Actualités

The first footage from what promises to be the greatest action thriller in decades has now been unleashed. Containing all the ingredients needed to bake the perfect action movie cake, including a cast of martial arts greats, a director known for blistering stunts, and a no-nonsense plot that takes modern action classic The Raid and Liam Neeson’s Taken and smashes them together to create a powerful genre fist, the newly released clip (which you can check out below!) teases the fast and furious things to come.

Aptly titled The Furious, this action thriller follows a simple tradesman (Miao Xie) who must fight his way through a complex web of...

I hope you didn’t skip cardio this week, because XYZ Films is here to drop a brutal clip for the upcoming action film The Furious on your unsuspecting ass. The upcoming slugfest stars a pan-regional, star-studded cast of Asian martial artists led by director Kenji Tanigaki.

Here’s the official synopsis for The Furious, courtesy of XYZ Films:

In a small Southeast Asian country, skilled martial artist Wang Wei’s daughter Rainy is abducted by a child trafficking ring. Wang Wei sets out on a rampage, confronting both the corrupt police and the criminals, determined to rescue his kidnapped daughter. In the process, he encounters Navin, a journalist tirelessly...

Exclusive: A first-look clip for action film The Furious has dropped, starring an international cast which includes Miao Xie (The New Legend of Shaolin), Joe Taslim, Brian Le (Shang-Chi), Yayan Ruhian (The Raid 2), Joey Iwanaga (Rurouni Kenshin) and Jeeja Yanin (Chocolate).

The Furious is directed by Japanese action choreographer–turned–director Kenji Tanigaki, who has designed action sequences in Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In and Hidden Man.

The film will have its world premiere in the Toronto International Film Festival’s Midnight Madness section on September 6.

The Furious is produced by Hong Kong’s Bill Kong, who also produced Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, One Second and Lust, Caution. His company, Edko Films, also financed the movie and will distribute in Hong Kong, Macau and mainland China.

XYZ Films is handling world sales for The Furious outside of mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau.

Michael J. Werner,...

The Action Scene explores the form, history, and visceral power of action cinema through its set piecesThis column was occasioned by Issue 7 of Notebook magazine as part of a broader exploration of the unfilmable. The magazine is available via direct subscription or in select stores around the world.Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends.Unlike the wuxia warrior who soars to rafters and treetops, the fighters in the Rurouni Kenshin films (2012–21) move low and fast. Rather than immaculate choreography immaculately framed—the meat and potatoes of golden-age Hong Kong martial arts cinema—their swordplay is less studied, a quicksilver flow of action and reactions. And unlike the conventional samurai standoff, in which opponents take their time sizing each other up from a distance, the action is pure, intimate bedlam. Blades clash everywhere, from tip to hilt, bringing combatants up close; when an attack is dodged, it misses by mere inches. Some...

This upcoming action thriller sounds like everything that fans of the genre have been waiting their whole lives for. Smashing together action classics like Takenand The Raid into a perfectly delivered series of punches, the action outing has now been given the most explosive hype ahead of its debut.

Titled The Furious, which should already tell you everything you need to know about this particular action flick, the movie boasts an incredible cast of martial arts actors, a filmmaker with an unmatched talent for stunts, and a deliciously no-nonsense plot that should allow for all manner of brutal visual poetry as fists, feet, and various other limbs are turned into weapons.

The Furious is all set to debut at the Toronto International Film Festival Midnight Madness, and Segment Programmer, Peter Kuplowsky, has now called the action outing an “extravaganza” while hyping up (via X) the finale as “one of the...

Hong Kong has birthed some of the biggest names in action cinema, from John Woo and Johnny To to the now-international megastar Jackie Chan. Oozing with a clear love for the art of action, even if its script doesn’t allow it quite enough opportunity to show it, Stuntman is a crowd-pleasing action flick made by fans for fans.

Stuntman Review

Stuntman follows a once-successful action director who gets a chance at redemption when he is hired to be the action director of a giant new production, only to find that his old-school methods clash with the modern approach to safety. Serving as a send-up to Hong Kong’s bustling film industry, the Leungs come close to capturing what makes the country’s approach to action so special but don’t quite get there.

Fans of Hong Kong action cinema are likely looking forward to highly stylized, incredibly fun action...

Stressed that it’s somehow already August? You’re not alone. But you can still ignore that stress, at least a little, with a good movie night. And there are a lot of options for you on Tubi this month.

Tubi is an entirely free streaming service, no subscription required to watch their offerings. You will have to put up with ads when you watch, but you don’t even have to create an account if you don’t want to. And this month, they have some old favorites, including the “Bring It On” franchise, and more recent hits too.

You can find a full list of what’s available on Tubi in August 2025 below.

