News

Over Your Dead Body, was was previously titled The Trip, has just been acquired by IFC for a theatrical release. The 87North/XYZ-produced film comes from director Jorma Taccone (MacGruber and Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping) – and sports an amazing ensemble cast, including Jason Segel (How I Met Your Mother), Samara Weaving (Ready or Not), Timothy Olyphant (Justified), Juliette Lewis (From Dusk Till Dawn), Paul Guilfoyle (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation), and retired mixed martial artist Keith Jardine (Godless).

Over Your Dead Body is based on director Tommy Wirkola’s 2021 Norwegian thriller, I Onde Dager, which starred Noomi Rapace and Aksel Hennie. The screenplay by Wirkola, John Niven, and Nick Ball has been reworked by Nick Kocher and Brian McElhaney. The original film had the following synopsis: Eager to end their marriage by murdering each other, a husband and wife head to a remote cabin — but soon find themselves facing an even bigger threat.

The Norwegian filmmaker Tommy Wirkola has so far treated us with tongue-in-cheek and often deliciously violent genre flicks such as Kill Buljo and Dead Snow franchise, or The Trip (2021), starring two of the brightest shining Scandinavian stars Aksel Hennie and Noomi Rapace. On the other hand, his compatriot Rasmus A Sievertsen’s “brain children” are more along the lines of family-friendly animation, you know, the movies about Pelle the Police Car and Louis and Luca.

One might wonder could there ever be some common ground between them. Fortunately, there is, and the final product of their collaboration might at the same time fulfil, defy and overpass the audiences’ expectation.

Spermageddon is an animated feature, a sex comedy powered by raunchy humour revolving around bodily fluids and wordplay, a tender romance and a sexual education video special forged for the generations who usually get their “education” online. It premiered in the midnight.

John Wick. Rambo. John McClane. Ellen Ripley. Action heroes whose names are etched into cinematic stone thanks to their intrepid nature and affinity for going it alone against all odds. But one character is missing. A character who embodies that same inner strength, resilience, and determination in the face of adversity. That name is Aatami Korpi, and while you may not know it yet, you won't forget it after seeing his debut action thriller, Sisu, which is all set to hit free streaming this month.

Written and directed by Jalmari Helander, the Finnish action thriller Sisu was released back in 2022 and stars Jorma Tommila as Aatami Korpi alongside Aksel Hennie, Jack Doolan, Mimosa Willamo, and Onni Tommila. The brutal and bloody action outing follows a mysterious lone prospector who, after being robbed by a group of Nazi soldiers during the last days of World War II, must wage a one-man war of his own.

‘Spermageddon’ is a 2024 Norwegian adult animated musical comedy directed by Tommy Wirkola and Rasmus A. Sivertsen. The movie follows two stories: a teenage couple having sex for the first time and a group of sperm, led by Simen the Semen, on a journey to reach the Egg.

The film has been compared to ‘Sausage Party’ and described as a mix of a road trip and an epic adventure, similar to ‘Lord of the Rings.’ It’s aimed at older kids and adults, with humor and style similar to ‘South Park’ and ‘Checkered Ninja.’

The cast of ‘Spermageddon’ features Aksel Hennie as Simen, a sperm living inside Jens, and Mathilde Storm as Cumilla, a female sperm also inside Jens. Nasrin Khusrawi and Christian Mikkelsen play Lisa and Jens, an awkward teenage couple experiencing their first time together.

Other characters include Bjørn Sundquist as Professor Saltsmak and Christian Rubeck as Jizzmo, a...

Timothy Olyphant may be best known for playing onscreen lawmen, but his next project will see him tackle a remake of a Norwegian action horror movie. Perhaps best known for playing Deadwoods Sheriff Seth Bullock, Olyphants career has also seen him embody other quick-shooting lawmen, such as Justifieds Deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens, and even The Mandalorians Cobb Vanth. More recently, however, Olyphant has also developed an affinity for playing cyborg characters. In addition to having voiced the Terminator in Netflixs Terminator Zero anime, he is also set to play a synthetic in Noah Hawleys forthcoming Alien: Earth series.

No stranger to working on action-oriented fare, Olyphant is also well acquainted with the horror genre. Not only did he star in and executive produce Netflixs popular horror sitcom The Santa Clarita Diet, but one of his earliest onscreen roles even saw him don the infamous Ghostface killers mask in 1997s Scream 2.

87North and XYZ Films have begun production on thriller The Trip from director Jorma Taccone (MacGruber).

The film stars Jason Segel, Samara Weaving, Timothy Olyphant, Juliette Lewis, Paul Guilfoyle, and Keith Jardine.

Pic follows a dysfunctional couple (Segel and Weaving) who head to a remote cabin to “reconnect”, but each has secret intentions to kill the other.

XYZ is financing and producing alongside 87North’s Kelly McCormick (The Fall Guy), Lee Kim (Dual), and Guy Danella (Violent Night). Taccone and Tommy Wirkola are executive-producing with Karen Gillan co-producing.

