the expendables 2 - mj edits 3.19.12 - cinema expendables 2... · church is an enigma. we...
TRANSCRIPT
PRESENT
A NU IMAGE PRODUCTION
A FILM BY SIMON WEST
SYLVESTER STALLONE JASON STATHAM JET LI DOLPH LUNDGREN CHUCK NORRIS
ALSO JEAN CLAUDE VAN DAMME WITH BRUCE WILLIS AND ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER
THE
EXPENDABLES 2
TERRY CREWS RANDY COUTURE LIAM HEMSWORTH SCOTT ADKINS AMANDA OOMS CHARISMA CARPENTER
MUSIC BY BRIAN TYLER COSTUME DESIGNER LIZZ WOLF
PRODUCTION DESIGNER PAUL CROSS DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY SHELLY JOHNSON, A.S.C.
FILM EDITOR TODD E. MILLER CO-PRODUCERS ROBERT EARL JIB POLHEMUS MATT O’TOOLE
GUY AVSHALOM ZYGI KAMASA EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS DANNY DIMBORT BOAZ DAVIDSON TREVOR SHORT
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS JON FELTHEIMER JASON CONSTANTINE EDA KOWAN BASIL IWANYK GUYMON CASADY
PRODUCED BY DANNY LERNER LES WELDON PRODUCED BY AVI LERNER KEVIN KING-TEMPLETON BASED ON CHARACTERS CREATED BY DAVID CALLAHAM
STORY BY KEN KAUFMAN & DAVID AGOSTO AND RICHARD WENK SCREENPLAY BY RICHARD WENK AND SYLVESTER STALLONE
DIRECTED BY SIMON WEST
© 2012 BARNEY’S CHRISTMAS, INC.
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SYNOPSIS
The Expendables are back and this time it’s personal...
Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone), Lee Christmas (Jason Statham), Yin Yang (Jet
Li), Gunner Jensen (Dolph Lundgren), Toll Road (Randy Couture) and Hale
Caesar (Terry Crews) -- with newest members Billy the Kid (Liam Hemsworth)
and Maggie (Yu Nan) aboard -- are reunited when Mr. Church (Bruce Willis)
enlists the Expendables to take on a seemingly simple job. The task looks like
an easy paycheck for Barney and his band of old-school mercenaries. But when
things go wrong and one of their own is viciously killed, the Expendables are
compelled to seek revenge in hostile territory where the odds are stacked against
them. Hell-bent on payback, the crew cuts a swath of destruction through
opposing forces, wreaking havoc and shutting down an unexpected threat in the
nick of time — five tons of weapons-grade plutonium, far more than enough to
change the balance of power in the world. But that's nothing compared to the
justice they serve against the villainous adversary who savagely murdered their
brother.
That is done the Expendables way....
From Lionsgate and Millennium Films, THE EXPENDABLES 2, a film by Simon
West, is the highly anticipated sequel to the summer 2010 worldwide box-office
success ($274 million worldwide). The film stars Sylvester Stallone, Jason
Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Terry Crews, Randy Couture, with Bruce Willis
and Arnold
Schwarzenegger, with newest cast members Liam Hemsworth, Scott Adkins,
martial arts legends Chuck Norris and Jean Claude Van Damme, and Chinese
actress Yu Nan as the first female EXPENDABLE. The film is directed by Simon
West. Screenplay by Richard Wenk and Sylvester Stallone. Story by Ken
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Kaufman & David Agosto and Richard Wenk. Based on Characters Created by
David Callaham. The film is produced by Avi Lerner, Kevin King Templeton,
Danny Lerner and Les Weldon. Jon Feltheimer, Jason Constantine, Eda Kowan,
Basil Iwanyk and Guymon Casady serve as Executive Producers along with
Danny Dimbort, Boaz Davidson and Trevor Short. Lionsgate and Millennium
Films present a Nu Image production.
http://www.theexpendables2film.com/
facebook.com/TheExpendablesMovie
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THE EXPENDABLES ARE BACK AND THIS TIME IT’S PERSONAL Expendable - ex·pend·a·ble/ikˈspendəәbəәl/ an adjective 1. Open to sacrifice in the interest of gaining a military objective, especially of a mercenary nature. 2. Of no or little significance when compared to the overall mission, therefore able to be abandoned or easily discarded.
Sylvester Stallone, the driving force behind The Expendables franchise, again
brings together a powerhouse cast of action-adventure superstars – never before
seen together in one film. From Lionsgate and Millennium Films, THE
EXPENDABLES 2 is the highly anticipated sequel to the summer 2010 worldwide
box-office success (over $273 million worldwide). The latest installment stars
Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Terry Crews and
Randy Couture, with Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger, with newest cast
members Liam Hemsworth, martial arts legends Chuck Norris and Jean Claude
Van Damme, Scott Adkins and Chinese actress Yu Nan as the first female
Expendable.
Directed by Simon West, written by Sylvester Stallone and based on characters
created by David Callaham, THE EXPENDABLES 2 is produced by Avi Lerner
and Kevin King-Templeton, Danny Lerner, and Les Weldon. Executive producers
are Boaz Davidson, Trevor Short, Danny Dimbort, Jon Feltheimer, Jason
Constantine, Eda Kowan, Basil Iwanyk, and Guymon Casady.
Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone), Lee Christmas (Jason Statham), Yin Yang (Jet
Li), Gunnar Jensen (Dolph Lundgren), Toll Road (Randy Couture) and Hale
Caesar (Terry Crews) - with newest members Billy the Kid (Liam Hemsworth)
and Maggie (Yu Nan) aboard - are reunited when Mr. Church (Bruce Willis)
enlists the Expendables to take on a seemingly simple job. The task looks like
an easy paycheck for Barney and his band of old-school mercenaries. But when
things go wrong and one of their own is viciously killed, the Expendables are
compelled to seek revenge in hostile territory where the odds are stacked against
them. Hell-bent on payback, the crew cuts a swath of destruction through
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opposing forces, wreaking havoc and shutting down an unexpected threat in the
nick of time — six pounds of weapons-grade plutonium; enough to change the
balance of power in the world.
But that's nothing compared to the justice they serve against the villainous
adversary who savagely murdered their brother. That is done the Expendables
way....
THE EXPENDABLES 2 was on the drawing board months before the original
movie was completed and released in theaters. Stallone, who built the mythology
of the Expendables team from the ground up, brought together the grouping of
big-screen action icons - as he did in the first film - at the same time writing for
the all-star ensemble cast, while taking on the physically and emotionally
challenging lead role of Barney Ross. “The cast that we’ve pulled together is
phenomenal,” Stallone says, “and without exception, THE EXPENDABLES 2 is
the biggest action-adventure film that I’ve ever been involved with.”
In the wake of the phenomenal global success of the first film, Stallone says,
“The first movie filled a gap. I thought if we get together all of these characters,
present and past, and try to bring back a little of that hard-core action, that old
time rock 'n roll, it would give audiences something that they haven't seen for a
while. Most of the action films today are highly technical and this one really isn’t.”
Producer Kevin King Templeton adds, “This film has an all-star cast of hard-core
action-adventure guys, who actually look like they’re physically capable of doing
what real mercenaries do. No muscle suits, prosthetics or CGI body
enhancements, for these guys. This is the real deal.”
Jason Statham reprises his role of Lee Christmas, the film’s knife-wielding killing
machine who wears his heart on his sleeve and struggles in his personal
relationships. Statham explains why he expects THE EXPENDABLES 2 to
resonate against the current landscape of motion pictures, “These are real guys.
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They are the workingman's hero… guys you’ll want to go out and have a beer
with. They're not super-human. They're not indestructible. And, they're not bullet
proof. They have their flaws and each character is screwed up in their own little
way. They’re fragile and sensitive, and at the same time they can kick some ass.
I think that's the sort of thing what the audience can relate to. There's a lot more
color in the characters that Stallone is writing than a man running around in a
superhero suit that makes him completely indestructible.”
Bruce Willis’ and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s cameo turns with Stallone in THE
EXPENDABLES was the first time audiences got to see the three biggest action
stars of the last three decades together on screen. In THE EXPENDABLES 2,
their roles as Church (Bruce Willis) and Trench (Schwarzenegger) are fleshed
out and greatly expanded. “My old buddies,” as Mr. Stallone says. “Church,
again, is played by Bruce Willis. I'm so glad we got him because he's the key to
the beginning of the adventure. Mr. Church is an enigma. We don't really know
exactly what he does, but he's in the thick of things and he's extremely powerful
and devious.”
One week prior to beginning his work on Lionsgate’s LAST STAND, in his return
to action-adventure films, Arnold Schwarzenegger shot his role, alongside Bruce
Willis, Sylvester Stallone and the rest of the cast on location at Bulgaria’s second
largest airport in Plovdiv, much to the delight of local residents and airport
employees.
Stallone says of Arnold, “Though our characters are somewhat archenemies,
we’re also compatriots when the stakes are high enough. Trench comes through
for us this time! Last time was just a cameo. Here, Arnold’s role is expanded
and fleshed out and this will be the first time that we really join together, which
we haven't done in our entire careers. It’ll be well worth the wait when people
see it. Our styles are vastly different, which makes for a great contrast. Arnold
has a different way of approaching a role. It's certainly different than mine, but
we arrive at the same destination, which is to entertain the audience.”
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Legendary martial artist and actor Chuck Norris joins THE EXPENDABLES 2 as
Booker. The character’s name is a nod to the 1978 actioner Good Guys Wear
Black in which Norris portrayed a character named John T. Booker. In that film
and THE EXPENDABLES 2, Norris plays a retired military operative in a rescue
mission to help his old comrades.
Stallone says, “Chuck basically retired from films but he agreed to join the movie.
He plays a character that mysteriously comes out of nowhere to save our butts.
We call him Lone Wolf. He's there when you need him, and gone when you
don't.”
He continues, “It took a long time to get Chuck aboard. He's very script-oriented
and he wanted to make sure this thing was not going to be so ultra-violent that it
would be shocking to his demographic. So when he found out the script is
largely an action and adventure story rather than a full-on graphic bloodbath, he
signed on.”
Norris is the popular culture subject of countless Paul Bunyan-type larger than
life ‘Chuck Norris’ fictional “facts” created by fans, with more than half-million of
these “facts” circulating on the Internet. The film’s multinational cast & crew
working in the southeastern European nation of Bulgaria, affectionately jumped
on the bandwagon, almost as soon as Mr. Norris disembarked from the airplane
as it arrived at Sofia airport, coining a new one: “Chuck Norris doesn’t visit
Bulgaria… Bulgaria visits Chuck Norris.”
Every great action-adventure film demands a ruthless and memorable villain.
