Arnold Schwarzenegger’s legacy will live on as Calum Von Moger in Bigger (2018).
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s ascent from bodybuilder to one of the biggest stars in the world is being chronicled in a new movie – and they’ve found the perfect guy to play Arnie. Bigger stars Tyler Hoechlin and Aneurin Barnard as brothers Joe andBen Weider, the men who discovered and helped make Schwarzenegger the household name he is today.
The new film, directed by George Gallo, focuses on the Weider brothers and the story of how they were able to create a business empire from nothing, while facing abject poverty and anti-Semitism.
Arnold’s Legacy Grows Bigger
Hoeclin, who is known for his work on Teen Wolf and Supergirl takes centre stage as Joe, the former bodybuilder and co-founder of the International Federation of BodyBuilders (IFBB).
Joe and Ben would go on to create the Mr. Olympia contest that made Schwarzenegger famous and went on to publish several bodybuilding and fitness magazines including Muscle & Fitness, Flex, Men’s Fitness and Shape.
However, it’s real-life Australian bodybuilder Calum Von Moger who has grabbed the headlines around Bigger so far. Cast in the role of the youngSchwarzenegger, he certainly possesses the necessary muscle power, and undoubtedly bears a passing resemblance to the man himself.
Von Moger doesn’t have much in the way of experience when it comes to film work. He appeared in the bodybuilding documentary Generation Iron 2prior to landing the part of the Young Arnie.
The Australian is a popular figure on social media though, with an impressive 2.8 million followers on Instagram alone. You can check his Instagram page here, or read up more about him on his personal website or Youtube channel.
Bigger arrives in cinemas on October 12th.
Let us know your thoughts on Calum Von Moger as Young Arnie in Bigger in the comments or on our Facebook page!
The world simply wasn’t ready for Lyle Alzado and the slasher classic Destroyer (1988).
In 1988, a low-budget horror, action, slasher movie starring Lyle Alzado called Destroyer made its debut and the world largely went unfazed. While it’s still to this day not well known or appreciated, it does perhaps have the most ultimate VHS cover of all time. So what’s the story behind this forgotten masterpiece? Who is Lyle Alzado and what the heck is he going to do with that giant drill gun? Well, let’s find out.
Remembering Lyle Alzado
Once the face of the tough-mouthed National Football League in the 1980s, Lyle Alzado’s life and career was a mesmerizing burnout that captivated fans and sparked a national discussion on steroid use and its devastating effects. A literal Hulk-of-a-man, Alzado tried – rather unsuccessfully – to turn his American football career into Hollywood fame.
Destroyer (1988) is perhaps the greatest example of his potential, and showcases his outlandish frame and strength and his manic-at-best facial acting.
A Film Within a Horror Film
The premises of Destroyer is actually pretty complex, especially for 80s standards. The story takes place in an abandoned prison that is now the set for a women-in-prison exploitation flick being filmed.
The prison was apparently notorious for its unethical treatment of its prisoners – the most notable being the infamous Ivan Moser (Lyle Alzado).
Even after watching it all the way through, it’s a little fuzzy how all the characters fit in. You have the prima-donna feature star, an arrogant writer, and a stunt woman who has recurring dreams of Moser’s fateful failed execution.
Less Action, More Slashin’
In an oddity of 1980s pop culture, Destroyer is part of a short cycle of quickly made horror films about failed prison executions by the electric chair: Prison (1987), The Horror Show (1989), and Shocker (1989) being the other 3.
And while the Ultimate Action Movie Club focuses on Action Movies, Destroyer is kind of a let down in that department as it is pretty much straight slasher horror. What promising action sequences Destroyer presents, are often left off-screen used more for suspense and implied violence.
Lyle Alzado’s Action Potential
Sadly, Lyle Alzado passed away in 1992 at the young age of 43. Towards the end of his life, he regressed quickly due to a brain tumor, which he very outspokenly blamed on his steroid use which was prolific throughout his career.
