Hong Kong-based Act3 and Manila-based BlackOps Studios Asia have announced the first major collaboration under their newly formalized partnership, the historical action drama “A Thread of Steel,” set to star Kimira and be directed by Pedring Lopez.
The deal took place at Filmart Hong Kong, where the two companies’ previous collaboration, “Shadow Transit,” attracted strong interest from overseas buyers and industry partners during market review. This response set the stage for a deeper partnership that is currently underway. APL Films, which handles global sales and distribution for “Shadow Transit,” has begun selling the title to buyers around the world.
“A Thread of Steel” will be filmed at Hengdian World Film Studio in China. The film is grounded in historical context, weaving together action, drama, and a character-focused narrative, and the companies aim to deliver an international-scale production built on distinctive Asian storytelling.
“This project represents the true beginning of our long-term creative vision,” Act3’s Leslie Lo said in a statement. “‘A Thread of Steel’ is exactly the kind of cinematic storytelling we want to champion: ambitious in scope, emotionally grounded, and designed for audiences around the world.”
Lopez, who founded BlackOps Studios Asia and has built a reputation for visceral genre filmmaking, said FilMart’s reception for “Shadow Transit” validated the direction both companies are pursuing. “With A Thread of Steel, we expand on that vision into something even more cinematic, combining historical scope, action and strong character storytelling,” he said.
Beyond the core titles, the partnership is developing a wide range of genre features targeting both international theatrical and streaming markets, with further announcements expected in the coming months.
