Archive for the ‘Tribute’ Category

Worse News: LION FIST- a new 80s style Martial Arts movie from the writer of No Retreat No Surrender & King of Kickboxers and the producer of The Last Kumite!

Posted: 19/07/2026 in Tribute, Worse News
Tags: , , , , ,
0

After The Last Kumite (2024) producer Sean Lowe is ready to strike again. Single-handedly fighting to bring back 80s Martial Arts flicks his new film- LION FIST again stars the German action star Mathis Landwehr and a bevy of old- school Martial Arts stars like Keith Cooke, Gary Daniels, Kurt McKinney and “Bolo Jr” David Yeung.

And most interestingly he brought back the veteran writer Keith W. Strandberg (No Retreat No Surrender 1-4, King of Kickboxers, American Shaolin) to help him write the movie, for the first time in 25 years! Like the last time movie owns a lot to the 80s and 90s filmography of Jean Claude Van Damme, influenced by films like the Kickboxer, Bloodsport and Lionheart too.

The villain is Bodybuilder and Martial Artist Brice Akkerson, a big upgrade from The Last Kumite in my eyes. Akkerson already had his acting debut in French Action- Comedy Brawl (2026) and this will be his first main villain role.

I especially like the addition of the underrated British ass-kicker Gary Danies who Standberg already worked with on Bloodmoon (1997)- also starring the late great Darren Shahlavi.

Daniels- as good as ever!

WM News: Australian Martial Arts movie RAGING JAKE featuring Stephen DeGenaro & the final appearance of the action legend Richard Norton!

Posted: 10/04/2026 in Tribute, Worse News
Tags: ,
0

After losing the legendary Aussie Martial Artist, Actor & Choreographer Richard Norton last year we thought we would never see our favorite in a movie again. Seemingly his last appearance turned up to be a villain role in Cynthia Rothrock Western/ Action hybrid Black Creek (2025) but to quote the Master Yoda himself “there’s another one…”.

Richard Norton & Stephen DeGenaro

Passionate Filmmaker and Martial Artist Stephen DeGanaro filmed some scenes for his upcoming project RAGING JAKE in the late 2024 and he had none other than Norton play his (step)father. Considering Norton was the O.G. of Australian Martial Art Actors (since the days of Octagon and Force Five ) it was a fitting tribute. I actually knew about this and even just recently commented that it was too bad we’ll never get to see it.

Jake uncovers a conspiracy tied to his past, his missing brother, and a violent criminal underworld. Every step closer to the truth pulls him deeper into danger.

The original concept trailer shot in 2024

Well, it’s a bit of a miracle because it turns out that over the two days of filming they got the main scenes with Norton done and there’s enough filmed for him to show up in a finished movie. And even if his role might be relatively small in the end it’s fitting that his last movie is a full on Martial Arts Fest filmed in his native country.

Now, for DeGanaro, this story is something he is deeply passionate about, including writing a whole book before he ever got the film going and he promises visceral (almost Ong Bak level?) brutal Martial Arts with no wires or CGI. Considering he is a dedicated Jeet Kune Do practitioner under Richardo Vargas (also the movie’s fight choreographer) we’ll hold him to his word.

With a fellow Aussie- Bran Foster putting out a non- stop banger like Life After Fighting (2024) recently it’s on DeGanaro to keep the momentum going and maybe, just maybe Australia can become a new Hong Kong, Thailand or Indonesia of action films.

For those of us who want to support the movie, it’s expected to go live on Indiegogo, right here any day now (so by the time you’re reading this link should up and running).

Worse News: Deathstalker Music Video feat. Guns N’ Roses’s Slash!

Posted: 10/10/2025 in Tribute, Worse News
Tags: , , , , , , , ,
0

As it was tradition for the longest time (up until sometime in 2010s) the new Deathstalker movie has a Music Video! Chuck Cirino, the veteran composer who wrote the original (and the most memorable)
theme for Deathstalker II is back with the new franchise composer Bear McCreary (Battlestar Galactica, Walking Dead OST), his brother vocalist Brandon McCreary, drummer Gene Hoglan (Death, Dark Angel, Testament, Metalocalypse), bassist Pete Griffin (Steve Vai), guitarist Omer Ben-Zvi and of course the movie’s co- producer Slash of Guns N’ Roses fame on lead guitar.

