Fantastic Fest 2013 has announced its opening night film, and it will be the World Premiere of director Robert Rodriguez’s sequel Machete Kills. For those unfamiliar, the film centers on Machete’s (Danny Trejo) quest to stop an eccentric billionaire arms dealer who has plans to spread war and anarchy across the planet. Fantastic Fest celebrates the best in genre filmmaking, so Machete Kills seems like a swell fit for this year's opening film. The festival will take place in Austin, Texas from September 19th – 26th.
Hit the jump to check out a new image from Machete Kills along with the official Fantastic Fest 2013 poster. The film also stars Sofia Vergara, Michelle Rodriguez, Amber Heard, Charlie Sheen, Lady Gaga, Antonio Banderas, Jessica Alba, Demian Bichir, Alex Vega, Vanessa Hudgens, Cuba Gooding Jr., William Sadler, Marko Zaror, and Mel Gibson and opens in theaters on October 4th.
Click on any image to enlarge.
Here’s the full press release:
Austin, TX - Wednesday, July 10, 2013- Fantastic Fest is excited to announce Robert Rodriguez's Machete Kills will have its world premiere on September 19, 2013 as the opening night film for the 2013 festival, which will take place in Austin, Texas at the new Alamo Drafthouse Lakeline location from September 19-26, 2013. Talent from the film, including Danny Trejo, Alexa Vega and Robert Rodriguez, will be in attendance. Additional talent to be confirmed closer to festival.
"Every year we compile our dream targets for opening night film; MACHETE KILLS was at the top of that list," said Fantastic Fest Co-founder & Creative Director Tim League. "We are going to pull out all the stops to ensure Robert's world premiere red carpet experience is literally blood red."
"Fantastic Fest has quickly become the best place for fans to first experience the newest and coolest genre movies and blockbusters," said director Robert Rodriguez. "I am honored and extremely excited for Machete Kills to have its world premiere right here in Austin and kick off Fantastic Fest."
In Machete Kills, Danny Trejo returns as ex-Federale agent Machete, who is recruited by the President of the United States for a mission which would be impossible for any mortal man - he must take down a madman revolutionary and an eccentric billionaire arms dealer who has hatched a plan to spread war and anarchy across the planet.
The talented and eclectic cast includes: Danny Trejo, Michelle Rodriguez, Sofia Vergara, Amber Heard, Carlos Estevez, Lady Gaga, Antonio Banderas, Jessica Alba, Demian Bichir, Alexa Vega, Vanessa Hudgens, Cuba Gooding, Jr., William Sadler, Marko Zaror and Mel Gibson.
Presented by Open Road Films, Machete Kills is directed by Robert Rodriguez, produced by Robert Rodriguez, Aaron Kaufman, Iliana Nikolic, Sergei Bespalov, Alexander Rodnyansky and Rick Schwartz, from a screenplay by Kyle Ward, based on a story by Marcel Rodriguez and Robert Rodriguez. Machete Kills releases in U.S. theaters on October 4, 2013.