Jean Claude Van Damme joins THE EXPENDABLES 2 as Jean Vilain. Stallone
says of Van Damme “People have never seen him like this before. Usually he
plays heroes and I think people will be quite surprised by Vilain - who is
fearlessly hell-bent on destroying us despite the risk of self-destruction. He’s
willing to die and eventually when Vilain and Barney meet one-on-one, it’ll end up
being a hellacious battle until the very end. It's kind of like a heavyweight
championship fight that you never thought would happen.”
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Stallone laughs at the thought of what the world is about to enjoy, “It’s like if you
bring two guys out of retirement and say, let's find out once and for all what
they’ve got.”
And there is some new, young blood in the mix. Stallone explains, “Liam
Hemsworth plays Billy The Kid, a world class sniper. An incredible hero out of
Afghanistan but disenchanted, after being on the verge of winning the Medal of
Honor. He joins our team but soon realizes that it's really not for him. Regardless,
he agrees to go along for one last mission. But, what he really wants is to go
home, be with his girlfriend and start a normal life. The rest of us are a little
jealous of The Kid because we never really got to have normal lives. My
character, Barney understands him. At one point Barney tells him, ‘If you have a
choice, I wouldn't grow up to be us, either.’”
Stallone reveals, “Then something happens which sets the whole movie on a
course of, you might say… revenge. Our team then sets out to get the people
that have done one of us a great disservice. There’s this turn of events that you
don't expect. Liam is just fantastic in this. At one point, Barney asks ‘Why is it the
ones who deserve to live, that want to live the most, die. And the ones that don't
deserve to live, keep on going?’”
As each member of the cast was confirmed to join THE EXPENDABLES 2, the
bar was raised and then raised again. As Mr. Stallone relates, “There's a lot of
alpha-dogs here. Nobody on set wants to be outdone. So, when we’re in our
12th hour of shooting for the day, and the time comes for their close-up, they're
right there on camera, bringing their A-game. It’s pretty remarkable. All the
scenes and dialogue are designed to fit each of their personalities, so the
audience is going to get a thrill seeing all these different archetypes on the
canvas together.”
Dolph Lundgren weighs in about some of the good-natured competitive spirit on
set, “There is definitely some competitiveness, not just physically but also to do
good work and make your character shine among the other actors. And
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obviously, you know with people like Sly, Arnold, Bruce Willis, Jason Statham,
Chuck Norris, Van Damme, Randy, Terry, Scott… all of us, it’s fun and at the
same time it raises the quality of our work.”
Of crafting the team of old-school mercenaries loved by audiences worldwide,
Stallone has said that he was originally inspired by classic action films like The
Dirty Dozen, The Wild Bunch and Dogs of War – movies that were defined by
hard-hitting action and by tough yet sympathetic characters, “These guys harken
back to a time when our heroes were flesh & blood. They didn't have any
extraordinary abilities other than the desire to survive and to be victorious, even
at the expense of their own lives. There's something that is relatable about that.
These are humans helping other humans in need. The Expendables put their
lives on the line for a cause. They are real flesh & blood characters and not
superheroes with superpowers.”
Stallone says of the all-star cast, “Pulling together this high-octane mix of alpha-
dogs on the same screen has never been done before. Successfully getting
together this particular group of guys is at the movie’s core. Each of us has built
our own audiences over, many years and we are all from different walks of life;
from wrestling, from MMA, and some very long-term acting and action
backgrounds.”
Dolph Lundgren adds, “Sly came up with a great concept to put together a team
of guys like they used to… something like The Dirty Dozen. Real action, real
stunts and real fights. I think that was something movie audiences hadn't seen for
a while. So even though it’s a throwback, there’s also a certain freshness to the
concept.”
Statham describes the feeling of coming to set at dawn to shoot with production’s
call sheet outlining the day’s work with the Mount Rushmore of action heroes,
“Stallone, Bruce, Arnold: There it was. A massive line-up and it was a great
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feeling to see my name on the call sheet with the biggest action movie stars of all
time. It's an amazing privilege.”
Stallone reflects, “You know, sometimes on set you stand outside your own
character, and you say, God, this is The Terminator over here, and John
McClane over there. We’re all shooting together at the same time. It’s all highly
choreographed. It’s all of us working together in tandem like we should have
done years ago. But maybe it's good that we waited this long. 'Cause now it's
going to be well worth it!”
Lundgren adds, “When you see that call sheet it's almost like you want to frame it
and stick it on the wall someplace. I'm sure a lot of the cast & crew will, because
I don't think that'll ever happen again. I was honored to be part of that after 25
years in the business.”
Sylvester Stallone directed THE EXPENDABLES as well as seven previous
films. With THE EXPENDABLES 2, Simon West (Con Air, The General’s
Daughter, The Mechanic, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider) takes the helm. Stallone
says he’s happy to leave his director’s chair behind and let Simon take the reins
so he can focus on the writing and making Barney Ross a more memorable
character, “Simon is wonderful shooter. It’s a very good move on our part to
bring him aboard. The scope, the story, the heart and the action is going to be
infinitely better than the first one. I mean, just the opening scene in this movie is
going to blow people away. We learned from what worked and what didn’t work
on the first film. There's no way I could have done all those jobs this time and
have this scope, especially coming to Bulgaria. This is truly massive.”
Jet Li describes working with both Sylvester Stallone and Simon West, “Stallone
is a great action man, but he’s also a great writer. The Expendables movies
always show you great characters. Simon West is a very smart director. I think
he’s a genius. You know, usually with a Hong Kong film crew we work very fast
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and the American films give you longer time to shoot. I appreciate that Simon
West gave me the opportunity to decide the different fighting styles that we get to
use. I really enjoy working with him very much.”
Statham adds, “I’ve worked with Simon before when we did The Mechanic
together and he’s extremely versatile and very confident in the realm of big action
movies.”
WHAT MAKES A GREAT ACTION HERO? Right before filming the movie’s climatic mano a mano show-down between
Stallone’s Barney and Van Damme’s character Vilain, Sly considers: what makes
a great action hero?
“It’s not muscles. It’s not incredible athletic ability. I think there has to be
something for the audience to relate to. He has to be touchable, approachable,
and real. Maybe even somewhat flawed. The hero has to be part of the
audience. The audience has to want to be able to root for him. I really think what
makes an action star is the audience is mentally shoving the character forward.”
Statham says, “What makes a great action hero? I'd say, four Rambo movies
and six Rocky films. Mr. Stallone is the one that you look to when you talk about
an action hero. And, the same thing goes for Bruce Willis and Arnold
Schwarzenegger. These are the guys that inspire me and I think they have the
recipe.”
Over twenty-five years ago, Dolph Lundgren went head-to-head against Stallone
as Russian fighter Ivan Drago in Rocky IV. Now he returns in EXPENDABLES 2
in the role of Gunnar Jensen. Lundgren says, “Gunnar is still crazy but the main
thing now is that he's with the team all the way through. In the first picture he was
kind of on his own journey.” A vicious fighter who struggles to control his
impulses, Gunnar exemplifies the toll that the Expendables’ violent, wayward
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lifestyle can take on a man. He’s emotionally unstable, undone by too much
adrenaline, drinking, and combat stress.
Lundgren adds, “The first picture was a great event for me because I had first
worked with Stallone back in '85. And I got a chance to do it a second time when
he directed, wrote, and starred in the first Expendables movie. It was a great
reunion for both of us, and especially for me. It gave me a shot at a very well-
written character, this crazy guy Gunnar Jensen.”
Lundgren applauds Stallone for his willingness to collaborate, “It’s really nice to
have the writer right here on set, while we are on camera working. I really enjoy
it.”
Mixed Martial Arts superstar Randy Couture returns as Toll Road, the brawny
intellect of the group. “Toll Road is the glue that holds all of these dysfunctional
guys together,” says Couture.
Former NFL football player turned actor, Terry Crews, best known for his
comedic roles in television shows like Everybody Hates Chris, returns as barrel
weapons specialist Hale Caesar, Crews brings a tough, street-smart sensibility to
the part that’s a far cry from his comedic work. During production, Crews became
reacquainted with Hale Caesar’s weapon of choice in the film: the AA-12 auto
assault 12-gauge shotgun. Designed in 1972 specifically for the military, the AA-
12 is capable of delivering 300 rounds per minute and is considered the most
powerful weapon in the world by enthusiasts.
Scott Adkins plays Hector, chief henchman to Van Damme’s Vilain. And there's a
new female addition, by Chinese actress Yu Nan, who plays a specialist that The
Expendables desperately need on their side.
Producer Avi Lerner sums up the unique alchemy that is THE EXPENDABLES 2,
“Sly is one of the biggest screen legends of our time and he is also an excellent
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writer and a good friend. I am happy to again be working with Simon West, who
is a great director and the perfect choice to direct this film. I’m thrilled to have the
returning cast plus the greatly expanded roles for Arnold and Bruce plus the new
additions of Chuck Norris, Jean Claude Van Damme, Scott Adkins, and Yu. We’ll
have more adventure, more action, and more excitement for the audience to see.
The first film was a great success and this one will be too.”
THE EXPENDABLES ON LOCATION THE EXPENDABLES 2 filmed in Bulgaria during late 2011 and completed
shooting in Hong Kong and New Orleans in early 2012.
Situated in southeast Europe, bordering Romania, Serbia, the Republic of
Macedonia, Greece, Turkey and the Black Sea, Bulgaria offered Simon West,
Sylvester Stallone and the rest of the cast & crew a wide variety of practical film
locations - from stunning hidden underground caves to spectacular, densely-
forested mountain ranges. Throughout the country’s interior, production set up
camp and the film’s stars shot in picturesque Balkan villages untouched by time.
“We're using these locations as characters,” Stallone says, “The caves in
Bulgaria, for instance, are world famous. You just can’t duplicate this sort of thing
on a soundstage. Some of them are so big that you could fly a plane through
them… and we do. The caves are so huge and overwhelming that they are
spectacular visuals in themselves. The scope of some of these locations just
takes my breath away. It's massive and the way that Simon is shooting it… it’s
going to have extraordinary appeal.”
After weeks of planning and construction, a real bridge over the river Osam in
Bulgaria was built for the film, and remains today, as a gift to the local residents
and tourists to the Balkans.
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Lundgren is certainly no stranger to Bulgaria, “There's a real colorful and
interesting backdrop to this film. I've shot about seven movies in Bulgaria and
some of the Balkan villages that we are working in here, remind me of my home
country, Sweden, when I was a kid back in the '60s. It’s an interesting place and
there's something charming about that and it certainly works for this picture.”
Plovdiv Airport, Bulgaria’s second largest, near the famous Bulgarian ski resorts
Bansko and Pamporovo, served as a filming location to the all-star cast, much to
the delight of local residents and airport employees.
