Movies

James Wan-Produced ‘Mortal Kombat’ Has Found a Director

Published

7 years ago

November 18, 2016

Yes, James Wan is producing a Mortal Kombat film. We’re living in wonderful times.

Badass characters like Scorpion, Raiden, and Kitana are ready to battle on the big screen in a feature film reboot of the Mortal Kombat franchise, and Variety reports tonight that a director has finally been found. Simon McQuoid, primarily known for directing commercials, is in talks to helm the fight flick for New Line Cinema. Greg Russo penned the script’s most recent draft.

We don’t yet know much of anything about New Line’s plans for the property, but back in August, James Wan told IGN that he’s hoping to explore the world introduced by the video games.

Said Wan:

I love the characters. I think they’re such colorful characters. It’s such an amazing take on, basically, Enter the Dragon. It’s that fantasy version, the video game version, of Enter the Dragon. And in doing so, they ended up creating such interesting characters and I think that is such a cool world to explore. This really mythical, bigger world that lives on another dimension on top of ours. I think that’s really fun to play with and so we’ll see.

Previous adaptations of the Mortal Kombat video games include two feature films: Paul W.S. Anderson’s Mortal Kombat in 1995, and sequel Mortal Kombat: Annihilation in 1997. The box office failure of the latter led to the plug being pulled on the franchise. Most recently, the kickass web-series “Mortal Kombat: Legacy” put a grounded-in-reality spin on the MK universe.

Michael Clear will produce for Atomic Monster, along with Todd Garner and Jeremy Stein through their Broken Road banner. Lawrence Kasanoff is executive producing.

John Squires

Writer in the horror community since 2008. Editor in Chief of Bloody Disgusting. Owns Eli Roth's prop corpse from Piranha 3D. Has four awesome cats. Still plays with toys.

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Movies

Dan Stevens and Al Pacino Starring in Exorcism Horror Movie ‘The Ritual’

Published

14 mins ago

April 23, 2024

John Squires

Pictured: Dan Stevens in 'The Guest'

Dan Stevens is everywhere lately, from Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire to Abigail and the upcoming Cuckoo. We’re not complaining. Up next? He’s starring in horror movie The Ritual.

Al Pacino and Dan Stevens have both joined the cast of the upcoming exorcism horror movie from XYZ Films and director David Midell, Variety reports this afternoon.

Based on a true story, the film “follows two priests — one questioning his faith (Stevens) and one reckoning with a troubled past (Pacino) — who must put aside their differences to save a possessed young woman through a difficult and dangerous series of exorcisms.”

Variety details, “The film is an authentic portrayal of Emma Schmidt, an American woman whose demonic possession culminated in harrowing exorcisms. Her case remains the most thoroughly documented exorcism in American history.”

David Midell and Enrico Natale wrote the screenplay for The Ritual.

XYZ Films is planning to release the horror film theatrically in 2025.