Documentary on the Life of Danny Trejo to be Released in the UK

Posted on May 1, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Danny Trejo’s life story is headed overseas…

The 75-year-old Mexican American actor’s journey from a life of crime to a life in the movies is being told in a new documentary feature. And, now the film has landed on a UK release date.

Inmate #1: The Rise of Danny Trejo tells the story of how Trejo went from a life of crime – and his time in prison – to getting his acting break and how his career evolved from there.

The film has been directed by Brett Harvey, and includes contributions from Trejo himself, Robert Rodriguez, Michelle Rodriguez, Cheech Marinand Danielle Trejo.

The film has been picked up by Universalin the UK, which will be releasing it on digital download from June 22nd. No word yet on whether a DVD and Blu-ray release will follow.

Here’s the official synopsis:

From an early life of drugs, armed robbery and hard prison time, to the red carpets of Hollywood blockbusters and helping troubled addicts, this is the story of one of the most inspirational transformations of human character ever put to film. With a host of celebrity interviews, never-before-seen footage and personal testimony from Danny and his closest family and friends, audiences will witness the birth of aHollywoodicon who became a symbol of hope to people around the world. To this day, Danny continues to council recovering addicts and speak at state prisons. After 46 years of sobriety, he never forgets his roots and pays forward that which has been bestowed on him.

Kid Cudi to Star in Nicholas Jarecki’s Opioid Thriller “Dreamland”

Posted on April 4, 2019 by Tom Castaneda

Kid Cudiis living in a dream(land)…

The 35-year-old part Mexican-American actor and Grammy-winning recording artist, whose real name is Scott Mescudi, has been cast in Nicholas Jarecki’s opioid thriller, Dreamland.

Kid Cudi joins new additions Sam Worthington and Indira Varma. They join a solid cast that includes Gary Oldman, Armie Hammer, Evangeline Lilly, Greg Kinnear, Michelle Rodriguezand Lily-Rose Depp.

Currently filming in Montreal, the film follows three colliding stories: a drug trafficker (Hammer) arranges a multi-cartel Fentanyl smuggling operation between Canada and the U.S.; an architect (Lilly) recovering from an OxyContin

addiction tracks down the truth behind her son’s involvement with narcotics; and a university professor (Oldman) battles unexpected revelations about his employer, a drug company with deep government influence bringing a new “non-addictive” painkiller to market.

Kid Cudi is an FDAinvestigator delving deep into prescription safety.

His previous credits include a series regular role on the HBO series How to Make It in America and appearances the films Drunk Parents, Entourage and Two Night Stand.

Michelle Rodriguez to Star in the Dramatic Thriller “Dreamland”

Posted on March 1, 2019 by Tom Castaneda

Life is but a dream(land)for Michelle Rodriguez…

The 40-year-old Puerto Rican and Dominican American actress will star in Dreamland, Nicholas Jarecki’s dramatic thriller revolving around the opioid crisis that is being toplined by Gary Oldman, Armie Hammer and Evangeline Lilly. Greg Kinnear, Veronica Ferres and Lily-Rose Depp also star.

The film, which was unveiled at the European Film Market earlier this month, is now shooting in Montreal.

The film written and being directed by Jarecki follows three colliding stories: a drug trafficker (Hammer) arranges a multi-cartel Fentanyl smuggling operation between Canada and the U.S.; an architect (Lilly) recovering from an OxyContinaddiction tracks down the truth behind her son’s involvement with narcotics; and a university professor (Oldman) battles unexpected revelations about his employer, a drug company with deep government influence bringing a new “non-addictive” painkiller to market.

Rodriguez plays a DEAsupervisor who clashes with Hammer’s drug trafficker.

Rodriguez’s credits include starring as Letty Ortiz in the Fast & Furious franchise, as well as roled in Resident Evil, S.W.A.T.and Avatar.

Trailer Released for Robert Rodriguez’s VR Action Film “The Limit,” Starring Michelle Rodriguez

Posted on November 21, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

Michelle Rodriguez has reached herlimit…

The 40-year-old Puerto Rican and Dominican-American actress appeared in the trailer for The Limit, Robert Rodriguez’s 20-minute Virtual Reality action film first teased last spring at Mip TV in Cannes.

“Look me in the eye when I’m talking to you,” says Rodriguez, who portrays the “super assassin” in the film.

The Limit, co-starring The Walking Dead‘s Norman Reedus, hails from STXsurreal, the VR and Immersive content division of STX Entertainment.

The film is available now as a paid app download across all major VR platforms. It’s available in 3-D and 2-D versions at www.TheLimitVR.com.

