posted by Jay Cochran in movies at 08:56 PM on 2008.11.28
Waging his one-man war on the world of organized crime, ruthless vigilante-hero Frank Castle sets his sights on overeager mob boss Billy Russoti. After Russoti is left horribly disfigured by Castle, he sets out for vengeance under his new alias: Jigsaw. With the "Punisher Task Force" hot on his trail and the FBI unable to take Jigsaw in, Frank must stand up to the formidable army that Jigsaw has recruited before more of his evil deeds go unpunished.
Starring Ray Stevenson (HBO’s “Rome”) as The Punisher Frank Castle and Dominic West as Jigsaw, PUNISHER: WAR ZONE is based on Marvel’s Punisher Comic Book Series and written by Nick Santora and Art Marcum & Matt Holloway, directed by Lexi Alexander and produced by Gale Anne Hurd. The film’s executive producers are Oliver Hengst, Ernst-August Schnieder, Ari Arad, Ogden Gavanski, Michael Paseornek and John Sacchi. PUNISHER: WAR ZONE is a Lionsgate presentation in association with Marvel Studios, a Lionsgate Production, a Valhalla Motion Pictures Production, a MHF Zweite Academy Film Production in association with SGF Entertainment Inc.
ABOUT THE PRODUCTION
When Frank Castle first appeared as the Punisher in the Marvel comic AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #129 in 1974, the character took the comic book world by storm, ushering in a new era of anti-hero. Reflecting the growing moral unease and cynicism of post-modern America in the late 1970s and 1980s, the Punisher complicated the simple dynamics of good versus evil that had previously dominated comic book storytelling for decades. Here was a bloodthirsty ex-Marine driven by rage over the deaths of his family at the hands of the mob, not a superhero, but a mortal man with extraordinary skills and unflagging determination, one who dispenses his own brand of justice – involving murder, torture and violence – to the corrupt. Twenty-five years later, the Punisher is still a fan favorite, having born multiple comic series and film adaptations. Now, Lionsgate, written by Nick Santora and Art Marcum & Matt Holloway, director Lexi Alexander, producer Gale Anne Hurd and Marvel have fashioned a gritty, violent, absolutely faithful film adaptation of the Punisher, inspired by the hard-edged, groundbreaking PUNISHER MAX series created by Garth Ennis in 2004. “The great thing with comic books, especially a comic book like the Punisher series, is that there are so many incarnations of the character,” reports producer Gale Anne Hurd. “In this case we had an opportunity to deal with a very dark and violent story. We didn’t have to make it light. We could really examine the tortured psyche of Frank Castle.”
Fans of the Punisher have already seen two similarly named film adaptations of the vigilante hero, Mark Goldblatt’s 1989 version starring Dolph Lundgren, and Lionsgate’s more recent 2004 entry, a pared-down actioner starring Thomas Jane and John Travolta. Alexander states that her version of the Punisher story embraces the look and tone of the PUNISHER MAX series and writer Garth Ennis’ re-envisioning of the Punisher. She says, “This is its own film, with a different script, a different filmmaker, a different look, a different cast, a different hero. It's really not comparable.”
PUNISHER: WAR ZONE depicts Castle wrestling with the eternal questions of good and evil and the repercussions of his contradictory moral code. Explains Hurd, “Frank Castle sets out to eliminate an entire Mafia group that has killed an innocent man. As a result, he finds something that he never expected: that in the process of punishing the guilty, he’s actually killed an innocent man himself. So during the course of the story, he not only has to wrestle with that, but he has to take on Jigsaw, the most fearsome villain that he’s ever encountered, who he had a hand in creating.”
“Frank's the final solution in some ways, the final arbiter of justice,” says co-producer Jack Murray. “He is a take action kind of guy. He doesn't ask questions, doesn't take names and numbers. When he sees something that needs to be fixed, he fixes it.”
“At the same time, this guy is a man's man who is incredibly sad, incredibly scarred,” offers Alexander. “He's very dark and it's very questionable whether he's on the good side or on the bad side. I think that's what really fascinates me because it's not all about action and super powers. It's about this guy and where his soul is.”
Lexi Alexander’s previous directing work includes a drama about soccer hooligans in London entitled, GREEN STREET HOOLIGANS (2005), as well as a short film, JOHNNY FLYNTON, which was nominated for an Academy Award. “It was very flattering for the studio and Marvel to come to me because I’m young, I come from the independent film world and I have never done a studio film,” says the director. “It’s been incredibly exciting working on something that has such a huge following.”
Initially, however, Alexander was unsure whether she was an appropriate choice for a comic book adaptation – that is, until she read the PUNISHER MAX series. “I really reacted to the mythology of Frank Castle,” she says. “He’s a guy whose heart just darkened and who basically thinks he can only save the world by killing everybody who's bad. And that's just right up my alley. I thought, ‘All right, I can do a good job with this.’”
“Lexi is a visionary,” says Hurd, “and her passion and perspective are contagious. She just believed so much in how this movie could look and she wanted to attract a high caliber cast. I'm really excited to have her at the helm of this project.”
British actor Ray Stevenson (HBO’s “Rome”) admits that he was challenged by the moral complexities of Castle’s actions, and he still maintains that the Punisher is not a role model to be emulated, but a warning. “There is a kind of nihilism to his actions,” says the actor. “He doesn't set himself up as a protector of the innocent, he's a punisher of the corrupt. That’s a very clear line to draw. He knows he can't right the world. He knows he can only do this one bit. But at least, for him, it’s the one bit he can do.”
Stevenson believes Castle remains sympathetic because he hasn’t lost his humanity. In fact, Castle is often all too human. “He hasn't got super powers or lightning bolts shooting out his eyeballs or anything like that,” he says. “He uses skills he's learned to get his job done. I think people also identify with his personal story as a man who suffered a tremendous tragedy in his life and decided on a route of vendetta, a vigilante attitude that says that once people cross a certain line, they're beyond redemption.”