His case became the poster child for steroid abuse, which was probably partly true, but also probably partly the football CTE issues which are more known today. Either way, from his on-the-field style of play to his short Hollywood career, he certainly had action movie charisma and a good sense of humor to possibly be an action lead had he lived longer to see it out.
Destroyer showcases a little of that in the movie, but a lot of it on that VHS cover. You can’t walk past it in a video store (or browse past it if it ever makes its way to a streaming service) because it just looks that insanely awesome. If you can find it, it’s definitely worth a watch to see what could have been for ol’ Lyle Alzado.
What are your thoughts on Lyle Alzado and the slasher/horror hybrid Destroyer (1988)? Let us know in the comments or on our Facebook page!
Meet “Predatorroonopsin” the Spider Named After Predator (1987).
A newly-discovered spider, bearing a striking resemblance to the alien hunter from the Predator franchise, has been named in honour of the Arnold Schwarzenegger classic. According to Newsweek, arachnologists surveying a section of forest in Sao Paulo uncovered a new type of goblin spider, noticing a similarity between it and the iconic sci-fi movie villain.
Predatorroonopsin Spider
LEFT: NIALL CARSON/PA IMAGES/GETTY; RIGHT: COURTESY OF AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY (via Newsweek)
The group of goblin spiders was dubbed the Predatorroonopsin reference to the Arnold Schwarzenegger classic. “We named the genus and the species in honor of the participants and the peculiarities of the film,” arachnologist Antonio Brescovit, from Sao Paulo’s Butantan Institute explained.
The name came after the research team took a closer look at the spiders under an electron microscope and quickly noticed claws on the tip of the spiders’ legs and fangs hanging from the front of their mouths.
So far, so Predator – but it gets better.
All told, the team uncovered 17 different species of Predatoroonops spiders, so decided to name them after the various US Special Army Forces soldier that end up getting killed in the movie. There’s the Predatoroonops “Dutch” named after Schwarzenegger’s character and Predatoroonops “Dillon” for the Carl Weathers‘ Dillon.
Some of the other names pay tribute to the film’s director John McTiernan (P. mctiernani) and the entirely fictional country where Predator takes place (P. valverde). “I looked at the film about 10 times, to ensure that the nomenclature was correct and that all were honored,” Brescovit added.
Jesse Ventura Gets One Too!
Detailed in the Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History along with subspecies like the P. billy from a P. peterhalli, Brescovitand his colleagues study includes amusing references to spiders like P. blain which “refers to Blain Cooper, played by Jesse Ventura in the original Predator; he often chews tobacco and wears a battered, old slouch hat.”
Keen to raise awareness of the fact that new species are being discovered even now, while countless acres of forest are destroyed, Brescovit is hoping he, and other scientists like him will get to “stick around” rather than “get to the chopper.”
For more articles on Arnold’s classic Predator (1987), check out a few below. And let us know your thoughts on the Predator Spider in the comments or on our Facebook page!
Predator doesn’t even enter the conversation. Mainly because it’s not a Van Damme movie. Or, at least, it didn’t end up being one. Yet the fact of the matter is that, for a time at least, Van Damme was set to star alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger in John McTiernan’s sci-fi horror story about a crack team of commandos facing an unseen alien force in the South American jungle.
Then it all went wrong. Very wrong.
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
In order to fully understand why Van Damme came and went from the project it’s important to appreciate that Predator was a forever-evolving entity. Originally titled Hunter, brothers Jim andJohn Thomas penned the original screenplay after hearing jokes about a potential fifth Rocky Balboa movie pitting the Italian Stallion against an extraterrestrial being. Picking up on the idea of a musclebound hero going toe-to-toe with an alien fighter, the result was a pulpy science fiction tale that was eventually picked up by Joel Silver over at 20th Century Fox in 1985.
Quickly seeing the script’s potential as a big budget action effort, Silver switched things up, casting Schwarzenegger in the starring role, while the name was changed to Predator. His version of movie required a special kind of actor to play the film’s alien foe though. Someone with the necessary acrobatic athleticism and physicality the script called for. Fortunately, he had already met someone exactly like that. Van Damme was a jobbing actor around the time he met Silver.