While shooting on stage at Nu Boyana Film Studios near Bulgaria’s capitol city
Sofia, Arnold Schwarzenegger, during a brief break in filming, met with the
Bulgarian Prime Minister – and the former California governor presented the
current Prime Minister with the sword of Conan the Barbarian. The latest version
of that film starring Jason Momoa as Conan was also shot in Bulgaria.
In addition to the lush forests, pristine lakes, massive caves, and ancient Balkan
villages throughout Bulgaria, the stars and filmmakers shot on stages and
massive outdoor sets at Nu Boyana Film Studios near the nation’s capital of
Sofia.
The idea to create a national movie studio in Bulgaria started to develop
immediately after WWII. In spite of the difficult times, a large-scale project was
planned and construction began in the 1950s. Boyana Film Studios was officially
launched in September 1962 and it employed hundreds of film professionals,
trained in the former Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia and Hungary.
At the time, the socialist state was funding cinema generously and the number of
movies produced at Boyana Film started to grow. The studio soon became the
largest film producer in the Balkan region. By the early 1980’s approximately 50
feature films were produced per year, half of which were intended for theatrical
distribution and the other half for national television.
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However, in 1989 a radical series of political changes took place across the
former Eastern Bloc. After the onset of democracy in Bulgaria, the state
monopoly and their funding of the film industry was removed and the
independent producer principle introduced. As a result of these sweeping
changes, film production at Boyana Studios sharply declined, and the studio fell
into disrepair. Soon, the state decided to offer the studio and its facilities up for
privatization.
After winning international competitive bidding in 2006, Nu Image/Millennium
Films became Boyana Film’s new owner with one of the conditions of the
purchase: that the facility be refurbished and remain a fully functioning movie
studio with an investment and interest in the future of movie and television
production in the region.
The studio was renamed Nu Boyana Film. In all, over 32 million euro were
invested over a five-year period. Under executive/production designer/producer
David Varod, an overall modernization and upgrading of Nu Boyana Studio took
place – including the design and construction of a massive scale “New York
Street” and replica Roman Coliseum, wardrobe department, armory, a leading-
edge visual effects facility and a modern Kodak film lab. With a total of 13
soundstages, state-of-the-art production support sitting against a spectacular
wooded mountainside on over 75 scenic acres, close to Bulgaria’s capitol of
Sofia, the studio now attracts major international film productions.
Now that production is over and filming on THE EXPENDABLES 2 is completed,
Stallone reflects, “Maybe it’s the beginning of a revival. Or, maybe it’s the end of
an era. But one thing is for sure; we’ll never see this again. Everyone in this
movie has had a very stellar career and to get all of us together at one time is a
minor miracle. It’s never happened before and it will never happen again. This is
going to be quite an experience for the audience and one that took years in the
16
making. We finally got it on film and it's something that hopefully people are
going to appreciate for years to come.”
ABOUT THE CAST SYLVESTER STALLONE (Barney Ross and screenwriter) has established
worldwide recognition as an actor, writer and director since he played the title
role in his own screenplay of ROCKY, which won the Academy Award in 1976 for
Best Picture.
Since that seminal motion picture, ROCKY grew to a franchise of five sequels
and in 2006 Stallone concluded the series with ROCKY BALBOA, a critical and
audience success, which resolutely confirmed both Stallone and ROCKY as
iconic cultural symbols. A musical version of ROCKY will debut in Hamburg,
Germany in 2012.
In addition, to commemorate a character which has become as real as any living
person to film-going audiences around the world, a statue of Rocky Balboa was
placed at the foot of the now-famous steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum at a
dedication ceremony presided over by the Mayor.
In 2008, Stallone wrote, directed and starred in RAMBO, which continued the
saga of Vietnam vet John Rambo twenty-five years after the 1982 debut of
RAMBO: FIRST BLOOD. For this latest installment, Stallone took the company
on location to the inner jungles of Burma basing the compelling story in a country
where crimes against humanity, civil war and genocide have existed for over 60
years – and no one is doing anything about it.
Last summer, Stallone released the action thriller THE EXPENDABLES¸ which
he wrote, directed, and starred in, and for which he hired an all-star cast
including Jason Statham, Mickey Rourke, Jet Li, Eric Roberts, Dolph Lundgren
17
and Steve Austin – as well as Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Sly took
the company on location to the interior of Brazil and the city streets of New
Orleans, filming over just a few short months. THE EXPENDABLES opened to
Number One at the Box Office and ultimately grossed over $274 Million
worldwide – making him the only actor to open a Number One Film across Five
Decades.
Born in New York City, Stallone attended school in suburban Philadelphia where
he first started acting and also became a star football player. He then spent two
years instructing at the American College of Switzerland in Geneva. Returning to
the United States, he enrolled as a drama major at the University of Miami and
also began to write. Stallone left college to pursue an acting career in New York
City, but the jobs did not come easily. By 1973, Stallone had auditioned for
almost every casting agent in New York and had gone on thousands of acting
calls, with little success.
During this period, he turned more and more to writing, churning out numerous
screenplays while waiting for his acting break. The opportunity first came in 1974
when he was cast as one of the leads in THE LORDS OF FLATBUSH. He also
received his first writing credit for “additional dialogue” on this film.
With the money earned from that film, Stallone left New York for Hollywood. He
again began to make the rounds of studios and casting agents, managing to get
a few small roles in television and movies. He also continued to pursue writing.
Prizefighter Rocky Balboa was born and given life in a script Stallone wrote in
longhand. Several producers offered to buy the screenplay, wanting to cast a
name star in the title role, which Stallone insisted on playing himself. Although
his bank balance was barely $100, Stallone held fast with his perseverance
finally paying off in a big way.
18
In addition to Rocky Balboa and John Rambo, Stallone’s credits as
actor/writer/director are ROCKY and PARADISE ALLEY. As actor and co-writer,
Stallone filmed F.I.S.T., FIRST BLOOD, RAMBO: FIRST BLOOD PART II,
RHINESTONE and RAMBO III. He co-wrote, directed and produced STAYING
ALIVE and starred in NIGHTHAWKS, VICTORY, TANGO & CASH and LOCK
UP.
ROCKY V, starring and written by Stallone and directed by John Avildsen,
opened in 1990.
He also starred in DEMOLITION MAN, which set box-office records for its fall
1993 release and in the films THE SPECIALIST, ASSASSINS and DAYLIGHT.
Stallone starred in the challenging and unique role of Freddy Heflin, in the
Miramax feature film COPLAND, which has garnered him further international
critical and audience acclaim.
He had the starring role in GET CARTER for Warner Brothers co-starring
Michael Caine, which opened in the fall of 2000. Stallone wrote and starred in
the number one box office race-car thriller DRIVEN, co-starring Burt Reynolds
and Christian de la Fuente. In addition, he filmed AVENGING ANGELO, co-
starring Madeline Stowe. Both films were for the Warner Bros. He also starred in
the role of “The Toymaker” for director Robert Rodriguez in the hit film SPY
KIDS 3, the final installment of that successful film franchise.
He was associated with THE CONTENDER, a powerful and action-packed
unscripted series that aired on the NBC Television Network and then ESPN.
In 2002 Stallone was honored by the Video Dealers Software Association when
he was presented with the “Action Star of the Millennium Award” at the
Organization’s 21st Annual Convention.
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In addition, Stallone’s influence and appreciation are acknowledged worldwide.
In 2008 The Zurich Film Festival presented him with the Festival’s Inaugural
Golden Icon Award, which recognized his achievements as a great American
Actor and Filmmaker. In 2009, The Venice Film Festival honored Stallone with
their Glory to the Filmmaker Award. For the 2010 release of THE
EXPENDABLES Stallone was honored at the Spike TV’s “Guy’s Choice” Awards
with the coveted GuyCon Award, presented by then Governor Arnold
Schwarzenegger. He was also feted at the 2010 Los Angeles Film Festival as
the event’s Honored Guest and received the Visionary Award at the Hollywood
Reporter Key Arts 2010 Event. At the 2010 Comic-Con Convention, he was the
first inductee into the IGN Action Hero Hall of Fame.
Upcoming, audiences will see Stallone in BULLET TO THE HEAD, veteran
director Walter Hill’s first theatrical feature in a decade. The movie centers on a
cop and a hitman who form an alliance to bring down their common adversary.
He also starts production on THE TOMB. The escape action-thriller, to be filmed
in New Orleans, stars Stallone as the architect of an inescapable prison, who
must break out of his own high-tech facility after he is framed by persons
unknown.
Stallone is one of the founding partners in Planet Hollywood, the internationally
famous chain of entertainment complexes that includes the Planet Hollywood Las
Vegas Resort and Casino.
JASON STATHAM (Lee Christmas) was plucked from obscurity by Guy Ritchie
who was looking to cast an unknown in the film LOCK, STOCK AND TWO
SMOKING BARRELS. Statham went on to work with Ritchie again in SNATCH,
starring opposite Brad Pitt and Benicio Del Toro and REVOLVER with Mark
Strong. In 2002, Luc Besson cast Statham in the title role of ‘Frank Martin’ in
THE TRANSPORTER. The film was an international success that continued to
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grow in popularity with the sequels TRANSPORTER 2 and the 2009
TRANSPORTER 3. In 2003 Statham starred in the summer blockbuster THE
ITALIAN JOB opposite Charlize Theron and Mark Wahlberg.
Statham went on to solidify himself as an action star in the massive underground
cult film CRANK where he plays the adrenaline-compromised action hero.
Statham gained critical acclaim in the 2008 Roger Donaldson film THE BANK
JOB, a true story of the 1971 Baker Street bank robbery. Statham’s other film
credits include THE ONE, CELLULAR, WAR, LONDON, the remake of DEATH
RACE directed by Paul WS Anderson and CRANK: HIGH VOLTAGE.
He is currently filming opposite Clive Owen the action thriller THE KILLER ELITE,
based on Sir Ranulph Fiennes' best- selling novel.
Born in Beijing, JET LI (Ying Yang) began practicing Wushu (Chinese martial
arts) at age eight. Three years later he won his first national championship as a
member of the Beijing Wushu Team and remained the All-Around National
Champion from 1974 to 1979. Jet made history with his 1974 two-man fight
performance at the White House for President Nixon, shortly after American
diplomatic relations reopened with China. During this time he also represented
China through martial arts demonstrations in over 45 nations.
At the pinnacle of the sport at age seventeen, he decided to begin a film career.
His first film, SHAOLIN TEMPLE, remains one of the most beloved films in China
and around the world. The success of the film propelled Jet to a full-fledged
Chinese movie star and national hero. The box office popularity of his
subsequent 25 films secured his stardom in Asia. In 1998 Li moved on to
Hollywood with the blockbuster LETHAL WEAPON 4 opposite Mel Gibson and
Danny Glover, directed by Richard Donner.
