things get even more complicated after John learns a dangerous secret from his ex-flame. The official synopsis reads as follows:

On a deep undercover assignment in Taipei, DEA agent John Lawlor was doing everything right until he fell in love with his informant, beautiful Josephine Joey Kwang,...

A new trailer for Luke Evans upcoming action movie has been released!

The 45-year-old actor plays an American Drug Enforcement Administration agent opposite Gwei Lun-mei in the new movie Weekend in Taipei, written and directed by George Huang.

Here’s the synopsis: “On a deep undercover assignment in Taipei, DEA agent John Lawlor (Evans) was doing everything right… until he fell in love with his informant, beautiful Josephine ‘Joey’ Kwang (Lun-mei), one of the Asian underworld’s best transport drivers. Compromised and cover blown, John was forced to flee. Now, years later, John is back in Taipei for the weekend. But is he here to finish the job? Or to win back Joey’s love?”

Keep reading to find out more…The movie also stars Sung Kang and Wyatt Yang.

In a recent interview, Luke addressed all of the rumors and speculation that he’s going to play the next James Bond.

"I'm not gonna lose you again!" Or will he? Ketchup Ent. has debuted a second official trailer for Weekend in Taipei, an action comedy meets romantic thriller arriving in theaters in November. The original working title was Weekend Escape Project, but now it's in Taipei - directed by a Taiwanese-American filmmaker and starring a Taiwanese actress. From the creators of Taken and The Transporter - Luc Besson co-wrote and produced this in Taiwan. On a deep undercover mission in Taipei, DEA agent John Lawlor was doing everything right... until he fell in love with his informant, beautiful Josephine "Joey" Kwang, one of the best transport drivers. Compromised and cover blown, John was forced to flee. Now, years later, John is back in Taipei for the weekend. But is he here to finish the job? Or to win back Joey’s love? Starring Luke Evans as John, Gwei Lun-mei as Joey,...

For our next special screening, Collider is thrilled to announce were teaming up with Ketchup Entertainment for an advanced showing of director George Huangs (Swimming with Sharks) upcoming action thriller. From the creators of Taken and The Transporter comes Weekend in Taipei, starring Luke Evans, Gwei Lun-mei (Girlfriend Boyfriend), and Sung Kang (Fast X). Following the movie, there will be an exclusive Q&a with Huang, Evans, and Wyatt Yang. Read on for details on how to enter for your chance to win tickets.

Stars: Sung Kang, Lun-Mei Gwei, Luke Evans, Wyatt Yang | Written by George Huang, Luc Besson | Directed by George Huang

The poster for Weekend in Taipei bills it as “From the creator of Taken and The Transporter”. That’s another way of saying Luc Besson, who co-wrote both of those hits with Robert Mark Kamen, co-wrote this film’s script. However, his co-writer this time is the film’s director George Huang, who seems like an odd choice having not directed since he helmed several episodes of American Heiress in 2007. His last credit as a writer was the faux sequel Hard Target 2 in 2016.

In Taipei, mob boss Kwang is going on trial. At the same time that he’s proclaiming his innocence to the gathered reporters, his wife Joey is buying a new Ferrari. After a suitably fast test drive through the streets of Taipei, of course.

In Minneapolis, Agent John Lawlor...

Updated with new release date: Sony said Tuesday that it will now open Miramax’s Here, the reteam of Forrest Gump filmmaker Robert Zemeckis and its stars Tom Hanks and Robin Wright, on November 1. It’s the only studio theatrical release going wide on that day after Samuel Goldwyn’s Liam Neeson title Absolution, Viva’s animated Hitpig and the George Huang-directed Luke Evans movie Weekend in Taipei. There’s been no buzz that Here will land a place at the fall’s film festival troika of Toronto, Venice and Telluride.

Previously, June 21: Sony said Friday that its new film Here, reuniting the director, writer, and stars of the classic Forrest Gump, will open wide via TriStar Pictures on November 15.

Previously, the film had been scheduled for an exclusive run in Los Angeles in New York on that date, with a limited and wide release to follow on November 22 and November 27, respectively.

“Weekend in Taipei” is a France-produced non-stop live-action ‘shoot-em-up’ set in Taiwan, directed by George Huang and co-written by Luc Besson, starring Luke Evans, Gwei Lun-mei and Sung Kang, with an international theatrical release August 21, 2024:

“…‘DEA’ agent, ‘John Lawlor’ (Evans), reunites with Taipei-based mercenary driver, ‘Joey Kwang’ (Gwei), and becomes entangled in a romantic relationship with her.

‘Lawlor, a committed ‘Drug Enforcement Administration’ agent, previously fell in love with Kwang, a Taipei-based ‘transporter’…

“…but was forced to separate due to the disruption of criminal and corruption activities.

“Now, 15 years later, the duo is reunited, but there is no rest for the wicked…”

Click the images to enlarge…...