Already highly skilled in karate, kickboxing and ballet, the Muscles from Brussels had arrived in Hollywood in 1982 with ambitions of making it big. It hadn’t quite happened yet though, with Van Damme restricted to small roles, stunt works and menial jobs in between. Van Damme hadn’t lost sight of his dream though and was still willing to do anything to ensure the important people took notice – especially high kicks.
The Predator’s Introduction
Seasoned stunt coordinator Craig Baxley remembers Van Damme’s introduction to Silver well in an article on Geektyrant: “Joel and I were walking down the hallway of the hotel together and Jean-Claude was walking toward us with his assistant. And Jean-Claude walked up and said, ‘Are you Joel Silver?’ And he said yeah. And Jean said, ‘Well look at this!’ And he jumped up in the air, I swear to God, did the splits with his legs straight out and his crotch was at eye level — and I’m 6 feet tall.”
It may have been a little on the nose, but when it came time to cast Predator’s stealthy, ninja-like alien, Silver immediately thought of the Belgian. Van Damme took the role with relish, viewing it as the perfect chance to showcase his talents, with the script calling for an agile alien capable of jumping and kicking his way out of trouble. Speaking in a 1989 interview with Starlog Magazine, he even outlined how the part had been sold to him: “They said I would be in a tight leotard with half-human, half-animal makeup on my face.” Like so much behind the scenes on Predator, however, the look and design of the film’s central alien adversary was subject to change.
When makeup effects supervisor Steve Johnson joined the film, the Predator was an altogether different beast, combining insect and reptile anatomy on a noticeably slimmer frame. This posed problems for the production. “What they needed was a character with backward bent reptilian legs, extended arms and a head that was out here,” Johnson said. “They wanted to shoot on the muddy slopes of Mexico in the real jungles. It was virtually physically impossible to do. I told them it wouldn’t work.”
Check out some more ultimate coverage of Predator and JCVD here!
To make matters worse, it soon became apparent that the part had been grossly miss-sold to Van Damme. During a costume fitting for the red suit that helped bring the Predator’s cloaking scenes to life, the Belgian’s mistake became apparent to Johnson. “Jean-Claude comes in and we’re fitting him in this red suit and just assuming, like the slaves that we are, that the higher ups have told him exactly what’s going on,” Johnson said. “But he thought this was actually the real look of the monster in the movie, and he was, ‘I hate this. I hate this. I hate it. I look like a superhero.’ He was so angry.”
When Johnson explained to Van Damme that he would be invisible for much of the movie, the Belgian’s mood worsened. Robbed of the chance to show his skills off in a combat scene against Schwarzenegger that could have been the launch pad to bigger and better things, the Belgian was far from happy. He wasn’t the only one though. Difficult filming conditions with cast and crew members suffering bouts of illness were further compounded when, try as they might, the suit just didn’t look right on camera. As Schwarzenegger put it in the Hollywood Reporter, the Predator “looked like guy in a lizard suit with the head of a duck” and he wasn’t wrong, with test shots from those early days on set backing up his claims.
Van Damme, already unhappy with the reduced visibility of his role in the film, didn’t do much to appease the situation either, with Schwarzenegger branding him a “relentless complainer.” With production shut down while McTiernan, Silver and Co. sought a solution to their alien predicament, producer Lawrence Gordon successfully lobbied for more money from the studio. The extra funding allowed them to hire the much sought after practical special effects guru Stan Winston. Out went the previous Predator suit in favour of a new design inspired by Winston’s friend James Cameron, who had sketched ideas for an alien with mandible jaws.
Van Damme Van Done
What happened to Van Damme next is subject to debate. The Belgian, for his part, has always suggested he decided to leave the production over health concerns. “The costume took about 20 minutes to put on,” he once told Starlog.
“It was thick rubber and I couldn’t see anything, there was just a small piece to breathe through. I needed cables to move my jaw and head, and it was hard to keep my balance. They wanted me to make a big jump, and I told them, ‘It’s impossible [from that height]. I know my limitations, and I’ll break my legs.’”
