CBS announced today that their modern day Sherlock Holmes series Elementary will be airing in the coveted post-Super Bowl slot next February.  The spot directly after the most-watched television event of the year can serve as a great launching pad for new series, giving them a boost in viewership—NBC famously aired a Super Bowl episode of Friends in the timeslot, launching the already popular show into superstardom.  Last year NBC aired The Voice after the big game, and recent years have seen shows like House, Glee, The Office and Undercover Boss enjoy the ratings bump.  Hit the jump for more.

We have three new clips to share with you today from writer/director/star RZA’s kung-fu epic, The Man with the Iron Fists.  First up is Bronze Lion (Cung Le) taking on Madame Blossom (Lucy Liu), followed by a bloody introduction to Jack Knife (Russell Crowe) and finally, a clash between the wrought iron fists of the Blacksmith (RZA) and the zinc and copper alloy of Brass Body (David Bautista).  The clips do a nice job at showcasing the fighting styles of each of our characters, but also give a glimpse into the overall tone of the film.  Part kung-fu cliche and part homage, The Man with the Iron Fists looks to mix in a fair dose of humor alongside the action (if Crowe’s craziness is any indication).  The Man with the Iron Fists opens November 2nd.  Hit the jump to check out the clips.

If you can’t wait the two weeks to see writer/director/star RZA’s The Man with the Iron Fists, perhaps this animated prequel will suffice for now.  Narrated by RZA, the short follows the Blacksmith (RZA) traveling on his path to China and shows that not all of the fighting is confined to Jungle Village.  While it’s more of a compilation of concept art than actual animated film, it’s got a great feel to it (similar to Afro Samurai) and even establishes a history between the Blacksmith and one of the other characters from the feature film.

Also starring Lucy Liu, Russell Crowe, Jamie Chung, Cung Le and David Bautista, The Man with the Iron Fists opens November 2nd.  Hit the jump to check out the prequel. 

Just yesterday we saw a new trailer for director RZA’s crazy-lookin’ kung fu film The Man with the Iron Fists by way of a character trailer for Cung Le’s Bronze Lion, and today it’s Lucy Liu’s turn.  The story follows a group of warriors, assassins, heroes, and villains who unite to take down a clan traitor in order to prevent their own destruction.  This trailer centers on Liu’s Madame Blossom character, showing off some impressive fight sequences and a fun tease of the relationship she has with Russell Crowe’s character. The first featurette for the film has also been released, in which RZA talks about his lifelong love of martial arts movies and the impact of producer Quentin Tarantino.

Hit the jump to check out the new trailer and featurette.  The film also stars RZA, Byron Mann, Rick Yune, David Bautista, Pam Grier and Jamie Chung.  The Man with the Iron Fists opens on November 2nd.

A new trailer from writer/director/star RZA’s kung-fu action flick The Man with the Iron Fists has dropped and it features UFC fighter Cung Le in character as the Bronze Lion.  The story follows a group of warriors, assassins, heroes and villains who unite to take down a clan traitor in order to prevent their own destruction. RZA’s directorial debut made my most anticipated list and I’m encouraged by the crazier and crazier footage being released.  If you missed the previous red-band trailers, you can get caught up here and here.

Hit the jump to watch the new trailer.  The film also stars Russell Crowe, Lucy Liu, Byron Mann, Rick Yune, David Bautista, Pam Grier and Jamie Chung.  The Man with the Iron Fists opens on November 2nd.

Universal Pictures has released 16 stunning posters for RZA’s kung-fu film The Man with the Iron Fists.  The film takes place in feudal China and centers on a small village’s weapon-maker who must defend its people.  If the movie is half as good as these posters, it will be a success.  Their styles ranges from 80s punk flyers, classic art, retro Asian cinema posters, and more.  I wouldn’t mind having a couple of these on my wall provided A) I liked the movie; and B) I had any wall space left.

Hit the jump to check out the posters.  The film stars RZA, Russell Crowe, Cung Le, Lucy Liu, Byron Mann, Rick Yune, David Bautista, and Jamie Chung.  The Man with the Iron Fists opens November 2nd.

If while watching Elementary you feel like certain elements are too familiar, you can thank (or curse) Sir Arthur Conan Doyle for creating such an unforgettable character that we have kept remaking him in endless forms since his inception.  Sherlock is not a maverick detective, he is the maverick detective, yet his brilliance as a crime solver has become commonplace with so many procedurals made in various forms of dedication to him.  Last week I mentioned that what made the BBC’s Sherlock stand out was not just the strength of the acting and relationship between its stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, but the stylization of the series itself: the way it uses technology and visual display to not just recreate Sherlock Holmes but to bring something new to the “maverick detective” genre as a whole.

Though Elementary does have a great strong central relationship between Johnny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu (and a blessedly asexual one), the show does little to distinguish itself from other Sherlock-esque copycat series.  Still, for now, it’s a bit of fun that could seemingly get better and better.  Hit the jump for the specifics, plus why it’s essential to distinguish between a dash and an ampersand.

At last, after much discussion and speculation, CBS’s Elementary, a modernized adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle‘s classic Sherlock Holmes stories, has arrived.  Much of the discussion revolved around the fact that the series has come pretty swiftly on the heels of the BBC’s hugely successful Sherlock, that also offers a modern take on the tales, which has aired here in the U.S. on PBS.  The other point of contention was the changing of Sherlock’s companion Watson from John to Joan, a decision that at first made Sherlock fans everywhere groan due to the expectation of a prolonged “will they won’t they” story line (Doyle would likely be spinning in his grave at the thought).  Still, those connected with the show assured everyone that there would be no romance between the two leads (though if it lasts for several seasons we’ll see if they keep to that promise).  For now the big question is how this series compares to its British brother, and either way, whether or not it stands on its own.  For that, hit the jump.

