Movies
“Mortal Kombat: Legacy 2” Officially Announced For 2013!
A second season of the hit live-action web series “Mortal Kombat: Legacy” is currently in production in Los Angeles and will debut worldwide in Q2 2013 exclusively on Machinima, the number one entertainment network on YouTube. Based on the best-selling “Mortal Kombat” videogame franchise, Kevin Tancharoen returns to direct and co-write “Mortal Kombat: Legacy 2” alongside writers Josh Baizer and Marshall Johnson (“Dead Loss”).
“The first season of “Mortal Kombat: Legacy” was one of the most-viewed web series of 2011 with more than 60 million views to date on Machinima. In the second season the saga continues as Liu Kang and Ermac join the ranks of fighters introduced in the first season of the web series including Kenshi, Kung Lao, Kuai Lang, Stryker, Kitana, Mileena, Johnny Cage, Scorpion and Sub Zero. This new season will uncover the rivalries and histories of these fierce warriors as Raiden and his recruits clash against the dark forces of Outworld. The epic battle for Earthrealm has finally begun!”
“Mortal Kombat: Legacy 2” features stars from television and film – many of whom have real-world martial arts experience. The cast includes Harry Shum, Jr. (“Glee”) as the warlord adviser “Kuai Liang,” Casper Van Dien (“Starship Troopers”) as martial arts film actor “Johnny Cage,” Brian Tee (“The Wolverine”) as Shaolin Monk “Liu Kang,” Mark Dacascos (“Cradle 2 the Grave “) as “Kung Lao” – a close friend of “Liu Kang,” Ian Anthony Dale (“Hawaii Five-O”) returns as the resurrected ninja “Scorpion,” and reprising his role he made famous in the “Mortal Kombat” theatrical release – Cary Tagawa as the powerful, arrogant sorcerer “Shang Tsung.”
“Mortal Kombat: Legacy 2″ comes from producer Lance Sloane (“H+: The Digital Series” / “Act of Valor”) and Kevin Tancharoen (“Mortal Kombat: Legacy”) who also serves as the series’ director. Production services are provided by Bandito Brothers, and Hayden Roush and Marina Stabile serve as Line Producers. The series is written by Josh Baizer, Marshall Johnson and Kevin Tancharoen. “Mortal Kombat: Legacy 2″ is produced by Warner Bros. Digital Distribution and distributed by Machinima, Inc.
Mortal Kombat was first released on October 8, 1992. Since then it has become known as one of the darkest fighting games on the market. Famed for its mortal competition, fatalities and dark sense of humor, the game has been released on all major consoles, as well as arcade machines. The original development team, now known as NetherRealm Studios, led by creative director Ed Boon, continues to develop the game and build upon the existing success and rich story it has created to date.
The latest chapter of “Mortal Kombat” was released in 2011 by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, marking a triumphant return to the series’ roots in the fastest and most brutal installment to date. The game returned to a mature presentation and reinvented its classic 2D fighting mechanic in addition to adding new gameplay features including tag team, a deeper story mode, and nostalgic arcade battle online and offline. Selling more than three million units worldwide, the reinvention of the franchise became the highest-selling fighting game of the year and won numerous “Best Fighting Game” awards, including Spike TV’s 2011 Video Game Awards, 2012 Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences Interactive Achievement Awards, and recognition from Game Informer, Official Xbox Magazine and GameTrailers.com.
Up next from The People’s Joker director Vera Drew is a found footage movie titled Trandemic, and it’s being made possible by the Transgender Film Center Found Footage Feature Fund.
Deadline notes in a report this afternoon that Vera Drew’s Trandemic is the very first recipient of the award, created to “support micro-budget feature filmmaking by transgender creators.”
The outlet explains, “Applications were first evaluated by the Transgender Film Center and partner representatives, with finalists then presented to Duplass Brothers Productions, who selected the winning project.” Vera Drew will receive a $25,000 cash grant to bring Trandemic to life, with the project being described as a “cosmic found footage horror-comedy.”
Deadline further details, “The award package also includes creative advisory support from Duplass Brothers Productions; mentorship with Mark Duplass and Patrick Brice; a final script review from Duplass before production; development guidance from Kevin Nicklaus of Sandstone Artists; 15 days of in-kind post-production services from Aesthetica Post, including conform, color grading, light VFX, DCP delivery and festival-ready masters; a $37,000 post-sound package from Aura Sound and Color; and festival submission waivers from Transgender Film Center and partner festivals, including Fantastic Fest.”
“I’m so wildly stoked and honored to be receiving this grant from the Trans Film Center and Duplass Brothers Productions,” Vera Drew said in a statement. “Patrick Brice and Mark Duplass reinvented the found footage genre with the Creep franchise, so their support means the world to me as I gear up to do the same with my sophomore feature film Trandemic.”
“There were so many incredible projects submitted to us, I wish we could have picked every one of them,” Mark Duplass said. “But here’s the good news … everyone who built their projects to be made at a $25k budget? The hard part is already done. They can now go out, crowdfund it, and bring it to the world at a time when auteur-driven found footage horror is having a real moment.”