S. Craig Zahler’s Brawl in Cell Block 99 hits theatres in October

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

There has only been one film from writer/director S. Craig Zahler released so far, the horror Western BONE TOMAHAWK, and I'm already finding him to be one of the most exciting filmmakers working today. BONE TOMAHAWK was awesome, and Zahler is following it up by writing the PUPPET MASTER reboot PUPPET MASTER: THE LITTLEST REICH and writing and directing the prison action thriller BRAWL IN CELL BLOCK 99.

BRAWL IN CELL BLOCK 99 will be the first of those to be released, as RLJE Films has acquired the North American distribution rights and scheduled the film for a theatrical release on October 6th.

Starring Vince Vaughn, Jennifer Carpenter, Marc Blucas, Udo Kier, and Don Johnson, it has the following synopsis: 

A former boxer named Bradley loses his job as an auto mechanic, and his troubled marriage is about to expire.  At this crossroads in his life, he feels that he has no better option than to work for an old buddy as a drug courier.  This vocation improves his situation until the terrible day that he finds himself in a gunfight between a group of police officers and his own ruthless allies.  When the smoke clears, Bradley is badly hurt and thrown in prison, where his enemies force him to commit acts of violence that turn the place into a savage battleground.

Before the October release, BRAWL IN CELL BLOCK 99 will be making its world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival. Screenings at the Toronto International Film Festival and Fantastic Fest will follow soon after. BRAWL was produced by IMG Films, Jack Heller of Assemble Media, and Dallas Sonnier of Cinestate, with XYZ Films executive producing.

All I needed to hear to be sold on BRAWL IN CELL BLOCK 99 was "S. Craig Zahler", but the badass details build up the hype even more. I can't wait to watch this one.

Zahler's next film will be the rogue cop film DRAGGED ACROSS CONCRETE, which is set to star Vince Vaughn and Mel Gibson. His serial killer project BIG STONE GRID has Pierre Morel attached to direct, and an audio production of his script THE NARROW CAVES was recently released – you can get that on Amazon.