Video game movies get a bad rap. One one hand, you have films like the Resident Evil series, which managed to skyrocket the video game franchise into a whole new world, and on the other hand you have Super Mario Bros. starring Bob Hoskins and Dennis Hopper. A mixed pot, really.

The former is exactly what the upcoming live-action TEKKEN looks like it may just be. Based on the popular gaming franchise for the PlayStation, this film is set to be a main competitor to any upcoming Mortal Kombat reboots Hollywood has planned. Here’s the premise.

The year is 2039. World wars have destroyed everything and territories are run by corporations, the mightiest — and cruelest — of which is Tekken. Jin Kazama (John Foo) witnesses the death of his mother Jun (Tomita) by Tekken in the slums known as Anvil. Vowing vengeance, and armed only with his street smarts and raw fighting skills, he enters a dangerous and potentially deadly combat tournament, where he must defeat the world’s most elite fighters to become the “King of the Iron Fist.”

With some pretty legitimate martial arts stars and professional fighters, this film looks like it may just be the real thing. We’ve got an exclusive clip from the movie for you to check out and see for yourself after the jump. Catch TEKKEN on DVD and Blu-Ray July 19th.

Continue Reading →

As any video game or movie fan knows, it’s next to impossible to produce a decent movie based on a video game, let alone one based on a fighting game. Many have tried, from Mortal Kombat with Christopher Lambert to Street Fighter with Jean Claude Van Damme, and then again with Kristen Kruek. None have ever succeeded because they try to add backstory to an already luscious universe.

With that in mind comes the upcoming adaptation Tekken. The film is based on the popular Japanese fighting game of the same name. In the film, a rebel decides to go up against the evil Tekken corporation through a global fighting tournament called “Iron Fist”.

The script comes from Alan McElroy, who has penned other genre films such as Spawn, Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever, and the Wrong Turn films. The very first trailer just hit, with thanks to Teaser-Trailer.com, and it looks like it may actually be worth watching. Why? Because all we see is punching, and that’s all we really need to see in a film based on a fighting game.

Check out the trailer after the jump, and catch Tekken in select theaters later this year.

Continue Reading →

Producer Gale Anne Hurd, who seemingly has a love for comic book adaptations after having produced two version of The Hulk and The Punisher for the big screen, has now teamed up with Platinum Studios to bring Top Cow’s comic The Magdalena to  your local multiplex. In case you’re not familiar, The Magdalena concerns a descendant of Jesus and Mary Magdalene who is a soldier for a secret order of cardinals who fight evil in its many forms.

She has the ability to see into people’s hearts and give them a chance to redeem themselves. She also wields the Spear of Destiny, a spear that pierced Jesus’ side during the crucifiction, as a weapon against the forces of darkness. Versus, Midnight Meat Train and Godzilla: Final Wars director Ryuhei Kitamura has been tapped to take on the directing chores for the film.

Holly Brix, whos past credits include The Butterfly Effect 3: Revelations and the upcoming The Lost Girls, is handling the writing duties. Jenna Dewan, of the recent Step Up and the supernatural thriller Tamara, will be playing The Magdalena and Luke Goss of Hellboy II and Blade II has also been cast in the film.

No word yet on other casting, the start of filming or a release date but when there is, we’ll bring it to you.