Aug. 1

“21 Jump Street (2012)”

“22 Jump Street”

“A Low Down Dirty Shame”

“A Man Apart”

“Across The Universe”

“Annie (2014)”

“Baby Driver”

“Bandidas”

“B.A.P.S.”

“Barely Lethal”

“Bite The Bullet”

“Body Of Lies”

“Bottle Rocket”

“Bring It On...

The Toronto International Film Festival announced today the TIFF 2025 selections for the highly regarded Midnight Madness program, its signature slate of wicked wonders that are sure to delight and disturb the Festival’s devoted and raucous late-night crowd.

The 2025 edition features seven World Premieres and is bookended by two of the year’s most acclaimed midnight comedies. Midnight Madness opens with the Canadian Premiere of Matt Johnson’s Toronto-set Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie, based on Johnson’s cult Viceland series and recipient of the Midnighter Audience Award at this year’s SXSW. Horror-comedy Dead Lover closes out the fest’s midnight section.

Also look for Bryan Fuller’s Dust Bunny, Ben Wheatley’s latest shoot-out feature Normal starring Bob Odenkirk, and a ton of bone-crunching and over-the-top genre benders to round out this year’s midnight slate.

Here’s the TIFF 2025 Midnight Madness lineup:

Dead Lover | Grace Glowicki...

Tubi, Fox’s free streaming service, has announced its August titles. The Tubi August 2025 slate includes Tubi Originals, TV series, and numerous action, art house, Black cinema, comedy, documentary, drama, horror, kids and family, sci-fi and fantasy, thriller, and Western titles.

As a leading ad-supported video-on-demand service, the company engages diverse audiences through a personalized experience and the world’s largest content library of over 250,000 movies and TV episodes, a growing collection of exclusive Originals, and nearly 250 live channels.

You can watch the Tubi August 2025 lineup for free on Android and iOS mobile devices, Amazon Echo Show, Google Nest Hub Max, Comcast Xfinity X1, and Cox Contour.

You can also watch the service on connected television devices, including Amazon Fire TV, Vizio TVs, Sony TVs, Samsung TVs, Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, Android TV, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and on the Tubi website.

Tubi Originals

Action

President Down – 8/29

A secret...

It’s impossible to talk about Chinese-language cinema without mentioning Hong Kong — a truth underscored at this year’s 27th Shanghai International Film Festival (Siff).

This year’s program dives deep into the city’s storied cinematic past, treating audiences to classics like Jackie Chan’s complete Police Story series. Alongside the retrospective is a forward-looking focus: a Hong Kong New Power Projects Showcase that has presented five productions looking for mainland Chinese partners. It’s all helped spark a conversation about how a city of just 7.5 million people has produced such a rich legacy of influential films — and what the next wave of Hong Kong cinema might look like.

But what’s not being lost on anyone is how Hong Kong cinema is struggling, with its box office down to a 13-year low as of the latest report, with production numbers also diving. Many of the city’s filmmakers...

Severance, Sinners, and Wicked were the big winners at the 2025 Golden Trailer Awards, while 28 Years Later claimed Best of Show.

Season 2 of Severance, Apple TV+'s buzzy sci-fi show, earned a leading five trophies: Best Drama Series, Best Horror/Thriller Series, Best Music for Series, Most Original for Series, and Best Digital for Horror/Thriller.

Ryan Coogler's singing vampire blockbuster movie, Sinners, nabbed four wins: Best Horror Film, Best Sound Editing, Best Thriller TV Spot, and Most Original Poster.

Also with four triumphs is Wicked, the Oscar-winning film adaptation of the popular Broadway musical. It claimed Best Fantasy/Adventure Film, Best Fantasy Adventure TV Spot, Most Innovative Advertising, and Best Viral Campaign

And 28 Years Later, the Sony Pictures zombie sequel that's due in theaters June 20, took home three prizes: Best of Show, Most Original Trailer, and Best Voice Over.

“What an incredibly effective trailer,” Evelyn Brady, the Golden Trailer Awards executive director,...

The 25th annual Golden Trailer Awards honored the year’s best teasers across film, television and digital media Thursday at the Orpheum Theatre.

Sony Pictures and Buddha Jones’ “28 Years Later” trailer took home the Best of Show award, the night’s top honor. The trailer also received two other awards for Most Original Trailer and Best Voice Over.

Apple TV+’s “Severance” dominated in the entertainment categories with five awards, and the “Wicked” team led the film categories with four wins. Disney came out as the top studio, earning 26 awards across categories and mediums.

This year the awards show handed out 114 different awards, but only the top 19 were presented live at the Orpheum. The categories spanned across television, film, digital media, advertisements, TV spots, graphic design and posters.

Av Agency was awarded Agency of the Year for their work in the field, making them the most-honored agency with nine...

After bringing the undead to life, Sony Picture and agency Buddha Jones were honored for their 28 Years Later trailer at Thursday night’s Golden Trailer Awards.

