Keanu Reeves & Fisher Stevens Co-Producing Documentary About Benny “The Jet” Urquidez

Posted on March 28, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Benny “The Jet” Urquidez’s life story is getting the Hollywood treatment.

Keanu Reeves is partnering with Academy Award winner Fisher Stevens to co-produce a documentary on the life story of the 71-year-old half Spanish/Mexican American former professional kickboxer, martial arts choreographer and actor, an iconic athlete who introduced mixed martial arts to the world.

Titled The Jet, the film is currently in production under the direction of Emmy-nominated sports documentary editor turned filmmaker Jennifer Tiexiera.

The film’s financiers are Chris Quintos Cathcart and Tyler Boehm of the newly formed Unapologetic Projects, a company dedicated to working with underrepresented creators.

Maura Anderson and Zak Kilberg of Stevens’ recently launched production company Highly Flammable will also serve as producers along with John Scalise and his FAYA Project.

Nancy Weisler, Brian Maya and Chris Quintos Cathcart & Tyler Boehm of Unapologetic serve as executive producers on the project slated for release in 2025.

Nicknamed for his explosive spinning back kick, Sensei Benny “The Jet” Urquidez had a profound impact on martial arts in mainstream culture, as an actor, fight coordinator, and trainer to the stars.

Known for his exceptional skills in kickboxing and karate, he held six world titles in five weight divisions and remained undefeated over the course of his 20+ year kickboxing career.

In addition to his competitive achievements, Urquidez is renowned for his contributions to martial arts cinema, having appeared in numerous action films during the 1980s and 1990s.

Notable film credits include The Octagon, Road House and Grosse Pointe Blank. Over the years, he also trained and worked with the likes of Jackie Chan, Muhammed Ali, Elvis Presley, Mark Wahlberg, Nicole Kidman, Kurt Russell, Patrick Swayze, Nicolas Cage, Michelle Pfeiffer, Duff McKagan and many others.

“Benny’s fighting career was born out of his struggles with identity, poverty, and race, but he didn’t let those things define him,” Tiexiera said. “The result is a story about how struggle and sacrifice evolved into one about love, spirituality and deeper meaning.”

Stated Reeves, “Benny is a true mentor, and has had such a profound yet underappreciated impact on both cinema and martial arts. I’m very excited to help share his story with the world.”

Marco Rodriguez to Star in Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”

Posted on July 11, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a Hollywoodscreen moment for Marco Rodriguez…

The 65-year-old Latino actor is among the just-added cast members of Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

Along with Rodriguez, who starred in 1981’s Zoot Suit, the new additions include

Spencer Garrett, Martin Kove, James Remar, Brenda Vaccaro, Nichole Galicia, Mike Moh, Craig Stark, Ramon Franco and Raul Cardona.

They play a variety of characters alongside stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Burt Reynolds, Kurt Russell,Timothy Olyphant, Damian Lewis, Dakota Fanning, Scoot McNairyand Al Pacino.

Once Upon a Time takes place in Los Angeles in 1969, at the height of hippie Hollywood. The two lead characters are Rick Dalton (DiCaprio), former star of a Western TV series, and his longtime stunt double Cliff Booth (Pitt). Both are struggling to make it in a Hollywood they don’t recognize anymore. But Rick has a very famous next-door neighbor: Sharon Tate (Robbie).

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is produced by David Heyman, Tarantino and Shannon McIntosh.

Sony Pictureswill release the film on August 9, 2019.

First Trailer Released for Eugenio Derbez’s “Overboard” Remake

Posted on December 22, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Yacht’s entertainment for Eugenio Derbez…

The first trailer has been released for director Rob Greenberg’s Overboard, starring the 56-year-old Mexican actor.

It’s a remake of the Garry Marshall-directed comedy of the same name starring Goldie Hawn as a pampered heiress and Kurt Russell as a tormented carpenter.

Greenberg flipped the gender roles for the remake, with Derbez portraying a spoiled playboy and Anna Faris as a put-upon single mom hired to clean his yacht.

From MGM and Pantelion Films, Derbez plays Leonardo, a selfish gadabout who unjustly fires and refuses to pay Kate (Faris) for cleaning services rendered. When the guy from Mexico’s richest family gets wasted and falls out of his luxury yacht, he comes to on the Oregon coast with no recollection of who he is or how he got there. Kate shows up at the hospital and, eager for payback, convinces Leonardo that he is her husband and puts him to work — for the first time in his life. After a rough start, he eventually earns the respect of his new “family,” but his real kin are hot on their trail.

Eva Longoria and John Hannah also star in Overboard, which was written by Bob Fisher and Greenberg and Leslie Dixon.

MGM and Pantelion will replace the film on April 20.

