Oh my gods, I need The Furious injected into my eyeballs, right, freaking now! Already one of my most anticipated films of 2025 the Pan-Asian action film, directed by Kenji Tanigaki and produced by the legendary Bill Kong, recently wrapped up production in Thailand. Two first look photos went out today in the trades this morning and we can share them with you now.
(The Furious) follows a simple tradesman (portrayed by mainland Chinese star Xie Miao) who fights his way through a complex web of criminals and evil agents in a frantic attempt to win back his kidnapped daughter by any means necessary.
There were two seperate articles in Variety today, one a set visit, the other the official announcement. I love this bit from the set visit article where our lord and master, Todd, is quoted while on set in his official capacity as a producer on this flick.
The helmer says rehearsals have “helped build trust” which “makes things safer” for elaborate stunts. “We do things that look dangerous on screen, but in reality are not,” he says.That does not appear to reassure co-producer Todd Brown, who is visiting the set for the first time and is dismayed by the solidity of some of the police station’s facilities. “It doesn’t look as if much is designed to break away,” Brown says.
You just know that Todd was hoping for stuff to break while he was there. Mass carnage or no carnage at all!
This quote from director Tanigaki, who recently wowed international audiences with amazing action choreography for Twillight of the Warriors: Walled In, promises something more grounded this time around, which should ease Todd's mind.
“The action is very different from ‘Walled In’,” Tanigaki told Variety. “We are very focused on realism, and I’m satisfied that we are pushing the boundaries of martial arts movies.”
Sales start week after next here in Toronto while TIFF is going on. From the trades it looks like we can expect The Furious in the second quarter of 2025.
The martial arts action thriller THE FURIOUS from director Kenji Tanigaki has wrapped production in Bangkok, Thailand. Bill Kong – the iconic producer of films such as CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON, THE HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS and HERO – returns to the martial arts genre, teaming with XYZ Films for a hard hitting, contemporary take on the genre. The film features a pan-Asian cast including mainland Chinese star Xie Miao, Indonesian star Joe Taslim, Thai star Jeeja Yanin, Yang Enyu, Brian Le, Joey Iwanaga and Yayan Ruhian. With a cast made up of authentic and elite martial artists, the film is focused on realism at the highest possible level.THE FURIOUS follows a simple tradesman (Xie Miao) who fights his way through a complex web of criminals and evil agents in a frantic attempt to win back his kidnapped daughter by any means necessary.The film is written by MAK Tin Shu, and is produced by Bill Kong of Edko Films Ltd., Frank Hui and Shan Tam. Executive producers are Todd Brown and Aram Tertzakian of XYZ Films and by Michael J. Werner. THE FURIOUS is financed by Edko Films Ltd. and Edko will distribute in China, Hong Kong and Macao. XYZ Films is handling sales in all other territories and will introduce the film to buyers at the upcoming Toronto International Film festival (TIFF).Director Kenji Tanigaki has spent more than twenty years building a reputation as the absolute gold standard for fight coordinators in Asia, working as Donnie Yen’s key collaborator for decades, and performing fight work on massive hit franchises in both China and Japan such as Soi Cheang’s blockbuster MONKEY KING films and massive hit manga / anime adaptations RUROUNI KENSHIN. Tanigaki most recently served as stunt coordinator on Soi Cheang’s Cannes-selected hit TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS: WALLED IN, which has become the most successful Hong Kong production of all time at the Hong Kong box office.XYZ has a long history in the martial arts space, having worked on the legendary THE RAID franchise from director Gareth Evans, as well as other seminal martial arts films such as THE NIGHT COMES FOR US and HEADSHOT. New sales and production titles from the XYZ Films studio include 2024 TIFF Platform title Daniela Forever directed by Nacho Vigalondo and starring Henry Golding and Beatrice Grannó, Full Throttle Mindset starring Josh Duhamel and Lukas Gage, Flesh of the Gods, directed by Panos Cosmatos and starring Kristen Stewart and Oscar Isaac, He Bled Neon with Joe Cole and Rita Ora, Kill Me with Allison Williams and Charlie Day, Free Fall starring Zachary Levi and directed by Zoë Bell, Sundance title Skywalkers: A Love Story, which sold to Netflix, Blackberry starring Gotham and Independent Spirit-award nominee Glenn Howerton, which was released by IFC Films, Ash starring Eiza González and Aaron Paul and directed by Flying Lotus, and the Netflix Original Havoc, directed by Gareth Evans and starring Tom Hardy and Forrest Whitaker. XYZ Films recently announced the global acquisition of The Ritual starring Al Pacino and Dan Stevens.