The script was adapted by Nick Kocher and Brian McElhaney from Wirkola’s Norwegian thriller, I Onde Dager, which starred Noomi Rapace and Aksel Hennie, and was written by Wirkola, John Niven, and Nick Ball. I Onde Dager was produced by Jørgen Storm Rosenberg and Kjetil Omberg for 74 Entertainment and financed by XYZ in conjunction with Ipr.Vc. Rosenberg and Omberg are...

87North and XYZ Films have begun production in Finland on Jorma Taccone’s thriller The Trip starring Jason Segel, Samara Weaving, Timothy Olyphant, and Juliette Lewis.

Paul Guilfoyle and Keith Jardine round out the key cast on the story of a dysfunctional couple who head to a remote cabin under the pretence of reconnecting while harbouring a wish to kill each other.

Nick Kocher and Brian McElhaney adapted the screenplay from Tommy Wirkola’s Norwegian thriller I Onde Dager that starred Noomi Rapace and Aksel Hennie, and was written by Wirkola, John Niven, and Nick Ball. That film was produced...

Jason Segel, Samara Weaving, Timothy Olyphant and Juliette Lewis have signed up to star in upcoming thriller “The Trip,” directed by “SNL” alumnus and The Lonely Island member Jorma Taccone/

Paul Guilfoyle (“LA Confidential”) and former UFC star Keith Jardine (“Inherent Vice”) will also appear in the film, which XYZ is financing and also producing alongside 87North’s Kelly McCormick, Lee Kim, and Guy Danella. Taccone and Tommy Wirkola are executive producing with Karen Gillan co-producing.

The film — now shooting in Finland — follows a dysfunctional couple (Segel and Weaving) who head to a remote cabin to supposedly reconnect, but each has secret plans to kill the other.

The script was adapted by Nick Kocher and Brian McElhaney from Wirkola’s Norwegian thriller, “I Onde Dager,” which starred Noomi Rapace and Aksel Hennie, and was written by Wirkola, John Niven, and Nick Ball. “I Onde Dager” was produced by Jørgen Storm Rosenberg...

87North and XYZ Films have begun production in Finland on Jorma Taccone’s thriller The Trip starring Jason Segel, Samara Weaving, Timothy Olyphant, and Juliette Lewis.

Paul Guilfoyle and Keith Jardine round out the key cast on the story of a dysfunctional couple who head to a remote cabin under the pretence of reconnecting while harbouring a wish to kill each other.

Nick Kocher and Brian McElhaney adapted the screenplay from Tommy Wirkola’s Norwegian thriller I Onde Dager that starred Noomi Rapace and Aksel Hennie, and was written by Wirkola, John Niven, and Nick Ball. That film was produced...

Jason Segel, Samara Weaving, Timothy Olyphant and Juliette Lewis are taking “The Trip.” Jorma Taccone, a member of the Lonely Island comedy group and co-director of “Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping,” is directing from a script by Nick Kocher and Brian McElhaney (BriTANicK).

The film is a remake of Tommy Wirkola’s blood-soaked Norwegian action comedy from 2021 — “I onde dager,” starring Aksel Hennie and Noomi Rapace.

XYZ is financing the film and producing alongside 87North’s Kelly McCormick, Lee Kim and Guy Danella. Taccone and Wirkola are executive producing with Karen Gillan co-producing. Original producers Jørgen Storm Rosenberg and Kjetil Omberg will executive produce the new version of “The Trip.”

The film follows a dysfunctional married couple (Segel and Weaving), who head to a remote cabin in the hopes of reconnecting – but both secretly have plans to kill the other. The original film is total bonkers – oscillating between moments of...

If you’ve been following The Lonely Island and Seth Meyers Podcast, you’ve known that one third of The Lonely Island, Jorma Taccone, has been absent for the last few weeks while shooting a movie in Finland. Details of that movie have finally been announced.

Taccone will direct “The Trip,” a thriller and comedy film that stars Jason Segel, Samara Weaving, Juliette Lewis, and Timothy Olyphant, it was announced on Tuesday, November 19. Filming is currently taking place in Tampere, Finland and has been ongoing since October 23. Paul Guilfoyle and Keith Jardine also co-star.

This is Taccone’s first feature behind the camera since 2016’s “Pop Star: Never Stop Never Stopping,” which he co-directed with Akiva Schaffer. For this one he’ll partner with the team behind “The Fall Guy,” David Leitch and Kelly McCormick’s 87North production banner, and XYZ Films.

No distributor is attached for the film.

“The Trip...

A dream team is assembling for another action thriller under the Lionsgate banner, with Academy Award winner Ke Huy Quan set to lead and Jalmari Helander directing. The movie has an intriguing title, Fairytale In New York, and it promises to offer a spectacular cinematic experience that fans simply would not want to miss.

The plot of the Fairytale In New York, as described by Deadline, centers on a very demure cab driver who embarks on a relentless quest through the streets of New York City to retrieve a gift for his estranged son after a life-threatening run-in with a gang of criminals, following which, he wishes to spend Christmas with his family. Set in the citys criminal underbelly, it poises to be an intense and gripping thriller that showcases Quans physical and emotional skills.

Currently, Ke Huy Quan is all set to throw down in Love Hurts, an action...

This list includes discussions of serious and sensitive matters, both fictional and real. Proceed with caution.