I knew the theme would kick-ass but a heavy rocked up version w/ vocals is an awesome surprise!

Song is also a part of the upcoming EP paired up with a Radio Version of the theme and also a song Walking Alone by the actress/ singer Nina Bergman, and it can be pre- ordered right here. For those in the US and Canada Deathstalker (2025) is playing in select theaters starting today and hopefully for us across the pond Europe release won’t be far behind.

Bear McCreary, Slash & Gene Hoglan

Worse News: Deathstalker (2025) first trailer!

Posted: 27/08/2025 in Tribute, Worse News
Tags: , , , , , , , ,
0

In case the recent teaser poster wasn’t enough for you, Shout! Studios just put out the first trailer for the new Deathstalker and it doesn’t disappoint. For those of us missing the 80s cheese Barbarian flicks in our lives this is a breath of fresh air.

In Deathstalker, the Kingdom of Abraxeon is under siege by the Dreadites, heralds of the long-dead sorcerer Nekromemnon. When Deathstalker recovers a cursed amulet from a corpse-strewn battlefield, he’s marked by dark magick and hunted by monstrous assassins. To survive, he must break the curse and face the rising evil. Death is just the beginning… of great adventure!

Also, notice the Albert Pyun‘s Sword and the Sorcerer easter egg at the end there- wasn’t expecting that one!

Worse News: Kostanski’s Deathstalker poster and release date!

Posted: 13/08/2025 in Tribute, Worse News
Tags: , , , , , ,
1

After the recent news that Shout! Studios bought the U.S. rights for the new Deathstalker movie staring Daniel Bernhardt just before it’s premiere on Locarno Festival (Switzerland) we finally have the release date for the movie too! North American release date is October 10 with Shout! handling U.S. and Raven Banner handling it’s native Canada.

Japanese and German- speaking territories rights were also sold at the Locarno Festival with more to follow.

With this and the long gestating Red Sonja reboot (coming out today!!!) this is shaping up to be a fun year for Sword and Sorcery fans. (And that’s not even counting the comicbook side with the titular Deathstalker from Vault Comics, Titan’s Conan and Savage Sword of Conan and Dynamite’s Fire and Ice.)

Not to forget we also got this sweet poster:

Worse News: Cynthia Rothrock’s Black Creek (2025) final trailer and the release date!

Posted: 28/05/2025 in Tribute, Worse News
Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
2

First announced in ’23 Cynthia Rothtock‘s Western/ Martial Arts hybrid is almost here. Distributed by VMI Worldwide, Black Creek is expected to hit the Apple TV on June 17th and can even be pre-ordered right here–https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/black-creek/umc.cmc.59gl91h0yamgmjd7lxz7jv6gf

A sheriff’s sister seeks revenge against the terrifying leader of a group of outlaws after discovering he brutally murdered her brother, his wife, and other family members in a gritty southwestern town.

For fans of 80s and 90s Martial Art flicks, movie is significant as a reunion of China O’ Brian (1990) team of Rothrock, Keith Cooke and the late, great Richard Norton almost 35 years after their last film together. And the rest of the cast is also rounded out with who’s who of old school Martial Art movies with names like Don “Dragon” Wilson, Benny “The Jet” Urquidez, Keith Vitali and Ninjutsu pioneer Stephen Hayes all there.

Also if you want to order a DVD, Blu-Ray or even a Shoutout from Cynthia I believe movie’s Indiegogo is still open (for now) : https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/black-creek-an-action-film-by-cynthia-rothrock

Worse News: Trailer and the release date for Tiger Cop: Project A feat. Richard Norton!

Posted: 10/03/2025 in Tribute, Worse News
Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
0

Back in December we spoke about the fantastic Tiger Cops: Project A short- a love letter to the 90s Hong Kong/ Girls with Guns genre in which the titular heroine Inspector Tiger (Maria Tran) finally confronts the mysterious crime boss White Ghost played by none other than Hong Kong movie villain royalty Richard Norton (Mr. Nice Guy, City Hunter, Twinkle Twinkle Lucky Stars).