2008 saw Jet Li as the villain in the Universal feature THE MUMMY: THE TOMB
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OF THE DRAGON EMPEROR, the third installment of the hugely successful
THE MUMMY franchise with co-star Brendan Fraser. Rob Cohen directed the
feature, which was filmed on location in China and Montreal.
The family film THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM, in which Li plays an ancient
Chinese martial arts warrior with fellow martial arts expert Jackie Chan, also
proved a huge hit with audiences worldwide. In 2007 Lionsgate released the
action-packed thriller WAR, with Li co-starring with Jason Statham. THE
EXPENDABLES will mark their third time working together. In 2006 he starred in
the Focus Features biopic FEARLESS, directed by Ronni Yu. Li played the role
of Chinese martial arts legend Huo Yuanjia, the most famous fighter in all of
China at the turn of the 20th Century.
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An international celebrity, Li is a box office phenomenon on both sides of the
Pacific. Recent Chinese-language films include acclaimed Chinese director
Zhang Yimou’s HERO (also starring Zhang Ziyi, Maggie Cheung, and Tony
Leung and grossing $175 million worldwide) and Peter Chan’s THE
WARLORDS, for which Li won Best Actor at the 2008 Hong Kong Film Awards.
This was the first time in the awards history that a martial arts actor had received
the award.
DOLPH LUNDGREN (Gunnar Jensen) was born and raised in an academic
middle-class family in Stockholm, Sweden. Despite an early interest in playing
the drums and clowning around in high school comedies, Dolph decided to follow
in his father’s and older brother’s cerebral footsteps and pursue an engineering
degree.
After having completed his military service in the Swedish Marine Corps, Dolph
enrolled in the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, studying the same
subject as his older brother: Chemical Engineering. He attended both
Washington State University and Clemson University in South Carolina, studying
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Chemistry. He graduated from The Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm,
completing his Master’s Degree in Chemical Engineering on an exchange
program with the University of Sydney in Australia. Graduating at the head of his
class, Dolph was awarded a Fulbright scholarship to the prestigious
Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston, one of the world’s top
engineering schools.
That same year, young PhD student Dolph met exotic singer Grace Jones, fell in
love and decided to move to New York City to take up modeling to make some
extra cash. A bit too muscular for a model’s size 40”, Dolph was to begin at MIT a
few months later. On a friend’s advice: “Hey man, you look like you should be in
the movies....” his motion picture debut came in the James Bond feature A VIEW
TO A KILL in 1985. However, it was Lundgren’s memorable performance in
ROCKY IV later that year that definitely got him noticed worldwide. After a nine-
month audition process among 5,000 hopefuls, writer-director Sylvester Stallone
cast Dolph as his fearsome Russian opponent, Captain Ivan Drago.
Throughout the years, Lundgren built a career as an international action-hero
and has since starred in more than thirty feature films all the while staying close
to the martial arts: “Karate and physical fitness have kept me reasonably sane in
a very tough and sometimes inhuman business.” In 1997 Dolph was awarded his
third degree black belt by the World Karate Organization in Tokyo. Dolph’s other
athletic accomplishments include being the captain of the Swedish National
Karate Team and the individual champion of the Swedish, European and
Australian Heavyweight Full Contact Divisions. In addition to his Karate
expertise, Dolph was selected by the U.S. Olympic Committee to serve as the
Team Leader of the U.S. Olympic Pentathlon Team during the 1996 Atlanta
Olympic Games.
As well as being a seasoned actor, Dolph has directed five feature films. His
production company Thor Pictures is currently developing several projects, in
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which he will produce, star and direct. He co-wrote and directed COMMAND
PERFORMANCE produced by Avi Lerner and Nu Image Films. “Years of
experience in front of the camera does give me a certain edge in my favorite part
of directing: working with the actors,” Dolph says.
Dolph is also a founding member of “Group of Eight,” an off-Broadway theatre
group started in 1994. “I’m currently speaking to a Swedish director about doing
stage in Sweden. It would be a first on two fronts: a full-length stage play and
also in Swedish. All my acting so far has been in English and performing in my
native language would be very exciting.”
In February 2009 Dolph co-starred with fellow action star Jean-Claude Van
Damme in UNIVERSAL SOLDIER - REGENERATION, a sequel to the film that
paired the two European actors in the 90’s.
Shortly after ROCKY IV, Dolph released his workout video, MAXIMUM
POTENTIAL. He is currently working on a fitness book for men. In addition to the
book, Dolph is also developing a personalized organic brand of vitamins and
supplements, as well as a men’s skin care product line. He is married to Anette
Qviberg-Lundgren, an interior decorator and fashion stylist. The couple, along
with their two daughters, currently reside in London and Marbella, Spain.
Former NFL football player TERRY CREWS (Hale Caesar) traded in his helmet
and cleats to pursue an acting career and become the ultimate family man. He is
now more commonly known for his natural wit and comedic timing in his family’s
new hit BET reality series “The Family Crews.” The show premiered on February
21, 2010 bringing in 1.4 million viewers, which is a 144% increase in the timeslot
compared to the same period last year. BET had also ordered a second season
of the reality show. Additionally, Terry is set to star in the TBS series “Are We
There Yet?” produced by Ice Cube. Terry will reprise the roll that Ice Cube played
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in the hit Revolution Studios film of the same name. TBS has ordered ten
episodes of the new sitcom, slated to premiere in June 2010. Terry will next be
seen in the action film MIDDLE MEN starring with Luke Wilson and Kelsey
Grammer for Paramount.
After retiring from the NFL in 1997, Terry pursued an acting career. A stint as T-
Money on “Battle Dome” (modeled on “American Gladiators”) followed. In 2000,
Crews made his big screen debut in THE 6TH DAY. Since then he has landed
roles in SERVING SARA, FRIDAY AFTER NEXT, DELIVER US FROM EVA,
MALIBU'S MOST WANTED, STARSKY & HUTCH, SOUL PLANE, WHITE
CHICKS, and he was President Camacho in the Mike Judge film, IDIOCRACY. In
THE LONGEST YARD, Terry starred with Chris Rock, and on “Everybody Hates
Chris,” Crews stars as, Julius, the father of a young Chris Rock.
Terry frequently plays buffed-looking characters with a humorous softer side, but
more recently, he has been able to alternate with more serious projects such as
his recent appearances in HARSH TIMES, INLAND EMPIRE and STREET
KINGS.
Crews was born in Flint, Michigan and attended Flint Southwestern Academy. He
earned an Art Excellence Scholarship to attend the Interlochen Center for the
Arts and then Western Michigan University. While completing his studies as an
Art major, Terry was a key member of the WMU football team, where he earned
all-conference honors as a defensive end. Crew was drafted by the Los Angeles
Rams of the NFL in the 11th round of the 1991 NFL Draft. He carved out a career
that lasted six seasons, including stints with the Los Angeles Rams, San Diego
Chargers, Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles. While in the NFL,
Crews used his art talent by painting a line of NFL licensed lithographs for Sierra
Sun Editions.
Terry lives in Los Angeles with his wife of nearly twenty years, Rebecca, a former
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beauty queen and Christian recording artist, and their five children.
RANDY COUTURE (Toll Road) will next star opposite Karl Urban in director
Demian Lichtenstein’s (3000 MILES TO GRACELAND) film RELENTLESS.
Randy also starred in David Mamet’s RED BELT for Sony Classics followed by a
starring role in Universal’s THE SCORPION KING: THE AKKADIAN. Additionally,
Spike TV has been developing a one-hour drama for Randy to star. Randy’s
autobiography Becoming The Natural came out earlier last year and was many
times on the NY Times Bestseller List. Finally, Randy played a recurring
character on CBS’ “The Unit,” with an episode specifically written for Randy
recently airing.
Randy fought last year in front of a sold-out audience to regain his title as UFC
Heavyweight Champion Of The World. At 44, Randy came out of retirement to
shock the world by re-capturing the Heavyweight belt and proved beyond a doubt
that the oldest fighter on the circuit was able to defeat the bigger, stronger,
younger and odds-on favorite (Gabriel Gonzaga.) If Randy was an icon and
poster-boy for the sport before as a five-time World Champion and Hall-of-
Famer, he is now a legend in what everyone agrees is the fastest growing sport.
The highly anticipated event was a huge financial success earning more than
$50 million on pay-per-view. Randy recently defended his title against Brock
Lesner in what may have been the biggest pay-per-view event in the history of
the UFC.
BRUCE WILLIS (Church) Bruce Willis has demonstrated incredible versatility in
a career that has included such diverse characterizations as the prizefighter in
Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction (1994 Palme D’Or winner at Cannes), the
philandering contractor in Robert Benton’s Nobody’s Fool, the heroic time
traveler in Terry Gilliam’s 12 Monkeys, the traumatized Vietnam veteran in
Norman Jewison’s In Country, the compassionate child psychologist in M. Night
Shyamalan’s Oscar-nominated The Sixth Sense (for which he won the People’s
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Choice Award) and his signature role, Detective John McClane, in the Die Hard
quadrilogy.
Following studies at Montclair State College’s prestigious theater program, the
New Jersey native honed his craft in several stage plays and countless television
commercials, before landing the leading role in Sam Shepard’s 1984 stage
drama “Fool for Love,” a run which lasted for 100 performances off-Broadway.
Willis next won international stardom and several acting awards, including Emmy
and Golden Globe honors, for his starring role as private eye David Addison in
the hit TV series Moonlighting, winning the role over 3,000 other contenders. At
the same time, He made his motion picture debut opposite Kim Basinger in Blake
Edwards’ romantic comedy Blind Date.
In 1988, he originated the role of John McClane in the blockbuster film, Die Hard,
one of the highest-grossing releases of the year. He later reprised the character
in three sequels-Die Hard: Die Harder (1990), Die Hard: With A Vengeance
(1995’s global box-office champ) and Live Free, Die Hard (one of the box-office
hits of summer 2007)
His wide array of film roles includes collaborations with such respected
filmmakers as Michael Bay (Armageddon), M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth
Sense and Unbreakable), Alan Rudolph (Mortal Thoughts, Breakfast of
Champions), Walter Hill (Last Man Standing), Robert Benton (Billy Bathgate,
Nobody’s Fool,), Rob Reiner (The Story of Us), Ed Zwick (The Siege), Luc
Besson (The Fifth Element), Barry Levinson (Bandits, What Just Happened),
Robert Zemeckis (Death Becomes Her) and Robert Rodriguez (Sin City, Grind
House) .
Other motion picture credits include The Jackal, Mercury Rising, Hart’s War, The
Whole Nine Yards (and its sequel The Whole Ten Yards), The Kid, Tears of the
Sun, Hostage, 16 Blocks, Alpha Dog, Lucky Number Slevin and Perfect
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Stranger. He also voiced the character of the wise-cracking infant, Mikey, in
Look Who’s Talking and Look Who’s Talking Too as well as the lead character
RJ & Spike in the animated hit features Over the Hedge and Rugrats Go Wild!
