There was a time, probably much shorter than we actually remember, when Renny Harlin was sort of a big deal in Hollywood. But for every “Die Hard 2” or “Deep Blue Sea,” he would also drop stuff like “The Adventures Of Ford Fairlane” or “Mindhunters,” and pretty soon the crap was outweighing the enjoyable schlock until he’s now helming stuff like January’s DOA “The Legend Of Hercules.” But, never one to quit, he’s got another gig lined up.
Harlin will helm “Fallen Cross,” with filming to start at the end of the year. Penned by David Christopher O’Neill, the story “centers on Timothy Cole, a reformed ex-mafia enforcer who is in a desperate struggle to protect his family from the crime syndicate he once served, the Chicago Cross. But first he must find a way to escape the confines of prison and return to his ruthless killer ways to cut down the Cross before they can get to his children.” Yawn. But in case this does somehow interest you, Harlin is already talking about “building a franchise around these intriguing characters.” Sigh. [THR]
The wild and unpredictable Sion Sono (“Why Don’t You Play In Hell,” “Love Exposure,” “Cold Fish“) has set his project, a live-action adaptation of the adult manga “Shinjuku Swan.” Go Ayano, Sawajiri Erika, Yamada Takayuki and Iseya Yusuke will star in this one about “a jobless youngster who one day gets thrown into Tokyo’s dangerous and unpredictable underground world of entertainment.” Production is slated to begin very soon. [Twitch]
Finally, Pen-ek Ratanaruang (“Last Life In The Universe,” “Headshot“) will direct “Samui Song.” Starring Chermarn “Ploy” Boonyasak and “Only God Forgives” villain Vithaya “Pu” Pansringarm, the story will follow “an actress who is worried by her foreign husband’s growing obsession with a cult-like religious sect and its charasmatic leader, the Holy One. A mysterious stranger offers to rid her of her problem, but she ends up taking drastic measures to escape falling under the influence of the Holy One.” Shooting will begin later this year. [ScreenDaily]
I think The Adventures of Ford Fairlane is his best pic, to be honest.