The Raid’s Iko Uwais launches his own production company with two new movies, including his directorial debut

The Raid star Iko Uwais is moving up from action star to director, as well as from director to studio head in one swift movement (not unlike his martial arts moves). The Indonesian martial arts star, whose style is a form called Silat, was recently seen in films like Expend4bles and will be in the upcoming Skyline: Warpath, with fellow action star Scott Adkins. Additionally, Uwais can be seen in the sci-fi thriller Ash, which stars Eiza Gonzalez and Aaron Paul, and it is due to release in March for a short theatrical release before streaming on Shudder.

Deadline has now reported that Uwais is unveiling the start of his own production company — Uwais Pictures. The launch of his production company will be emphasizing action films for its slate and the studio is already hitting the ground running with two movies ready for sale at the European Film Market in Berlin next month. His intention with Uwais Pictures is to replicate the success of his modestly budgeted, local-language hit films such as The Raid, The Raid: Redemption, and The Night Comes for Us.

The first movie that will come from the newly formed company will also be Uwais’ directorial debut — a film titled Timur. Uwais will additionally be the star of Timur and the plot, per Deadline, reads, “Timur is an action-thriller that follows the real-life international hostage crisis that took place in Mapenduma in 1996. The subsequent rescue operation was overseen by now-Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto.” Timur will also be the first action film co-produced out of Indonesia. The next film from the studio will be an action movie titled Ikatan Darah. This is “a local-language action film in which a former martial arts athlete must face a network of loan sharks to save her younger brother, who is trapped in online gambling debt and risking their family’s safety.”

Uwais would express his excitement as he states, “I am excited to unleash the next phase of Uwais Pictures with the release of Timur and Ikatan Darah. We are bringing a new style of action movies for audiences around the world.”

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