Willis was last seen in the Golden Globe nominated feature film RED opposite
Helen Mirren, Morgan Freeman and John Malkovich and he will next be seen in
Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom and Rian Johnson’s sci-fi thriller Looper as
well as this summer’s G.I. Joe: Retaliation & Expendables 2. Willis is currently in
production on A Good Day To Die Hard (the fifth installment in the popular Die
Hard franchise) and will begin shooting Red 2 this fall.
In addition to his work before the cameras, Willis produced Hostage and The
Whole Nine Yards and executive produced Breakfast of Champions, adapted
from Kurt Vonnegut’s best-selling novel. With brother David Willis and business
partner Stephen Eads, he co-founded Willis Brothers Films, a film production
company based in Los Angeles.
Willis also maintains a hand in the theater. In 1997, he co-founded A Company
of Fools, a non-profit theater troupe committed to developing and sustaining
stage work in the Wood River Valley of Idaho, and throughout the U.S. He
starred in and directed a staging of Sam Shepard’s dark comedy True West at
the Liberty Theater in Hailey, Idaho. The play, which depicts the troubled
relationship between two brothers, was aired on Showtime and dedicated to
Willis’ late brother Robert.
An accomplished musician as well, Willis recorded the 1986 Motown album The
Return of Bruno, which went platinum and contained the No. 5 Billboard hit
“Respect Yourself.” Three years later, he recorded a second album If It Don’t Kill
You, It Just Makes You Stronger. In 2002, he launched a U.S. club tour with his
musical group, Bruce Willis and the Blues Band and he traveled to Iraq to play for
U.S. service men.
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ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (Trench) is known all over the globe for his
many accomplishments: world champion bodybuilder, Hollywood action hero,
successful businessman, environmentalist, philanthropist, best-selling author,
and California's 38th Governor.
This world-famous athlete and actor was born in Thal, Austria in 1947, and by the
age of 20 was dominating the sport of competitive bodybuilding, becoming the
youngest person ever to win the Mr. Universe title. By generating a new
international audience for bodybuilding, Schwarzenegger turned himself into a
sports icon. With his sights set on Hollywood, he emigrated to America in 1968,
and went on to win five Mr. Universe titles and seven Mr. Olympia titles before
retiring to dedicate himself to acting. Later, he would go on to earn a college
degree from the University of Wisconsin and proudly became a U.S. citizen.
Schwarzenegger, who worked under the pseudonym Arnold Strong in his first
feature, HERCULES IN NEW YORK, quickly made a name for himself in
Hollywood. In 1977, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association recognized him
with a Golden Globe for New Male Star of the Year for his role in STAY
HUNGRY opposite Sally Field. His big break came in 1982 when the sword and
sorcery epic, CONAN THE BARBARIAN, hit box office gold. In 1984,
Schwarzenegger blew up the screen and catapulted himself into cinema history
as the title character in Jim Cameron’s sci-fi thriller, TERMINATOR. He is the
only actor to be in both categories of the American Film Institute’s “Hundred
Years of Heroes and Villains” for roles he played in the TERMINATOR series.
Other memorable characters include roles in COMMANDO, PREDATOR,
TWINS, TOTAL RECALL, TRUE LIES, ERASER, COLLATERAL DAMAGE,
TERMINATOR 3: RISE OF THE MACHINES and a cameo in Sylvester Stallone’s
homage to action films, THE EXPENDABLES among others. To date his films
have grossed over $3 billion worldwide.
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In 2003 Schwarzenegger became the 38th Governor of the State of California in
a historic recall election, and as governor ushered in an era of innovative
leadership and extraordinary public service. Among his many achievements,
Schwarzenegger signed into law the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, as
well as establishing the Million Solar Roofs Plan, making California the leader in
protecting the environment and rebuilding infrastructure. Governor
Schwarzenegger also implemented the hugely successful California Film & TV
Television Tax Credit Program, designed to stimulate film and TV production in
the state. In recognition of these efforts, Schwarzenegger has been rewarded for
his great leadership and vision many times over in many arenas including the
Simon Wiesenthal Center's "National Leadership Award" and in 2011 the
American Council On Renewable Energy’s “Renewable Energy Leader of the
Decade.”
But it is Schwarzenegger’s commitment to giving something back to his state and
to his country through public service that gives him the most satisfaction;
donating his time, energy, and personal finances to serving others all over the
world. Schwarzenegger acts as Chairman of the After School All-Stars, a
nationwide after-school program, and serves as coach and international torch-
bearer for Special Olympics. He also served as Chairman of the President’s
Council on Physical Fitness and Sports under George H. W. Bush and as Chair
of the California Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports under
Governor Pete Wilson.
Schwarzenegger recently wrapped THE LAST STAND for Lionsgate, scheduled
for release in January 2013 and was recently cast to star along with Sylvester
Stallone in THE TOMB for Summit Pictures.
LIAM HEMSWORTH’S (Billy The Kid) break out role as ‘Will Blakelee’ in
Disney’s smash hit THE LAST SONG earned him a 2010 Young Hollywood
Award as well as three Teen Choice Award nominations, and the win for “Choice
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Movie: Male Breakout.” Starring opposite Miley Cyrus, Greg Kinnear and Kelly
Preston, THE LAST SONG is based on best-selling author Nicholas Sparks’
novel, who also co-wrote the screenplay.
Hemsworth will next be seen on the big screen starring opposite Jennifer
Lawrence in the highly anticipated film adaption of THE HUNGER GAMES -
playing the character of ‘Gale Hawthorne.’ Hemsworth most recently completed
production on the feature film AWOL, in which he stars opposite Teresa Palmer.
He will soon begin filming the 3D action film ARABIAN NIGHTS, directed and
written by Chuck Russell. He will star in the leading role of ‘Kamar’ alongside
Academy Award winner, Anthony Hopkins as ‘Pharotu.’ The film tells the story of
a young commander, ‘Kamar,’ who joins forces with Sinbad, Aladdin and his
Genie to rescue Queen Scheherazade and save her Kingdom from the dark
powers of an immortal Sorcerer. On the small screen, Liam starred in the popular
Australian drama series NEIGHBOURS.
Born and raised in Melbourne, Australia, he and his family relocated to Phillip
Island, off the coast of Melbourne, when Liam was eleven years old. In 2009,
Liam moved to Los Angeles, where he currently resides.
CHUCK NORRIS (Booker) is an international television and film star, as well as
a world-renowned martial arts expert and teacher. He is also well known for his
nutrition and fitness advocacy, as demonstrated by his endorsement of the
globally popular Total Gym exercise equipment, a device that has helped
improve the health of millions for more than three decades.
C-Force is Norris’s new health column distributed by Creators Syndicate. It will
offer regular advice and insight on improving readers’ health and fitness by a
celebrated master of healthy living. It will bring them into his world with the
guidelines and philosophies he lives by, as well as offer sound advice from
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reputable and highly respected experts in the natural and medical fields. C-
Force espouses a holistic view of health—that wellness is obtained and
maintained by treating ourselves as an integrated whole—mind, body and spirit.
Norris is a New York Times bestselling author of three books. They include Black
Belt Patriotism: How to Reawaken America, first released in 2008, and the 2004
autobiographical Against All Odds. Norris has also penned two books of fiction
(The Justice Riders and A Threat to Justice) and The Secret of Inner Strength.
As the subject of countless Paul Bunyan-type fictional “facts” created by fans,
with an estimated 600,000+ “facts” circulating on the Internet, for years Norris
has been repeatedly asked: Which are your favorites? With the release of The
Official Chuck Norris Fact Book in November 2009 (Tyndale Publishing) fans
everywhere at last got their answer and, along with the levity, some eye opening
insight behind these facts and the code by which Mr. Norris lives his life.
In 2006 he first added the title of “columnist” to his list of credits with the launch
of his popular Internet column on social commentary and its subsequent
expansion via Creators Syndicate. His weekly column is now widely circulated
and carried by such popular Internet sites as Human Events, Townhall and World
Net Daily, among a host of other publications and outlets.
One of the most popular actors in the world, Chuck Norris starred in over 23
action films and the CBS television series, Walker, Texas Ranger, with 203
episodes over 8 ½ years. It is the most successful Saturday night series on CBS
since Gunsmoke. The program is currently seen by an estimated one billion
viewers worldwide and airs daily in the U.S. and in more than 80 countries
worldwide. Millions of people around the world also know Chuck Norris as the
star of films such as DELTA FORCE, MISSING IN ACTION, LONE WOLF
MCQUADE, and SIDEKICKS. Few people know he wrote the original
screenplays for a number of his box office hits.
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A former Airman First Class in the United States Air Force, past spokesperson
for the U.S. Veterans Administration and Veteran Foundation’s Veteran of the
Year Award recipient, he has spent hundreds of hours visiting soldiers at military
installations and in America’s veteran hospitals. In 2007, he was made an
honorary member of the United States Marine Corps in recognition of two recent
visits to troops in Iraq.
Norris’s first international acclaim came as a six-time undefeated World
Professional Middle Weight Karate Champion. He is the first man from the
Western Hemisphere in the more than 4,500 years of Tae Kwon Do to be
awarded an eighth-degree Black Belt Grand Master ranking.
Among his more rewarding accomplishments is the creation in 1992 of his
“KICKSTART KIDS” program. His wife, Gena Norris, is also a leading force in
this endeavor and valuable member of the Foundation’s Board of Directors. With
its mission of building strong moral character in our youth through the martial
arts, expanding the Foundation and its benefits has become Chuck and Gena’s
mission in life, following the development and well-being of their family.
KICKSTART KIDS, which began in Houston, now teaches the martial arts to
more than 6,000 at-risk middle school children in Texas. This character building,
life-skills school curriculum has exceeded 60,000 youngsters graduating the
program with many going on to college and becoming successful in their own
right. Proceeds from Chuck Norris’ books and other ventures go to support this
nonprofit foundation and to advancing Chuck and Gena’s plan to someday
expand the KICKSTART KIDS Foundation nationwide.
The Norris’s live on their ranch near Houston, Texas, where they are raising their
twins.
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JEAN CLAUDE VAN DAMME (Vilain) ---Jean-Claude Van Damme ('JCVD' aka
the 'Muscles from Brussels'), actor, director, producer and screenwriter was born
in Brussels, Belgium, on October 18th, 1960 under the name Jean-Claude Van
Varenberg.
Van Damme is married to fitness expert and former female bodybuilding
champion, Gladys Portugues, and he is the proud father of Kristopher [1987];
Bianca [1990] and Nicolas [1995].
