The upcoming remake for one of the most important and seminal films in the sci-fi/horror genre has reportedly nabbed a director. The Blob, the 1958 schlock classic depicting a monstrous gelatinous mass that consumes everything it encounters will reportedly be getting a modernized action treatment with director, Simon West behind the camera.

According to Deadline, West, the director of modern action-classic, Con Air, along with Angelina Jolie’s first Tomb Raider film and the aging action star sequel extravaganza, The Expendables 2 will begin shooting what looks to be an exciting, action-centric insidiously amorphous remake this summer.

Apparently long in the making, going back to 2009, this remake project at one time had Rob Zombie attached and will now move forward with a director known primarily for straight-forward, in-your-face action sequences. While West’s body of work doesn’t seem to indicate any specific stylistic direction for this new imagining, it is apparent that the progress of visual effects technology will be playing a tremendous role in the presentation and the director has made his intentions of creating an immersive "world" perfectly clear. According to West:

The Blob would see a notorious 1972 sequel and a hype-heavy 1988 remake starring future Entourage actor, Kevin Dillon that failed to make a serious financial dent. Considering the remake-happy habits of Hollywood, it’s been a relatively untouched property, so a remake at this time is probably not an outrageous proposition.

Exactly how this property will redefine itself in the early twenty-first century remains a mystery. However, if this comment from the managing director of the co-producing studio, Goldcrest Films, Pascal Degove is any indication, the film may not carry itself too seriously, given the ridiculous premise.

The Blob has always been a classic cinematic curiosity. Besides introducing mainstream audiences to a young Steve McQueen, it was an interesting aberration from the typical popcorn flicks of the time. In an era (the 1950’s) which mostly saw the release of an unyielding phalanx of disposable "Atomic Age" monster films playing to the idea that radiation makes things huge and malevolent, The Blob gave audiences a completely original antagonist. This enemy didn’t have a face, wasn’t able to speak and certainly didn’t seem to be carrying out a specific agenda of any kind other than to consume and get bigger. The titular crimson bloated Blob itself also proved to be exceptional in the fact that radiation played no part in its genesis. It fell to Earth inside a meteorite and began its rampage by victimizing the old farmer who was unlucky enough to find its crash site in rural Pennsylvania. Yet, its space-related origin did not manage to ooze the film into the conventions of the alien invasion genre that notable contemporaries like The Day the Earth Stood Still or Invasion of the Body Snatchers would exhibit.

No release date has been projected as of yet for this gigantic gelatinous remake.

It's a little terrifying to hear about a remake of Heat starring Jason Statham, since you rightly assume that they're talking about the iconic Michael Mann film, which famously united Al Pacino and Robert De Niro for a single electrifying scene. But the remake that Statham has stepped behind is in fact of the 1986 film of the same name, starring Burt Reynolds and written by William Goldman. Initially Statham had gotten on board with Brian De Palma set to direct, but there's been a shift in plans-- and it's up to you to decide if that's for the better.

Sierra/Affinity, which is selling rights to the film, has announced that Simon West has taken over in the director's chair, reuniting with Jason Statham just a few months after the release of The Expendables 2 (the two also worked together for 2011's The Mechanic). Goldman is still on board to write an updated version of his own original script, and Statham will also be reuniting with Cory Yuen, who directed him in The Transporter and will serve as the action director and fight choreographer. It makes sense that West would want someone who's a bit more of an expert in that area-- though he's made giant action films like Con Air and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, he's not as experienced with the kind of physical action that Statham brings, and someone like Yuen can obviously fill that gap.

Statham will be playing the role originated by Reynolds, a compulsive gambler who works odd jobs in security to make ends meet. Eventually things come to a head when his friend is brutally beaten, and Statham's character must take on the Las Vegas mob responsible. It sounds so similar to other Statham movie setups that you kind of wonder why they even need to make it a remake-- why not just plug in the elements and change a few details? Maybe they're just counting on confusing people who think it's a remake of Michael Mann's movie, so they'll show up in outrage and wind up pleasantly surprised by what is merely another Jason Statham movie.