Special effects supervisor Joel Hynek relayed a slightly more colourful version of events to The Hollywood Reporter though: “I was in Joel Silver’s trailer, and he had called for Jean-Claude to come see him. And he comes in the trailer and Joel starts saying, ‘You gotta stop kickboxing!’ — because [Jean-Claude] wanted to kickbox — and he was telling him, ‘Look, the Predator is not a kickboxer.’ And Van Damme was like (Van Damme voice), ‘I must do that; that’s how I see the Predator.’ And Joel said, ‘Well, you’re fired. Get out of here.’ And Van Damme says, ‘Kiss my balls!’ and walks out, and that was the end of that.”
In any case, Van Damme was out with the 7ft 2in tall Kevin Peter Hall brought in for a new look Predator, who brought a more oppressive physical presence to the screen. The Belgian spent a total of just two days on the set.
He bounced back soon enough though, eventually securing a life-changing meeting with Menahem Golan, the head honcho at low budget movie production powerhouse Cannon Films. Captivated by the same high-kick routine the Belgian had once snared Silver with, Golan either didn’t know about Van Damme’s difficulties on Predator or simply didn’t care.
A year later, the Belgian hit the big time with Bloodsport and the whole experience as largely forgotten. Predator, meanwhile, debuted to rave reviews with the film’s alien design earning particular plaudits. Van Damme’s exit ending up being a blessing in disguise for everyone involved. In the cutthroat world of Hollywood, there ended up being a happy ending for everyone involved. How often can you say that?
What are your thoughts on Van Damme’s short-lived involvement as the original Predator? Let us know in the comments or on our Facebook page!
UAMC looks into the mind of Nicolas Cage when Nicolas Cage goes “full Nicolas Cage”
Nicolas Cage has been a fixture of action movies far and wide since the golden era of the late ‘90s when he made The Rock, Con Air and Face/Off (also known as the Beige Volvo Trilogy – read up on them here!) in the space of less than two years, Cage has been busy honing his own particular brand of ‘crazy’ ever since. Which, to say the least, we at the Ultimate Action Movie Club are huge fans of the Cage-ster going Cage-crazy.
Nicolas Cage Losing It
So much so, in fact, that a video entitled simply ‘Nicolas Cage losing his s**t’ has racked up an impressive 368,000 views on YouTube. No one does crazy quite like Cage – but have you ever wondered about the method behind his madness? What it takes to truly go ‘full Nicolas Cage’?
Nicolas Cage goes Full Nicolas Cage
Matt Miller over at Esquire has and he was lucky enough to get a chance to ask the man himself during an exclusive interview with the action movie legend. Cage didn’t disappoint either, offering up a lengthy explanation of the process that’s every bit as out there as you might have expected.
Rather than pick and choose excerpts to try and offer up the gist of what was said, here’s Cage’s entire, lengthy, explanation as to how it works and how it helps him hone his craft as an actor:
“The process is an interesting one that has kind of been developing over many years now. It’s one that requires a bit of imagination, but in this case possibly more feeling of going internal and prepping by kind of trying to plunge my own internal body, if you will, or whatever worlds I can go towards of memory and life experience. And then I’ll sort of get something, find something that breaks my heart, and I won’t share it with anybody. It’s a secret that only I have. It’s a secret that’s gonna be shared with the audience, and hopefully everyone in the audience will have individual connection to it. It’s not something that I can easily describe.
“But it is something that I surf with. I feel it throughout the day, knowing we’re getting to that point. Knowing we’re getting closer to, let’s call it 5:30 PMin Belgium, and I know in about 30 minutes, Panos is gonna call, “Action,” and now I’m 10 minutes into it and now I’m surfing the emotion again and I feel it in my fingertips and I feel it in my throat and then I let it go, because I don’t want to leave it in the locker room. Now we’re 10 minutes out, and then we’re five minutes out, and then I go into a trance, and then it’s very, very quiet and I don’t let anyone get in my face, and I go somewhere in a corner or wherever it is and I start psyching up. Now we’re two minutes out. Now we’re one minute out and we’re going, we’re going, going.