Adds Alexander, “What I would say is unique about this Punisher is that you’ve got a great actor playing the part, Ray Stevenson. There is gravitas and a sense of sorrow to his task, and along with the action there is a heart, one that’s been beaten down but is still there.” Dominic West (HBO’s “The Wire,” 300, HANNIBAL RISING) relished the chance to play the villain, Billy “Jigsaw” Russoti, a vain mobster whose run-in with the Punisher results in a gruesome accident in a glass crusher that leaves him horribly disfigured. He recalls, “When I read the part, I instantly got excited about it because he gets to be the most vain man in the world who then gets smashed up and becomes the most evil man in the world.”
West describes Jigsaw as “absolutely amoral, disinterested in everything except what he needs at that moment, whether he has to kill someone or get his money or whatever. He's a total psychopath.” West sat in the make-up chair for two hours every day for the necessary application of prosthetics, masks and wigs. “We wanted to come up with something that was different than what's in the comic book,” explains visual effects supervisor Robert Short. “What plays in comic books doesn't usually play onscreen. We had to come up with something that was much more sophisticated.”
While he didn’t enjoy the hours in the makeup chair, West did appreciate the benefits of working with most of his face covered. “It's very liberating to wear a mask,” he says. “It means that you're not hampered by naturalism or even one's own looks. One can be fully a different character, and I suppose that's always what excited me about acting.”
Angela and Grace, played by Julie Benz and Stephanie Janusauskas respectively, play a vital role in the film as the wife and daughter of the FBI agent the Punisher mistakenly kills. In their presence, Frank wrestles with his guilt while also being reminded of the emotional familial ties he once had and lost. “Frank’s a loner and he's on his mission. Showing emotions is not what he does while he's out killing bad people,” explains Alexander. “So here comes this little girl and he has no guard for that kind of innocence. To me, the best moments in the film are when he just breaks down. There's just nothing he can do, there's no wall he can have up against this little girl.”
Benz (Showtime’s “Dexter,” RAMBO 2008) explains that part of the appeal of playing Angela Donatelli was the opportunity to step outside of gender stereotypes. “Angela is a woman who has a little bit more of an edge, who's a little bit tougher,” she says. “She's not just the damsel in distress who needs to be rescued. She's willing to kill someone to save her child.”
Benz also enjoyed exploring the complexities of Angela’s relationship with Frank. She says, “Angela has a lot of anger towards him for killing her husband. She does think he's a very dangerous man but at the same time she has to rely on him for protection and to protect her daughter. And I think there's an understanding of pain between the two of them, this loss of a spouse.”
Agent Paul Budiansky, the FBI agent who hunts down Castle in order to avenge the death of his partner, who Castle killed, contributes yet another layer of moral complexity to the story. Budiansky is committed to putting Castle behind bars, until the FBI makes a deal with the very murderers his partner died trying to bust. “Therein lays the quandary,” explains actor Colin Salmon (MATCH POINT, ALIEN VS. PREDATOR, DIE ANOTHER DAY). “The murderers are released, which throws my character into a serious moral debate. I start to gravitate toward Frank Castle's philosophy, to actually help him. I come to understand that there are certain things outside of law that need to be done.”
Budiansky teams up, despite his reservations, with Detective Soap, played in the film by Dash Mihok (THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW, THE PERFECT STORM, ROMEO & JULIET). A behavioral psychologist who has been tracking the Punisher for years, Soap plays the bumbling fool, though his soft-headed act helps hide a more cunning side. “I was really attracted to the opportunity to offset all the action with some humor,” says Mihok. “Soap’s really kind of socially inept and odd but there’s something about him that most people don’t know. He has two sides, and that dichotomy is really fun to play.”
Linus “Microchip” Lieberman, played by comedic actor Wayne Knight (JURASSIC PARK, “Seinfeld,” TOY STORY 2, BASIC INSTINCT), continues the tradition of the superhero confidant established by the likes of Batman’s Alfred and James Bond’s Q. Linus provides weaponry for the Punisher as well as moral support and an intimate knowledge of Castle’s psychological demons. “Even though he’s involved in vigilante justice,” says Knight, “Linus is a highly moral guy. He’s not a man of action: he facilitates action.”
The last lead role in the cast is the only one that doesn’t exist in the PUNISHER MAX series. Loony Bin Jim is Jigsaw’s brother, a mentally ill man freed from an insane asylum to wreak havoc on the Punisher and arguably the most deranged villain in a film teeming with psychopaths. “It's fun to play a cartoon character because you can do anything you want. You can bump it up a little bit,” says actor Doug
Hutchison (“CSI,” “Law & Order”, I AM SAM). “I shaved my head and really got a visual of this character. Throughout the course of the film, my medication is wearing off. I decided that it would be fun to try to create this arc so that when you first meet LBJ, he’s very focused and still, soft almost, but dangerous. As the film progresses, little by little, he starts to deteriorate physically and mentally so that by the end of the movie, when he has this incredibly insane fight with the Punisher, he’s just a rabid madman unleashed.”
Hutchison and West also enjoyed forging a disturbingly intimate relationship between their on-screen characters. “There's this intense brotherly love between us, we'll do anything for each other,” says Hutchison. “We tried to find windows of opportunity to show how much we love each other. It's a little disconcerting because we're these monsters and yet, when we're together, it's gentle hugs, consoling and supporting each other. It's an almost emotionally incestuous relationship.”
During production, Alexander and her design team made every effort to re-create the look of the graphic novel, settling on a color-saturated aesthetic that mimics the bold colors of the PUNISHER MAX comic. “We were able to visually embrace the PUNISHER MAX series in terms of the dark, really intense and violent world that the Punisher inhabits,” explains Hurd. “It was very important to Lexi Alexander, our DP Steve Gainer, production designer Andrew Neskoromny and costume designer Odette Gadoury to really bring those comic book frames to life. That was something that we worked very hard to achieve with the film.”
“At times, it was almost a color of emotion, depending on what's happening in the scene,” explains production designer Andrew Neskoromny. “Violence would be, of course, reds and oranges, and other moments that were more somber were cooler, blues and greens.” Director of photography Steve Gainer avoided realism whenever possible, using a series of filters and gels to create a vibrant, graphic style. “We did several weeks of testing before we shot the film, where we basically went through the color gels that seem to match the colors of the comic,” says Gainer. “I even spoke to one of the colorists from the Ennis series to make sure we got it right.”
