"The Furious" Punches its Way to Lionsgate!

Gear up, action movie buffs - Lionsgate has just landed a knockout deal for global rights to the buzzy martial arts thriller, "The Furious". Fresh off its triumphant run at both the Toronto Film Festival’s Midnight Madness section and the Busan International Film Festival, Lionsgate is planning to unroll this martial arts gem in theatres by 2026. However, moviegoers in the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, and Macao will have to look elsewhere as these territories are excluded from the deal.

"The Furious", is a labor of love from veteran producer, Bill Kong, the creative force behind critically acclaimed martial arts classics such as "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", "Hero", and "House of Flying Daggers." Bill Kong teamed up with the production house XYZ Films - the wizards behind the "The Raid" franchise, with a mission to create this decade's definitive martial arts action film.

Blending nostalgia for Hong Kong's action cinema heydays with modern filmmaking technique, "The Furious" showcases spectacular martial arts and combat sequences by an international gathering of top-notch fighters. The film’s story revolves around Wang Wei - a simple tradesman thrust into a bloody underworld when his daughter Rainy gets abducted. Wang allies with Navin, a journalist burdened with a murky past, to brawl their way through an international crime syndicate.

Kenji Tanigaki, an esteemed action choreographer whose name is associated with works like "Rurouni Kenshin" and "Snake Eyes," makes his directorial debut with "The Furious". Mak Tin Shu, Lei Zhilong, Shum Kwan Sin, and Frank Hui were the creative minds behind the gripping script. Kong produced via Edko Films Ltd, with teammates Hui and Shan Tam. XYZ Films’ Nate Bolotin, Todd Brown, Maxime Cottray, Nick Spicer, and Aram Tertzakian took the executive producer's reigns with Michael J. Werner and Xu Tianfu.

Starring a diverse ensemble cast including Xie Miao, Joe Taslim of "The Raid" fame, Yang Enyou, Brian Le, John Wick’s Yayan Ruhian, Jija Yanin from "Chocolate", Joey Iwanaga, Sahajak Boonthanakit, and Manatsanun Phanlerdwongsakul, the film promises to deliver edge-of-the-seat entertainment. Lionsgate's Brandon Hill, XYZ Films' Pip Ngo and Michael J. Werner representing Edko Films and the producers, managed to secure the deal, with Edko Films spearheading the film's financing. Edko Films and Lionsgate will release the film in the exempt territories in 2026.

As the excitement mounts up, Kong shared, "I am thrilled that Lionsgate has embraced 'The Furious.' I believe they are the best company to handle this picture. I am looking forward to working closely with them.”

Calling all action-seekers, Director Tanigaki says, "There’s nothing more exciting than having 'The Furious' distributed by Lionsgate - It means that great action cinema will reach audiences in the best possible way…I can’t wait for audiences around the world to jump on this ride - to be thrilled, to hold their breath, and to roar with excitement.”

Lauren Bixby of Lionsgate echoed this sentiment, conveying, “We have had tremendous success with several films from the TIFF Midnight Madness programming – including ‘Sisu’ and ‘The Blackening’ – in recent years.. 'The Furious.’ This movie redefines martial arts action – it’s incredibly entertaining and engrossing, and we can’t wait to share it with audiences next year.” So buckle up, folks - "The Furious" whirlwind is just around the corner, and you wouldn't want to miss the excitement.