As a child, he was a shy skinny kid who loved drawing and music, but inspired
later by the images of super heroes from comic books, he decided to change his
own image when his father took him to the National Karate Centre of Belgium,
owned by the famous karate and kickboxing sensei, Claude Goetz.
As a teenager,
And because of his incredible determination, Van Damme became in a great
shape and gained a great physical strength due to the non-stop training,
everyday. He also took ballet classes besides martial arts & bodybuilding in order
to gain superior body flexibility.
Van Damme won many karate and kickboxing championships (under the name
Van Varenberg) after defeating the most fearsome names in the game, and he
also won the bodybuilding title of Mr. Belgium.
Later, after these glorious victories in the world of martial arts and sports, he
wanted to push his talent into a new level! That was when he decided that he
wants to become an international movie star.
First step towards his new dream was when he went to Hong Kong. Impressed
by his physique and martial arts skills, movie producers gave him a role in the
martial arts movie NO RETREAT, NO SURRENDER. Van Damme caught the
attention of the martial arts movie fans through this role, as it was the first time
they see an agile martial artist with such a muscular bodybuilder shape!
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But his real birth as a movie star was when he was offered the leading role in
BLOODSPORT. After the huge worldwide success of BLOODSPORT, he started
doing movies in USA and he went from success to another with films like
LIONHEART, DOUBLE IMPACT, UNIVERSAL SOLDIER, NOWHERE TO RUN,
HARD TARGET, TIMECOP, MAXIMUM RISK and more...
He became then the world's highest paid martial arts actor.
The late 90's - 2000's witnessed a new type of actor who began to mix action
with drama; winning the admiration of both fans and critics for movies like
LEGIONNAIRE, REPLICANT, IN HELL, WAKE OF DEATH, and UNTIL DEATH.
In 2008, Van Damme thrilled the world by his performance in the movie JCVD.
He earned the best critical notices of his career for the movie where he plays
'himself'. "He deserves not a black belt, but an Oscar." – TIME Magazine
2009 – 2011 witnessed lots of projects for Van Damme. Highlights: He wrote,
directed and stared in SOLDIERS (aka THE EAGLE PATH). He was back as Luc
Deveraux in UNIVERSAL SOLDIER: REGENERATION; followed by
UNIVERSAL SOLDIER: DAY OF RECKONING (in 3D). He did the voice of
Master Croc in the Oscar-nominee and Annie Award Winner feature film, KUNG
FU PANDA 2. He starred in 2 action movies, ASSASSINATION GAMES and SIX
BULLETS.
2011 was also the year which all action movie fans in the world were anxiously
waiting for; where Van Damme joined the cast of THE EXPENDABLES 2 along
with the biggest action star names in the world,
In THE EXPENDABLES 2, Van Damme plays a character named ‘Jean Vilain’ –
the lead villain in the film. This should be the fourth time Van Damme plays a
villain role during his acting career, proving his ability as an actor who can
change the skin of the macho man type of roles he usually plays.
In 2012 Van Damme did his first dry humor movie, WELCOME TO THE
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JUNGLE. Today, Jean-Claude Van Damme is an all-round actor, doing action,
drama and comedy; and yet...still more surprises to come from JCVD.
While still going on with his main passion of filmmaking through the ups and
downs of life, Van Damme is also paying attention to humanitarian issues &
animal rights and he has a dream of spreading true peace allover the world!
SCOTT ADKINS (Hector) is a respected English actor who also happens to
possess amazing skills as a martial artist. He began his acting training in his
hometown attending the local youth theatre from the age of 10. At the age of 14,
Scott also began to train in Tae Kwon Do under the instruction of Ron Sergiew
with the T.A.G.B. After a few years he moved on to kickboxing under Anthony
Jones. He is now a fully trained kickboxing Instructor for the P.K.A. Scott also
holds a red belt in Tae Kwon Do and a black belt in kickboxing. He is also skilled
in Wushu and Judo.
He went on to study drama at College. While at college he played Laertes in
HAMLET for director Michael Bodenstein and the dual roles of Ken and Tony
Sutton in STRIKER for director Damian Brant.
His first professional break came when he was offered a role in a Hong Kong
martial arts film called EXTREME CHALLENGE and found himself in the East for
the first time. Scott got the chance to work with some of Hong Kong cinema’s
leading action directors including Yeun Wo Ping, Cory Yeun, Sammo Hung and
Jackie Chan.
Scott also landed the regular role of Bradley Hume in award winning British TV
drama HOLBY CITY - and he began to be noted as an actor to watch. Scott then
appeared as a regular in the popular British comedy drama MILE HIGH showing
he also had a talent for comedy. He then moved on to TV series such as:
DANGERFIELD, HOLLYOAKS and the hard hitting award winning police drama
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CITY CENTRAL directed by BAFTA award winner Kenny Glenaan.
Starring roles in feature films soon followed with his portrayal of Talbot in
SPECIAL FORCES and Boyka in UNDISPUTED II: LAST MAN STANDING. It
was this film that broke him into the mainstream with his villainous portrayal of a
Russian MMA underground fighter Boyka in what has been hailed as one of the
best American-made martial arts films of recent times. Along with lead actor
Michael Jai White, fight coordinator JJ Perry and the slick direction of Isaac
Florentine this movie has some unbelievably heart stopping fight scenes.
After this Scott has had guest starring roles in bigger budget films like THE
BOURNE ULTIMATUM, THE TOURNAMENT, WEAPON XI and X-MEN
ORIGINS: WOLVERINE. His first lead role came with NINJA and was soon
followed with UNDISPUTED III: REDEMPTION where he reprised his role as
Russian MMA fighter Uri Boyka.
He has recently filmed the co-lead role of Flint in ASSASSIN GAMES opposite
Jean Claude Van Damme and the leading role of John in UNIVERSAL SOLDIER
- A NEW DIMENSION. This year Scott also took the leading role of The Man in
EL GRINGO for After Dark Films.
YU NAN (Maggie) made her feature film debut in LUNAR ECLIPSE (1999),
which earned her the Best Actress of the Deauville Asian Film Festival, and
started her career working with several of China's most renowned film directors.
She subsequently starred in three more films with Wang Quan'an: JINGZHE
(2003), which earned her the Best Actress Golden Rooster Award and the Best
Actress prize of the Paris International Film Festival in 2003; TUYA'S
MARRIAGE, won the Golden Bear in 2007 at the Berlin International Film
Festival and Yu Nan won the Best Actress prize from the Chicago International
Film Festival. WEAVING GIRL (2009), won Jury Special Grand prix and the
FIPRESCI prize from the 2009 Montreal World Film Festival.
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Yu Nan has also worked with other major Chinese directors, including Wang
Xiaoshuai in IN LOVE WE TRUST (2008), which won the Best Screenplay Silver
Bear in Berlin the same year, and Ning Hao, in his Chinese Western film, NO
MAN'S LAND (2010).
Born in China, Yu Nan graduated from the Beijing Film Academy's acting
department. Helped in part by her fluency in Mandarin, French, and English, Yu
Nan has played in several international productions, including the French film
FUREUR (2003), the Taiwanese film MY DNA SAYS I LOVE YOU (2008), the
Canadian-Chinese film, DIAMOND DOGS (2007), and the Hollywood film,
SPEED RACER (2008), from the Wachowski siblings.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS SIMON WEST (Director), British born filmmaker, started at the BBC in London
as an editor. He then moved on to direct several award-winning commercials. His
films include CON AIR starring Nic Cage, THE GENERAL'S DAUGHTER starring
John Travolta, LARA CROFT: TOMB RAIDER starring Angelina Jolie and WHEN
A STRANGER CALLS starring Camilla Belle. All of these pictures either made
over $100 million domestically or opened at number 1 or both.
West also served as an executive producer on the Oscar® nominated BLACK
HAWK DOWN. He will be reteaming with BLACK HAWK DOWN writer Ken
Nolan to direct THUNDER RUN based on the book "Thunder Run" written by
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist David Zucchino. It is the first tank battle film in
many years.
His television company has produced acclaimed series such as Fox's KEEN
EDDIE, the CBS series CLOSE TO HOME, Fox's HUMAN TARGET and the
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NBC series THE CAPE.
West recently directed the action-packed remake of THE MECHANIC starring
Jason Statham and Ben Foster. He is currently in preproduction to again direct
Nic Cage in STOLEN - a fast-paced action thriller set during Mardi Gras in New
Orleans.
West’s future projects consist of the biopic DALI based on the life and times of its
namesake, the comedy SALTY based on the novel of the same name and the
witty caper GETTING EVEN written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais who
together penned THE BANK JOB and ACROSS THE UNIVERSE.
AVI LERNER (Producer) Co-Chairman and founder of Nu Image, Inc.,
Millennium Films and all related companies, is one of the most experienced,
prolific and successful independent filmmakers of our time. Recently labeled
The Most Unlikely Movie Mogul by The Hollywood Reporter, Lerner has
produced over 350 films since his career began.
Born and raised in Haifa, Israel, Lerner began as manager of Israel’s first
drive-in cinema. He now regularly attends Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Toronto,
Sundance, and Millennium Films’ multiple production studios to produce five to
eight movies per year with such stars as Robert De Niro, Kathryn Heigl,
Sylvester Stallone, Amanda Seyfried, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis,
Jason Statham, Jet Li and Robin Williams.
Lerner anticipated the explosion of home video rental in l979, which led to his
pioneering the largest specialized video distribution company in Israel, and
becoming a partner in the largest theatrical distribution company in the country.
In 1984, he executive produced the remake of KING SOLOMON’S MINES, its
sequel ALAN QUARTERMAIN AND THE LOST CITY OF GOLD. He then sold
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his Israeli company and relocated to Johannesburg, South Africa, where he
founded the Nu Metro Entertainment Group. The company interests included:
owned and operated theaters; a video distribution division representing top
studios and independent companies; and a production arm that made over 60
features distributed worldwide by major studios. Lerner eventually sold Nu Metro
to join MGM United Artists while still producing feature films.
In 1992 he moved to Los Angeles and opened Nu Image, Inc. Finding success
producing and distributing for home entertainment, the Nu Image brand
continued to expand. In 1996 Millennium Films was formed and began producing
features, while Nu Image continued to cater to the lucrative international home-
video market. Between the two divisions, over ???XXX films have been produced
since 1992.
Under the Millennium Films label, Lerner has produced numerous titles that
include: the $274 box office hit THE EXPENDABLES, starring Sylvester Stallone,
Jason Statham and Mickey Rourke; RAMBO IV also directed and featuring
Stallone; RIGHTEOUS KILL with legendary actors Al Pacino and Robert De Niro;
16 BLOCKS featuring Bruce Willis and Mos Def; and THE MECHANIC with
Jason Statham and Donald Sutherland.