A batch of new images from director RZA’s The Man with the Iron Fists has landed online.  Produced by Quentin Tarantino and written by RZA and Eli Roth, the film takes place in feudal China and centers on a small village’s weapon-maker who must defend its peoples.  We’ve already seen two trailers that promise some crazy violence, and these images don’t disappoint.  I’m eager to see this fairy tale-like genre mash-up not only because of the caliber of talent behind the scenes, but also because of the eclectic cast RZA has gathered onscreen: Russell Crowe, Lucy Liu, Pam Grier, David Bautista, and Rick Yune.

Hit the jump to check out the images.  The film also stars Jamie Chung, Cung Le, Daniel Wu, and Byron Mann.  The Man with the Iron Fists opens on November 2nd.

A new red-band trailer for RZA’s The Man with the Iron Fists has landed online.  Though it’s not wildly different from the film’s first red-band trailer, this one does show a bit more of the supporting cast of characters and some other scenes of stylishly impressive violence.  Most importantly, though, The Man with the Iron Fists still looks absolutely batshit crazy.  The film was directed by RZA based on a script he wrote with Eli Roth, with Quentin Tarantino onboard as the film’s producer.  The story takes place in feudal China and centers on a small village’s weapon-maker who must defend its peoples.

Hit the jump to watch the new trailer.  The film also stars Russell Crowe, Lucy Liu, Cung Le, Byron Mann, Rick Yune, David Bautista, Pam Grier and Jamie Chung.  The Man with the Iron Fists opens on November 2nd.

With Robert Downey Jr knocking it out of the park in theaters and Benedict Cumberbatch doing no wrong in the role across the pond, I wondered why the world needed another interpretation of Sherlock Holmes.  Watching the Pilot episode of Elementary, I snickered at its cheeky bits and admired the performances of both Jonny Lee Miller as Holmes and Lucy Liu as Watson. Miller’s Holmes is very much in the mold of a Dr. Gregory House, a brilliant mind more concerned with the truth than convention.  In fact, he’s a recovering addict and Ms. Watson has been assigned as his sober companion.  Liu said that Watson uses her sober companion position to distract her from her own issues, but Holmes sees right through her.  Find out why it’s moved up my DVR list after the break.

Today at Comic-Con, Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu sat down with us at a roundtable interview to discuss their starring roles in the upcoming new CBS television series, Elementary, which premieres this fall on CBS. In this latest re-imagining of the classic story, the legendary characters get a contemporary update cracking cases in present-day New York City. Miller plays the brilliant investigator fresh out of rehab and Liu plays his sober companion, Dr. Joan Watson, whose job is to ensure that he maintains his newfound sobriety. Together, Sherlock’s unique detective skills and Watson’s medical expertise form a formidable force capable of solving the NYPD’s most impossible cases.

Miller and Liu told us what attracted them to the project when they first read the pilot, why they think audiences will identify with the characters and some of the dark and edgy issues the series tackles, why Robert Doherty’s writing makes it easy to play the intelligent master detective, and why they think the network is taking a big risk with the characters. Miller also discussed his experience starring opposite Benedict Cumberbatch in the world premiere of Frankenstein, a new play based on Mary Shelley’s classic story, presented at London’s National Theatre under the direction of Danny Boyle.  Hit the jump for the interview.

Hey, everyone: remember that trailer for The Man with the Iron Fists? The one with all the gory Kung Fu hijinks, murderous sex workers and other EYE-popping spectacle? Of course you do. Most of us pledged to lay EYEs on the film as soon as Russell Crowe inexplicably (but quite awesomely) appeared as a cowboy. Well, get out your date-circling Sharpie, because we’ve gotten word that Universal is EYEing a November 2, 2012 release date for its grindhousey martial arts epic. The directorial debut of The Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA, Fists sees a clan dispute in feudal China erupting into an all-out melee between some truly badass warriors. Co-written by Eli Roth (Hostel) and produced by Quentin Tarantino, it’s graced with an eclectic international cast led by RZA himself in the title role, as well as Lucy Liu, Jamie Chung, Pam Grier, Rick Yune, Cung Le, Daniel Wu, Byron Mann and former WWE wrestler Dave Bautista.

While the promising flick is currently slated for early November, do keep an EYE on local listings in case it’s violently dislodged and sent careening across the schedule.  Hit the jump to watch the film’s trailer.

The first red-band trailer for The Man with the Iron Fists has landed online, and it looks exactly like you’d expect a kung fu movie produced by Quentin Tarantino, written by RZA and Eli Roth, and starring Russell Crowe to look.  The movie takes place in feudal China and centers on a small village’s weapon-maker who must defend its peoples. RZA stars in the film alongside Crowe and Lucy Liu, and this trailer is understandably a bit crazy.  There’s lots of violence, blood that flows like fountains, colorful graphic flourishes, and gouging eyeballs.  What more could you possibly ask for?

Hit the jump to watch the trailer and check out the film’s poster.  The film is expected to be released sometime later this year.

A couple weeks ago, we told you that Jonny Lee Miller has been cast as Sherlock Holmes in the pilot for Elementary, CBS’ New York-set contemporary spin on the world’s most famous detective (next to Batman). It made sense; he’s British and has been bouncing around American airwaves the last few years, with a starring role on ABC’s Eli Stone and a juicy Big Bad turn on season five of Dexter.  A slightly less intuitive choice: casting Lucy Liu (Charlie’s Angels) as Holmes’ trusted companion Dr. Watson. But that’s exactly what exec producers Robert Doherty, Sarah Timberman and Carl Beverly have done, according to The Live Feed. Hit the jump for more.