“I think the fans can look forward to a far more visceral interpretation of the actual comic books,” says Murray. “Everything down to the palette being used to the locations and the characters are drawn directly from the comics. They are not caricatures. They are actually characters inhabiting this dark, gritty, urban, sodium-lit world of neon lights and atmospheric, heightened shadows.”
Additionally, Hurd solicited design advice from famed comic book artist Tim Bradstreet, who is responsible for some of the best art in the Punisher series. The writers also peppered the script with references to the original comic as a shout-out to diehard fans. A hotel in the film, for instance, was named the Bradstreet Hotel, after the artist. The Punisher’s iconic skull was also a crucial element of the visual design. “When I did the artwork and design for the skull, I wanted to create something that was more like a bulldog, more stocky, more just pure bulk and strength to kind of go along with Ray,” explains Neskoromny.
One of Hurd’s priorities was to ensure that the action sequences in PUNISHER: WAR ZONE were as punchy and original as possible. “It was really important for us to keep it fresh and interesting and to do something that people have never seen before,” says Hurd. “We have action on the street, we have hand-to-hand combat, and we have the most exotic, interesting and amazing gunplay that you can imagine. We have innovative scenes where Frank Castle, as the one-man Punisher army, takes on twenty or thirty people. We have free-running action, rooftop fights, sequences that take place throughout every imaginable urban setting.”
Alexander, whose professional career began first as a professional martial arts competitor, and later as a stuntwoman for Hollywood films, worked carefully with longtime friend, stunt coordinator Pat Johnson, to create fight sequences that were faithful to the feel of the comic book. “There's nobody more qualified to do this film than she is,” Johnson avows. “It's one thing to tell the story but Lexi knows what it's like to be in a head to head fight because she's a fighter herself. She understands fighting. She’ll say, ‘Let's change that kick. That looks too much like a martial arts film. Let's do something else.’ She knows what she wants, for which I will make the adjustment, and 100% of the time she's been right. This film probably has the most realistic, brutal fights of any that I've ever done in my thirty-five years in film.”
Not all the choreography involves violent combat, however. Audiences will be amazed by Jigsaw’s band of hired thugs, lead by TJ Storm’s character, Maginty, who all move with the signature dexterity of ‘free-runners.’ Widely known as parcour, free-running is an extreme sport that was born in the urban, industrial areas of Paris. The sport essentially re-imagines any environment as a massive jungle gym, with practitioners acrobatically running, jumping and climbing up and down buildings, walls and stairwells without any safety ropes. “Parcour is a sport that requires you to be really agile, able to jump over things, flip over walls and all of that kind of stuff,” says Storm. “My martial arts background really helped me in this movie.”
“I think one of the things that the die-hard comic book fans can look forward to with this film is the absolute dedication of Ray Stevenson, who looks like he came right from the comic book pages,” says Hurd. “I have never seen anyone work as hard as Ray Stevenson did.”
Stevenson, who had no previous fighting experience, spent months before production training for his role. “We had quite a bit of time to train him,” says Johnson. “We worked five hours a day, six days a week. Ray actually lived at my home in California, so that I could be sure that he was going to be out by five o'clock in the morning to start training at 5:30 a.m.” Endurance was one of the prime objectives, as Stevenson faced weeks of twelve-hour days in which he was performing nothing but stunts and hand-to-hand combat.
Not simply satisfied with achieving a high level of fitness, Stevenson also trained with military advisor Jon Barton, who taught him how to handle and fire a vast array of weapons, as well as how to move like a man with military training. “Part of what makes a military man stand out is his ability to move through buildings and open areas. It's very distinct, and it takes practice,” explains Barton. “We did a lot of work with weapons: transitioning from a rifle to a pistol, using two pistols, using two pistols and a rifle, grenade launchers and rocket launchers. After six weeks, we started doing what we call force-on-force, which is where I had Ray engage my fellow employees in mock battle sequences where he would be the Punisher and he would have to kill everybody, and they had to try to kill him. That was really fun because it gave him a chance to be shot at.”
“In some cases we have thirty-five people in one scene fighting, battling each other, probably eighteen against eighteen people,” explains Johnson. “We had an entire floor of an old college dorm, explosions, the use of all sorts of weapons, grenades, rocket launchers, everything. The audience will never have seen anything, as far as fighting and war combat, in a film before. They will never have seen it on screen. I promise you.”
While the film certainly aims to please die-hard Punisher fans, Murray believes PUNISHER: WAR ZONE will undoubtedly attract new audiences as well. “I think that the Punisher is an appealing character because he's flawed. With a lot of superheroes, there's right and wrong, but Frank lives in a grey area. He's a character that sees injustice but actually corrects it with an injustice. A little bit of doing the wrong thing is ultimately right.”
“I think audiences are going to see this film as a morality tale, a very exciting movie that is challenging in a way,” offers Knight. “It is not a kiddy take on the violence of crime and payback.”
“It's an R-rated film so we don't pull any punches,” adds West. “There are levels of nuance. There's parody and irony. There’s satire on things like the vigilante hero, the American health care system and certainly, as played out in my character, recruiting people for the Army. I think there's a lot of grown up humor in it.”
Hurd is confident that the filmmaking team, with the help of Marvel and Lionsgate, has created something unique. “PUNISHER: WAR ZONE is an intense, exciting, action-filled, very violent ride that is an opportunity for audiences to see the Garth Ennis-style Punisher on screen with all the colors and all the action that they expect. They’re actually going to experience what they see in the comics.”
“It’s the graphic novel come to life,” adds Alexander. “If you love the graphic novel, then PUNISHER: WAR ZONE is really going to be exciting for you. If you have no knowledge of it, I think you'll have a very entertaining ride anyway, one that brings you into a very surreal world but still has characters you can relate to.”