Other films include: the dramedy STRAIGHT A’S staring Anna Paquin, Ryan
Phillippe, Luke Wilson; THE BIG WEDDING, with Robert De Niro, Katherine
Heigl, Susan Sarandon, Amanda Seyfried, Diane Keaton and Robin Williams; the
Gerard Butler romantic comedy PLAYING THE FIELD; and THE PAPERBOY,
based on the novel by Peter Dexter, starring Matthew McConaughey, Nicole
Kidman, John Cusack, Zac Efron and directed by Academy Award® nominee Lee
Daniels.
For over two decades, KEVIN KING-TEMPLETON (Producer) has been
associated with Rogue Marble Productions, the production company of writer,
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director and actor Sylvester Stallone. During his tenure he has found his forte in
the action genre, producing projects with a global reach, from the remote jungles
of Brazil and Thailand to the most cosmopolitan cities. In addition to Stallone
King-Templeton has worked with acclaimed acting heavyweights Robert De Niro,
Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Harvey Keitel, Mickey Rourke, Michael
Caine and Anthony Quinn.
The British-born King-Templeton has overseen some of the most astounding
action sequences in motion picture history, including those shot on location in
Bulgaria for THE EXPENDABLES 2. His additional credits as a producer include
THE EXPENDABLES, directed by Sylvester Stallone and released in 2010 to
Number One at the Box Office.
He also produced INFERNO: THE MAKING OF THE EXPENDABLES, an
independent documentary that gives audiences an unvarnished look deep inside
the filmmaking process of THE EXPENDABLES.
King-Templeton also produced BULLET TO THE HEAD, director Walter Hill’s
first theatrical feature in a decade. Previously he produced the latest installment
of RAMBO shot in the remote inner jungles of Burma, which continued the saga
of the heroic Vietnam Vet John Rambo and ROCKY BALBOA a critical and
audience success, which definitively confirmed both Sylvester Stallone and
Rocky as iconic cultural symbols. Additionally he produced AVENGING
ANGELO and DRIVEN and he also served as associate producer on GET
CARTER and the critically acclaimed COP LAND for director James Mangold.
For television he developed and produced a pilot for Paramount Pictures
Television and The CBS Network entitled FATHER LEFTY.
He is also executive producing the highly anticipated musical production “Rocky”
based on the original 1976 Academy Award® winning motion picture, for Stage
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Entertainment in Hamburg, Germany, and will eventually bring the show over to
America for the Broadway Stage.
King-Templeton is currently producing THE TOMB for Summit Entertainment.
DANNY LERNER (Producer) was born in Israel, and his industry career started
in film distribution. He went on to manage a cinema chain and subsequently
moved into production when he joined Nu World Productions in 1986. Since
then, he has produced over 70 films, shot on location in South Africa, Namibia,
Israel, Mexico, Bulgaria, Canada and United States. In 2003, he founded Tosca
Pictures with long-time friend, Les Weldon.
They recently completed the feature movie, TARGET OF OPPORTUNITY with
Dean Cochran and Todd Jensen in Bulgaria. His director credits include
TRAITOR’S HEART with Bryan Genesse and SHARK ZONE with Dean Cochran,
which was followed by RAGING SHARKS, which he wrote, directed and
produced. In 2005 he was able to work on two more titles, FINDING RIN TIN
TIN and TODAY YOU DIE with Steven Seagal. In 2010 he embarked on another
family adventure, COOL DOG.
LES WELDON (Producer) is a writer/producer whose diverse portfolio includes
action films, thrillers, comedies, and network television. His credits include 13
films starring Jean-Claude Van Dame, Steven Seagal, Dolph Lundgren and
Charlton Heston, among others and has produced titles including Sylvester
Stallone’s international hit, THE EXPENDABLES; TRAIN with Thora Birch; and
the John Cusack movie WAR, INC. starring Ben Kingsley, Marisa Tomei and
Hillary Duff.
Les has written on location in five continents and seven countries, including the
United States, Canada, England, Israel, Hong Kong, Venezuela and Bulgaria.
Born and raised in Brazil, by age twelve Les had already won a junior Pan-
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American writing contest. At seventeen, he had his first short story, “The Book,”
published in Sandstone Magazine.
Les attended the University of Southern California where he majored in Business
Administration, with a minor in Film. Upon graduation, Les was commissioned to
write two features for Sony Studios. Following that, Les began writing for the
CBS series “Dangerous Curves.” Les’ most recent credits include the critically
acclaimed REPLICANT, which garnered Van Damme a Best Actor nomination at
the DVD Premiere awards; HIDDEN AGENDA, a Dolph Lundgren action-thriller;
and THE ORDER where he worked once again with Van Damme.
Les formed a new company - Tosca Pictures - with partner Danny Lerner. Their
first effort, TARGET OF OPPORTUNITY, was written by Les and directed by
Danny. Les and Danny followed it up with RAGING SHARKS, a sci-fi action film.
BOAZ DAVIDSON (Executive Producer) has written, directed and produced
over 75 feature films since his film career began. Davidson is the writer-director
of LEMON POPSICLE, a Golden Globe® nominee and critically acclaimed
worldwide hit. He has been with Millennium Films since its inception in 1996.
With his Israeli military service complete, Davidson returned to his writing career,
and was granted a scholarship enabling him to attend the London Film School,
where he majored in directing and writing.
Born in Tel Aviv, Davidson returned to Israel and found much success writing
and directing feature films. His biopic, ESKIMO LIMON aka LEMON POPSICLE,
drew raves from the 28th Berlin International Film Festival® and received a
Golden Bear® nomination. It became the first Israeli film to receive critical acclaim
around the world, garnering it a Golden Globe® nomination, and was followed by
five sequels, four of which Davidson directed. His other Israeli film successes
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include: CHARLIE VE'HETZI (1974), MISHPAHAT TZAN'ANI (1974) AND
HAGIGA B'SNUKER (1975).
Davidson moved to the United States in 1979 and teamed with Menahem Golan
and Yoram Globus, making films for their prolific Cannon Films including: GOING
BANANAS, DELTA FORCE, AMERICAN CYBORG; and most notably an
American version of LEMON POPSICLE titled THE LAST AMERICAN VIRGIN.
Today both Israeli and American versions are considered cult classics.
In 1992, Davidson ventured to the newly formed independent studio Nu Image,
Inc. He continued to write and direct such films as LOOKING FOR LOLA,
SHADRACH and THE BIG BRASS RING. In 1996 Nu Image formed Millennium
Films, giving Davidson the chance to run a production company, bigger budgets,
greater casts and more control.
Davidson now devotes more of his time overseeing the development and
production of Millennium Films’ slate. As the head of one of Hollywood’s leading
independent production companies, Davidson’s recent slate of films have
included: EXPENDABLES, RAMBO IV, RIGHTEOUS KILL, 16 BLOCKS, THE
MECHANIC and BROOKLYN’S FINEST. Upcoming films are EXPENDABLES 2,
THE BIG WEDDING, PLAYING THE FIELD, STRAIGHT A’S, THE PAPERBOY
and KILLING SEASON.
TREVOR SHORT (Executive Producer) oversees all legal, finance and
administrative operations for Nu Image, Inc., Millennium Films and all related
companies. Born in Harare, Zimbabwe, Short obtained a Bachelor of Law from
the University of Rhodesia and an MBA at the University of Cape Town. It was in
South Africa that he was awarded the Gold Medal of Merit. In 1980 Short entered
the world of banking and commerce, joining Standard Chartered Merchant Bank
as head of Corporate Finance, responsible for takeovers, mergers and IPO’s. He
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then joined Investec Bank (formerly Hill Samuel Merchant Bank) in 1984 as head
of its Corporate Finance Division. He was responsible for eight IPO's on the
Johannesburg Stock Exchange, numerous mergers and acquisitions.
Short’s finance background led him to develop a tax based financing formula to
produce features. He succeeded in raising over $200 million from private
investors in order to fund the production of international films made in South
Africa. His work at Investec Bank continued, as did his ability in securing private
financing for motion pictures. Much of the financing he secured was for films
produced by Avi Lerner’s Nu Metro Productions for international film companies.
He also became the primary consultant to the Government of South Africa
regarding film investment and taxation legislation.
In 1989 Short left the banking sector to join Lerner as a shareholder and Chief
Executive of Nu Metro Entertainment Group in Johannesburg. He continued to
arrange financing for Nu Metro’s film production and was directly involved in its
growing theater chain. In 1991, Lerner and Short used Nu Metro Entertainment
Group sales proceeds to start a new studio in California.
Nu Image, Inc. opened its Los Angeles based independent studio in 1992. Short
remained in South Africa initially, traveling to the states and back frequently. In
1995 he moved to Los Angeles permanently.
Drawing upon his experiences in finance, law, investments, tax legislation,
subsidies, plus domestic and international banking, Short’s combined expertise
has benefited Nu Image greatly, leading to the purchase of Nu Boyana Studios in
Bulgaria and the recently completed Millennium Studios in Louisiana. Both
studios are full-service production facilities available to the film industry and used
by Millennium Films often.
Short has served as producer or executive producer on nearly all Nu Image or
Millennium Films production since the company’s beginning. Recent films
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include EXPENDABLES 1 & 2, CONAN THE BARBARIAN, THE MECHANIC,
THE BIG WEDDING, PLAYING THE FIELD, THE PAPERBOY, STRAIGHT A’S
and KILLING SEASON.
MATT O’TOOLE (Co-Producer) has been working in the film industry since he
was 14, when he was a production runner on Tim Burton’s BATMAN at
England’s legendary Pinewood Studios. Since then he has worked all over the
world on big budget epic productions including EVITA, BILLY ELLIOTT and
TROY. He worked on three films for acclaimed director Ridley Scott: Academy
Award® Best Picture Winner GLADIATOR, KINGDOM OF HEAVEN and BLACK
HAWK DOWN and the Emmy® Award-winning Steven Spielberg/Tom Hanks
HBO mini-series “Band of Brothers.” Recently he worked on Brian De Palma’s
THE BLACK DAHLIA and the blockbuster sequel RAMBO IV.
JIB POLHEMUS (Co-Producer) has been the President of Simon West
Productions for the past 12 years. Currently he is executive producing the feature
film MEDALLION starring Nic Cage and producing NIGHT OF THE LIVING
DEAD 3D: ORIGINS. Recently he co-produced THE MECHANIC starring
Jason Statham and Ben Foster and associate produced TOMB RAIDER starring
Angelina Jolie.
Jib has also overseen production and development on several other films
including BLACKHAWK DOWN, WHEN A STRANGER CALLS, and THE
GENERAL’S DAUGHTER for Simon West Productions. He started his career in
entertainment at Creative Artists Agency, and also worked for legendary
producer Dino De Laurentis (HANNIBAL, CONAN THE BARBARIAN, KING
KONG).