The zombie feature won in three categories, including best of show, most original trailer, and best voice over (the Don Lafontaine Award).

“What an incredibly effective trailer,” said Evelyn Brady, Golden Trailer Awards executive director. “From its disarming opening on Teletubbies to its quick, horrifying images timed to the eerie recital of Rudyard Kipling’s poem, watching through our fingers was no help—the audio that stays with you for days. This trailer is true artistry, and congratulations to the teams at Sony Pictures and Buddha Jones—it ruined my sleep. All of this year’s winners are to be commended for their exceptional excellence and creativity.”

Av Squad won agency of the year, taking home nine wins. Apple TV+’s Severance was...

After a marathon 10-year production journey, Hong Kong dystopian thriller Sons of the Neon Night finally hit the red carpet yesterday, premiering in the Midnight Screenings section of the Cannes Film Festival.

Starring veteran actors Takeshi Kaneshiro (Chungking Express), Sean Lau (Papa), Tony Leung Ka-fai (Double Vision), Louis Koo (Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In), and Gao Yuanyuan (Blind Detective), Sons of the Neon Night is written and directed by Juno Mak, who is also a record producer and musician.

Leung and Mak sat down with Deadline to talk about shooting in a “wintry” Hong Kong, a “magical” six-hour music session with the late Ryuichi Sakamoto — and they also call on audiences to keep coming back to cinemas.

Sons of the Neon Night is set in an alternative, snow-covered Hong Kong. The death of a pharmaceutical company chairman unleashes a wave of chaos and power struggles in the underworld, while...

Exclusive: Hong Kong multi-hyphenate Juno Mak’s dystopian crime thriller, Sons of the Neon Night, is set to premiere in the Midnight Screenings section at Cannes this week.

Sons of the Neon Night is set in an alternative, snow-covered Hong Kong — a startling sight, given that the city does not experience snowfall. The death of a pharmaceutical company chairman unleashes a wave of chaos and power struggles in the underworld. His youngest son attempts to break away from his family’s criminal legacy. However, he faces threats from his fugitive older brother and the ruthless lieutenants loyal to their deceased father.

The film stars Takeshi Kaneshiro (Chungking Express), Sean Lau (Papa), Tony Leung Ka-fai (Double Vision), Louis Koo (Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In), and Gao Yuanyuan (Blind Detective).

The clip, which is part of the film’s opening sequence, is set just outside Hong Kong’s Causeway Bay station,...

Distributor CineAsia is preparing to release the action drama Stuntman on digital platforms next month. The movie is a tribute to classic Hong Kong cinema and the world of stunts. The story centers around a washed-up action choreographer whose career has stalled. The industry has changed and no one seems to be returning his phone calls anymore. That’s when he gets the idea to stage an epic comeback, a stunt that will grab the attention of everyone and prove he’s still got it. There are other problems in his life though…in the process, he must find a way to repair the relationship with his estranged daughter. Stuntman stars Terrance Lau and Philip Ng. Also starring is stunt veteran Stephen Tung Wai, a seven-time winner of Best Action Choreography at the Hong Kong Film Awards, making his on-camera return after seven years. The cast also features Cecilia Choi and Rachel Leung.

Hong Kong star Jackie Chan is to be honoured with the Pardo Alla Carriera award at the 78th Locarno Film Festival (August 6-16).

The award will recognise Chan’s career to date, which spans more than 150 films over six decades as an actor, martial arts stuntman and filmmaker. He will receive the honour on August 9 on Locarno’s Piazza Grande.

Chan will also introduce 1983 action-comedy Project A and 1985 classic Police Story, which he both directed and starred in, at the festival. He will also take part in an on-stage conversation that is open to the public on August 10.

After beginning...

Soi Cheang’s Twilight Of The Warriors: Walled In swept the 43rd Hong Kong Film Awards (Hkfa) scoring nine wins including best film, best director and all the technical categories.

The big-budget action thriller, which recreated the now demolished Kowloon City in 1980s Hong Kong, scooped prizes for best cinematography, editing, art direction, costume and makeup design, action choreography, sound design and visual effects.

The $40m feature received its international premiere at Cannes last year, was the second biggest film at the local box office in 2024 with takings of nearly $14m (Hk$108.44m) and was Hong Kong’s entry to the Oscars.

Soi Cheang’s Twilight Of The Warriors: Walled In was the big winner at this year’s Hong Kong Film Awards, taking nine prizes including best film and best director.

The martial arts action thriller, set in the infamous Kowloon Walled City in 1980s Hong Kong, also scored in the technical categories, winning best editing, best cinematography, best art direction, best costume & make-up design, best sound design, best visual effects and best action choreography. Soi Cheang also won best director at last year’s Hong Kong Film Awards for mystery thriller Mad Fate.

