When it comes to action movies, the name Steven Soderbergh may not come to mind first. He’s not really known as an “action director” but after watching his latest film Haywire, that title may just end up being his.

If you’re not familiar with Haywire, here’s some info about it:

Mallory Kane is a highly trained operative who works for a government security contractor in the dirtiest, most dangerous corners of the world. After successfully freeing a Chinese journalist held hostage, she is double crossed and left for dead by someone close to her in her own agency. Suddenly the target of skilled assassins who know her every move, Mallory must find the truth in order to stay alive.

Using her black-ops military training, she devises an ingenious—and dangerous—trap. But when things go haywire, Mallory realizes she’ll be killed in the blink of an eye unless she finds a way to turn the tables on her ruthless adversary.

The film opens tomorrow but to get you ready, we’ve got two new clips from it to share with you today. Both of these clips are scenes from the film and help demonstrate just what we’re talking about where Soderberg’s new title is concerned.

Haywire features MMA superstar Gina Carano, Michael Fassbender, Michael Douglas, Ewan McGregor and Channing Tatum. Check out both of the scenes after the jump.

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It’s been 23 years since the original Wall Street, and Michael Douglas reprises his role as corporate raider Gordon Gekko, freshly released from prison and ready to ascend right back to the top from which he fell. The role of Gordon’s protégé, played by Charlie Sheen in the first film, is filled by current hot-property Shia LeBeouf, the kid who’s been popping up in every big-budget production from Transformers to Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. I’m not entirely sure why.

Here he plays Jacob Moore, a clean-air advocate and propriety trader for the crashing firm of Keller Zabel, headed by his mentor Lewis Zabel (Frank Langella). The reason Zabel’s headed down the tubes is because of a bogus rumor spread by hedge-fund manager Bretton James (Josh Brolin), who purportedly also had a hand in bringing Gekko down. James offers to buy the dying firm for a pittance, which leads Zabel to commit suicide and sets Jake out for revenge.

Jake’s also engaged to Winnie (Carey Mulligan), owner of a fledgling environmental blog and Gekko’s daughter, whose relationship with her father has been estranged ever since the suicide of her brother Rudy. At a signing for Gekko’s new book, Jake meets up with his soon-to-be father-in-law and two form a pact: Gekko will help Jake bring down James if Jake helps Gekko reconnect with his daughter. And all the while Jake struggles to get his pet project, a clean, fusion (I believe)-based energy company, off the ground.

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A host of  recent indie films have specialized in caustic characters and unlikable leads.  Greenburg, Mother and Child, and Please Give have all featured some of the most unpleasant fictional characters of recent memory.  However, none of their characters can hold a candle to Ben Kalmen in Solitary Man, played with gleeful abandon by Michael Douglas.

The former movies at least  allowed us to believe that those characters wanted a chance at redemption.  Those characters would have liked nothing more than to assuage their guilt over their toxic actions toward others.  Not Ben.  He gets a couple of opportunities to redeem himself,  he thumbs his nose at said opportunities. He is one of the most narcissistic characters ever brought to life on film.  He’s also a misogynistic pig.

Ben is sixty years old, yet he won’t even look at a woman over twenty.  The lone exception to this disturbing rule is his current girlfriend (Mary-Louise Parker) who he keeps around because she is wealthy and has a well connected family. Ben is trying to rebuild his life and fortune after an embarrassing career-ending swindle he pulled when he was a car-salesman guru.

Disgraced and penniless, Ben tries to make up for his shortcomings by bedding as many women as is physically possible for a man his age. He treats the women with cool disregard and cruel contempt after they succumb to his charms.  He is truly awful. He espouses offensive observations such as, “No one over forty is stick-thin.”

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Things have been pretty quiet for the upcoming sequel to Wall Street since we caught a glimpse of some set photos with Shia LeBeouf and Frank Langella a few months ago. Since then, production has finished up and we finally have a trailer to enjoy.

The film follows almost real-time after the events of the original 1987 film. Gordon Gecko is getting out of prison, and wants back in the game, except everything is different now. Douglas joins in with newcomer LeBeouf, as well as some old friends including Charlie Sheen, Susan Sarandon, and Frank Langella.

Given where the economy and Wall Street is today, compared to 1987, you can expect this film to take an interesting turn and border on didactic. Oliver Stone is returning to helm the sequel, who’s best known for his topical films such as World Trade Center and  W, so expect to see some potshots taken at the financial climate.

Check out the first new trailer after the jump, and catch Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps in theaters on April 23rd.

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There are plenty of sequels and reboots of films that shouldn’t be getting made today. From things like Big Mama’s House 2 to The Incredible Hulk, most of these films don’t really have a reason to get made. Then there is a film like Wall Street 2 that could have a decent social or economic message if it were done properly today. Luckily, this film sequel not only has the original cast returning, but Shia LaBeouf will be throwing his hat into the ring as well.

Recently, set pictures from the film have popped up online (form a Shia LaBeouf fansite) of LaBeouf shooting alongside Frank Langella in what looks like Central park, while being directed by Oliver Stone. Langella plays LaBeouf’s mentor in the film, teaching him the ways of Wall Street. Other than the fact that Michael Douglas is returning to reprise his legendary role of Gordon Gekko and that characters will most likely learn valuable lessons about the dangers of greed, we don’t know much else about the plot of the film.

Check out the images after the jump. Expect to see Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps in theaters April 23, 2010.

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It seems that 2009 is the year for remakes, reboots and sequels. Even more so than in years past. With news of a reboot for the Predator franchise, a Dune reboot and a prequel to Alien, now comes word, via the Huffington Post, that Michael Douglas and Oliver Stone are on board for a sequel to Stone’s 1987 ode to greed Wall Street. According to the site, Douglas will reprise his role as Gordon Gekko and Stone will direct from a screenplay by Allan Loeb.

Regarding the story of the film, the site quotes 20th Century Fox spokesman Gregg Brilliant, who says: “We need to keep the story line under wraps, but it’s literally ripped from today’s headlines. It’s going to be very big and very cool.” Brilliant also said the project is timely and relevant given the state of the world.

Douglas is apparently very excited to reprise his role saying Gekko has endured as a character because audiences gave him the “same kind of respect we’ve got for the great white shark.” He’s a villain,” the actor continued. “Gordon Gekko is a great, old-fashioned villain. And, interestingly enough, if you look at most actors’ careers, their biggest achievement, not necessarily success, but (achievement), is playing a bad guy.”

The film, currently carrying the clever title Wall Street 2, starts filming this sumer. No word on if Charlie Sheen will reprise his role as Gekko protégé Bud Fox. However, there’s some speculation around the Internets that Shia LeBeouf may play the latest young turk to learn form the master Gordon Gekko. We’ll keep you updated.