ABOUT THE CAST
RAY STEVENSON (Frank Castle / The Punisher) is perhaps best known for playing the character of legionary Titus Pullo in the BBC/HBO television series “Rome.” He shares the lead starring role in the series with Kevin McKidd. His portrayal of Pullo's fierce and loyal character and the character's development and adaptation to the changing circumstances of life and history has won both critical and public acclaim.
Stevenson recently completed the horror movie OUTPOST, in which he stars as the leader of a team of mercenaries hired to retrieve an alleged geological find inside an old WWII bunker located in a remote area of eastern Europe.
Other film roles include playing the part of 'Dagonet,' the knight who sacrifices his life for his comrades in KING ARTHUR in 2004. His first big screen movie role was in THE THEORY OF FLIGHT (1998) with Kenneth Branagh and Helena Bonham Carter, where he played the part of a gigolo hired to help the character played by Bonham Carter to lose her virginity.
His other TV-work includes guest appearances in popular TV series like “Waking the Dead” and “Murphy's Law” as well as lead roles in “City Central” and “At Home with the Braithwaites.” He has also appeared in several TV movies such as “Some Kind of Life” in 1995, in which he co-starred with Jane Horrocks, and “The Return of the Native,” which also featured Catherine Zeta Jones. Some of his earliest parts were in two Catherine Cookson movies: “The Dwelling Place” (1994) and “The Tide of Life” (1996).
His stage work includes playing the part of Christ in the York Mystery Plays in 2000 at York Minster. In 2001 he took the part of Roger in the play Mouth to Mouth by Kevin Elyot, at the Albery Theatre in London with Lindsay Duncan and Michael Maloney. His most well known part is perhaps that of the Cardinal in The Duchess of Malfi by John Webster with Janet McTeer at the Royal National Theatre in 2003.
Born in Northern Ireland, the son of an air force pilot, Ray grew up in England. As a child, he developed an interest in acting when going to Saturday morning matinees. But his focus remained elsewhere and it wasn’t until seeing a performance by John Malkovich in a play, Burn This at a West End theatre that he decided to give acting his full attention. At age 27, he began studying acting at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.
DOMINIC WEST (Billy / Jigsaw) has combined a successful career in both the US and the UK in leading roles in international film, US television and on the London stage. West recently starred as Theron in Warner Bros’ highly successful 300.
He starred opposite Julianne Moore in the sci-fi thriller THE FORGOTTEN, and with Julia Roberts in Mike Newel’s drama MONA LISA SMILE. In 2002, he played murder victim Fred Casely in Rob Marshall’s Oscar® winning musical CHICAGO. His other film credits include ROCK STAR with Jennifer Aniston and Mark Wahlberg; 28 DAYS opposite Sandra Bullock; A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM with an all-star ensemble cast; DIANA AND ME opposite Toni Collette, SURVIVING PICASSO with Anthony Hopkins; and RICHARD III starring Ian McKellen.
Television audiences also know West for his starring role in the Peabody Award- winning HBO series “The Wire.” He also appeared in “The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby,” “A Christmas Carol” and “Out of Hours.”
Born in England, West graduated from Trinity College in Dublin and then from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Starting his career on the stage, he won the Ian Charleston award for Best Newcomer for his performance in Peter Hall’s production of The Seagull. He has since been seen in a number of plays in London’s West End, including Peter Gill’s production of Harley Granville Barker’s The Voysey Inheritance at The National Theatre and David Lan’s production of As You Like It with Helen McCrory and Sienna Miller. West starred in Trevor Nunn’s production of Tom Stoppard’s play Rock ‘n’ Roll, which just won the London Evening Standard Award for Best Play.
JULIE BENZ (Angela) recently starred alongside Sylvester Stallone in the action film, RAMBO (directed by Stallone) where she performed grueling stunts, in her role as a missionary taken prisoner by sadistic Burmese soldiers.
Julie stars alongside Michael C. Hall in Showtime’s acclaimed crime drama “Dexter,” which recently returned for a second season. Dexter just happens to be a serial killer and Benz won the 2006 Golden Satellite Award for her portrayal of ‘Rita’, Dexter’s unknowing girlfriend. Benz had had the leading role in the dramatic thriller “Circle of Friends” on Lifetime. She stars in the upcoming indie feature KILL YOUR DARLINGS, a dark, road trip comedy about suicide.
Benz in most recognizable for her role as the evil vampire, ‘Darla’ which she originated on The WB’s “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and continued the character on the hit series, “Angel.” She also enjoyed a recurring role on the cult series “Roswell.”
Her feature film work includes AS GOOD AS IT GETS, ‘Ursula’ in GEORGE OF THE JUNGLE 2, the Tri-Star feature JAWBREAKER and THE BROTHERS for Sony/Screen Gems.
Benz television episodic work includes “Navy NCIS,” “Peacemakers,” “King of Queens,” “Supernatural” and “CSI Miami.” She starred with Marsha Mason in the Hallmark feature “The Long Shot” and starred in the DreamWorks/Steven Spielberg miniseries “Taken” for the Sci-Fi Channel. Julie joined a stellar cast, which included S. Epatha Merkerson and Jimmy Smits, in HBO’s Emmy® winning “Lackawanna Blues,” produced by Halle Berry. Benz can also be heard as the voice of ‘Captain Miranda Keys’ in the popular video game Halo 2.
At the age of three, Benz began skating and competed professionally until she was sixteen. She was ranked thirteenth in the U.S. and competed in both singles and ice dancing. Her training was rigorous, but allowed Benz to travel throughout the United States and around the globe. Benz, a native of Pittsburg, and the daughter of a vascular surgeon, comes from a long line of doctors. She was determined to be the first female doctor in the family. However, when her skating career ended due to injury, she stepped off the ice and on to the stage when she auditioned for a local community play and won the part. Soon after, she attended an acting seminar with two well-known West Coast casting directors and a New York based manager Vincent Cirrincione, who has represented her ever since that time. After studying acting at NYU, she moved to Los Angeles to pursue her career.