The Last Dance, written and directed by Anselm Chan, also triumphed at this year’s awards, taking five prizes including best screenplay, best actress for Michelle Wai’s performance, best supporting actor for Chu Pak-hong, best original film score and best original film song.

The drama about a Taoist priest and a wedding planner who team up...

Twin has landed Japan distribution rights to Stuntman and is set to release in July, riding on the recent surge of interest in Hong Kong films led by the commercial success of Twilight Of The Warriors: Walled In.

Hong Kong sales agent Entertaining Power has revealed the deal at Filmart. In their directorial feature debut, twin brothers Albert and Herbert Leung pay homage to stuntmen from the golden age of Hong Kong action cinema. It stars Tung Wai, a seven-time Hong Kong Film Awards and two-time Golden Horse Awards winner for action choreography, as a once-famous stunt director making a comeback.

The world premiere of The Brightest Sun by Japan’s Nakashima Tetsuya will open the 49th Hong Kong International Film Festival (Hkiff), along with Pavane For An Infant by Malaysia’s Chong Keat-Aun.

Johan Haugerud’s Dreams (Sex Love), winner of the Golden Bear at the Berlinale last month, has been set as the closing film.

The full line-up of the festival, which runs from April 10-21, was announced on the first day of Filmart with Hong Kong star Louis Koo, this year’s filmmaker in focus, and Angela Yuen, the new festival ambassador, in attendance.

Nearly 200 films from 69 countries...

Distribution Workshop has picked up international rights to Chinese director Steven Zhang Zhonghua’s Iou, a comedy drama set against the background of recent illegal fundraising scams, starring Aaron Kwok.

The film is produced by Hong Kong’s Julia Chu, reuniting with Kwok after their work together on Port Of Call (2015) and Where The Wind Blows (2022). Zhang is described as an emerging talent from China’s post-80s generation. Kwok is one of Hong Kong’s biggest stars, recently appearing in Twilight Of The Warriors: Walled In.

Taipei-based Distribution Workshop will launch sales on the film at Filmart, which is taking place March 17-20 in Hong Kong.

Kwok plays a desperate man who is trying to repay his debts by any means necessary. He blockades the rural home of a pair of simple-minded but compassionate siblings, hoping to force their father home to repay his loan to him, but is...

The 18th annual Asian Film Awards (Afa) announced the winners and special award recipients at a ceremony held at the West Kowloon Cultural District’s Xiqu Centre in Hong Kong on March 16, 2025. Sixteen competitive prizes and five honorary prizes were given out. The Afa ceremony featured a glamorous Red Carpet and Award Ceremony attracting participants from all over Asia, and was a great success. At this year’s Afa, the Hong Kong actor-director Sammo Hung served as the jury president leading other jury and voting members composed of filmmakers from around the world in selecting the winners. Daishi Matsunaga, along with fellow director Stanley Kwan, served as presenters.

Here are all the awards and nominees of this year’s edition

Best Film

All We Imagine as Light (India, France, Netherlands, Luxembourg)

Black Dog (Mainland China)

Exhuma (South Korea)

Teki Cometh (Japan)

Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In (Hong Kong)

Best...

Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine As Light was named best film at 18th Asian Film Awards on Sunday evening (March 16).

The Indian filmmaker attended the ceremony in Hong Kong and accepted the award from filmmaker, martial arts star and Afa jury president Sammo Hung.

Scroll down for full list of winners

It marked nearly 10 months since Kapadia became the first Indian filmmaker to win the Grand Prix at Cannes, where the film was the first Indian feature to play in Competition at the festival for 30 years.

“I’m so happy that we could end our journey here in Hong Kong,...

All We Imagine As Light took home top honors at the 18th Asian Film Awards (Afa), winning the Best Film prize.

Held at the Grand Theatre at the Xiqu Centre in Hong Kong, this year’s Afa selection was overseen by legendary Hong Kong actor and Afa jury president Sammo Hung.

“It is a special thing to win this award in Hong Kong, which is also a special place for cinema,” said All We Imagine As Light director Payal Kapadia. “Filmmaking is so challenging. Every film that gets made is a prize. To find the financing and the right collaborators, to keep the vision intact, even distributing the movie — everything is a challenge. But doing it with a wonderful crew makes everything easier.”

Japanese filmmaker Daihachi Yoshida won Best Director for black-and-white absurdist comedy Teki Cometh.

Sean Lau won Best Actor for his role in Papa, directed by Philip Yung.

The 18th Asian Film Awards recognized achievements in regional cinema on Sunday, with Indian filmmaker Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine as Light winning Best Film. The ceremony, held at the Xiqu Centre in Hong Kong, brought together filmmakers from across Asia to celebrate accomplishments in directing, acting, and technical contributions.

