“I like the challenge of trying to entertain an audience, and I read the reviews, good and bad. I don’t let them affect me, but I do try to learn from them, if I can.” James Nunn
Aspiring filmmakers should definitely tune into this episode of the Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast, as I talk to two up-and-coming, supremely talented, London-based directors Matthias Hoene and James Nunn, who are both making waves internationally with their own action films. Firstly, I talk to the director Matthias Hoene about his new film, Enter the Warrior’s Gate (aka Warrior’s Gate), a Chinese-European co-production written by Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen. The time-traveling wuxia fantasy stars Dave Bautista, Uriah Shelton, and the Chinese actors Ni Ni, Mark Chao and Francis Ng. It is only Hoene’s second feature film as director following 2012’s British comedy horror, Cockneys vs Zombies. We discuss how Chinese audiences have reacted to the film following its initial release in 2016, as well as the challenges of making an epic, big-budget co-production between France and China. Our conversation was recorded in the run-up to the film’s American release on 5 May 2017, and the film is now available to watch in theatres, video on demand (VOD) and digital high definition. Also, be sure to keep up-to-date with Matthias via his Twitter page.
My second guest is James Nunn, who worked previously with Mathias as the assistant director on Cockneys vs Zombies, as well as many other well-known titles. Since then, James has become a highly sought-after director in his own right, after being launched onto the UK indie scene with his first directorial effort, the acclaimed thriller Tower Block (2012), co-directed with Ronnie Thompson. The film featured a great British cast including Jack O’Connell, Sheridan Smith and Russell Tovey. He has since collaborated with top UK fighting star Scott Adkins on two films: Green Street 3: Never Back Down (2013), and Eliminators (2016), which was James’ first film under contract with WWE Studios. His most recent movie, The Marine 5: Battleground (2017), featured a number of WWE wrestlers and and is available to watch right now on digital and Blu-ray. In our far-reaching chat, we discuss his earliest film memories, working with Scott Adkins, how to make a convincing action movie in London, and the impact piracy is having on the film industry. You can also keep up-to-date with James Nunn via his Twitter page.
Matthias Hoene, Uriah Shelton and Ni Ni filming Enter the Warrior’s Gate.
Scott Adkins, James Nunn and Wade Barrett filming Eliminators.