COLIN SALMON (Paul Budiansky) is one of the UK’s leading film and Television actors whose talent and presence first became recognized when he played the co-lead alongside Dame Helen Mirren in Emmy® Award-winning “Prime Suspect II.”
Since this time, Colin Salmon has gone on to play numerous roles in successful UK and international productions. In 2007, as well as filming PUNISHER: WAR ZONE, Colin completed filming diverse roles on four more feature films all due for release in 2008, as well as in Director Anthony Minghella’s HBO/BBC television series “The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency” (based on the international best selling book series of the same title).
Colin Salmon’s film credits include BLOOD—THE LAST VAMPIRE (produced by Bill Kong – CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON, HERO, THE CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER) which filmed in China, the UK indie film CLUBBED (Formosa Films) based on the best-selling autobiography from the critically acclaimed writer Geoff Thompson, in which Colin plays the co-lead; THE BANK JOB with Jason Statham, and NAKED IN LONDON another UK indie film (all due for release 2008).
Earlier film credits for which Colin is known include his role as ‘Charles Robinson’ in the three Bond films (DIE ANOTHER DAY, TOMORROW NEVER DIES, THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH), Woody Allen’s MATCH POINT, and THE STATEMENT directed by Norman Jewison and starring Michael Caine. He portrayed the lead character of ‘Maxwell Stafford’ in AVP: ALIEN VS. PREDATOR and ‘One’ in RESIDENT EVIL both directed by Paul Anderson.
His internationally successful TV roles include, ‘David Tyrel’, the head teacher, in “Hex” for Sky One, in which Colin also sung the jazz song, “Close Your Eyes”; ‘Supt. Nathaniel Johnson’ in US TV cop series, “Keen Eddie”; ‘Peter Locke’ in the BBC 1 innovative paranormal drama series, “Sea of Souls” (Series 2), ‘Colin Thorpe’, the Club owner, in Lynda La Plante’s “Trial & Retribution Ii” for ITV 1, and guest starring as ‘Chief Clerk Willy Radcliff’ in award-winning writer, G. F. Newman’s, BBC 1 “Judge John Deed.” His most recent TV appearances were the BBC political drama “Party Animals” (2007) and ‘Dr. Moon’ in the BBC’s “Dr Who.”
Colin Salmon is also appearing in the title role of ‘Jonas Moore’, in the pioneering Internet drama “The Many Adventures of Jonas Moore” (Nominated MIPCOM (2008) and “Webby Awards” (2008).
Colin Salmon plays Trumpet and has his own jazz quartet playing at venues such as The Dorchester Grill Room and at events such as The Cheltenham Jazz Festival (UK).
DOUG HUTCHISON (Loony Bin Jim) recently completed the horror western THE BURROWERS for Lionsgate and DAYS OF WRATH with Laurence Fishburne. His film credits the Academy® Award nominated THE GREEN MILE as the troublemaking prison guard Percy Wetmore and starring roles in BAIT with Jamie Foxx, I AM SAM with Sean Penn, THE SALTON SEA with Val Kilmer, and NO GOOD DEED with Samuel Jackson.
Notable television guest appearances include “CSI,” “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”, “The Practice,” “The X-Files,” “Boomtown” and “Millennium.”
Doug attended The Julliard School in addition to honing his craft under the tutelage of Sanford Meisner.
DASH MIHOK (Soap) was recently seen as the chilling ‘Alpha Male’ in the Will Smith sci-fi thriller I AM LEGEND. This is his second time working with Lexi Alexander. He was the lead in her Academy Award® nominated live action short JOHNNY FLYNTON.
Named after the mystery writer Dashiell Hammett and raised in New York City, Dash Mihok came up through the New York theater world and was affiliated with the esteemed City Kids Repertory. His big break came in 1996, when he was cast as ‘Benvolio’ in WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’S ROMEO + JULIET, director Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation of the classic romantic tragedy. Still more success came as Dash won the part of ‘Lieutenant Doll’ in Terrence Malick’s critically lauded World War II epic THE THIN RED LINE.
He’s worked steadily ever since, appearing in films as varied as THE PERFECT STORM, opposite George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg; DARK BLUE, opposite Kurt Russell and Ving Rhames; BASIC, opposite John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson; CONNIE AND CARLA, opposite Nia Vardalos and Toni Collette; and the disaster hit THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW opposite Dennis Quaid and Jake Gyllenhaal.
More recently, Mihok appeared in the period thriller HOLLYWOODLAND with Adrien Brody and Ben Affleck; the independent feature 10th AND WOLF with James Marsden; and the family film FIREHOUSE DOG.
On television, Dash played real-life character Paull Janszen in the Pete Rose biopic HUSTLE for ESPN. His other recent work includes “Pushing Daisies,” “Ghost Whisperer,” “Law & Order,” “CSI” and the CBS telefilm “Murderous Intent.” He also had a recurring role on the WB series “Felicity.”
Though best known for his roles in television and film such as ‘Newman’ in “Seinfeld” and ‘Nedry’ in JURASSIC PARK, WAYNE KNIGHT (Microchip) started in the theatre and began his Broadway career with a three year run in “Gemini” in 1979. He subsequently appeared in Larry Gelbart's “Mastergate,” as ‘Ivan’; in “Art” with George Segal, and Buck Henry and in last season’s “Sweet Charity” with Christina Applegate.
Knight's most recent stagework was in Measure For Pleasure at The Public Theatre, which was developed though the aid of the Sundance Playwrights Festival.
He has starred regularly in six television series including his role as ‘Officer Don Orville' in “Third Rock From The Sun” and sketch comedy series for Fox and Channel 4 in the UK.
His numerous films include JFK, BASIC INSTINCT, TO DIE FOR, RAT RACE, DEAD AGAIN and DIRTY DANCING. Children know him from SPACE JAM and his voice work in animated films and series ranging from TOY STORY 2 and TARZAN to the current Nickelodeon series “Catscratch” as 'Mr. Blick.'
ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS
LEXI ALEXANDER (Director) is an award-winning writer, director and producer. Born in Mannheim, Germany, Alexander was a World and European Karate Champion. At age 19, after touring the world participating in competitions, Alexander decided to take up residence in California to pursue her goal of becoming a filmmaker.
