Sinbad and the Minotaur (2011)

In one of the latest incarnations of Sinbad as action hero/martial arts expert we have the Australian film Sinbad and the Minotaur set to be released in 2011, not sure how widely.

I'm interested in these recreations of Nights tales particularly Sinbad because there are so many and because Sinbad has been remade so often into a muscular fighting swashbuckling hero and not the original sort of passive adventurer.

This film goes overboard in its scope and reels in some Greek mythology (why not! - some speculate Sinbad is a retelling of The Odyssey anyway) as well as martial arts.

From the article here: http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2010/02/09/186605_gold-coast-news.html

"The action-fantasy film follows Sinbad and his shipmates as they battle against the vicious minotaur of Greek mythology, a 3 1/2m tall hybrid of man and bull which stalks a labyrinth on the isle of Minos."

and

"Australian actor Manu Bennett, whose past credits include 30 Days of Night and Lantana, plays Sinbad.

The film's action involves sword fighting and stunt work for Bennett, who rumbled with professional wrestlers John Cena and 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin in the Queensland-shot films The Marine and The Condemned.

"The idea is that Sinbad, as a sailor, will have picked up bits and pieces of different fighting styles in his travels," said Bennett yesterday.

"There's so much action in the script it's going to be a very physical shoot.

"We're all expecting to cop a few knocks along the way but that's all part of the fun."

Bennett said he spent pre-production time mastering Sinbad's unique fighting style, which was designed specifically for the film and draws on a mix of Chinese sword choreography, stick fighting, European rapier and bar-room brawling."