Despite having an R rating - something that every studio in the free world is absolutely terrified by - The Expendables was one of the biggest hits of summer 2010, pulling in $274 million at the international box office on an $80 million budget. Everything we've heard about the sequel since then has suggested that every element will be bigger and better, starting with the cast, which added Chuck Norris, Jean Claude Van-Damme, Scott Adkins, Liam Hemsworth and Nan Yu to its already stacked line-up (not to mention promises of more Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger). Sadly, though, there will be some elements that won't be bigger and better: the language and the violence.

Sylvester Stallone has confirmed to AICN that The Expendables 2 has been targeting a PG-13 rating. Responding to a query from the site's owner, Stallone said

The script for the film was written by Dave Callaham and Richard Wenk with Simon West, best known for helming Con Air, taking over directing duties. The story follows the gang of mercenaries as they hunt down the person responsible for the death of Tool (Mickey Rourke). In addition to Stallone, the film brings back Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren Terry Crewes and Randy Couture.

I truly don't see the logic in this. While Stallone may say that the action is still top notch, why would they be going for a PG-13 rating in the first place? The studio made more than enough money with the first one and they stand to make even more with the sequel. So why dilute the project? This has stupidity and greed written all over it.

Sly Stallone's first Expendables movies was the definition of a boy's club. While there were some members of the fairer sex in the movie, like Giselle Itie and Charisma Carpenter, it was the men that were all of the action and violence. That will change in The Expendables 2. In the sequel, the returning cast members are joined by Chinese actress Yu Nan and she won't simply be the damsel in distress. Instead she'll be kicking ass and taking names with the rest of the gang. With the exception of the leaked poster from a while back, however, Nan has been absent from the marketing thus far, which has included both a teaser trailer and an official poster. So today is her day in the spotlight.

An Expendables 2 blog (via Twitch) has uncovered two new stills from the film that feature Nan alongside Stallone's Barney Ross. See both images below and full size over at the source.

The Expendables 2, directed by Simon West, stars Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Chuck Norris, Terry Crews, Randy Couture, Liam Hemsworth, Jean Claude Van Damme, Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger. The film arrives in theaters on August 17 and you can learn all about it over in our Blend Film Database.

Even when the first Expendables movie was coming together people were questioning why Chuck Norris wasn't involved. While Norris hasn't actually been in a movie since 2005, his career has been kept alive by the internet, with the "Chuck Norris Facts" meme becoming insanely popular and staying that way for years. Fortunately Sylvester Stallone has rectified his error from the first movie and has given a role to the action star in The Expendables 2. Now the first image of him has arrived online.

Similar to the photo featuring Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis that popped up earlier this month, the photo is posed, but filled with just as much star power. In addition to Norris, the picture includes co-stars Dolph Lundgren and Terry Crews. Check it out below or full size over on Worst Previews.

Directed by Simon West and based on a script by Ken Kaufman and David Agosto, The Expendables 2 features the team of mercenaries getting back together after the death of Tool, the character played by Mickey Rourke. The movie is set to bow on August 17, 2012.

We all know what to expect out of The Expendables 2 when it hits in about a year--high-flying action, bulging biceps of nigh immeasurable girth, and a fat sack o’ ‘splosions to keep your eyes glued to the aging, yet classic, leading men. It’ll be bigger and badder than the original according to the film’s director Simon West, taking over for Stallone, and things are well on their way.

One big change from the first film is that Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis will be getting much bigger roles this time around and Arnie has just posted a picture of himself and his good buddies from the set over in Bulgaria on his Twitter. Check it out below.

Does no one else think it’s weird that Arnold “Hasta La Vista, Baby” Schwarzenegger has a Twitter?

Anyway, the picture provides no information that we don’t already know about the film other than that it confirms that there will definitely be planes in this (no duh). The governator hasn’t aged quite as well as his counterparts, but it’s great to see him back on set a geared up to kick the shit out of some dudes again. Maybe we’ll even get a healthy NYEEEEEEAH! out of him. We can only hope.