Alexander enrolled in the Joanne Baron Studio of Dramatic Arts and the Piero Dusa Acting Conservatory, while taking classes in directing, producing and writing at UCLA. To finance her education and living expenses, Alexander worked as a stuntwoman specializing in martial arts.
Alexander combined her extensive knowledge of boxing and filmmaking to write and direct the 2003 Academy Award-nominated JOHNNY FLYNTON. The movie, a true story about a boxer accused of murdering his wife and convicted on circumstantial evidence, focused on the moral ambiguities of professional fighting.
Following the success of JOHNNY FLYNTON, Alexander co-wrote, directed and produced GREEN STREET HOOLIGANS, which follows a wrongfully expelled Harvard undergrad, Elijah Wood, as he moves to London, where he is introduced to the violent underworld of football hooliganism. The film was released in 2005. GREENSTREET HOOLIGANS won many awards and was the only movie ever to win both the Jury and Audience awards at SWSX Film Festival where it premiered.
NICK SANTORA (Writer)
ART MARCUM (Writer)
MATT HOLLOWAY (Writer)
GALE ANNE HURD (Producer) is one of the most innovative and respected producers in the entertainment industry. She has produced more than two-dozen feature films that have generated billions of dollars in revenue, and earned Oscar® nominations and numerous awards. Hurd has distinguished herself by championing paradigm-shifting technological innovations, and carving out a preeminent position within the previously all-male ranks of epic-scaled, sci-fi action-adventure productions.
As the chairman of her own production entity, Valhalla Motion Pictures, Hurd is continually developing a broad range of projects. Hurd produced the new well received big screen adaptation of THE INCREDIBLE HULK for Marvel Studios. The film, directed by Louis Leterrier, stars two-time Academy Award nominee Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Academy Award nominee Tim Roth and Academy Award winner William Hurt, and was released by Universal Pictures on June 13, 2008. It was Universal’s top summer box office hit.
Hurd’s other recent films include the futuristic sci-fi thriller AEON FLUX starring Academy Award winners Charlize Theron and Frances McDormand for Paramount Pictures/MTV and THE PUNISHER, based on the classic Marvel comic property, which was one of the top grossing independent films in 2004. Prior to that, Hurd produced THE HULK, the epic fantasy-adventure based on the Marvel Comic character, directed by Academy Award® winner Ang Lee.
In addition, Hurd served as executive producer of TERMINATOR 3: RISE OF THE MACHINES, the third in her TERMINATOR trilogy. Directed by Jonathan Mostow, the characters in the film were based on those created by Hurd and James Cameron in the 1984 classic THE TERMINATOR. T3 was an international hit, grossing more than $420 million worldwide in its theatrical run.
A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Stanford University, Hurd began her entertainment career as an executive assistant to filmmaker Roger Corman, at whose legendary New World Pictures she learned all aspects of the business. Rising to become New World’s head of marketing and later one of its producers, Hurd displayed the creative talent and business skills that continue to define her career.
In 1984, Hurd earned a place in film history with the first of many event-films she would produce: TERMINATOR, which she also co-wrote, directed by James Cameron. A worldwide success, the film was followed in 1986 by ALIENS, the blockbuster sequel to Ridley Scott’s 1979 sci-fi thriller ALIEN. Uncharacteristic of Hollywood films at the time, both featured women in the role of action heroines. In 1988, Hurd produced ALIEN NATION starring James Caan and Mandy Patinkin, which was adapted into an acclaimed Fox TV series. Hurd continued in the action-adventure genre with 1989’s THE ABYSS, a groundbreaking film in its own right. ALIENS received seven nominations and two Oscars® and THE ABYSS won for best visual effects and garnered three additional Oscar® nominations.
During the 1990’s, Hurd consolidated her reputation as one of the most successful producers in filmmaking. In 1991, TERMINATOR 2: JUDGEMENT DAY was released; that year’s top grossing film and a technological tour de force. Its achievements in the realm of visual effects were rewarded with yet another Oscar®.
Soon thereafter, Hurd took a brief hiatus from action-adventure production, forming No Frills Films in order to pursue the development and production of low-budget, high-quality feature films. The results were the critically acclaimed and award-winning films TREMORS, SAFE PASSAGE, and the Spirit Award and Sundance Audience Award winning indie THE WATERDANCE, all of which demonstrated the breadth of her professional and creative abilities.
In 1996, Hurd returned to event filmmaking with the Academy Award®-winning THE GHOST AND THE DARKNESS, followed in 1997 by DANTE’S PEAK, THE RELIC and the mega-hit ARMAGEDDON, which was the number one film at the box office in 1998. The political comedy DICK, starring Kirsten Dunst, Michelle Williams and Will Ferrell, was released in 1999, and was included in many top 10 lists nationwide.
Hurd has also produced a number of distinguished TV films, including HBO’s Emmy-nominated “Sugartime,” starring John Turturro and Mary-Louise Parker, the Emmy-winning “Cast A Deadly Spell” starring Julianne Moore and directed by Martin Campbell and “Witch Hunt” starring Dennis Hopper and Penelope Ann Miller directed by Paul Schrader. Hurd also executive produced the 21 episode action series “Adventure Inc.” starring Michael Biehn.
Hurd is well known for her service to the entertainment community and her charitable work. She serves as a board member of the Producers Guild of America, is on the Board of Trustees for the Southern California Chapter of the International Women’s Forum, as well as Waterkeeper Alliance, founded by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.; and was honored by Global Green USA with the Entertainment Industry Environmental Leadership Award presented by Mikhail Gorbachev in 2004. Hurd was also honored with the Telluride Tech Festival Award of Technology.
Hurd’s other honors include the Crystal Award from Women in Film and the New York Women in Film & Television’s Loreen Arbus Award for those who take action and effect change. Hurd is the owner of the popular, award-winning bar/restaurant, Vertical Wine Bistro, in Pasadena, California.
