The live-action series Metal Hurlant Chronicles has finally solidified a debut date; unfortunately it won’t be in the States.  Based on the French comics anthology Metal Hurlant (translated directly as “screaming metal” and known in the States as Heavy Metal), Metal Hurlant Chronicles will debut in France with talks to expand into the UK and Germany.  Each 26-minute long episode will center on one heroic arc in a world that combines a Game of Thrones-type fantasy setting with sci-fi elements.  Directed by Guillaume Lubrano and starring Scott Adkins, Michael Jai white, Rutger Hauer, Darren Shahlavi and Matt Mullins, Metal Hurlant Chronicles is finally seeing the light this month.  Hit the jump to watch the teaser and trailer.

If you’re a Mortal Kombat fan, yesterday was Christmas.  That’s because an awesome short film called Mortal Kombat: Rebirth hit the net and it featured a gritty, real world approach to the material.  Featuring Michael Jai White, Jeri Ryan, martial artists Lateef Crowder, Ian Anthony Dale and Matt Mullins, the short film has been getting nothing but positive write-ups across the cyberspace.  You really should check it out.

But the big story was what was the purpose and who made the short.  Some guessed it was for an unannounced feature film, and others thought it might be for a new Mortal Kombat game.

When word got out it was directed by Kevin Tancharoen (Fame), I was kind of stunned. After all, who would have thought the guy who made Fame would have directed an awesome Mortal Kombat short.  Thankfully, I had Tancharoen’s email and reached out to see if he wanted to talk about how the short came together and why he wanted to make it.  If you’d like to know a lot more, hit the jump to either read or listen to our interview.  I’ve also included some highlights as bullet points:

An impressive short film entitled Mortal Kombat: Rebirth hit the web earlier today.  It centers on Jax trying to convince a shadowy figure to enter the Mortal Kombat tournament and kill vicious psychopaths Baraka, Reptile, and other murderers that are participating.  It’s a “real-world” approach so Reptile is actually the victim of a rare hereditary disease and Baraka is a doctor who went mad and inserted giant blades into his arms (but not in the stupid Deadpool way from X-Men Origins: Wolverine).  Basically, no one has superpowers beyond freakish behavior and martial arts.

Hit the jump to check out the short and learn more about the project and what it’s trying to accomplish.

UPDATE: We landed an exclusive interview with director Kevin Tancharoen.  He talks about how the short came together and what he’d like to do in a feature version.  Click here to read it.