Eugenio Derbez Renews First-Look Deal with Pantelion Films

Posted on May 3, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a special re-up for Eugenio Derbez…

Following the impressive U.S. box office returns of the 54-year-old Mexican comedian’s English-language debut How to be a Latin Lover, Lionsgate-Televisa joint venture Pantelion Films has renewed its first-look deal with Derbez and producing partner Benjamin Odell’s production company, 3Pas Studios. The companies originally inked a first-look pact in August 2014.

The comedy about a gold-digging Lothario getting his comeuppance stars Derbez, Salma Hayek and a clutch of American actors led by Raquel Welch, Rob Lowe, Rob Corddry, Kristen Bell and Rob Riggle.

Ken Marino’s directorial feature debut grabbed the number two slot at the box office the weekend of April 28, grossing $12 million on just 1,118 screens. Its opening weekend audience was 89% Hispanic.

“It has always been our goal to reach deep into the acculturated Hispanic market,” said Pantelion CEO, Paul Presburger, adding: “I think we also accomplished what we have always wanted to do, which is to start bridging across acculturated Latinos to the general market.”

The deal renewal reflects Lionsgate’s commitment to underserved Hispanic audiences in the U.S. Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer has long been a strong advocate for Pantelion and its initiatives.

“We are really happy to continue our relationship with Pantelion, Lionsgate and Televisa,” said Odell, adding: “They provide us very strong support but allow us a lot of creative freedom as we continue to strengthen the 3pas Brand and expand both into the mainstream and internationally. We couldn’t think of better partners.”

How to be a Latin Lover is Pantelion’s second breakout hit with Derbez after his directorial debut Instructions Not Included, which became the highest-grossing Spanish-language film ever released in the U.S. ($44 million) and the highest-grossing Mexican film in Mexico ($48 million). Televisa’s distribution arm Videocine releases the comedy in Mexico May 5 on more than 3,000 screens. Hayek will be at the premiere Wednesday in Mexico City.

Founded some two years ago by Derbez and former Pantelion executive Ben Odell, 3Pas Studios has a packed slate of comedies in development.

Next out of the gate is Overboard, a remake of Garry Marshall’s ‘80s comedy starring Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell. Comedy is slated to start principal photography May 23 in Vancouver with Anna Faris starring opposite Derbez.

Aside from remakes of French comedy The Valet and Korean comedy Miss Granny and live action comedy Ponce, 3Pas is also producing animated feature La Familia Peluche, based on Derbez’s popular live action TV show that aired on Univision and Televisa.

Pantelion is also collaborating with Televisa and Starz on the series Teresa, based on the popular telenovela, and gearing up for the July launch of the still-unnamed streaming movie service with partners Univision and Hemisphere Media.

Rodriguez to Direct “Escape From New York” Remake

Posted on March 26, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Robert Rodriguez is preparing for his big Escape…

The 48-year-old Mexican American filmmaker will direct Escape From New York, the remake of John Carpenter’s iconic 1981 film for 20th Century Fox.

The studio won a bidding battle for rights to the reboot in early 2015, with Andrew Rona and Alex Heineman’s The Picture Company set to produce.

Neil Cross is penning the script.

The original was released by Avco Embassy, and the rights were owned by Studiocanal. Carpenter will be an executive producer and have a big say in the tone of the project. Fox’s Mike Ireland, who brought in the movie, will oversee for the studio. The hope is to reinvent the property with an eye toward launching a Planet Of The Apes-like franchise.

The deal cements the relationship with Rodriguez and Fox; the director just helmed the studio’s Alita: Battle Angel, the film based on Yukito Kishiro’s manga graphic novels that was written by James Cameron and Laeta Kalogridis. Set in a 26th century dystopian future, the film follows the story of an amnesiac cyborg who, after being rescued from a scrap heap by a doctor, becomes a bounty hunter tracking down criminals. Rosa Salazar and Christoph Waltz star in the film, which has a July 20, 2018 release date mapped out.

The cynical original Escape From New York, hatched by Carpenter after the Watergate scandal, was set in a futuristic Gotham circa 1997. Kurt Russell played Snake Plissken, an eyepatch-sporting tough guy who is conscripted to rescue the President of the United States after Air Force One — en route to a summit that could head off World War III — goes missing after it crashes in New York, which has been relegated to a maximum security prison. Plissken, a former special forces operative convicted of trying to rob the Federal Reserve, is given 22 hours to liberate the president and a tape he carries which holds the key to peace. If he fails, he’s wired to explode.

Rodriguez and Carpenter have collaborated before. Rodriguez’s El Rey Network last fall announced the launch of The People’s Network Showcase, a series of specials featuring short films from emerging indie filmmakers. Carpenter hosted the premiere episode, The People’s Network Showcase: Horror Edition.

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.