Kapadia’s drama, which previously earned the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival, marked a milestone for Indian cinema, a country that has often been nominated at the AFAs without securing major wins. On stage, Kapadia credited her lead actors for shaping the film’s impact. “Thank you so much to my lead actors—three incredible artists and human beings. They are the ones who made this film what it is,” she said.

The Best Director award went to Japan’s Yoshida Daihachi for Teki Cometh, a character study that premiered at the Tokyo International Film Festival before...

Indian filmmaker Payal Kapadia’s poignant drama All We Imagine as Light went home with the best picture prize Sunday night at the 18th Asian Film Awards. It was the film’s final stop on a ten-month festival and awards season journey that began last May when it won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival.

“Thank you so much to my lead actors — three incredible artists and human beings. They are the ones who made this film what it is,” Kapadia said from the stage inside Hong Kong’s gleaming Xiqu Centre, where the ceremony was held. “I’m so happy that we could end our journey here in Hong Kong, a city that has meant a lot to me, watching the amazing films from this city over the years.”

Legendary Hong Kong filmmaker and martial arts star Sammo Hung served as president of the jury that selected the winners of the 2025 AFAs,...

Payal Kapadia’s Indian co-production “All We Imagine as Light” won best film at the 18th Asian Film Awards in Hong Kong, capping a remarkable journey that began with a Grand Prix win at Cannes last year.

Yoshida Daihachi won best director for “Teki Cometh,” while Sean Lau won best actor for “Papa” and Shahana Goswami best actress for “Santosh.” Sandhya Suri won best new director for “Santosh,” capping a strong year for Indian co-productions at the awards, where the country has been a bridesmaid in recent years.

Honors were evenly spread otherwise, with “Exhuma,” “Stranger Eyes” and “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In” all collecting a brace of awards each.

Proceedings kicked off with a performance featuring the composer of the film that is the toast of Asia at the moment – “Ne Zha 2,” Chu Wan Pin, alongside Jonathan Wong.

During the awards, Dr. Wilfred Wong, chair of the Asian Film Awards Academy,...

Sammo Hung has seen it all. From battling Bruce Lee on screen in “Enter the Dragon” (1973) to bossing Donnie Yen behind the camera as the action director of “Ip Man” (2008), the legendary martial artist now wields influence as jury president of this year’s Asian Film Awards. The man who helped define Hong Kong action cinema for generations is now evaluating its future.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

The 73-year-old action star, whose career spans over five decades, has transitioned seamlessly between acting, directing, and producing, crafting some of the most influential martial arts films in cinema history. When asked about the evolution of martial arts choreography from the classic Golden Harvest days to today’s spectacles, Hung remains philosophical. “I think there’s not much difference. It always evolves with time and evolves with trends,” Hung tells Variety.

Hung’s collaborations with Jackie Chan and Yuen Biao have produced countless iconic moments in action cinema.

Running during the same week as Hong Kong’s Filmart, the Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (Haf) is one of Asia’s longest-running project markets. In its 23rd edition this year, the three-day Haf will feature 25 shortlisted projects in-development from March 17 to 19.

This year’s projects include Yellow, which is produced by top Japanese fillmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda for new director Miyoh Yamaura, as well as Republic of Mahalaxmi Apartment, the debut feature from Niladri Mukherjee, which is produced by Indian director Aditya Vikram Sengupta.

According to Hkiff Industry Director Jacob Wong, Haf received 276 in-development project submissions from 45 countries and regions this year, including Hong Kong, Thailand, Turkey, Kazakhstan and South Korea.

“Geographically, Hong Kong is at the southernmost of East Asian and northernmost of Southeast Asia, and seems like an ideal place to bring together people from both regions,” Wong tells Deadline. “We do all the other things because we...

China’s animated mega-blockbuster Ne Zha 2 is heading to Europe. Distributor Trinity CineAsia has acquired theatrical rights to the film from Beijing Enlight Media for 37 territories across the continent, including the U.K., Germany, France, Spain and more. The film will open in the U.K. and Ireland on March 21, with previews beginning March 14. Other European releases will soon follow, the distributor says.

Ne Zha 2 is already the highest-grossing animated film in movie history. Since its release over Chinese New Year in January, it has earned $2.06 billion at home in China (Pixar’s Inside Out 2 is history’s second-biggest animated film, with $1.7 billion in worldwide ticket revenue). In North America, Ne Zha 2 opened Feb 14 and has earned $18.8 million — tiny compared to the China total, but far better than most Chinese commercial blockbusters fare in the West.

Ne Zha 2 is an imaginative twist on Chinese mythology and a famous 16th-century novel.

Trinity CineAsia has secured theatrical distribution rights for “Ne Zha 2” across 37 European territories, including the U.K., Ireland, Germany, France and Spain, from Beijing Enlight Media. The animated blockbuster, which has shattered box office records, will debut in the U.K. and Ireland on March 21, with previews beginning March 14.

