Cannon Films is back!!!

In the '80s and '90s Cannon Films, headed by producers Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus, introduced us to many action stars and provided us with countless hours of entertainment. Movie fans were introduced to Chuck Norris and Michael Dudikoff. Charles Bronson became a name synonymous with Cannon Films itself. American Ninja, Death Wish, MIssing in Action were just a few titles that established themselves as notable franchises amongst genre fans. Cannon brought us Breakin', Breakin' 2 and The Forbidden Dance. Of course, they also brought us Over the Top, Superman IV and Masters of the Universe; three films that signaled the demise of the studio. It's been a long time since we last saw a film released by Cannon. Well, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Cannon Films is back.

The following was posted on the studio's official website:

CANNON HISTORY

Back in the 1980's, The Cannon Group Inc., was one of the World's biggest independent motion picture studios, obtaining various film institutions such as Thorn EMI Cinemas, Elstree Studios and the Pathe Film Library, before it was folded into MGM Studios in the mid-1990's. The studio, under the leadership of Israeli movie producer Menahem Golan, enjoyed productive relationships with movie stars such as Chuck Norris, Charles Bronson, Richard Chamberlain, Franco Nero & Sylvester Stallone. The company also attracted visionary filmmakers such as John Cassavetes, Barbet Schroeder and Andrei Konchalovsky and created some of the most distinctive films ever made. Relationships such as these, coupled with projects with broad-based commercial appeal, resulted in the production of some of the best remembered movies of the 1980's including the number 1 box office films, Invasion U.S.A and Death Wish 3.

CANNON TODAY

Cannon Films Ltd was founded in 2014 by Richard Albiston, after spending years under the guidance of the Cannon Group Inc.'s former CEO and Chairman, Menahem Golan.

Today, the company is proud to enforce the ideals of Menahem Golan, putting the artist first and enabling them to have the freedom to create their vision, their way; a unique approach that is not found anywhere else in the industry today.

Cannon Films Ltd has developed successful working relationships worldwide with companies operating in over fifteen countries. Together their mission is to produce new and original motion pictures for a 21st century audience.

Now that they're back, what cinematic goodness will they be bringing us? Here's just a few of the titles they have in the pipeline.

I seriously doubt we'll see Michael Dudikoff, Chuck Norris or Richard Chamberlain returning to their respective franchises but it's cool to see that they're going back to some of the franchises that put Cannon on the map. U.S. Sniper sounds like a Cannon film and I'm certainly intrigued by Zombi: They Live! Hopefully, this time they won't be limited by the budgetary constraints that hampered many Cannon films before it.

If you haven't already, I highly recommend checking out the documentary Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold History of Cannon Films; it's currently streaming on Netflix.

In a day where we're seeing many old franchises returning it's great to see that one of the studios known for such franchises has returned as well.