Science-fiction, whether it's grounded or bombastic, is one of the few movie genres that's expected to push boundaries and defy conventions whenever it can. After all, sci-fi is a genre that's built on visions of the future or poignant mirrors of the present. These forward-thinking expectations don't just apply to the stories these movies tell, but to the filmmaking technology they use to bring their worlds to life as well. Unsurprisingly, it's for these very same reasons that some sci-fi movies become historically controversial.

These sci-fi movies are entertaining or even great when viewed in a vacuum, but they caused such a ruckus when they were still in cinemas that their positive qualities tend to be overlooked or outright forgotten. At times, the movie in question and its filmmakers did nothing wrong. The movie...

The 2014 movies The Legend of Hercules and Hercules both offer different stories about the iconic hero and his legendary battles. Both films had impressive casts, but the selective cast of Hercules helps shape an intriguing story about connection and fighting for what is right. While both films have their strengths, Dwayne Johnson's Hercules proves to be the stronger movie in portraying the strengths and weaknesses of the legendary warrior.

Renny Harlin's The Legend of Hercules and Brett Ratner's Hercules were two movies about the legendary hero released in 2014, but only one can be considered a real tribute to the warrior's story. The Legend of Hercules was a 3D fantasy film that depicts the early life of Alcides (Kellan Lutz) in Ancient Greece, as the son of King Amphitryon. After being unwillingly sold into slavery in Egypt, he learns of his true destiny and must rise to become Hercules.

Plex is bringing a host of heavy hitters to its January lineup! This coming month, the streamer will start 2024 on a high note with dozens of new titles, including Bo Burnham’s acclaimed and affirming directorial debut “Eighth Grade,” Nordic box office toppers, Robert De Niro-led crime epics, and more.

Check out the full list of everything coming to Plex in January and add The Streamable’s top picks to the top of your to-watch list!

Watch Now Free plex.tv What are the 5 Best Shows and Movies Coming to Plex in January 2024? “A Single Man” | Monday, Jan. 1

Fashion designer Tom Ford makes his directorial debut to turn Christopher Isherwood’s novel of the same name into the lush and fashionable feature. Colin Firth stars as George Falconer, a depressed English college professor in 1960s Los Angeles grieving the death of his longtime partner, Jim. Julianne Moore co-stars as...

Stars: Jorma Tommila, Aksel Hennie, Jack Doolan, Mimosa Willamo, Onni Tommila | Written and Directed by Jalmari Helander

Finnish writer-director Jalmari Helander returns with an outrageously violent and deliriously entertaining WWII action movie that’s an absolute must-see if you’re a fan of exploding Nazis. An inspired mash-up of Inglourious Basterds, Road Runner cartoons and Liam Neeson vengeful-old-man thrillers, it’s a wild ride from beginning to end.

Sisu opens with a caption that explains the title as an untranslateable Finnish word for “a white-knuckled form of courage and unimaginable determination … [manifested] when all hope is lost.” A further caption then sets the scene – it’s 1944 and the defeated Nazis are retreating from Finland, but not without destroying everything in their path.

We’re then introduced to grizzled prospector Aatami (Jorma Tommila), described by a voiceover as “one man who has decided to leave the war behind him, for good.” Accompanied...

Stars: Jorma Tommila, Aksel Hennie, Jack Doolan, Mimosa Willamo, Onni Tommila | Written and Directed by Jalmari Helander

Our film tells us that Sisu is an untranslatable Finnish word, for extreme courage. I would debate who that word is supposed to apply to, as our protagonist here is an unfeeling mass murderer Perhaps it refers best to the rape victims of the Nazis, doing their best to survive.

Sisu had me thinking about real history. If I were to create a list of all the peoples and counties who had a legitimate beef with Nazi Germany, during the Second World War the Jews would be at the top and Finland would be at the very bottom. Finland was in a horrible position (literally) as it fought a nasty civil war, to keep Stalin from taking control of their country, but in doing so they signed a pact with the devil, and for most of the war,...

As of July 11, World War II-era action thriller Sisu will be available on Blu-ray and On Demand. In advance of the date, Screen Rant is pleased to present an exclusive clip from the movie's bonus features. Sisu has plenty to offer fans of war films and action-packed storytelling, as it centers on ex-commando Aatami (Jorma Tommila) and his quest for justice. Aatami acts as a Nazi's worst nightmare, serving up vengeance in the nonstop action adventure from Finnish director Jalmari Helander.

Sisu has been compared to Inglorious Basterds, but its plot is still rather unique. Aatami's fury is fueled not only by an emotional loss, but also by a misguided attempt to steal his gold. Unsuspecting Nazis thought they were robbing an average Joe, but he turns out to be more of a John Wick and makes certain they face the consequences of their actions. The events that follow involve...

It’s a new month, and we’re officially in the back half of 2023. That also means that it’s a new month for streaming. Netflix’s horror offerings might be light when it comes to new releases, the most notable of which is Bird Box Barcelona, set to debut on the streaming service on July 14.

Whether you’re looking for underseen horror gems on Netflix or revisiting spooky favorites, here are ten great horror movies you can stream on Netflix in July.