“And then it’s time, and it’s, “Action!” And then it’s just like out the gate, here it goes, whatever happens, happens. It’s on. And I’m not thinking about it, it’s just like a feeling, a lightning rod, a rush, and I don’t know where I am and I know that I’m not faking it and I know that it’s embarrassing and I know it’s naked and I know it’s uncomfortable, but it’s coming out. That usually has something to do with some kind of heartbreak somewhere in my past.”
Nicolas Cage keeps Nicolas Cage-ing
Cage’s latest film, Mandy, has been earning rave reviews thanks to a suitably manic performance from the man itself. It comes as part of a renaissance of sorts for the actor, who earned rave reviews for his turn in the similarly bonkers Mom and Dad alongside Selma Blair. Cage will be returning to more familiar action movie territory with his next movie, Running with The Devil.
Written and directed by ex-Navy SEAL Jason Cabell and inspired by his own real-life experiences, the film sees Cage team up with Lawrence Fishburne as two Cartel heavies tasked with investigating the company’s drug supply chain after a cocaine shipment is compromised.
UAMC Explores How Action Crosses Over Into Other Movie Genres…
Since the advent of cinema, viewers have been engaging in debates pertaining to what they’ve seen on-screen. Among them include:
Who is the prettiest actress/most handsome actor?
Which movie sequels surpassed the quality of the original?
When did a series “jump the shark”?
Which movie has the best lines?
What is the best “buddy cop” movie?
Has an actor/actress who replaced another actor/actress better in the role than the replaced person?
And on and on … But when it comes to cinema, we here at The Ultimate Action Movie Club care about one thing and one thing only: action movies! (The website URL should have clued you in to that.)
Lately, however, I’ve been pondering something that I’d like to ask the reading audience: What defines an action movie?
Action Movie Genre Origins
Back when we were kids, genres were pretty well-defined. If you walked into a video rental store (remember them?) without looking at any area titles within the store, just be looking at movie covers you knew what constituted horror films, drama films, romance films, comedies, and of course, action films.
But nowadays there seems to be a gray area. What I mean by that is that it seems action movies increasingly have been crossing over into other genres. It’s becoming rare to see a full-blown, old-school action movie get greenlit anymore.
I’d argue that Scott Adkins seems to be the torch bearer for the genre, but cases could certainly be made for Jason Statham among others.
The Main Action Cross Genres
If an action movie has a sci-fi element (Predator; Robocop; Timecop; Megalodon), is it still an action movie? How about a disaster film (Poseidon Adventure; Armageddon)? Martial arts tournament (Bloodsport; Raze; American Samurai; The Quest)? And with the ubiquity of comic book movies being released practically every other month, do you think they’re considered action movies? While they certainly have a lot of action in them, they’re no Rambo, Commando, American Ninja, Road House or Missing in Action — movies that are inarguably action films.
When Action Cross-Overs Are Acceptable
Thus, I ask thee, good readers: Must an action movie be completely devoted to the genre to be considered as such, or is an amount of genre cross-over acceptable? And if so, how much?
I know how I’d respond, but I’d like to hear your esteemed opinions on the matter. Let us know in the comments or on our Facebook page!
Sylvester Stallone has taken fans behind the scenes of his intense preparations for Rambo 5
As previously reported by UAMC, the 72-year-old Sylvester Stallone is reprising the role of John Rambo for a fifth installment (tentatively titled Rambo 5) due to arrive in cinemas in late 2019. Filming on the project began this month with Adrian Grunberg reportedly directing. According to Geeks World Wide, the Get the Gringo director has taken charge of the shoot, with filming set to take place in London, Bulgaria and the Canary Islands.
A post shared by Sly Stallone (@officialslystallone) on
In the meantime, Stallone has been busy in the gym and on Instagram proving age is most definitely a number. Plot details for Rambo 5remain scarce at this point. Screen Daily published a synopsis outlining the film’s possible storyline. It reads as follows: “[Rambo] finds him[self] living on a ranch in Arizona, deeply troubled and wrestling with PTSD as he picks up casual work wherever he can.”
