Good morning film fiends! I hope all my fellow UK readers are enjoying the glorious bank holiday sunshine. The last week has been a rather light on the news front,I only have the one upcoming release to report this week,the sci fi thriller ASTRO, more details of which you can read below.

For readers outside the US, I’m currently trying to pry worldwide release dates for many of the films featured in this weekly missive, rest assured I’ll feature updates as and when I get them.

Sci-fi thriller ASTRO, featuring Gary Daniels (THE EXPENDABLES), Dominique Swain (BOONE: THE BOUNTY HUNTER) and Marshal Hilton (PRIMAL RAGE), bows at Cannes in May before hitting home entertainment platforms this July.

Directed by Asif Akbar and written by Akbar and Bernard Selling, ASTRO tells of a billionaire’s private space exploration program returning to Earth with an abducted extraterrestrial from a newly discovered alien planet.

Louis Mandylor, Max Wasa, Omi Vaidya, Luke G. Crosby, Orson Chaplin, Gianni Capaldi, Spice Williams-Crosby, Courtney Akbar, Christopher Showerman and Michael Pare also star.

ASTRO receives a DVD release domestically in the U.S. and North America through eOne and ITN Distribution this July.

ASTRO is a Film Life Factory, LLC and XVIII Entertainment, LLC production. ITN Distribution is handling sales in all domestic and certain parts of the European territories with Avail Films and XVIII Entertainment handling the rest of the world-wide sales at the upcoming Cannes Film Market.

Brian Steele Medina of  alternative metal band Gemini Syndrome, composed the music and sound fx for Astro’s trailer, which also features an unreleased track “We Are the Fallen” written by the band. The film’s original score is composed by Erick Schroeder.

Asif Akbar and Bernard Selling are currently finishing the ASTRO book series based on the movie,which is due to be released on Amazon in July. “We are excited to create and introduce a new modern day science-fiction franchise to the world”, says Akbar.

On a final note –  to any aspiring independent filmmakers, podcasters or film related writers out there out there reading this, let me know if you’d like me to publicize and/or review your projects, The Stricken Land is always happy to promote new talent and ideas! And as ever, please feel free to share this post and any others on here that you like, far and wide.

Spread the Word!
Ian