Apostle

Writer/Director Gareth Evans brings the bone-crunching brutality of The Raid and The Raid 2 to his period folk horror film. The Guest’s Dan Stevens stars as Thomas, a man who travels to a remote island in 1905 to infiltrate the cult that’s kidnapped his sister for ransom. The cult leaders claim that the barren island was made fertile through blood sacrifice, and in his quest,...

Killer Collectibles highlights five of the most exciting new horror products announced each and every week, from toys and apparel to artwork, records, and much more.

Here are the coolest horror collectibles unveiled this week!

Crimson Peak Vinyl Soundtrack from Waxwork Records

Crimson Peak’s original motion picture soundtrack is available on 2xLP vinyl for $40 via Waxwork Records. The score is composed by Fernando Velázquez.

Between Jérémy Pailler’s ethereal artwork on the gatefold jacket and the “Ice Blue & Red Clay” splatter color vinyl, not to mention Velázquez’s haunting music, this is certain to be one of the most beautiful records in your collection.

My Best Friend Is a Vampire Blu-ray from Lionsgate

My Best Friend Is a Vampire will be released on Blu-ray on July 25 as the 30th installment in Lionsgate’s Vestron Video Collector’s Series. Matthew Therrien designed the cover art for the 1987 horror-comedy.

Also known...

The Finnish action film Sisu surprised many moviegoers last year as an intense, heavily blood-soaked fight for survival during World War II between an unassuming older man named Aatami and a German death squad. To protect what's most precious to him, he mercilessly mows down countless Nazis to a degree that would make even Tarantino's Inglorious Basterds proud. Also, given the timing, the film is quite reminiscent of the ongoing John Wick franchise, with Keanu Reeves playing a one-man army against the world's assassins who all want a piece of him. Now it seems that director Jalmari Helander is getting a similar idea. Per an interview with GamesRadar+, he's revealed that a sequel to Sisu is indeed very possible, though nothing is confirmed yet.

Related: Sisu Review: A One-Man-Army Flick That Colors Within the Lines (with Lots of Blood)

Sisu, so named after a Finnish concept meaning "stoic...

In Sisu, a lone fighter takes on legions of Nazis, finding ever-inventive – and grisly – ways to annihilate them. We talk to those responsible about the year’s most outrageous war movie.

Read an extract of our exclusive Sisu feature from our Summer 2023 issue below, or see the full piece here.

When Sisu begins, we are told there is a word in the Finnish language that cannot be neatly translated into one in English: we need a whole bunch of them. “Sisu” describes a white-knuckled form of courage and determination; an internal resistance that rises when all hope is lost. But even that doesn’t fully cover it. “Sisu” is as intrinsic to Finnish culture as sauna and salt liquorice, and we need something more, maybe like a 90-minute film, to serve as a dictionary definition. Conveniently, this is what writer and director Jelmari Helander has made us, in the form...

Stars: Jorma Tommila, Aksel Hennie, Jack Doolan, Mimosa Willamo, Onni Tommila | Written and Directed by Jalmari Helander

Finnish writer-director Jalmari Helander returns with an outrageously violent and deliriously entertaining WWII action movie that’s an absolute must-see if you’re a fan of exploding Nazis. An inspired mash-up of Inglourious Basterds, Road Runner cartoons and Liam Neeson vengeful-old-man thrillers, it’s a wild ride from beginning to end.

Sisu opens with a caption that explains the title as an untranslateable Finnish word for “a white-knuckled form of courage and unimaginable determination … [manifested] when all hope is lost.” A further caption then sets the scene – it’s 1944 and the defeated Nazis are retreating from Finland, but not without destroying everything in their path.

We’re then introduced to grizzled prospector Aatami (Jorma Tommila), described by a voiceover as “one man who has decided to leave the war behind him, for good.” Accompanied...

Sisu is a film written and directed by Jalmari Helander starring Jorma Tommila.

Plot

During World War II, a lone man finds gold. On his way, the Nazi army tries to steal it, but they’ll meet a man who is very tenacious when defending his gold.

Sisu (2022) About the film

Extravagant, gory, funny and ironic. An action film plagued with sanguinary scenes and viscera everywhere, yes, but also a film created from the editing room with a production that, although modest, bets on the spectacularity of its images and the rhythm of the shots.

A film created out of editing and sound, very well directed and to which you can only object (if you want) to the bloody scenes. If you don’t fancy that, don’t watch it, but if you are in the mood for a well-done (and gory) action, Sisu is quite an opportunity.

A film with a lot of design,...

On Super Bowl Sunday 2018, director Ava DuVernay tweeted, "#FilmTwitter is going to explode tonight. Something is coming that I can hardly believe. Lawd. History in the making." She was teasing Netflix's surprise release of "The Cloverfield Paradox," the third installment in the hit sci-fi and horror franchise. The film hadn't officially been announced, but it dropped on the streaming service right after the game ended, sending shockwaves through the entertainment industry. Unfortunately -- perhaps in part because the hype reached wild levels in the hours leading up to the film's release -- critics were not fans of the movie. DuVernay has since deleted her tweet.

