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Showing posts with label Thunder Levin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Thunder Levin. Show all posts

2 New Asylum Films Revealed!

Sorry for the lack of posts lately, I've been mega-busy, but in my absence, there have been two new Asylum flicks announced, both of which sound pretty rad.

First up, there's AE: Apocalypse Earth, from writer director Thunder Levin (American Battleship Warships, upcoming Sharknado), which tells the following story: A group of refugees from Earth land on an exotic planet, where they must fight ruthless aliens to survive.

A jungle-centric sci-fi adventure is always a good time in my book - see 100 Million BC, Alien Origin et al - especially given the cast: TV Highlander Adrian Paul, returning favorite Richard Grieco (Almighty Thor), and a newcomer, Costa Rican supermodel Bali Rodriguez, seen in this photo from the film's Facebook page. 

I thought American Warships was a really tight action film, better than the piece of shit that sued it, and Levin's earlier work for the studio, writing 2010's 200MPH, was also impressive, and there's no denying the man's a mad genius just for the concept of Sharknado, let alone whatever instant masterpiece it will be, so count my hopes high indeed at the prospect of what this could be. 

Next up there's Barrio Pitfighter, a hard-brawlin' ruckus from writer/director Jose Montesinos, who directed 2011's scintillatingly-awesome Barely Legal - thank you, sir - and reads as thus: A struggling martial arts teacher must compete in an underground fight ring in order to save his brother from a crime boss and reunite with his family. 

The films stars Marco Antonio Alvarez, Dennis Ruel, and one Morgan Benoit, who's a Master of Long Fist Kung Fu according to his IMBD page, so expect some severe badassery from this flick. 

AE: Apocalypse Earth is slated for release on May 28th of this year, with Barrio Pitfighter dropping less than a month later, on June 25th. 

inmate profile: Thunder Levin

With the World Premiere of American Warships occurring this Saturday night at 9 p.m. on SyFy (DVD to follow the next Tuesday), for the last few days we here at Committed have been spotlighting the talent behind this upcoming Naval/Alien clash of the titans. Already we've profiled the film's incredible stars, Mario Van Peebles and Carl Weathers, and now we turn to the talent behind the camera, the man responsible for American Warships, writer/director Thunder Levin.

Levin with star Mario Van Peebles

Though he's been in the industry for more than 20 years, Levin didn't come to The Asylum until just last year, when he penned the script for the street-racing actioner 200MPH. Before his work with The Asylum, Levin also wrote and directed the film Mutant Vampire Zombies From the 'Hood, a horror-comedy (obviously) starring 5-time Asylum-alum C. Thomas Howell (War of the Worlds, War of the Worlds 2, The Da Vinci Treasure, The Day the Earth Stopped, The Land That Time Forgot). Levin has also worked as an editor and a still photographer.

American Warships marks Levin's first trip behind the camera for The Asylum, but I'd be willing to bet it won't be his last. Check out Levin's masterpiece-to-date, American Warships, this Saturday, May 19th on SyFy at 9 p.m., then on DVD and Blu-Ray the Tuesday after that, May 22nd.

American Battleship is now American Warships

As you may or may not have heard, a week or so ago Universal decided to sue The Asylum based on their upcoming mockbuster American Battleship, saying it was infringing on the publicity they shelled out for their upcoming disastrous disaster debacle, Battleship. You know, the one based on the board game. Yeah. 

Well, now those cry-babies can mop up their tears with their precious money, because The Asylum has switched the title of their film to American Warships. They even changed the poster as well. 

Bottom line, Universal seems to be projecting their anger at The Asylum, because initial reviews of their $200-million-film are that it's utter and complete shite. But who cares? As The Asylum themselves pointed out, the whole thing has been AWESOME publicity for the film: mainstream outlets internet-wide have been abuzz and The Asylum was the number 1 most-visited Company Page on IMDB - as opposed to Universal's 14 ranking.

The Asylum film - starring the truly dynamic duo of Carl Weathers and Mario Van Peebles, and written and directed by Thunder Levin (writer 200MPH) - hits DVD on May 22nd, following a World Television premiere on SyFy the Saturday before, May 19th.

Trailer for AMERICAN BATTLESHIP Now on You Tube

The Asylum's next sci-fi outing, American Battleship, at last has a trailer posted on You Tube. Behold:


The film - written and directed by 200MPH scripter Thunder Levin - stars powerhouses Mario Van Peebles and Carl Weathers, hits DVD, Blu-Ray and VOD on May 22nd. Enjoy!