For more articles on Rambo and Stallone, check out some of these UAMC classics!
A post shared by Sly Stallone (@officialslystallone) on
“When long-time family friend and estate manager Maria informs Rambo that her granddaughter has gone missing after crossing into Mexico for a party, he sets off with her to find the youngster… What ensues is a violent descent into hell as Rambo uncovers a sex-trafficking ring,” the Screen Daily continues to report.
“He teams up with a journalist whose half-sister has also been kidnapped and must deploy all his skills to save the girls and bring down a vicious crime lord.”
The Final Rambo?
Rumored to be Rambo’s final outing – or Stallone’s at least, the film has been written by Matthew Cirulnick, whose previous credits include Paid In Full and the TV series Absenti. For more info, stay tuned to the Ultimate Action Movie Club for all our Rambo and Sylvester Stallone coverage before Rambo 5 hits theaters.
What are your thoughts on ol’ Sylvester Stallone lacing them up as John Rambo one last time? Let us know in the comments or on our Facebook page!
But how does Shane Black’s new ‘The Predator’ stack up against Arnold’s original action classic?
It has been a long 8 years since the awesome Predators (2010), and an even longer 21 years since Arnold Schwarzenegger’s original classic Predator (1987), but the hunt has once again resumed.
For the sixth time on the big screen fans of the franchise finally get to watch these classic action movie monsters do what they do best. The Predator (directed by Shane Black) follows a group of mercenaries who try to protect a small town from an invading group of Predators. Sounds pretty interesting, right? Let’s find out how it stacks up though…
The Old Predator Hunting Party
The Predatorfranchise has gone through many creative pairs of hands in its lifetime. One of the most tantalising elements of this instalment is that it has a number of key players from the heyday of action cinema. Shane Black, who is somewhat of a icon in the offices of the Ultimate Action Movie Club, is in the directors chair.
Black was in the cast of the first film as Rick Hawkins and was an uncredited script doctor in the original film. Audiences are treated to a script written by Black and Fred Dekker who co wrote Robocop 3(1993) with comics legend Frank Miller and was also involved with many other high profile action movies of the 1990s.
The movie is produced by John Davis who has been somewhat of the caretaker of the entire Predator franchise. He has been involved in the making of every movie containing the famous monsters.
This triumph of talent has completely kept the integrity of the other entries in the Predator franchise. It’s fantastic to see to see these titans of old school action bringing back old school sci fi action movies.
Looking for more Predator coverage and news? Check out these UAMC articles below.
Looking back at the Predator franchise one of the things that really stands out is that the cast have always been not quite what you might expect from an A-list action movie. The selection of character actors has always worked to great effect and this movie is no exception.
Many changes to the cast occurred since pre production of the movie began including the possible return of Arnold Schwarzenegger and, at one time, Benicio del Toro being attached to the project. Even though this didn’t happen the on screen cast is a diverse and excellent selection of actors.
While ostentatiously starring Boyd Holbrook, standout names include a diverse ensemble of talents. You have the comedic genius of Keegan-Michael Key, emerging action star and model Olivia Munn, the always reliable talent of action stalwart Thomas Jane, Game of Thrones star Alfie Allen and the brilliant ass kicking Yvonne Strahovski who is probably best known as CIA agent Sarah Walker in the NBC spy drama series Chuck (2007–2012) and for her starring role in the critically acclaimed sci fi series The Handmaid’s Tale.
This combination of carefully picked talent really enhances the movie, with the action pedigree of the cast, they’re all completely at home with the script.
Stacking Up With The Original Predator
Clearly and utterly justifiably the original Predator (1987) is an Ultimate Action Movie classic and the big question is how does this movie compare to the original. The original movie was a sublime masterclass in storytelling, a perfect storm of script, cast, action and an original concept that is maybe one of the best sci fi concepts ever conceived.
What comes across with the new movie is the amount of carefully picked creative choices in front of and behind the camera that give the movie a really old school approach which will interest fans of the original and its sequels and spinoffs.