"The Cloverfield Paradox" is a relatively derivative sci-fi thriller. It spends much of its runtime explaining what's going on, spelling out the rules of its plot mechanics. At the same time, its story can be tough to follow. It also bends over backwards to...

For a decade and a half, Nick Fury has been a pillar of the Marvel Cinematic Universe feature on the show’s, well, secrets.

You’ll find copies on newsstands from Thursday 11 May – but for now, take a sneak peek inside the pages below. Become an Empire member here.

Secret Invasion

Spies. Skrulls. Samuel L. Jackson. The MCU’s next blockbuster series is bringing the MCU back to Earth for a gritty, noir-inspired espionage thriller, pitching Nick Fury into a political, paranoia-fulled mystery – and nobody is to be trusted. Empire gets the full story on a Marvel series like no other, speaking to stars Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Cobie Smulders, Don Cheadle, Emilia Clarke, Olivia Colman, director Ali Selim and producer Jonathan Schwartz – and a declassified batch of brand new images.

Star Wars Blowout

This year’s Star Wars Celebration brought a swathe of the galaxy’s brightest stars to London,...

Sisu is a Finnish word used to describe extraordinary bravery and resilience during extreme levels of adversity. With no true literal equivalent in English, who better to showcase its meaning on screen than Finnish director and screenwriter Jalmari Helander. In his feature, Jorma Tommila stars as Aatami Korpi, a Winter War veteran and gold miner living in the wilderness of Lapland. When Korpi uncovers a life-changing amount of gold, he must traverse through the minefields and escape Nazi platoons to cash in his hefty prize. In all its nonsensical glory, Helander’s historical action film is full of surprises and grit. Sisu is a beautiful story about pure determination while containing epic action sequences for superfans of the genre.

Told in seven chapters, Helander’s script is as mighty as his titular character. We first meet Korpi living in isolation on the fields of Lapland with his dog. With the...

The thing about Nazis is: Fuck those guys.

Finland began World War II by fighting off the Soviet forces that tried to invade the country in the “Winter War” from 1939 to 1940. They were conscripted by the Axis powers to fight alongside Hitler’s army until 1944, the year of the Moscow Armistice — that treaty not only allied Finnish troops with the Russians, it started a major campaign that sought to drive the Nazis out of the country once and for all. This was known as the “Lapland War,” for those of you playing along at home.

Writer/Director Jalmari Helander delivered a delightfully wicked twist to Santa Claus in 2010’s genre-bender Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale. Helander’s latest, Sisu, sees the filmmaker reteaming with some familiar Rare Exports faces for another crowd-pleasing genre-bender, this time an R-rated journey through Lapland near the end of World War II. The period action adventure goes hard on hyper-violence and has a sense of humor to match.

Jorma Tommila (Rare Exports) stars as Aatami, a former soldier turned solitary miner living out in the wilderness with his loyal dog and horse. When Aatami uncovers an impressive pile of gold, he loads up his haul and begins a trek to the closest town to trade it for cash. He crosses paths with a Nazi battalion led by the ruthless SS Obersturmführer (Aksel Hennie). The Nazis intend to leave Aatami for dead and steal his gold, but they don’t realize...

Plot: When an ex-soldier who discovers gold in the Lapland wilderness tries to take the loot into the city, Nazi soldiers led by a brutal SS officer battle him.

Review: If you saw John Wick: Chapter 4 in the theater, chances are you saw the trailer for Sisu. The brutally bloody teaser showcased the same level of carnage we have expected from David Leitch films like Nobody and Bullet Train, but Sisu is very different. Harkening to the bloodlust one feels dispatching Nazis in games like Wolfenstein 3D or in zombie films like Dead Snow and Iron Sky; Sisu is chock full of World War II German monsters getting what they deserve in every conceivable way as well as some you likely never would have thought up in a million years. Lionsgate is betting that American audiences will appreciate Sisu much like they did Inglourious Basterds, and I can confirm that they absolutely will.

Set during the final days of World War II, Sisu boasts an impressive roster of characters, played by a talented cast. Featuring one action set piece after another, Sisu brims with relentless gore as it follows the journey of an unforgiving former commando named Aatami, who stands tall in the face of danger and stops at nothing to serve justice to wrongdoers. Owing to his unrelenting grit and determination, he goes on a rampage against Nazis when they attempt to steal gold from him.

While Sisu's one-man death squad narrative may seem familiar, the movie is already being lauded by critics for its crowd-pleasing delivery of exactly what it promises. Given how it is Finnish filmmaker Jalmari Helander's third film after his critically acclaimed Big Game and Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale, its early critical acclaim is not surprising. However, other than Jalmari Helander's directorial forte, Sisu's success can...

, Jalmari Helander’s “Sisu” is basically what might happen if someone transplanted “Fury Road” into Finland, lost 90 percent of what made that film into an unrepeatable force of nature, and tried to make up the difference by exploding as many Nazis as possible in outrageously violent fashion.

If you think that sounds like a decent trade-off for 91 minutes’ worth of brainless midnight fun, then I’ve got some good news for you: “Sisu” does exactly what it says on the tin.

