Marko Zaror Returns As The REDEEMER

Our love for Chilean martial artist Marko Zaror is no secret around here. We've been raging fans since we first came across him in Kiltro - his first of three collaborations to date with writer-director Ernesto Diaz Espinoza - and have been excited to watch his career grow from winning awards at Fantastic Fest and Action Fest with his Chilean work through to his first forays into starring in US films with Undisputed III and Machete Kills. Heck, it was all the way back in 2008 that ScreenAnarchy named Zaror one of the world's greatest unsung screen fighting talents and our opinion hasn't changed on that front one iota.

Well, if you - like us - have been waiting for Zaror to step back into the leading role of a new action film, then we've got good news. And, no, it's not the previously announced collaboration with The Raid stunt team (One Good Thing) as that's waiting for the now gearing up The Night Comes For Us before it moves into gear. Nope, Zaror and his Kiltro / Mirageman / Mandrill cohort Ernesto Diaz Espinoza have gotten the gang back together, they're now in the final week of an intensive three month session of fight choreography and rehearsal and will launch principal photography on their fourth collaboration, Redeemer, on March 24th. Here's the official press release.

Los Angeles, CA (March 17, 2014) - XYZ Films has announced that they will be executive producing and handling sales for the Spanish-language martial arts actioner REDEEMER (Redentor), which is headlined by Chilean action star Marko Zaror. Written and directed by Ernesto Diaz Espinoza, the film marks the fourth time that Espinoza and Zaror have worked together since 2006.  It was produced by Espinoza, Zaror and Diego Moral Heimpell and is executive produced by XYZ Films.  The film will begin principal photography on March 24th in Chile.   
 
Former hitman Nicky Pardo (Zaror) has made a deal with God. Pardo will begin every day by holding a gun to his own head and pulling the trigger. And every day he does not die he will take it as a sign that he is meant to continue hunting down the men he used to work for.
 
Zaror has most recently been seen working in English opposite Scott Adkins (EXPENDABLES 2) as the principal villain in UNDISPUTED 3, and as Mel Gibson's primary henchman in MACHETE KILLS. He is a highly trained martial artist across multiple disciplines who - like Tony Jaa, Donnie Yen and Iko Uwais - performs all of his own fight and stunt work without the use of any wires or CGI tricks.  Zaror's big break came when he was hired as Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson's body / stunt double on Peter Berg's THE RUNDOWN, for which he won multiple stunt awards.  He then returned to Chile where he and Espinoza collaborated on KILTRO, the first martial arts film ever produced in all of South America.
 
Espinoza most recently handled editing duties on Eli Roth's Toronto festival title THE GREEN INFERNO.  Apart from his work with Zaror, Espinoza was also included as a director on THE ABCs OF DEATH ANTHOLOGY and directed the festival hit BRING ME THE HEAD OF THE MACHINE GUN WOMAN.

Yes, for those paying attention, I am a partner at XYZ Films and XYZ is working with Zaror and Espinoza on this one and I could not possibly be more excited to be making the step from being a fan to being a collaborator. Watch for more as things shake down.