The Chinese animated epic has made history as the highest-grossing animated film worldwide, surpassing “Inside Out 2,” and becoming the first non-Hollywood production to crack the global all-time top 10 box office chart. It currently ranks sixth behind only “Avatar,” “Avatar: The Way of Water,” “Avengers: Endgame,” “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” and “Titanic.” The film has also achieved the unprecedented milestone of grossing $1 billion in a single market – China – where it was released on Jan. 29. It passed $2 billion in China over the weekend.

“Rarely do you get a film that truly defines the era, shows again the unique power of cinema to move audiences,...

UK-based, pan-European distributor Trinity CineAsia has acquired theatrical rights from Beijing Enlight Media for record-breaking Chinese animation Ne Zha 2 across 37 territories, including the UK, Ireland, Germany, France and Spain.

The film has grossed more than $2Bn, overtaking Inside Out 2, and ranking sixth among the highest-grossing films worldwide, behind Avatar, Avatar: The Way Of Water, Avengers: Endgame, Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Titanic.

A theatrical release in UK and Ireland has been set for March 21 with previews from March 14. Other European releases will follow with theatrical outings expected for France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Benelux and Scandinavian territories. Trinity CineAsia managing director Cedric Behrel told Deadline that he plans to give the film a theatrical release in as many other European territories as possible.

It’s understood that streaming rights for the film are being negotiated separately. Four Hong Kong companies – Intercontinental Film Distributors, Emperor Motion Pictures, Mandarin Films...

From directing fantasy wuxia (“Martial Universe” and the “Demon Subduing Division” series) to modern day themed action adventures (“Blind War” and “The Comeback”) mainland director Huo is no stranger as far as online streaming movies go. However, with “Second Life”, which features Philip Ng and Yuen Qiu in the leads, he has given viewers a taste of old Hong Kong action comedy but made in China instead.

At the funeral of policeman Shi, the gang boss who had him killed shows up and pokes fun at his pregnant wife Liang Jie (Zhao Xiao Fei). The furious Liang kills him in the heat of the moment and ends up in the prison. A few months later she gives birth to a baby boy nicknamed “Jelly Noodles”. However, after his first birthday, the prison has him transferred to an orphanage. Fast forward thirty years, the much older Liang, (now played by Yuen...

This month brings bad news for action fans, as one of the most underratedmartial arts movies of last year is leaving streaming soon. Released back in May after years of development, Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In was met with critical acclaim thanks to its unashamed commitment to balls to the wall action sequences, and now boasts a score of 90% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes.

The martial arts epic hails from Hong Kong, and is directed by Soi Cheang. Based on the novel "City of Darkness" by Yuyi and the manhua (a Chinese-language comic) of the same name by Andy Seto, Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In stars several genre icons, with the cast comprised of Louis Koo, Richie Jen, Raymond Lam, Terrance Lau, Kenny Wong, Philip Ng, Tony Wu, German Cheung, and Ip Man star Sammo Hung. Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In is sadly gearing up to leave...

As we mentioned many times before, Rotterdam is the best international festival in Europe in terms of Asian selection, and the programmers did not disappoint once more. Even more so since the selection stays, thankfully, away from the stereotypes about what an Asian film is or it should be. Furthermore, the focus in S/Se Asia was definitely once more rewarding, with the emphasis in Indonesia obviously being indicative of how close IFFR is following what is happening in the region. The presence of the likes of Miike and Toyoda, along with the ‘film of the year’ “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In” covered the Far East.

Here is the sum of our articles for IFFR 2025.

1. Film Review: Kajolrekha (2024) by Giasuddin Selim

Though highly watchable, the movie ultimately lacks the social realism or revolutionary edge that might make for an interesting contemporary adaptation of this ancient tale. Instead, the director has made a comfortable,...

Anselm Chan’s The Last Dance leads the pack going into the 43rd Hong Kong Film Awards (Hkfa) with 18 nominations.

It is followed by Soi Cheang’s Twilight Of The Warriors: Walled In with 14 nods and Philip Yung’s Papa with 11 nominations. All three films will face off alongside Adam Wong’s The Way We Talk and Ray Yeung’s All Shall Be Well, in both the best film and best director categories.

The 18 nominations secured by The Last Dance is the highest in Hkfa’s history since Teddy Chen’s Assassins And Bodyguards received the same number in 2010. Chan...

From a celebrated television actor to a multi-award-winning film star and the founder of One Cool Group, Koo is renowned for his outstanding performances and dedication to fostering the growth of local cinema. He has actively nurtured talent and breathed new life into the industry, cementing his legendary status through his remarkable accomplishments and lasting influence.