JACK MURRAY (Co-Producer) has been working in the film industry for over twenty years. He recently executive produced the 3D remake of MY BLOODY VALENTINE. PUNISHER: WAR ZONE marks the second movie project Jack has produced for Lionsgate Films, the first being Jessica Alba’s THE EYE.
Jack started his producing career on the successful comedy DATE MOVIE for New Regency Pictures.
Prior to this, Jack has been a UPM and Production Supervisor on numerous movies including ELEKTRA, FIRST DAUGHTER, JOYRIDE, NEVER BEEN KISSED, SPEED 2 and WATERWORLD.
Jack got his start in the film industry working with director Mark Rydell in the late 80s while completing his MFA at USC’s School of Cinema. After a few years as a staff production executive for Disney’s Touchstone Pictures, Jack became an independent Production Supervisor on SISTER ACT 2.
ROBERT SHORT’s (Visual Effects Supervisor) two decades of outstanding technical, creative and artist achievement in the field of entertainment have brought to life many of the screens most indelible character icons.
Short won a Best Make-Up Oscar® for the high-spirited innovative creature effects in BEETLE JUICE which redefined the boundaries of horror and humor. He was also nominated for two BAFTA Awards in Best Achievement in Make-Up and Best Achievement in Special Effects for the Tim Burton classic.
He has fostered a unique blend of styles and techniques in the design and creation of his characters. From the outrageous BEETLE JUICE afterlife inhabitants to the enchanting mermaid from SPLASH to the man eating sharks of LETHAL WEAPON 4, to the inspirational heart light of E.T. and development of the terrorizing design of THE PREDATOR.
He was the on set visual effects supervisor of NBC’s TV series “Surface” and supervising Herbie the Love Bug’s on set performance in Disney’s HERBIE FULLY LOADED.
He also helped I.L.M. reinvent E.T.’s heart light for the enhanced 20th anniversary release of E.T.: THE EXTRATERRESTRIAL. Short’s latest storyboard contributions were utilized on the Fox series “Vanished,” “Justice” and the Warner Bros. feature SUBLIME. In addition Short's fantasy mermaid creations have been seen in Disney's Wonderful World of Color’s “Sabrina Down Under” and his dynamic super hero costumes were featured in the Disney TV movie UP, UP AND AWAY, directed by Robert Townsend. The arrival of Sega's Dreamcast System and its survival/horror Blue Stinger game introduced a dozen of Short's highly acclaimed deranged creature designs to the high tech world of computer games.
Some of Short’s previous credits include COCOON, KINDERGARTEN COP, ACE VENTURA, PET DETECTIVE, COCOON THE RETURN, LITTLE MONSTERS, MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE and the television series “The Flash.”
STEVE GAINER, ASC (Director of Photography) began his career by working at the Paramount Pictures Camera Department. He then worked for five years, as manager of the Paramount Film Lab, gaining a unique understand of film and ways it can be chemically manipulated. He then graduated to shooting films for Roger Corman’s Concorde New Horizons Studios.
While there, he worked on over twenty films, shooting first unit on six. This fast-paced style of shooting facilitated Gainer’s next career move into music videos. He has since shot over two hundred videos and commercials.
A chance meeting on a music video set, led to Steve landing the role of cinematographer on BULLY, controversial Director Larry Clark’s film exploration of youth culture. This film served as a launching pad for Gainer’s career in indie films.
He has since worked with Clark three more times, and also with John Waters on A DIRTY SHAME starring Tracey Ullman and Johnny Knoxville.
He was director of photography on Gregg Araki’s critically acclaimed MYSTERIOUS SKIN, a poetic but uncompromising study of the long-term effects of childhood sexual abuse. Steve’s work on this film is what drew Lexi Alexander to Steve.
ANDREW NESKOROMNY (Production Designer) was the production designer on SLITHER, DAWN OF THE DEAD, WHITE NOISE 2: THE LIGHT and RELICANT. In 2004, he was nominated for an Art Director’s Guild Award (shared) for SEABISCUIT. In 1994, he was nominated for Emmy® Award for outstanding achievement in art direction for series (shared) for STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION.
Other credits as art director include MEET THE FOCKERS, THE SUM OF ALL FEARS, ALIEN RESURRECTION, DEEP IMPACT and the television series “Masters of Science Fiction.”
WILLIAM YEH (Editor) edited the Quentin Tarantino-produced biker movie HELL RIDE, which screened at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. He also edited the science-fiction cult favorite EQUILIBRIUM for director Kurt Wimmer, and the two collaborated again for ULTRAVIOLET.
Yeh edited the upcoming thriller SHUTTLE and also worked as an editor on Paul Schrader's DOMINION: PREQUEL TO THE EXORCIST. His other credits include the family film BELIEVE IN ME (Additional Editor) and I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER (Associate Editor).
After beginning his career on the set of Roger Corman's unreleased version of THE FANTASTIC FOUR, Yeh moved to the cutting room, where he worked on such films as BRAVEHEART, CON AIR, COURAGE UNDER FIRE and Robert Altman's KANSAS CITY.
ODETTE GADOURY (Costume Designer) most recently designed the costumes with Joanna Johnston for Paramount Studios THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES. She worked with Director Paul McGuigan on LUCKY NUMBER SLEVIN, which starred an ensemble cast including Josh Hartnett, Morgan Freeman, Ben Kingsley, Lucy Liu and Bruce Willis. This was her second film with the director, following WICKER PARK, which also starred Josh Hartnett.
Gadoury's other recent feature film credits include SECRET WINDOW, starring Johnny Depp, John Turturro and Maria Bello, directed by David Koepp, KART RACER and LOST JUNCTION. For 2003's A DIFFERENT LOYALTY, starring Sharon Stone, Gadoury designed selected wardrobe for Stone.
Among Gadoury's previous film credits are: THE ART OF WAR starring Wesley Snipes; TWO THOUSAND AND NONE starring John Turturro; THE BONE COLLECTOR starring Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie, directed by Philip Noyce; SNAKE EYES starring Nicolas Cage, Carla Gugino and Gary Sinise, directed by Brian De Palma; L’AGE DE BRAISE, J’EN SUIS, and EBRASSE-MOI C’EST POUR LA VIE.