Rodriguez stars as an “enhanced super-assassin” known as M-13. You – the viewer – are a rogue agent “with a mysterious past,” and M-13 has been enlisted to help you retrieve your identity and strike against the deadly organization that created you.

The Mexican-American director (From Dusk Till Dawn, Sin City) says that, new technology aside, The Limit is a “full-blown Rodriguez action flick.” He said he’s considering The Limit as a franchise, and would be interested in taking some of his previous films into the VR world.

The Limit, shot entirely in Austin, was directed by Rodriguez from a script by himself and son Racer Max Rodriguez.

The Limit is a paid app download available across major VR platforms. To mark the launch, a sale price has been set at $4.99 for VR headset platforms, and $3.99 for mobile platforms, Google Play and iOS.

Rodriguez’s “The Fate of the Furious” Crosses the $1 Billion Mark Worldwide

Posted on May 1, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Michelle Rodriguez has another fast and furious hit on her resume…

With Saturday’s grosses factored in, Universal Pictures’ The Fate of the Furious, starring the 38-year-old Puerto Rican and Dominican American actress, has crossed the $1 billion mark at the worldwide box office, landing at $1.06B so far.

The split is currently $867.6M international and $192.7M domestic. In China, Furious 8 has passed Furious 7 (in local currency) to become the highest-grossing import ever. It’s now at 2.43B RMB and $361M.

This is the 5th movie in Universal’s 105-year history to reach the $1B mark. Directed by F Gary Gray, the 8th installment in the $4B+ franchise joins Jurassic World ($1.67B), Furious 7 ($1.52B), Illumination’s Minions ($1.16B) and Jurassic Park ($1.04B) at the top of the studio’s box office pantheon.

Rodriguez and her Furious cast mates held the No. 1 spot at the domestic, international and global box office for two weeks, and are expected to remain on top again this weekend in North America for the third frame.

Offshore this session, F8 added $68.4M in 69 territories. Japan was new this weekend with $7.5M for the best start in the franchise’s 16-year history.

When it bowed across Easter weekend, F8 sped off to the biggest global opening of all time with $542M — $98.8M domestic and $443.2M, the latter also a record. In China, it debuted just shy of $200M ($199.1M) to set a new opening weekend benchmark as the largest three-day launch ever.

This weekend, it added $20.1M in the Middle Kingdom and has broken just about every record possible there including the biggest 7-day total for any film ever.

Overall, the film has already out-grossed the international lifetime totals of the first six Fast & Furious. Other milestones include being the highest-grossing film from an African American director ever; the biggest-grossing movie of 2017 at the international box office and the No. 10 title ever.

For Universal, the opening weekend was the studio’s top launch ever in 28 territories, including China, India, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Malaysia and Indonesia. F8 also scored the highest opening weekend in industry history in 20, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Argentina, Colombia and UAE. The film also was tops for the franchise in 40 markets; among them: the UK, China, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Japan and Korea.

Cabello to Perform with Pitbull & J Balvin at the MTV Movie & TV Awards

Posted on April 29, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Camila Cabello is ready to take the stage…

The 20-year-old Cuban singer and former Fifth Harmony member will join Pitbull and J Balvin as performers for the 2017 MTV Movie & TV Awards on May 7.

The trio will perform their hit collaboration “Hey Ma,” which appears on the soundtrack to The Fate of the Furious.

The Fast & Furious franchise will receive the Generation Award at this year’s event, which, for the first time, will combine kudos for both the big and small screen.

Comedian Adam Devine will host the show live from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.

Since 1992, the Generation Award has honored artists for their body of work, with past recipients including Will Smith, Reese Witherspoon, Robert Downey Jr., Mark Wahlberg, Sandra Bullock, Jamie Foxx, Johnny Depp, Ben Stiller, Adam Sandler, Mike Myers, Tom Cruise and Jim Carrey.

Vin Diesel and Michelle Rodriguez will accept the Generation Award on behalf of the Fast crew.

The Spanish-language version of “Hey Ma” debuted at No. 5 on Billboard‘s Hot Latin Songs chart dated April 1.

Rodriguez & Her Fast & Furious Co-Stars to Receive Generation Award at the MTV Movie & TV Awards

Posted on April 29, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a new generation for Michelle Rodriguez…

The 38-year-old Puerto Rican and Dominican American actress and her fellow Fast & Furious franchise co-stars will receive the Generation Award at this year’s MTV Movie & TV Awards on May 7, marking the first time the award show will give the honor to a film franchise rather than an individual actor.

Fast & Furious star and producer Vin Diesel will accept the award alongside his co-stars Rodriguez, who portrays Letty in the franchise, Tyrese Gibson and Jordan Brewster.