Just like the Fast & Furious films, Weekend in Taipei promises heart-stopping action and thrilling car chases. Luke Evans and Sung Kang reunite in this action-packed movie, showcasing their skills beyond the Fast franchise. With intense fight scenes and high-octane sequences, this film is set to keep viewers on the edge of their seats.

A trailer has been released for the upcoming action flick Weekend in Taipei, which stars two Fast & Furious actors. From the creators of Taken and Transporter, the film follows John Lawlor, a DEA agent who wont stop at anything to solve a case, and Joey Kang, an old flame from fifteen years ago who was torn away by the forces of crime and corruption. The two cross paths again during a weekend in Taipei, while Johns on the job. Directed by George Huang (How To Make a Monster) and written by Luc Besson (Lucy), Weekend in Taipei...

I’m a sucker for a good kitchen fight scene, and the recently released trailer for Weekend in Taipei opens with a doozy. After his restaurant cover is blown, John Lawlor (Luke Evans) makes use of knives, pans, and even a blowtorch to take down a legion of baddies. I love it.

Weekend in Taipei was written by Luc Besson & George Huang, with Huang directing the action movie. “John Lawlor is a pit-bull DEA agent married to his job – there’s not a bad guy he can’t stop, nothing he won’t sacrifice to close out a case,” reads the official synopsis. “Joey Kang is a top ‘Transporter’ in Taipei – fast-driving and fast-thinking, she’s difficult to pin down, impossible to catch. The two of them weren’t supposed to fall in love, but fate brought them together… before forces of crime and corruption tore them apart. Now, 15 years later,...

"You're in trouble now." Oh boy! Ketchup Ent. has revealed an official trailer for Weekend in Taipei, an action comedy meets romantic thriller arriving in theaters in November later this year. The original working title was Weekend Escape Project, but now it's in Taipei - directed by a Taiwanese-American filmmaker and starring a Taiwanese actress. From the creators of Taken and The Transporter - Luc Besson co-wrote and produced this movie directly in Taiwan. The full-scale project shot for three months in Taipei last year - the action should be on a par with those in Taken, Transporter, From Paris with Love, Danny the Dog." The plot follows a "pit-bull" DEA agent working on job in Taipei, who encounters his old flame, a Taiwanese woman named Joey Kang. They haven't seen each other for 15 years, but now they're thrown into the action again during a weekend in Taipei. Starring Luke Evans,...

Fans of action flicks are constantly on the lookout for their next favorite movie, and chances are that an unforgettable one is coming their way. Collider is excited to exclusively reveal the trailer for Weekend In Taipei, an action movie that stars Luke Evans (Nine Perfect Strangers) and Sung Kang (Fast & Furious franchise). Collider is also excited to exclusively share that the film is slated to hit theaters on November 1.

Exclusive: Ketchup Entertainment has acquired North American rights to Ozi, Voice of the Forest, an animated feature produced by Appian Way Productions, Mike Medavoy and Gci Film, which features a voice cast led by Amandla Stenberg.

World premiering at last year’s Annecy Animation Film Festival, the film is slated for a wide theatrical rollout later this year.

The film, directed by Tim Harper, follows Ozi (Stenberg), an orphan orangutan who uses her influencer skills to save her forest and home from deforestation.

Intended to raise awareness around the issues our planet’s rainforests face due to growing levels of deforestation, and how this affects ecosystems and climate change, the film also features the voices of Dean Charles Chapman, Djimon Hounsou, Donald Sutherland, Laura Dern, RuPaul Charles, and Urzila Carlson. Intended as the first film in a climate-themed franchise, to be followed by Ocean — a film now in development — it...

Exclusive: Fundamental Films chairman Mark Gao and his CEO Ivy Hua are in Cannes to reconnect with the international industry as part of the Shanghai-based company’s return to international acquisitions and production.

One of the biggest and longest-established Chinese buyers before the pandemic, Fundamental is also an investor in Luc Besson’s EuropaCorp and has a long-standing output deal to release the French studio’s films in China – it will soon release Weekend In Taipei, directed by George Huang and starring Luke Evans and Gwei Lun-mei. It also was also recently signed by UTA for representation across production, distribution and investment opportunities.

Chinese buyers have been a rare sight on the Croisette in recent years, a consequence of travel restrictions during the pandemic and a slowdown in censorship approvals, but now the borders are wide open, and Gao thinks the time is right to step back into the international market.

Exclusive: UTA has signed Shanghai and Los Angeles-based production, distribution and investment company Fundamental Films for representation.

Founded by Mark Gao in 2008, Fundamental Films was one of China’s biggest buyers before the pandemic, releasing films including American Hustle, Limitless, Lucy and the Taken and Transporter franchises.

The company acquired a significant minority share in Luc Besson’s EuropaCorp in 2016, releasing the French studio’s titles in China, as well as co-producing films, including the reboot of the Transporter series and fantasy epic, Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets.