With a combined age of 185, I’d say these guys are doing alright for themselves. The Expendables was not a great movie by any stretch of the meaning, but it knew what it was doing. It gave people who saw it exactly what they were looking for and the sequel will do more of the same, including getting these three together for something more than a chat. Even knowing The Expendables 2 will be brainless, the prospect of these three sharing battles together is impossible to not be excited about, not to mention the addition of JCVD, Chuck Norris, Liam Hemsworth, and Nicolas Cage. How can this get more awesome?

Earlier this month it was rumored that Jean-Claude Van Damme, Chuck Norris and Scott Adkins had joined the ranks of Simon West's The Expendables 2. A few days later the Van Damme and Norris roles were confirmed, but there was still a big question: is Scott Adkins in or out? Today the answer to that query has arrived.

MovieHole has learned that Adkins has indeed joined Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jet Li, Liam Hemsworth and the rest for the summer blockbuster sequel. While we don't know too much about Van Damme's role in the film (other than the fact that there will be a "big showdown" between him and Stallone), apparently it's one that requires henchmen as that's what Adkins will play. This will be far from the first time that Van Damme and Adkins have worked together, as both starred in The Sheperd: Border Patrol and Assasination Games. Both are also slated to appear in Universal Soldier: A New Dimension with fellow Expendables star Dolph Lundgren. The film is scheduled to begin shooting in Bulgaria this month.

This cast just keeps getting bigger and bigger. In the first Expendables movie Stallone was actually forced to cut entire roles just to make sure the plot made any sense. One has to imagine, however, that they've learned their lesson on this film and will have solid, important parts for its entire ensemble cast. Considering it's the director of Con Air sitting in the director's chair, one can only hope that it won't be a problem.

The Expendables 2 is set to start shooting in Bulgaria in September, and though Con Air director Simon West is set to take over the helming duties from Sylvester Stallone (who, don't worry, will still return to star), we're not sure what other giant action names will be added to the cast this time around. If you believe the CEO of NU Boyana studios David Varod, though, he's got all the juicy details as the production prepares to take over his facilities in Sofia, Bulgaria. And just like with the first film, there's a laundry list of huge names apparently ready to rip some throats and take the bullets in the name of middle-aged badassery.

Here's what Varod told Novinite, the "Sofia News Agency," about the plans for the new movie:

Of course, a lot of those names are familiar from the first film, even Schwarzenegger, whose role the first time was essentially a walk-on cameo but could easily play a bigger part this time now that he's not running the world's eighth largest economy. Van Damme was rumored back in January to be joining the squad after turning down a role in the first film, and Norris is an obvious choice to stand in this lineup of beefy 80s action stars looking for one last bit of action. The real surprise here is Travolta, no stranger to action movies exactly, but not an icon of the genre like the rest of these guys, and given his upcoming role as John Gotti in Gotti: In The Shadow Of My Father, he seems to be trying to re-up his credentials as a dramatic talent. Then again, he starred for West in the director's second movie, The General's Daughter, so maybe he's just doing a favor for an old friend while also getting the chance to watch Chuck Norris karate-kick up close and personal. I can't say I wouldn't do the same thing.

Now that Varod has spilled the beans, we may be able to get confirmation from Norris and Travolta that they are, in fact, getting on board this shoot 'em up sequel. Much as I hated the original Expendables, I admit I'm curious to dip my toe in the testosterone pool once again and see how this one turns out.

This news story is for anyone who thought these two recent flops were enough to destroy Nic Cage’s bankability. Not only is the movie star still getting work, he’s attracting prime talent to roll alongside him. Malin Akerman, of Watchmen fame, has just entered talks for Medallion. Directed by Simon West, it’ll start shooting in a few weeks down in New Orleans with or without her. Solid money bets on with her.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Medallion follows Cage as he hastily and recklessly searches for his missing daughter. She’s been abducted and left in the back of a cab. Lucky for her, her dad’s a former thief that knows his way around the underworld. Soon, Akerman’s character, another bankrobber, is on board for the frenzied search.