Since 1992, the Generation Award has honored talent with a body of work throughout their career that speaks directly to the MTV audience. Past recipients include Will Smith, Reese Witherspoon, Robert Downey Jr., Mark Wahlberg, Sandra Bullock, Jamie Foxx, Johnny Depp, Ben Stiller, Adam Sandler, Mike Myers, Tom Cruise and Jim Carrey.

MTV will air marathons of the first three Fast & Furious films this weekend. They’ll feature a trivia game hosted by stars Diesel and Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, offering social engagers a chance to win a trip to attend the MTV Movie & TV Awards.

The 2017 MTV Movie & TV Awards will be hosted by actor and comedian Adam Devine, with the telecast airing live on Sunday, May 7, at 8:00 pm EST from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.

New Trailer Released for Rodriguez’s “The Fate of the Furious”

Posted on March 10, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Michelle Rodriguez is kicking it into high gear…

Universal Pictures has released a new trailer for The Fate of the Furious, starring the38-year-old Dominican-American actress.

Once again, the car criminals-turned-superheroes are back in this upcoming eighth installment, this time going up again a mysterious tech terrorist, who forces an alliance with Vin Diesel’s family leader Dominic Toretto.

F. Gary Gray is at the helm of the sequel, which will bow in theaters April 14.

After Dom is seduced into a world of crime and betray those closest to him, the gang is forced to go against their former leader and end up working with one of their greatest enemies to take him down.

There’s explosions, melodrama, intense fight scenes, witty comebacks, and of course, a lot of cars going really fast –all the elements that have made the Fast & Furious a billion-dollar franchise.

The film sees the return of Diesel, Rodriguez, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Jason Statham, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Nathalie Emmanuel, Elsa Pataky and Kurt Russell along with newcomers Charlize Theron, Helen Mirren and Scott Eastwood.

Rodriguez to Star in New Regency’s Heist Thriller “Widows”

Posted on February 18, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Michelle Rodriguez is turning to a life of crime…

The 38-year-old Puerto Rican and Dominican-American actress has joined the cast of New Regency’s heist thriller Widows from British helmer Steve McQueen.

Rodriguez will join Oscar-nominated actress Viola Davis, as well as Cynthia Erivo.

Gone Girl scribe Gillian Flynn co-wrote the script with McQueen, based on the 1983 British miniseries penned by Lynda LaPlante (Prime Suspect).

The story begins when four armed robbers are killed during a failed heist and their surviving widows join forces and resolve to pull off the next raid themselves.

Widows marks McQueen’s first feature since winning the Best Picture Oscar for 12 Years a Slave in 2014.

Rodriguez, who made a name for herself with roles in Universal Pictures’ hit Fast and Furious franchise, has starred in Avatar, Resident Evil and Resident Evil: Retribution. Her other credits include Girlfight, S.W.A.T. and Battle: Los Angeles.

Sigman to Star in CBS’ “S.W.A.T.” Pilot, Based on the 2011 Crime Drama

Posted on February 14, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Stephanie Sigman is about to get tactical…

The Mexican-American actress, who rose to acclaim in the 2011 crime drama film Miss Bala, will star in CBS’ S.W.A.T. reboot.

Sigman is the first cast member to sign onto the reboot, which is based on the movie of the same name.

The pilot follows a locally born and bred S.W.A.T. lieutenant who is torn between loyalty to the streets and duty to his fellow officers when he’s tasked to run a highly-trained unit that’s the last stop for solving crimes in Los Angeles. Sources say CBS is nearing a deal with an actor for the lead lieutenant role.

Sigman will play Jessica, who’s described as ambitious and fastidious, and has earned her high rank at S.W.A.T. headquarters.

The “S.W.A.T.” pilot was written by Aaron Thomas and will be directed by Justin Lin.

Sony Pictures Television and CBS Television Studios are behind the hourlong drama.

The series is based on the 2003 film, which starred Samuel L. Jackson, Colin Farrell, LL Cool J, Michelle Rodriguez, and Jeremy Renner. That movie was based on the 1970s series, produced by Aaron Spelling, which ran for two seasons on ABC.

“S.W.A.T.” is the latest project for Sigman, who’s been in high demand ever since her scene-stealing role in the 2015 Daniel Craig movie Spectre. She also starred in the first season of Netflix’s Narcos, and appeared in a few episodes of ABC’s anthology series American Crime from John Ridley. This is the second consecutive pilot season that Sigman has been cast in a lead role, following Ridley’s ABC detective drama, Presence, which ultimately was not greenlit to series.

Up next for the actress is the sequel to the hit horror movie Annabelle 2.

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