Straightforward and unpretentious to the point that its hero doesn’t isn’t even afforded dialogue — let alone a meaningful character arc — this is the kind of movie that starts with a tank fighting a gold miner before escalating to “Dr. Strangelove” levels of destruction. “All killer, no filler” would be a wildly generous way of describing Helander’s latest bid for an international breakout (previous efforts include the...

Lionsgate is teaming up with Stage 6 Films, Subzero Film Entertainment, and Good Chaos to give the World War II action movie Sisu, a Finnish production, a theatrical release in the United States on April 28th – and with that date just a couple months away, a trailer for Sisu has arrived online and can be seen in the embed above.

Written and directed by Jalmari Helander, who previously brought us the 2010 fantasy horror film Rare Exports and the 2014 Samuel L. Jackson action movie Big Game, Sisu has the following synopsis: During the last desperate days of WWII, a solitary prospector (Jorma Tommila) crosses paths with Nazis on a scorched-earth retreat in northern Finland. When the Nazis steal his gold, they quickly discover that they have just tangled with no ordinary miner. While there is no direct translation for the Finnish word “sisu”, this legendary ex-commando will embody what sisu means:...

"You'll see what happens when you take everything from him." Lionsgate has revealed an official US trailer for the most awesome Finnish action movie Sisu, arriving in US theaters this April. Finally!! I saw this at the Sitges Film Festival last fall and it absolutely Rules. When an ex-soldier discovers gold in the Lapland wilderness and tries to take the loot back home, Nazi soldiers led by a brutal SS officer battle him. Jorma Tommila stars as Aatami, who takes on the entire Nazi battalion himself. "Sisu" is a Finnish idea described as "stoic determination, tenacity of purpose, grit, bravery" - and this movie embodies that perfectly. The cast also includes Aksel Hennie, Jack Doolan, Mimosa Willamo, & Onni Tommila. I raved in my review: "This guy is now an action cinema icon, all hail Jorma Tommila!! Even if it is an obvious homage to Mad Max, Tommila's mostly dialogue-free performance is the epitome of awesome.

Click here to read the full article.

Morten Tyldum, the Norwegian director of The Imitation Game, Headhunters and Passengers, has signed on to direct Ibelin, based on the true-story of Norwegian gamer Mats Steen.

Steen, who suffered from Duchenne muscular dystrophy, died in 2014 at the age of 25. On the day of his funeral, held in a chapel in Oslo, people from all over Europe showed up to pay tribute to Mats, who they knew by his World of Warcraft handle Ibelin, giving heartfelt speeches about how he had enriched and changed their lives. On the surface, Mats Steen lived an isolated and lonely life alone with his parents. Online, he helped create and support a global community that transcended age, geography and time.

“Ever since hearing about Mats and meeting his family, this is a story I felt needed to be shared with the world,” Tyldum said in a statement.

Lionsgate emerged victorious from a competitive bidding war over Finnish film “Sisu,” which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival to rave reviews.

The Midnight Madness favorite will be released in U.S. theaters on a to-be-announced date. Sony’s Stage 6 Films financed the film and will handle international rights, with the exception of Nordics, which are held by Nordisk Film.

Written and directed by Jalmari Helander, “Sisu” begins in 1945 when ex-soldier Aatami (Jorma Tommila) discovers a golden treasure trove buried in the Finnish wilderness. On his way back into the city, a group of Nazis find his fortune, kicking into motion an outrageous, bloody revenge plot to recover what was stolen from him. Aksel Hennie, Jack Doolan, Mimosa Willamo and Onni Tommila co-star.

Also Read:

Simu Liu to Star in ‘Seven Wonders’ Series Adaptation at Prime Video

The film is produced by Petri Jokiranta on behalf of Subzero Film Entertainment,...

Writer/Director Jalmari Helander’s Rare Exports quickly became requisite holiday viewing among horror fans for its delightfully twisted take on Santa Claus. Get ready to fall even harder for his latest, gory crowd-pleaser Sisu.

After receiving rave reviews from its world premiere at TIFF, including ours, Lionsgate emerged victorious in a bidding war over Sisu, per Deadline.

The film will receive a theatrical release sometime in the future.

Helander reteams with Rare Exports actor Jorma Tommila for one epic and hyper-violent period adventure through the wilderness of Lapland in Northern Finland. Sisu sees Tommila playing Aatami, a solitary gold prospector that embarks on a trek to the nearest town to cash in his find of the century. Aatami crosses paths with a troop of Nazi soldiers led by the vile and villainous SS Obersturmführer (Aksel Hennie). The Nazis decide to take the gold for themselves, but they don’t...

Exclusive: After receiving rave reviews from its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival which instigated a bidding war, Sony’s Stage 6 Finnish feature Sisu has been scooped up by Lionsgate. The film will receive a theatrical release at some point in the future.

The movie is from filmmaker Jalmari Helander and follows Aatami, an ex-soldier in 1945 who discovers gold in the deep wilderness of Finland while on his way into the city. Brutal Nazis on a scorched-earth mission discover his treasure trove. He must go through outrageous lengths to get his gold back – even if it means killing every last Nazi. Aatami is portrayed by the filmmaker’s long-time collaborator Jorma Tommila.