This sounds like a Nic Cage movie. With any luck, it’ll be his first effort in a long time that’s worthy of all that entails. We’ll see. New writer David Guggenheim penned the script. That would normally make me nervous, except another one of his efforts, Safe House, has been purchased as well. Let’s hope there’s some talent here. Cage may be able to survive a few more disasters, but eventually, he’s going to need to turn around a hit that’s not National Treasure.

Remember Red Sonja? No, I don't mean the 1985 original with Brigitte Nielsen, I'm talking about the reboot that has been in development hell for the better part of the last five years. Names like Robert Rodriguez, Brett Ratner, Doug Aarniokoski and Rose McGowan have all talked about it at some point, and we even got a teaser poster at one point. But nothing has ever actually gotten beyond the "Hey, wouldn't be a great idea if..." stage. Sadly, it looks like a project that will never die.

Empire has learned from producer Avi Lerner that not only is Red Sonja still trying to get made, but that they may have a new director and star. According to Lerner, Simon West, who directed Con Air and last month's The Mechanic, is in line to helm the project while Amber Heard is the top choice to play the lead (though she hasn't been contacted about the role just yet). Acting as though keeping the project in development hell has been the plan all along, Lerner says that they didn't want to start the new project until Marcus Nispel's Conan The Barbarian was finished, and the plan is to shoot Red Sonja some time between Conan and Conan 2.

While it does make sense to keep the Red Sonja dream alive now that Conan the Barbarian is set to be released this August, I'm going to keep my skeptical hat on. They managed to take pictures of Rose McGowan wearing chainmail, holding a sword and sitting on a pile of skulls and they still couldn't make the movie happen. Would Amber Heard be a good choice for the character? Why not (though she is only 5'8"). All the same, I'll wait until I see some set photos.

I suspect seventy percent of people rolled their eyes at hearing Simon West was all about doing a second Con Air, but honestly, fuck those haters. Besides, this news story isn’t for them. It’s for the other thirty percent that heard what was up and pumped their handcuffed-fists like champions. Con Air may very well be terrible in a lot of pronounced ways, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t simultaneously awesome. Anytime you can cram John Malkovich, Steve Buscemi, Nic Cage, Ving Rhames, Dave Chappelle, an Indian and some dude named Swamp Thing onto one plane, you have to go for it. You’d look like an idiot if you didn’t.

Now, I know what some of you are saying. What if I haven’t seen Con Air? Well, first of all, shame on you. Did you not live through the 90s? Titanic wishes it had Con Air-like cultural landmark status. Second of all, there’s an easy solution to that. Get on Netflix and pop all that badassness up to the top of your queue.

As for the thirty percent. Here’s something to hold you over. The comedy troupe Elephant Larry has put together an extremely explicit rap outlining the plot of Con Air. Honestly, I wish it had more Garland Greene, but at least Colm Meaney gets the credit he deserves. Once you get done recycling your sandals or some shit, take a look at the embed below…

Who doesn’t love hearing a good bit of news about their favorite struggling actor, Nicolas Cage? Why wouldn’t we have sympathy for someone who stars if dozens of movies a year at $20 million a piece yet is bankrupt? You can’t help but feel for the guy, right?

Well, despite seemingly insurmountable financial woes, Cage is still managing to find work, this time in Simon West’s Medallion, according to THR. West’s debut feature film was another Nic Cage opus you may have heard of called Con Air, one of the best pieces of trash cinema that’s ever been created, and hopefully it will give us some idea of what to expect from their reunion. The story follows a former thief who must search for his kidnapped daughter who has been shoved into the trunk of a Medallion cab in NY. It smells a lot like Taken but with a less-believable badass.

West recently finished up his remake of the Charles Bronson actioner The Mechanic, which stars Jason Statham, who at one point was set to play the lead for West in Medallion. The film originally had a “can be taken seriously” actor in the lead in the form of Clive Owen, but has since lost him.

I like Nic Cage, I really do, he just needs to do roles like in National Treasure or The Sorcerer’s Apprentice. Maybe he should just only work with Jon Turteltaub. Either way, we shouldn’t count Medallion out just because it stars Nic Cage, but we all know his serious face doesn’t fit very well. More on this as it nears production.