What are your thoughts on The Predator (2018)? Let us know in the comments or on our Facebook page!
How Sylvester Stallone Convinced Dolph Lundgren to Join Creed 2 (2018)
Dolph Lundgren made his name as Sylvester Stallone’s Soviet destroyer, Ivan Drago, in Rocky IV but came surprisingly close to turning down the chance to reprise his signature role in Creed 2. Lundgren is set to return Drago for the hotly anticipated follow-up to Creed, which is due to arrive in cinemas on November 21st.
An Ultimate Rocky Reunion
There are scores to be settled too, with Michael B. Jordan’sAdonis Creed out for payback against Drago, the man who killed his father, Carl Weathers’ Apollo Creed, in Rocky IV. Adonis won’t be going up against Drago in the ring though with his son, Viktor (Florian Munteanu), set to go toe-to-toe with the younger Creed in a fight that could have fatal consequences for all involved. It’s fast shaping up to be essential viewing for fans of Rocky, Lundgren and Stallone, who will also return as Creed’s trainer, Rocky Balboa. Brigitte Nielsen is also thought to be returning as Ivan’s wife, Ludmilla Vobet Drago.
The Dolphster Returns
But Lundgren has revealed to Cinema Blend that he was initially hesitant about the character returning for the sequel amid concerns about how Drago might be perceived by viewers. “It was a bit strange. It’s a bit weird. Because at first I didn’t want to do it because I thought it would kind of sad,” he said.
“I didn’t want to hurt that image because it’s like an iconic character that people, especially people who work out, really look up to this guy.” Ultimately, Lundgren was convinced to sign up for the film after reading the script for Creed 2, written by Stallone along with Cheo Hodari Coker.
A Chance for Redemption
Lundgren explained during a Q&A at Comic-Con Portugal (via Look Mag):
“…the script was really good and I get a chance to show another side of the same man 35 years later, and more of a damaged, struggling side. I used some of my own life that I’ve been through the last 35 years in this character, so it’s kind of full circle. So it turned out to be a really great experience for me.”
“A real dramatic challenge, but also a great experience to look back at my own career the way he looks back at his career as a fighter. There’re some parallels that I think are kind of unique. Because usually you don’t revisit the character 35 years later. Somebody else will play it. You get a new James Bond. Except, of course, Stallone has done it, so I guess I’m in good company there.”
And while the film is set to focus on Adonis and Viktor’s in-the-ring battle, don’t rule out the idea of Ivan and Rocky trading blows just yet.
What are your thoughts on Dolph Lundgren and the upcoming Creed 2? Let us know in the comments or on our Facebook page!
How Conan O’Brien’s ‘Walker, Texas Ranger Lever’ Gave Chuck Norris New Life.
It’s hard to believe, but Conan O’Brien is celebrating 25 years of having his own talk show. Coincidentally, Walker, Texas Ranger, the famous TV show starring ultimate action movie legend Chuck Norris is also celebrating its 25th anniversary.
While these two programs, which you would think should never have anything to do with each other, will forever be linked together thanks to a gag which still keeps giving to this day.
Let’s look at the history of Conan’s Walker, Texas Ranger lever, and how it gave a once storied franchise (and Chuck Norris himself) new life.
Late Night with Conan O’Brien premiered on September 13, 1993, and save for a few writers’ strikes and network TV kerfuffles, Conan has been a mainstay of late night programming in the US and abroad ever since.
While his shtick has always been a sarcastic blend between high brow New York intellectualism and low brow poop jokes, Conan has endeared younger audiences with memorable gags and his outlandish humor. Conan famously debuted his Walker, Texas Ranger lever in 2004 when NBC purchased Universal, which gave Conan’s show “royalty free” access to the entire catalogue of Walker, Texas Ranger episodes.
This also gave Conan, Andy Richter and their writing team a great opportunity to poke fun at the show – which was a prime-time hit in its day, but a little out-of-touch by 2004 standards. However, while the premise may have been sardonic at first, it quickly became rather fun, over-the-top and, well, actually really awesome.
