Christopher Webster [Celluloid 05.07.15] horror fantasy



Okay, this one requires a bit of a history lesson because it's been about 10 years since this film was announced. Forbidden Empire, the new fantasy film you see before you today, was originally intended to be a remake of the 1967 Russian film Viy, which was a fantasy/horror film based on the Nikolai Gogol story that takes place in early 18th century Russia.

The Russian tale is about a cartographer who undertakes a scientific journey from Europe to the East. After passing through Transylvania and crossing the Carpathian Mountains, he finds himself in a small village lost in impassible woods where the people who live there are unlike any they've seen before.

We wrote about this film back in 2008 (2008!), when the first trailer dropped. And then the project just kind of vanished. It was never released. Everyone wondered, what happened to that Russian horror film, Viy? Well, now we have our answer. The film went though extensive re-shoots and became the film you see before you today. Much more dark fantasy then horror.


Oleg Stepchenko was tasked with bringing the film now called Forbidden Empire to the screen. It stars fantasy usuals Jason Flemyng (Solomon Kane, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels) and Charles Dance (Game of Thrones).


Synopsis:
An 18th century explorer sets out on an epic journey to map the forbidden uncharted lands of Transylvania only to discover its dark secrets and dangerous creatures hidden in a cursed, fantastical forest.


eOne is releasing the film on VOD on May 22nd, 2015.





For contrast, here's the first trailer for the film from 2008. Big, big difference.



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Umberto (7 years ago) Reply

Hello friends, i'm really confused... this movie is Viy 3D? in this case the film was released January 30, 2014 in Russia. this is another trailer i have found in Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjpYvc9f-Sk in this Italian site you can find the poster and synopsis.... but always at the same site you can find the synopsis and poster Forbidden Empire completely different from the other movie!!! (http://www.widemovie.it/forbidden-empire-fantasy-movie-primo-trailer/)
I think they reassembled the film Vij turning it completely in Forbidden Empire !!!
No wonder more than anything and would not even be the first time ...

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