HKIFF49 will take place from 10 to 21 April. As a tribute to Koo’s contribution to Hong Kong cinema, it will showcase his ten most influential works, publish a commemorative book, and produce a limited-edition notebook in collaboration with long-term festival partner Moleskine. The star actor-turned-producer will also engage in a Face to Face session to share his insights and vision with the public.

Albert Lee, Executive Director of the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society (Hkiffs), paid tribute to Koo, stating, “After serving as the Hkiff ambassador for five consecutive years since 2014, we are...

Get ready for an exciting celebration of Asian cinema! Besides the awards ceremony, the 18th Asian Film Awards presents a series of special programmes, including Asian Cinerama, Masterclasses, and the In Conversation series.

A Palette of Cinematic Delights — Asian Cinerama

The Asian Film Cinerama will present a selection of nominated films and special screenings, with filmmakers and actors participating in post-screening Q&As to share their creative journeys. Last year, screenings were a full house, with prominent filmmakers including Japanese master Hirokazu Koreeda, Sri Lankan director Prasanna Vithanaga, and China’s award-winning actress Jiang Qinqin discussing their filmmaking experiences. This year, top international filmmakers will return, giving audiences the chance to enjoy the best of Asian cinema on the big screen.

Inspiration from the Legend — Masterclass

Film enthusiasts can attend masterclasses hosted by the biggest names in Asian cinema, diving into the art and philosophy of filmmaking. Last year, the...

Kill Earns Two Nominations At The Vulture Stunt Annual Awards 2025 (Photo Credit – Instagram)

The Lakshya starrer actioner Kill was hailed as a revolutionary film in the genre of action and gore. The film, which is backed by Dharma Productions and Sikhya Entertainment, garnered a lot of critical acclaim upon its release in 2024. The movie also did well in the Ott space. Now, if this was not enough, the film has now won big at the Vulture Stunt Awards 2025.

Kill has won a nomination in two major categories at the Vulture Stunt Awards 2025. The film has earned a nomination in the Best Fight category between Lakshya and actor Raghav Juyal who essayed the main antagonist in the same. This category is awarded to hand-to-hand combat sequences that are not a shoot-out but might involve weapons. The award will be presented to the stunt coordinator or the choreographer. The movie has been...

The action genre is still firmly planted in the John Wick-era of crime/revenge films, but it's also not necessarily fair to give Keanu Reeves' action icon all the credit. It's abundantly clear that the John Wick films' propensity for practicality are partially inspired by action legends from abroad, with some of the best modern examples including Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, and Donnie Yen (the latter of whom would eventually join the "Wickiverse" as Caine in John Wick: Chapter 4). Other notable examples are Louis Koo and Sammo Kam-Bo Hung, both of whom happen to co-star in a new ambitious martial arts project, Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In.

The Hong Kong Film Development Council (Hkfdc) has enhanced its film financing scheme with increased funding and relaxed measures in a bid to further bolster the local film industry and sustain its long-term development.

The Film Production Financing Scheme 2.0, which was launched yesterday (January 15), will see government support increased from $1.15m (Hk$9m) to $1.28m (Hk$10m) per project. Eligible projects will be provided with the maximum financing amount equivalent to 40% of the approved production budget but no more than $1.28m (Hk$10m). Production budget must not exceed $3.2m (Hk$25m).

A bigger portion of the funding will be disbursed...

Hong Kong moviegoers continued to prove their willingness to turn out for local productions in 2024, pushing Anselm Chan’s funeral drama The Last Dance to become the most successful local film of all time at the Hong Kong box office with over $18 milion.

The success of The Last Dance followed Soi Cheang’s nostalgia-fueled martial arts thriller Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In (Hong Kong’s Oscar submission) and its portrayal of the notorious, long-demolished Kowloon City neighborhood. There is a sustained desire, it would seem, to preserve and celebrate specific elements of Hong Kong culture which have come under threat in recent years, as the city is fast coming to resemble just another Chinese metropolis.

The Last Dance enshrines precisely the same sensibility as its recent box office predecessors, albeit in a markedly different tone. Chan’s previous features, Ready O/R Knot (2021) and its sequel Ready O/R Rot (2023), were both broad comedies.

Tom Cruise is considered the biggest action star working right now, and for good reason. He is in his 60s, he is still running as fast as some of the most brilliant athletes out there and performing the wildest vehicular stunts imaginable. And it doesn’t seem like he is in the mood to vacate that throne yet. But that doesn’t mean actors from all over the globe aren’t trying to live up to the standards he has set, especially in terms of doing their own stunts. Raymond Lam Fung knocked it out of the park in Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In. Dev Patel was excellent in Monkey Man. Emilio Sakraya took everyone’s breath away in Sixty Minutes. Jun Jong-seo surprised everyone in Ballerina. The work done by Alban Lenoir in the two Lost Bullet films are inspirational. Joe Taslim, Iko Uwais, Cecep Arif Rahman, Julie Estelle,...