Derbez to Star Opposite Anna Faris in Reimagining of Goldie Hawn’s “Overboard”

Posted on March 7, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Eugenio Derbez’s career is going overboard…

The 55-year-old Mexican actor will star opposite Anna Faris in the MGM/Pantelion Films/3Pas Studios film Overboard, a reimagining to the 1987 Garry Marshall-directed screwball comedy starring Goldie Hawn as a selfish heiress and Kurt Russell as the working-class guy who she eventually falls for.

Rob Greenberg and Bob Fisher are attached to write and direct the film, which is scheduled to star production in Vancouver this May.

The new rendition will feature a role reversal from the original and focus on a spoiled playboy from one of Mexico’s wealthiest families (Derbez) who falls overboard off his yacht, and is convinced by a working-class single mom (Faris) that he is her husband.

Derbez also serves as producer along with Ben Odell. MGM and Pantelion will co-produce, co-finance, and co-distribute the film with Lionsgate handling domestic theatrical distribution.

Derbez wrote, directed and starred in the Mexican comedy Instructions Not Included, which became the highest-grossing Spanish-language film ever released in the U.S. when it opened in 2013. Up next, he stars in How to Be a Latin Lover, which Pantelion and Lionsgate are releaseig in April.

New Trailer Released for Saldana’s “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2”

Posted on March 3, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

It’s on guard(ian) for Zoe Saldana…

The latest trailer for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, starring the 38-year-old Puerto Rican and Dominican American actress was unveiled by Saldana’s co-star Chris Pratt on Tuesday night’s Jimmy Kimmel Live.

The video features a handful of the same scenes that have been seen in previous trailers and promos, with the superhero team assembling to save the galaxy for a second time, as well as continuing the team’s adventures as they unravel the mystery of Peter Quill’s true parentage.

“Sometimes, the thing you’re searching for your whole life in right there by your side all along,” Pratt’s Star-Lord says in the trailer.

He doesn’t have to wait that long to find the thing he’s been searching for his whole life, as audiences are finally introduced to Star-Lord’s father Ego, played by Kurt Russell.

In addition to Saldana and Pratt, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, directed by James Gunn, also features Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel as Baby Groot.

It opens in theaters on May 5.

Rodriguez’s “Fast 8” Filming in Cuba

Posted on May 9, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

It’s fast times for Michelle Rodriguez in the Pearl of the Antilles.

The 37-year-old Puerto Rican and Dominican-American actress and her fellow Fast & Furious co-stars are filming in Cuba.

Fast 8 has the distinction of being only the second film and the first big budget movie given the green light to shoot on the island since the start of improved relations between the island nation and the United States.

The next installment of Universal Pictures’ successful franchise is currently filming in Havana, and to commemorate the milestone, the production released a new set video paying tribute to the city and its people.

The first in what star Vin Diesel has described as a trilogy that will bring the series to close, Fast 8 is keeping the series tradition of sending the franchise’s globetrotting street racing enthusiasts to various exotic locals, including Iceland in addition to Cuba.

#F8 is making history in Cuba. #FastFridays https://t.co/vljANLtPuh

— Fast & Furious (@FastFurious) May 6, 2016

Written by Chris Morgan and directed by F. Gary Gray, Fast 8 sees core cast members Diesel, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson and Chris “Ludacris” Bridges returning along with 2Fast 2Furious co-star Eva Mendes, Tokyo Drift‘s Lucas Black, and Furious 7‘s Kurt Russell and Jason Statham. They’re joined this time out by Charlize Theron, Kristofer Hivju and Scott Eastwood in yet-revealed roles.

Fast 8 is set to hit theaters on April 14, 2017.

Mars to Receive Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2016

Posted on June 23, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

There’s no denying Bruno Mars’ star power… And now he’ll have an iconic plaque to prove it.

The 29-year-old part-Puerto Rican singer-songwriter is among the celebrities whose names will be added to the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2016.

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce announced its class of 2016, with a list that includes Adam Levine, Cyndi Lauper, Quentin Tarantino and actors Steve Carell, Bradley Cooper, Ashley Judd, Michael Keaton and Kurt Russell.

Entertainers are recognized in five categories: motion picture, television, radio, recording and live theater/live performance. Each recipient is responsible for their star’s $30,000 cost of installation and they have two years to schedule star ceremonies from the date of selection before they expire.

Mars, a two-time Grammy-winner who was named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World, in 2011, is being recognized in the recording category.

But Mars isn’t the only Latino artist to make the 2016 list…

Angelica Maria, heralded as La Novia de México, will also receive her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The 70-year-old Mexican American actress and Grammy-winning singer-songwriter is being recognized in the and live theater/live performance.

Individual ceremonies have not yet been scheduled.

The full list of 2016 recipients can be seen at www.walkoffame.com.

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