Related Story 'Nostalgia': Breaking Glass Pictures Acquires Italy's Oscar Entry For North America Related Story Tom Hanks Movie 'A Man Called Otto' Shifts To Christmas Related Story Lionsgate Signs Worldwide...

Jalmari Helander hasn’t made a feature since 2014’s “Big Game,” then the most expensive Finnish film to date. It was an unabashed, bombastic, good-humored action crowd-pleaser that indeed pleased crowds — at festivals, while mysteriously failing to catch on with general audiences. Presumably his concept was just too “high” for mainstream viewers to swallow: Though they don’t have any problem with Gerard Butler or Will Smith doing similar honors, it seemed too much to accept a 13-year-old Finn boy singlehandedly rescuing the president of the United States from an obstacle course of assassination peril.

That failure must have hurt; Helander has spent the interim on episodic work. His new “Sisu” is, in many ways, cut from the same cloth as “Big Game” as a splashy popcorn action piece unconcerned with credibility, pushing well-worn ideas to outlandish, and outrageously entertaining, ends. But the writer-director has hedged his bets by moving...

It's been a while since we've seen a Jalmari Helander movie, with his most recent film "Big Game" premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival back in 2014. Considering how both "Rare Exports" and "Big Game" are considered cult favorites among genre fans, this absence might feel a bit strange.

Thankfully, he's returned to fill that void after an eight-year hiatus. "Sisu," also known by its English title "Immortal," is schlock in the purest sense, making for a great addition to this year's TIFF under the Midnight Madness block. Set towards the tail-end of World War II, it centers around the solitary gold miner Aatami (Jorma Tommila), whose good fortune is interrupted by an army of Nazis enacting a scorched earth protocol throughout Finland. Of course, these Nazis realize too late that the old man they are dealing with is a legendary soldier with a reputation for killing anyone who gets in his way.

Exclusive: Briarcliff Entertainment has acquired North American distribution rights to the gripping historical drama Kent State from writer, director Karen Slade. The film will star Dermot Mulroney, Clancy Brown, Aksel Hennie, Christopher Backus, Christopher Ammanuel, Andrew Ortenberg and Jacqueline Emerson.

Grandave International is handling foreign sales on the film. The pic will begin filming this November in Columbus, Ga with a US theatrical release anticipated for 2023.

Inspired by true events, the movie tells the story of how a family’s buried past coincides with the brutal truth of one of the most significant events in American history, when the Ohio National Guard fired into a crowd of student protestors, killing four, and injuring 7 on May 4th, 1970, at Kent State University. Told through the perspective of Will McCormack in two time periods in his life, the film asks the question of not just what happened then, but why these kinds of events continue to happen.

Nazis die and Finns triumph in the Finnish WW2 thriller “Sisu,” a spaghetti Western–style action-adventure set in the Lapland plains of Finland. In this polished genre exercise, a stubborn Finnish gold prospector runs away from, and also violently dispatches, a group of Nazis during the war’s concluding months.

Writer-director Jalmari Helander doesn’t really develop his post-post-modern pastiche beyond its basic high-concept premise, so “Sisu” — premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival — never becomes more than an energetically realized live-action cartoon. Thankfully, Helander and his collaborators deliver a good-enough potboiler, thanks especially to the invigorating contributions of cinematographer Kjell Lagerroos and editor Juho Virolainen.

There’s not much more to “Sisu”, but it certainly looks good and moves briskly from one action scene to the next.

That said, you might be disappointed by “Sisu” if you expect it to develop, either in terms of narrative momentum or dramatic tension.

As they say here north of the border: Time to drop the puck on the 2022 Toronto Film Festival.

The weather is beautiful, and they’ve cordoned off King Street from the Lightbox to Roy Thomson Hall. People are getting their bearings, most not wearing masks in the open air. This is a sight better than last year, when the cable cars were not rerouted from King Street because so few came for the festivities. Not surprisingly, not a single major deal happened on the ground as the festivals and specialty theatrical business were still feeling the fallout from Covid.

Toronto Film Festival: Deadline’s Complete Coverage

Will this year be any better? Some believe it certainly can’t get worse. Buyers and sellers expect the pace to be on the slow side, with some possible exceptions. I hear that the hot title is one that isn’t officially on the for-sale lists,...

Writer/Director Jalmari Helander’s Rare Exports quickly became requisite holiday viewing among horror fans for its delightfully twisted take on Santa Claus and his not-so-merry elves. Helander is upping the ante on genre-bending mayhem for his latest, Sisu, set to make its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, 2022.

The filmmaker reteams with Rare Exports actor Jorma Tommila for one epic and hyper-violent period adventure through the wilderness of Lapland in Northern Finland. Sisu sees Tommila playing Aatami, a solitary gold prospector that embarks on a trek to the nearest town to cash in his find of the century. Aatami crosses paths with a troop of Nazi soldiers led by the vile and villainous SS Obersturmführer (Aksel Hennie). The Nazis decide to take the gold for themselves, but they don’t realize they’ve picked a fight with the wrong man. Aatami is a one-man army of legendary proportions,...

