Asia Media Alliance Group and Nation Pictures have formally launched a joint venture to develop and produce genre films from Indonesia and Southeast Asia for global audiences, with a slate that includes Iko Uwais‘ action vehicle “Pendekar: Warrior,” an Indonesian remake of Korean hit “The Man From Nowhere” starring Joe Taslim, and “The Good Samaritan,” a Jakarta-set feature directed by Pierre Morel and starring Daisy Ridley.
The venture unites John Radel, the producer and cinematographer behind Asia Media Alliance Group, with Delon Tio, the Jakarta-based producer who heads Nation Pictures. Hong Kong-based producer Mike Leeder of Red Packet Media is also collaborating with the partnership.
The companies’ most recent collaboration, “Extraction: Tygo” – a spin-off from the Netflix action franchise starring Don Lee and Lisa of Blackpink – wrapped principal photography in Jakarta following a shoot that encompassed major city road closures for large-scale action sequences. That production serves as the springboard for a broader slate the partners say is already taking shape.
First among the new projects is “Pendekar: Warrior,” currently in pre-production, which is designed as a silat-driven action feature for Uwais. Also confirmed is the Indonesian remake of “The Man From Nowhere,” the widely seen Korean action film, for which the companies have secured the local remake rights. Taslim is set to star, with action filmmaker Kenji Tanigaki – whose credits include “The Furious” – in talks to direct. “The Good Samaritan,” meanwhile, brings together Morel, the director of “Taken,” with Ridley, produced by Renee Tab and Marina Grasic.
Radel, whose past credits as producer and cinematographer include Dev Patel’s “Monkey Man,” Michael Mann’s “Blackhat” and “The Night Comes for Us,” said: “I have always believed that Southeast Asia, and Indonesia in particular, would become not only a destination for production, but a true creative home for filmmakers and artists to make the kinds of movies the world wants to see. That moment is now.”
Tio, whose producing credits include cult horror title “Macabre,” added: “Cinema has moved beyond language barriers. What matters now is creating films with heart, ambition, identity, and scale that truly bring audiences into the theatre.”
Leeder, whose action credits span “The Raid 2,” “Man of Tai Chi” and “Triple Threat” and who is currently producing Korean action comedy “Belladonna,” rounds out the venture’s core producing team.
Source: variety.com