Richard Norton with “Black Bear” Sifu Damien Chauremootoo

Well, now we finally have the release date for the short film (spoiler: you won’t have to wait long) and the full trailer too. You can enjoy it bellow via Fideo youtube channel:

Starring: Maria Tran, David Hong, Wilson Zou and Richard Norton

And the fun doesn’t stop with Tiger Cop: Project A on the 17.03. because Norton also filmed a short cameo in Tran‘s next installment of her Echo 8 film series, Echo 8: Beyond that we can hopefully expect by the end of the year too. It’s a good time to be a Kung Fu movie fan for sure.

Worse News: Linnea Quigley is back as Trash (Return of the Living Dead) after 40 years!

Posted: 21/01/2025 in Tribute, Worse News
Tags: , , ,
0

After the news of the new Return of the Living Dead (1985) sequel ( expected Christmas 2025 ) it turns out there’s another little thing brewing in the ROTLD universe and that’s the return of everyone’s favorite scream queen Linnea Quigley as the iconic punk redhead- Trash in Trash’s Revenge!

SHE’S BACK!

As always campaign is up and running, this time on CineBacker and you can check it out right here.

Worse News: Richard Norton is back in Tiger Cops: Plan A series!

Posted: 20/12/2024 in Tribute, Worse News
Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
0

After a surprise reveal at the end of Episode 3 of the fantastic 90s Hong Kong tribute web series Tiger Cops our favorite Aussie ass- kicker Richard Norton finally filmed a full on fight scene for the upcoming Episode 4.

Maria Tran ( King of the Cross, Tracer) and the director Adrian Castro found the time in their busy schedule to not only film their new movie Echo 8 Trilogy but also the new episode of their cult Tiger Cops series too. Considering the last part of the series was released in 2017 (not counting the 2020’s Tiger Cops: Toilet Paper Hero and ’23 Tiger Cop: Yes Madam specials ) this is a quite a pleasant surprise. And the fact that they did it in only couple of days is even more impressive.

MARIA TRAN VS RICHARD NORTON

And a little tease of their fight scene. You can definitely see some nice fight choreography here.

Originally started in 2015 Episode 3 of the Tiger Cops series finally revealed that none other that Norton is the mysterious crime boss White Ghost. Considering both Norton and Tran are from Australia and that Norton was one of the most impressive gweilo villains in the Hong Kong cinema in the 80s and 90s it was a match made in Kung Fu heaven. I mean this is the man that went against: Sammo Hung, Jackie Chan, Yasuaki Kurata & Cynthia Rothrock just to name a few.

In the Previous Episode:

You can see the rest of the episodes on the Fideo Video youtube channel and as for Norton, we should see him next going toe to toe with Cynthia Rothrock like in the old days in the Black Creek in the first part of the 2025. You can still check out that project over here.

Worse News: Finally, the new Chinese Hercules: The Bolo Yeung Story trailer- featuring Van Damme, Rothrock, Norton and much more!

Posted: 09/12/2024 in Tribute, Worse News
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
0

It’s been a long time coming (5 years!) but it seems that the fabled Bolo Yeung documentary is finally ready to go. And I must say I’m duly impressed. Filmmakers managed to interview practically every relevant co- star Bolo had through his 100+ movie career, from his Enter The Dragon (1973) co- star Bob Wall (R.I.P) to his Bloodsport (1988) and Double Impact (1991) nemesis Jean Claude Van Damme, Cynthia Rothrock (Tiger Claws 1, Tiger Claws 2 ), Matthias Hues (TC2000) and even Richard Norton (Ironheart). And that’s not even a half of it.

Weightlifter, Bodybuilder, Martial Artist and Actor

We also get a candid look at the man behind the on- screen villain persona with the mix of rare interviews, old photos and recording spanning all the way to his earliest days in the post- WWII China. Man’s got quite a story to tell and his journey takes him from China to Hong Kong to Hollywood, California and everywhere in between- I for one, can’t wait to follow along.

From the gritty streets of post-war China to the dazzling lights of Hollywood, Bolo Yeung’s story is one of resilience, transformation, and unrelenting determination. Known to millions as the iconic villain of Enter the Dragon and Bloodsport, his journey is far more profound than the characters he played.

Produced by Hussar Entertainment, Chinese Hercules: The Bolo Yeung Story is directed by Pavel Nyziak and is expected to debut in 2025.

Ready to go!

Older Entries