After a good start at the US box office the action movie Ninja Assassin, filmed mainly at Studio Babelsberg, opens in German theatres on December 10. Studio Babelsberg co-produced the movie and was in charge of production services. It’s director James McTeigue’s second movie in Babelsberg after V for Vendetta. The producers’ team led by Joel Silver, Grant Hill and brothers Larry and Andy Wachowski (Matrix trilogy, V for Vendetta) engaged for the action scenes world’s best stunt crews. The film stars Korean pop star Rain, as well as Naomie Harris, Ben Miles, Rick Yune and legendary martial arts performer Sho Kosugi
Ninja Assassin is part of the film slate (“Dark Castle Slate”) within the strategic alliance formed last year by Studio Babelsberg and Hollywood producer Joel Silver.
“The partnership with Joel Silver, including participation in the profits from the slate of Dark Castle films, was an important step for Studio Babelsberg. It will ensure a good workload for our studio in the next years.
Carl Woebcken,
CEO Studio Babelsberg,
Co-producer
Carl Woebcken, CEO Studio Babelsberg and co-producer: “The partnership with Joel Silver, including participation in the profits from the slate of Dark Castle films, was an important step for Studio Babelsberg. It will ensure a good workload for our studio in the next years. After Ninja Assassin, another film from this slate, Unknown White Male starring Liam Neeson and Diane Kruger, will start shooting in January 2010."
Ninja Assassin was shot mainly on location in Berlin and at Studio Babelsberg. According to the designs of the American production designer Graham „Grace“ Walker Studio Babelsberg’s Art Department built impressive film sets at four stages and various backlots: a Japanese orphanage, a Ninja village and a temple complex, where spectacular stunt and action sequences were shot.
Michael Düwel, Managing Director Art Department Studio Babelsberg: “We succeeded in meeting the expectations of the director and the set designer, even if the needs were specific to the ninja genre, quite new to Babelsberg. We created a very special look and this effect is also due to an excellent team play with costume and props department.”
Synopsis:
Raizo is one of the deadliest assassins in the world. Taken from the streets as a child, he was transformed into a trained killer by the Ozun Clan, a secret society whose very existence is considered a myth. But haunted by the merciless execution of his friend by the Clan, Raizo breaks free and vanishes to plan his revenge. Europol agent Mika also becomes a target for the Ozunu Clan. Together with Raizo they get entangled in a deadly game of cat and mouse through the streets of Berlin.