"Death is a hard way to make a living." LevelFilm has revealed an official trailer for the indie dark comedy The Middle Man, the latest film made by an award-winning Norwegian filmmaker named Bent Hamer - one of his biggest hits was the indie Factotum from 2005 with Matt Dillon. This new one already premiered at the Toronto Film Festival last year, but it hasn't made its way down to the US yet despite taking place in the US. The film is set in Karmack, a small town in the American Midwest that is so economically depressed that it hires Frank Farrelli as a middle man to deliver bad news to people because none of the residents can bear to do it themselves anymore. Norwegian actor Pål Sverre Hagen stars as Frank, with a cast including Don McKellar, Kenneth Welsh, Paul Gross, Trond Fausa, Aksel Hennie, and Bill Lake. This looks like a very strange,...

[Editor’s note: The following review contains major spoilers for “The Trip (Onde Dager).”]

In real life, when married people say they think about murdering their spouse, most don’t actually mean it. In Tommy Wirkola’s devilishly fun black comedy “The Trip” (Norwegian title: “Onde Dager”), they do. Landing somewhere in a delicious Venn diagram between thriller, horror, and comedy, “The Trip” is a fast-paced joy ride that should make even the squeamish delight in a little bloodbath.

(Since much of the fun comes from an endless parade of rabbits Wirkola pulls out of his insane hat, knowing too much about the action could take the edge off. Consider yourself warned.)

The movie opens on a soap opera set, where a smoldering couple is fighting over an outrageous infidelity. “That’s right, I’m pregnant with your dead brother’s son’s baby,” a blonde actress cries, before the sleepy director calls cut. This is Lars (Aksel Hennie), a dissatisfied TV director whose...

There's gold in them hills.

Deadline reports that principal photography has begun on "Immortal," a World War II action picture from "Rare Exports" director Jalmari Helander. The film follows a one-man army going into battle against the Nazi army in the Finnish wilderness. Set in 1945, "Immortal" tells the story of ex-soldier Aatami (Jorma Tommila), who stumbles upon gold in the deep woods of Lapland, where the filming will primarily take place along with Helsinki. His efforts to bring the gold along with him are thwarted by SS goons, led by a ruthless officer played by "Peaky Blinders" star Thomas Anderson. 

Besides Tommila and Anderson, "Immortal" also stars Aksel Hennie...

The post Rare Exports Director Is Finally Making Another Movie appeared first on /Film.

Sales

Abacus Media Rights has sold documentary “The Beatles and India” to HBO Max for Latin America, BritBox North America for the U.S. and Canada, Channel 4 for the U.K., Foxtel for Australia, Channel One for Russia, and A Contracorriente Films for Spain, with more deals in the pipeline.

Inspired by Ajoy Bose’s “book Across The Universe – The Beatles in India,” the film marks Bose’s directorial debut, is co-directed by Peter Compton and is produced by Reynold D’Silva, CEO of Silva Screen Music Group.

Abacus MD Jonathan Ford said: “Using rare archival footage, an array of unseen recordings and photographs, eye-witness accounts and stunning location shoots across India, ‘The Beatles and India’ energetically reveals a fascinating journey which was to have a profound impact on The Beatles’ spiritual lives and their music.”

“The universal appeal of the subject has been one of our main aims in...

WWII Action Film Begins In Helsinki

Principal photography has begun on Immortal, the World War II action film from Rare Exports director Jalmari Helander, in which a man goes to war against the Nazi army in the Finnish wilderness. Starring are Jorma Tommila (Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale), Aksel Hennie (The Martian), Jack Doolan (The Hatton Garden Job) and Onni Tommila (Big Game). Filming will take place in Lapland and Helsinki, Finland. Petri Jokiranta and Subzero Film Entertainment produce. Executive producers are Mike Goodridge, Gregory Ouanhon and Antonio Salas. As previously announced, Stage 6 Films acquired worldwide rights, excluding the Nordics, which will be handled by Nordisk Film. Pic is backed by the Finnish Film Foundation, Business Finland – Audiovisual Production Incentive and MTV Cmore.

Sony Pictures & EbonyLife Writers Initiative

EbonyLife and Sony Pictures Television are launching Alo, a program for writers of African heritage. The word ‘Alo’ is from the...

Exclusive: Asia Argento (xXx), French rapper-actor JoeyStarr (Polisse) and Italian star Riccardo Scamarcio (John Wick: Chapter 2) are set to lead cast in French-language thriller Interstate (La Saveur De La Mort).

The movie is a supernatural thriller in which a hitman (JoeyStarr), facing an existential crisis, decides to exit the game and leave town with the woman he loves, but his plans are disrupted by a mysterious young man and his ruthless former boss.

Jean Luc Herbulot – whose Senegalese action film Saloum is playing in TIFF’s Midnight Madness strand — is directing.

XYZ is handling world sales minus France and Belgium and will begin discussing with buyers during the Toronto market.

Pic was written by Anthony Jaswinski (The Shallows) and is produced by Jean-Jacques Neira for Fontana (Belgium), Christophe Mazodier for Polaris Films (France) and Hicham Benkirane at Hbk F.C.

Filming is slated to begin this winter for a late 2022 release.