For television, Gadoury has designed the costumes for the made-for-television movies WHEN ANGELS COME TO TOWN, THE WOOL CAP, SCENT OF MURDER, 36 HOURS TO DIE, ACTE, IMPRESSION/TRIBUTE TO DEBUSSY (for which she received a Gemini nomination, Canada’s primetime television awards, for Best Costumes), INNOCENCE, DERNIER CRI and DOUBLE OR NOTHING. She also worked on the Canadian television series “Juliette Pomerieau” for which she received her second Gemini nomination for Best Costumes.
Born in Canada, Gadoury graduated from the University of Quebec, Montreal with a degree in visual arts and art history. The following year she was accepted at the prestigious National Theater School of Canada (ENT) where she received a diploma in scenery. It was at that time that she met François Barbeau, the famous Canadian costume designer and stage director. This meeting marked a turning point in Gadoury's career. She absorbed Barbeau's passion for costume design and it's application in stage direction and scenery, going on to assist him on more than 40 theater productions. Gadoury began her professional career in costume design in television, and then segued into film.
PAT E. JOHNSON (Stunt Coordinator) is a renowned martial arts stunt coordinator and motion picture choreographer and also a legendary American karate instructor and champion. PUNISHER: WAR ZONE is Pat’s third collaboration with Lexi Alexander. Their previous films together are the critically acclaimed GREEN STREET HOOLIGANS and Alexander’s directorial debut JOHNNY FLYNTON, which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Short Film, Live Action.
After doing such a great job on the authenticity of the fight scenes and the tournament in THE KARATE KID, Johnson went on to choreograph the action sequences in such films as “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” (both the original and sequels which together earned over 1/2 billion dollars) and BATMAN AND ROBIN.
He was also the stunt coordinator for MORTAL KOMBAT – THE MOVIE, released in 1995, and is the choreographer for MORTAL KOMBAT – THE LIVE TOUR, which visited over 200 arenas around the USA in the fall of 1995.
Mirroring the on-screen 'history' of fictional Karate Kid sensei John Kreese, Pat Johnson began his Karate training in 1963 while stationed in Korea with the United States Army. Johnson met and taught at Chuck Norris' school in Los Angeles and later became Captain of his undefeated Black Belt Team, which won 33 consecutive National and International Titles (1968- 73).
In 1972, Johnson landed a featured role in the movie ENTER THE DRAGON, which starred Bruce Lee. This led to his career behind the scenes as a choreographer and stunt coordinator. Johnson holds a 9th Degree Black Belt Master and a Senior Black Belt of the National Tang Soo Do Congress (NTC). In 1968, he formulated the Penalty Point System of Karate Tournament Rules. In 1970, he was National Grand Champion. In 1975-76, he was Winner of the Golden Fist Award as the "Best Karate Referee in America." He has been inducted into NASKA Black Belt Hall of Fame (1990), and the AKKA Hall of Fame (1994). At age 53, Pat Johnson retired from competition and has served as the personal fitness and martial arts trainer of many celebrities including Priscilla Presley, Bob Barker, William Friedkin and Steve McQueen with whom he worked on McQueen’s last film, the action comedy THE HUNTER.
Release Date: In Theaters December 5, 2008 Rating: R Runtime: 107 minutes
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Waging his one-man war on the world of organized crime, ruthless vigilante-hero Frank Castle sets his sights on overeager mob boss Billy Russoti. After Russoti is left horribly disfigured by Castle, he sets out for vengeance under his new alias: Jigsaw. With the "Punisher Task Force" hot on his trail and the FBI unable to take Jigsaw in, Frank must stand up to the formidable army that Jigsaw has recruited before more of his evil deeds go unpunished.
PUNISHER: WAR ZONE depicts Castle wrestling with the eternal questions of good and evil and the repercussions of his contradictory moral code. Explains Hurd, “Frank Castle sets out to eliminate an entire Mafia group that has killed an innocent man. As a result, he finds something that he never expected: that in the process of punishing the guilty, he’s actually killed an innocent man himself. So during the course of the story, he not only has to wrestle with that, but he has to take on Jigsaw, the most fearsome villain that he’s ever encountered, who he had a hand in creating.”
Adds Alexander, “What I would say is unique about this Punisher is that you’ve got a great actor playing the part, Ray Stevenson. There is gravitas and a sense of sorrow to his task, and along with the action there is a heart, one that’s been beaten down but is still there.” Dominic West (HBO’s “The Wire,” 300, HANNIBAL RISING) relished the chance to play the villain, Billy “Jigsaw” Russoti, a vain mobster whose run-in with the Punisher results in a gruesome accident in a glass crusher that leaves him horribly disfigured. He recalls, “When I read the part, I instantly got excited about it because he gets to be the most vain man in the world who then gets smashed up and becomes the most evil man in the world.” 
Budiansky teams up, despite his reservations, with Detective Soap, played in the film by Dash Mihok (THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW, THE PERFECT STORM, ROMEO & JULIET). A behavioral psychologist who has been tracking the Punisher for years, Soap plays the bumbling fool, though his soft-headed act helps hide a more cunning side. “I was really attracted to the opportunity to offset all the action with some humor,” says Mihok. “Soap’s really kind of socially inept and odd but there’s something about him that most people don’t know. He has two sides, and that dichotomy is really fun to play.” 
Not simply satisfied with achieving a high level of fitness, Stevenson also trained with military advisor Jon Barton, who taught him how to handle and fire a vast array of weapons, as well as how to move like a man with military training. “Part of what makes a military man stand out is his ability to move through buildings and open areas. It's very distinct, and it takes practice,” explains Barton. “We did a lot of work with weapons: transitioning from a rifle to a pistol, using two pistols, using two pistols and a rifle, grenade launchers and rocket launchers. After six weeks, we started doing what we call force-on-force, which is where I had Ray engage my fellow employees in mock battle sequences where he would be the Punisher and he would have to kill everybody, and they had to try to kill him. That was really fun because it gave him a chance to be shot at.”