The Asian Film Awards Academy (Afa Academy or Afaa) announced the nominations for the 18th Asian Film Awards (AFA18) and the Jury President for this year in Hong Kong today.

Thirty outstanding films from 25 countries and regions have been shortlisted to compete for 16 awards at AFA18, which celebrates artistic and technical achievements in Asian cinema. The prestigious lineup of nominees from around Asia includes seven Japanese films: Teki Cometh, Desert of Namibia (Yamanaka Yoko), All the Long Nights, My Sunshine, Happyend (Sora Neo), The Box Man (Ishii Gakuryu) and Black Ox.

Korean auteur Jang Jae-hyun’s Exhuma received eleven nominations, making it the most nominated film this year. It will compete for Best Film with Yoshida Daihachi’s Teki Cometh, Cannes Grand Prix-winning film All We Imagine as Light (Payal Kapadia), China’s Black Dog (Guan Hu), which was screened in the 37th TIFF Gala Selection, and Hong Kong’s...

South Korea’s Exhuma has topped the field, earning 11 nominations at the 18th Asian Film Awards, followed by Hong Kong’s Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In with nine nominations.

Hong Kong martial arts legend Sammo Hung will serve as the jury president for the awards, which feature a selection of 30 films from 25 countries and regions, competing across 16 categories. The awards ceremony will take place on March 16 in Hong Kong.

Directed by Jang Jae-hyun, Exhuma gained nominations for Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Newcomer, Best Screenplay, Best Original Music, Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, Best Visual Effects and Best Sound.

Adapted from the novel “City of Darkness” by Yuyi, Hong Kong action blockbuster Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In gained nine nominations, including Best Film, Best Supporting Actor, Best Editing, Best Cinematography, Best Original Music, Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, Best Visual Effects and Best Sound.

South Korean box office hit Exhuma and Hong Kong action blockbuster Twilight Of The Warriors: Walled In lead the nominations for the 18th Asian Film Awards, with a jury led by martial arts icon Sammo Hung.

Supernatural thriller Exhuma, directed by Jang Jae-hyun, leads the pack with 11 nods followed by Soi Cheang’s action thriller Twilight Of The Warriors: Walled In, which received nine nominations.

Scroll down for full list of nominations

Both titles were named in the best film category alongside Payal Kapadia’s Cannes Grand Prix winner All We Imagine As Light; Guan Hu’s Chinese drama Black Dog,...

The 18th Asian Film Awards, the region’s leading cinema honors, unveiled its 2025 nominations Friday, with South Korea’s horror hit Exhuma leading the pack with 11 nods. Directed by Jang Jae-hyun, the supernatural thriller melds feng shui and shamanistic traditions in a haunting narrative about an ominous grave. The movie was both a critical favorite and a huge theatrical sensation in South Korea, becoming the country’s highest-grossing film of the year. Alongside its best film nomination, the film earned recognition across several major categories, including best director, best actor for Choi Min-sik and best actress for Kim Go-eun.

The Asia Film Awards will return to Hong Kong on March 16 with a glitzy ceremony at the city’s Xiqu Centre in the West Kowloon Cultural District. This year’s lineup of honorees includes 30 films from 25 countries and regions, spanning 16 competitive categories.

The Hong Kong throwback action epic Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In,...

Martial arts legend Sammo Hung has been tapped as jury president for the 18th Asian Film Awards, while South Korean supernatural thriller “Exhuma” and Hong Kong action pic “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In” dominate the nominations.

South Korean supernatural thriller “Exhuma,” helmed by director Jang Jae-hyun and marking the return of veteran actor Choi Min-sik, leads with 11 nods including best film, director, actor and actress. The film weaves elements of feng shui and traditional shamanism in its story of an ominous grave investigation.

Hong Kong action film “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In” follows with nine nominations. Based on Yuyi’s “City of Darkness” novel and set in the 1980s Kowloon Walled City, the film is competing for best film, supporting actor and multiple technical awards.

Soi Cheang’s Hong Kong action film “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In” follows with nine nominations. Based on Yuyi’s “City of Darkness...

Hong Kong’s box office in 2024 saw local films record a bigger market share than Hollywood blockbusters for the first time since 2004, but overall takings for the year dropped 6.2% to $172.7m (Hk$1.34bn) – the lowest in 13 years.

In a rare coup, two local hits topped the annual chart. Soi Cheang’s action feature Twilight Of The Warriors: Walled In and Anselm Chan’s funeral business drama The Last Dance made history as the second and third local film to ever reach the Hk$100m milestone, taking $13.94m (Hk$108.44bn) and $18.28m (Hk$142.26bn) respectively. The latter also smashed all records...