Originally conceived by a production team at the short-lived Cannon Television, Walker, Texas Ranger came to the small screen in the spring of 1993 on CBS. It would go on to last 8 full seasons into 2001 and has since been broadcast in over 100 countries and to both critical and commercial acclaim.
The show, set in Dallas, Texas, puts Chuck Norris as Sgt. Cordell Walker, a member of the Texas Rangers Division of Texas law enforcement, a prestigious and historic division that handles high crimes and special investigations. Walker is joined by Clarence Gilyard as Texas Ranger Sgt. James “Jimmy” Trivette, Sheree J. Wilson as D.A. Alexandra “Alex” Cahill, Noble Willingham as retired Texas Ranger Captain C.D. Parker (as well as some replacement characters in later seasons and a deep stable of recurring roles).
As is obvious to any ultimate action movie fan, the show owes its origins to Chuck Norris‘ iconic role as J.J. McQuade in Lone Wolf McQuade (which UAMC regards as the most ultimate Chuck Norris action movie of all time – twice in fact). With a premise as such, Walker expectedly solves episodically tough cases every week that usually end with him roundhousing a bad guy through a window to deliver final justice. As a kid growing up watching the show, I can say that it’s as awesome now as it was then. It’s great for rewatching and fits nicely into its television boxed slots so you can enjoy one episode on its own or binge watch them back to back for hours.
By the time Walker, Texas Ranger made its way to Conan’s show, Chuck Norris and Walker had taken somewhat of a beating. While the show was awesome, it perhaps dragged on a season or two too long. Action movies were in a bad spot by 2004 (read about the ultimate action movie era here).
So, when Conan first pulled the Walker, Texas Ranger lever for the first time, audiences who might not have ever seen the show (or definitely not watched it in a long time) were greeted with out-of-context and often over-the-top clips that showcased just some of the wild plots and funny performances contained therein.
Yet, when that lever was first pulled, while audiences at first responded with laughter, they quickly turned to cheers. The crowd would almost instantly begin to chant and urge Conan on for clip after clip. Conan would often make a game of this, pretending to be done then lunging for one more moment from Walker’s outlandish career. As far as Conan’s gags go, the Walker, Texas Ranger lever quickly surpassed the driving desk and the masturbating bear to become one of his most famous and recognizable bits. And before long, it took on a life of its own.
From the Walker, Texas Ranger lever on, you can directly trace the mainstream resurgence of Chuck Norris to Conan O’Brien’s sketch and into the national lexicon. Chuck Norris facts become one of the internet’s first major meme phenomenons as they swept across the globe and gave the name Chuck Norris an almost superhuman prestige.
There were (and are) many, many other ultimate action movie actors to idolize, but Chuck Norris rose to the top – and for years to come – thanks to this national fad. And while it may have been ironic at first (and perhaps always), it was still always mixed with awe and enjoyment.
If you watch the Walker, Texas Ranger lever clips now, people laugh, for sure. But you can hear the decibels grow as audiences react to the action in the show. They root for Walker instinctively at a level that surpases the ironic and into the sincere. While Chuck Norris went on to only marginally capitalize on his newly restored fame with some small forays into more mainstream roles (like this famous clip from DodgeBall), the same tone would be adapted by other action movie stars and can still be seen today in Jean Claude Van Damme’s career (like his recently cancelled Jean Claude Van Johnson TV show) and others from the same era.
As both fans of Chuck Norris (and to lesser extend Conan O’Brien’s), the Ultimate Action Movie Club will always hold the Walker, Texas Ranger lever close to our hearts as a way in which the ultimate action movie heroes of our past were honored and found new life in the dredges of the early 2000s when action movies almost went away forever.
As such, on the 25 year anniversary of both Conan O’Brien’s show and Walker, Texas Ranger, we do them both right by honoring the ultimate legacy of the Walker, Texas Ranger lever.
Watch for yourself below and enjoy the ultimate awesomeness!
What are your thoughts on Conan’s Walker, Texas Ranger lever and the ultimate legacy of Chuck Norris? Let us know in the comments below!