UTA will provide strategic support in expanding Fundamental’s partnerships across film production and distribution, as well as identifying global IP, new business and technology investment opportunities.

Fundamental is releasing EuropaCorp’s upcoming action thriller, A Weekend In Taipei (aka Weekend Escape Project), starring Luke Evans and Gwei Lun-mei, in China this summer.

Commenting on the partnership with UTA,...

Exclusive: Ketchup Entertainment has acquired North American rights to the action film Weekend in Taipei, produced by EuropaCorp’s Luc Besson and Virginie Besson-Silla, and starring Luke Evans (Murder Mystery), Gwei Lun-Mei and Sung Kang (Fast & Furious franchise).

The film from director George Huang (Swimming with Sharks) has been slated for a wide theatrical release this year, with further details on the worldwide roll-out planned by EuropaCorp still to come.

Co-written by Huang and Besson, Weekend in Taipei follows John Lawlor, a pit-bull DEA agent married to his job. There’s not a bad guy he can’t stop, nothing he won’t sacrifice to close out a case. Joey Kwang is a top “Transporter” in Taipei — fast-driving and fast-thinking, she’s difficult to pin down, impossible to catch. The two of them weren’t supposed to fall in love, but fate brought them together…...

Having already directed plenty of action-thrillers, a few sci-fis and — last year — a whole load of mutts (the Venice-bowing “Dogman”), Luc Besson is now set to venture into epic fantasy territories with one of the most famous big screen characters of all.

The French director is to direct an adaptation of Bram Stoker’s’ “Dracula,” telling the story of 15th century Prince Vladimir who cursed God following the death of his beloved wife and is turned into a vampire. Later, in 19th century London, he discovers his wife’s doppelgänger and dooms himself by pursuing her.

Variety understands that Christoph Waltz is in talks to star, as is Caleb Landry-Jones, which would reunite Besson with his lead in “Dogman,” which bowed in Venice last year. Like “Dogman,” Besson’s EuropaCorp is producing.

Kinology is talking to buyers about the project at the European Film Market.

Billed as Besson’s big...

EuropaCorp has named Jean-Marc Lacarrère CEO of the company, set to officially take on his new role on March 1, the Paris-based studio’s board of directors announced on Wednesday (February 14).

EuropaCorp founder and filmmaker Luc Besson had stepped in as interim CEO after French-Swiss executive Axel Duroux resigned after a nearly four-year term in December following a series of shake-ups as the group continues to restructure and ramp up its film and audiovisual production. Besson will remain as chairman of the board of directors.

After a long career in various positions at Canal+, Lacarrère served as director of new production...

EuropaCorp, the production company founded by Luc Besson and taken over by New York fund Vine Alternative Investments in 2020, has appointed Jean-Marc Lacarrère as its new CEO.

Lacarrère will begin his new role on March 3, succeeding Axel Duroux, the French-Swiss executive who helmed the company for nearly four years and stepped down in December.

A French media expert, Lacarrère previously worked at the Canal+ Group, and managed the music publishing and production company La Bande Son, which was later acquired by Studiocanal. He also headed the digital news channel now known as CNews, went on to join Bolloré Média Group to spearhead Direct Cinéma and headed Canal+’s free-to-air division. He has also worked with “The Bureau” producer Alex Berger and Benjamin de Rothschild, and was appointed president of CanalPlay and head of international SVOD for the Canal+ Group. He joined Vivendi Content in 2017, before setting up Harvest Mood Films,...

EuropaCorp CEO Axel Duroux, the French-Swiss executive who joined the Paris-based company in 2020, has stepped down from his position.

Luc Besson, who co-founded EuropaCorp in 1999, will act as the interim CEO for a limited period starting immediately, EuropaCorp said in a release.

Duroux will remain a shareholder and will continue to work closely with EuropaCorp as special advisor to the chairman until mid-May “in order to ensure the best possible handover to the new management team,” the company added.

EuropaCorp was taken over by New York fund Vine Alternative Investments in 2020, after being placed on a debt waiver by a French commercial court. As part of its restructuring plan, EuropaCorp received a new credit line of $100 million to develop a slate of films and start producing again. Besson, who previously had an operational role in the company, became artistic director with a five-year contract renewable for another two years.

The...

New CEO and projects to be announced in 2024 as group restructures, ramps up audiovisual production.

EuropaCorp CEO Axel Duroux has resigned from his position and company founder and former CEO Luc Besson will step into the role as interim for a limited period, effective immediately, according to a group statement on Thursday (December 14).

The shake-up is part of the group’s desire to restructure and ramp up its film and audiovisual production. Duroux replaced Besson in the position in September 2020 and signed on for a four-year term that was mandated to end in September 2024.

A spokesperson for EuropaCorp told Screen...