In television, he recently co-executive produced “The Cape” for NBC and
“Human Target” for FOX. He has had a producing deal at CBS Studios for the
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past ten years, and while there has produced various pilots and shows for
several different networks. Jib has also been a guest lecturer for The Columbia
College of Chicago for the past five years.
SHELLY JOHNSON, ASC (Director of Photography) has served as director of
photography on over 60 full-length projects, including CAPTAIN AMERICA,
JURASSIC PARK III, THE WOLFMAN and HIDALGO. He is a three-time ASC
Outstanding Achievement Award for Cinematography nominee. Johnson is also
an accomplished painter and has exhibited and shown in various shows and
museums.
TODD E. MILLER (Editor) has edited blockbuster films for over 10 years. Miller
began editing with Jerry Bruckheimer on ARMAGEDDON and has since worked
on several films with Michael Bay, including TRANSFORMERS. He last
collaborated with Simon West on THE GENERAL'S DAUGHTER.
Specializing in fast-paced thriller and action films, Miller has an exciting style that
leaps off the screen. He has worked on films such as THE MECHANIC, JOY
RIDE, EXORCIST: THE BEGINNING, PATHOLOGY, and blockbuster movies
such as XXX: STATE OF THE UNION and the romantic comedy, UNDER THE
TUSCAN SUN. Along the way Miller has ventured into television, editing a
season of "E-Ring" with Jerry Bruckheimer as well as various commercials.
PAUL CROSS (Production Designer) previously was production designer on
BABYLON A.D. and art director on the films NANNY MCPHEE,
THUNDERBIRDS, I CAPTURED THE CASTLE, I'LL BE THERE, LAST ORDER
and BRIDGET JONES' DIARY. He was a draughtsman on STAR WARS -
EPISODE 1: THE PHANTOM MENACE. Cross has worked on several television
productions, and earned an Emmy nomination (shared) for his work on the mini-
series "Hornblower: Duty.”
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LIZZ WOLF (Costume Designer) has worked on the production of over 30 films,
spanning a variety of periods, genres, and styles. Lizz’s vast knowledge of
costume history and eye for detail has allowed her to become an inventive
costume and wardrobe designer. With this knowledge and experience, she
meets the challenges of each project with forward thinking and collaboration.
THE EXPENDABLES 2 is her second film with Sylvester Stallone, continuing the
relationship begun with 2008’s RAMBO, and THE EXPENDABLES. She has also
been extremely privileged to work with such prolific directors as Tony Scott,
Steven Soderbergh, and Brian De Palma on many international productions.
Lizz’s background shaped her future as a designer. Her mother, an artist and
interior designer, nurtured Lizz’s interest in the arts at a young age. Her father, a
textile salesman, insured a bounty of materials for some of her earliest designs.
This included a matching collection of chartreuse fun fur outfits for Barbie, Ken,
and herself. It was then that Lizz’s risk-taking and character developing began.
She went on to study fashion and costume design at Otis College of Art and
Design and The American College in London. While in London, she became
greatly inspired by the music scene, an influence that is ever present in her work
today.
Driven by a love of film, and the privilege of being able to create characters that
aid in storytelling, Lizz has built a career based upon hard work and recognized
talent. Her assistant design credits include DREAMGIRLS, TRAFFIC,
ARMAGEDDON, THE BLACK DAHLIA, THE LODGER, RULES OF
ATTRACTION, and SPY GAME. Lizz is also a prolific costumer, with credits on A
SINGLE MAN, 3:10 TO YUMA, ALEXANDER, DODGEBALL, and PIRATES OF
THE CARIBBEAN: CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL to name a few.
In addition to her work in film, Lizz has received critical acclaim for the costume
design of the hit 1960s musical BABY IT’S YOU (Universal Music Group, Warner
Bros. Theater Ventures) which had its world premiere at the Pasadena
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Playhouse, and is headed to Broadway.
Coming from a martial arts background, CHAD STAHELSKI (Stunt Coordinator /
2nd Unit Director) entered the film field as a stunt performer at the age of 24.
Before that, he worked as an instructor at the Inosanto Martial Arts Academy in
California, teaching Jeet Kune Do/Jun Fan. After doing numerous roles in low
budget martial art movies like MISSION OF JUSTICE and BLOODSPORT II & III,
his first start as a stunt double came from the movie THE CROW, doubling the
late Brandon Lee whom he trained with at the Inosanto Academy. After Brandon
Lee's lethal accident Chad was picked for his stunt/photo double because he
knew Lee, how he moved, and looked more like him than any other stuntman.
Having recently completed work on Lionsgate’s THE HUNGER GAMES, his first
big break as a stunt man came when he worked with Keanu Reeves on THE
MATRIX. He worked as martial arts stunt coordinator in the following sequels and
doubled Keanu Reeves for extreme shots. He also formed a company called
Smashcut with his stunt colleagues, which was responsible for great stunts in
some of the greatest movies and series.
He is now co-owner in 87eleven Action Design, one of the premier action design
and fight choreography companies in the industry. Upcoming for Chad is AFTER
EARTH directed by M. Night Shyamalan, starring Will Smith and Jaden Smith in
the lead roles.
AJOY MANI (Visual Effects) has over two decades of experience in the digital
arts. Ajoy got into digital arts in 1989 as a computer aided draftsman and
designer and went on to get a degree in Industrial Design from Arizona State
University (ASU).
After graduating with honors from ASU, Ajoy joined Available Light Ltd, a leading
visual effects facility in Burbank as a digital artist. Available Light Ltd was started
49
in 1986 by veteran visual effects supervisors John van Vliet and Katherine Kean.
In the early 1990's Available Light made the transition from optical visual effects
processing to digital visual effects and Ajoy was hired to add to the digital team.
At the time, visual effects were still in their infancy and Ajoy was proficient in
both 3D and 2D compositing, finishing entire shots from start to finish. At
Available Light, Ajoy was mentored and trained by Academy-nominated visual
effects supervisors and soon rose to the rank of lead digital artist. During his
tenure at Available Light, Ajoy worked on numerous Hollywood blockbusters
including BLUES BROTHERS 2000, MY FAVORITE MARTIAN, INSPECTOR
GADGET, THE FACULTY and DOGMA. One of his shots from MY FAVORITE
MARTIAN made the cover of Cinefex magazine in 1999.
In 2001, Ajoy moved to New York City and started Blinking Eye Creative
Services, a postproduction facility servicing advertising and independent film
clients. During this time Ajoy worked on numerous commercials and independent
films as visual effects supervisor. Since 2007 Ajoy has worked on numerous
Hollywood features, including RIGHTEOUS KILL and STONE as visual effects
set supervisor and on THE MECHANIC, DRIVE ANGRY 3D and CONAN THE
BARBARIAN as visual effects facility supervisor.
About Millennium Films Millennium Films is one of the longest-running independent film companies in the
history of Hollywood, with 20 years and more than 300 movies to its credit. The
company now produces, finances and handles international sales for five to eight
star-driven films per year, generally with budgets between $20 million and $80
million. It is best known for such films as THE EXPENDABLES (a $273 million
worldwide hit), RIGHTEOUS KILL (reteaming Robert De Niro and Al Pacino) and
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Werner Herzog’s BAD LIEUTENANT: PORT OF CALL NEW ORLEANS.
Millennium Films is run by co-founders Avi Lerner and Trevor Short, and a senior
executive team that includes Mark Gill (president), Boaz Davidson (head of
development and creative affairs), John Thompson (head of production), John
Fremes (head of international sales) and Lonnie Ramati (head of business
affairs).
The company’s current slate includes THE ICEMAN directed by Ariel Vromen
and starring Michael Shannon, Chris Evans, Ray Liotta and Winona Ryder;
LOVELACE with Amanda Seyfried; Gabriele Muccino’s PLAYING THE FIELD
starring Gerard Butler, Jessica Biel, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Uma Thurman and
Dennis Quaid; THE BIG WEDDING starring Robert De Niro, Katherine Heigl,
Diane Keaton, Topher Grace, Amanda Seyfried and Robin Williams; THE
PAPERBOY directed by Lee Daniels and starring Matthew McConaughey, John
Cusack, Nicole Kidman and Zac Efron.
Millennium also operates full-service studios in Shreveport, Louisiana, and Sofia,
Bulgaria. The company was founded in 1992 under the name Nu Image, Inc.
Nu Image, Inc./Millennium Films currently develops, finances, produces and
distributes approximately eight to ten pictures a year. Headquartered in Los
Angeles, California, Nu Image, Inc. is the parent company of Millennium Films
(production), Millennium Entertainment (U.S. theatrical and home entertainment
distribution), and has two full service production facilities: Millennium Studios in
Shreveport, Louisiana and Nu Boyana Studios in Sofia, Bulgaria.
About Lionsgate Lionsgate is a leading global entertainment company with a strong and
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diversified presence in motion picture production and distribution, television
programming and syndication, home entertainment, family entertainment, digital
distribution. new channel platforms and international distribution and sales. The
company has built a strong television presence in production of prime time cable
and broadcast network series, distribution and syndication of programming and
an array of channel assets. Lionsgate currently has 15 shows on more than 10
networks spanning its prime time production, distribution and syndication
businesses, including such critically-acclaimed hits as the multiple Emmy Award-
winning "Mad Men," "Weeds" and "Nurse Jackie" along with the comedy "Blue
Mountain State," the Golden Globe-winning drama "Boss" and the syndication
successes "Tyler Perry's House Of Payne," its spinoff "Meet The Browns," "The
Wendy Williams Show" and "Are We There Yet?".
Lionsgate’s feature film business has been fueled by such recent successes as
THE LINCOLN LAWYER, TYLER PERRY'S MADEA'S BIG HAPPY FAMILY,
THE EXPENDABLES, MARGIN CALL, THE LAST EXORCISM and the critically-
acclaimed PRECIOUS, which won two Academy Awards®. With the January
2012 acquisition of Summit Entertainment, the Company now has the two
leading young adult franchises – the blockbuster TWILIGHT SAGA, which has
grossed more than $2.5 billion at the worldwide box office, and the HUNGER
GAMES franchise, whose first film will be released on March 23. Recent Summit
hits include RED, LETTERS TO JULIET, KNOWING, the STEP UP franchise and
the Academy Award® winning Best Picture THE HURT LOCKER.
Lionsgate's home entertainment business is an industry leader in box office-to-
DVD and box office-to-VOD revenue conversion rate. Lionsgate handles a
prestigious and prolific library of approximately 13,000 motion picture and
television titles that is an important source of recurring revenue and serves as the
foundation for the growth of the company's core businesses. The Lionsgate and
Summit brands remain synonymous with original, daring, and quality
entertainment in markets around the world.