First Stills and Poster From American Battleship! Van Peebles! Weathers! Really Big Guns!!!

Today, The Asylum released the poster, and on their Flickr page the first production stills, from their upcoming alien-naval skirmish/Battleship tie-in, American Battleship. From the look of things, we've got ourselves a full-blown action epic on our hands.

The film - written and directed by Thunder Levin, who penned last year's awesome 200MPH - boasts a powerhouse cast including Mario Van Peebles (New Jack City, Full Eclipse, BAADASSSSS) and Carl Weathers (Rocky, Predator, Happy Gilmore), as well as the lovely and surely talented Johanna Watts. Furthermore, the announcement gives us a little more details as to the film's plot: "Johanna Watts (left) plays Navy Lieutenant Caroline Bradley, who along with Mario Van Peebles and Carl Weathers, must use the United States last remaining battleship to fight an elusive and powerful enemy that threatens the entire planet."

Pretty rad, if you ask me. Especially since they used a real battleship, the U.S.S. North Carolina, and filmed in that same state, Wilmington, to be precise, which also happens to be the state I was born and raised in. So, count me doubly excited: a new Asylum flick, and bringing more entertainment jobs to the Old North State.  

American Battleship hits DVD and Blu-Ray on May 15th.

First Details on BATTLESHIPS...Now AMERICAN BATTLESHIP!

Big day today, not only do we get Nazis at the Center of the Earth stills, now we have cast, crew and plot details for American Battleship!

We already knew the film was being directed by Thunder Levin, the writer behind this year's 200MPH, but now we know the story he's working with:

"When a fleet of mysterious ships wage war against the Earth, only the crew of the USS Iowa, the last American battleship, can prevent global armageddon."


Pretty cool plot, loosely tied in to the Peter Berg Battleship out this summer. The real cool stuff here is the casting; dig: Mario Van Peebles (New Jack City, bitches) and Carl Weathers (don't make me tell you), as well as JoHanna Watts, best know for Mutant Vampire Zombies From the 'Hood, also written and directed by Thunder Levin.

Side note, this one was filmed way across the country off the coast of my home state, North Carolina. I don't really have a point here - we have good battleship water? - I just wanted to shout out NC. Hold 'em, Heels.


Back to the matter at hand, all in all, this makes for a pretty rad action/sci-fi flick. Now all we have to do is wait until May 15th, 2012 to see it...

New Asylum Title Announced!

Though nothing's been mentioned over at The Asylum site as of yet, word came via Fangoria on Friday that everyone's favorite studio has a film in the works entitled Battleships - an obvious tie-in to next year's board-game adaptation Battleship from director Peter Berg - and it's going to be written and directed by Thunder Levin, the screenwriter of this year's 200MPH



It was Levin himself who spoke to Fangoria, and, as it's their story, rather than rehash the article I'm just gonna send you right to it: Thunder Levin talks to Fangoria

200MPH had some pretty rad action sequences, so knowing that the mind of Mr. Levin is hard at work here hints at explosive promise. No release date or anything like that at this point, but, as usual, as soon that info's made known, it'll be posted here.

200 MPH Details Revealed!

So The Asylum today has put up the official page for their upcoming film 200 MPH, originally subtitled Midnight Racers, but that detail hasn't seemed to make the cut here. Naturally there are no photos or a poster as of yet, but there are some tasty deets, including an official synopsis:

"After his older brother's death in a car crash, a young amateur racer is plunged into the harrowing world of illegal street racing, risking his life as he races with a vengeance."


We also get some info on the cast and crew, but this one is looking to be made largely by unknowns, so there isn't a lot of info to go around. But here's what I got:
  • director Cole McCay - if it's the right guy, IMDB lists his sole credit as stunts on Columbus Day.
  • written by Thunder Levin - Mutant Vampire Zombies from the 'Hood!
  • starring Jaz Martin (upcoming The Shattering), AnnaMaria DeMara (one episode of "Nip/Tuck," upcoming Havana Heat with Joey Lawrence and Peta Wilson), Darren Thomas (again, if I got the right guy, upcoming remake of H.G.Wells' Food of the Gods and Welcome to the Jungle) and Hennely Jimenez (who is a mystery to IMDB. I'll see what I can find later.)

The only other info we have on this one is that it hits the asphalt April 26 of this year, and that it probably isn't a sequel to Street Racer like I at one time postulated. Unless it's a sequel like Tokyo Drift is a sequel. Only time will tell.