Celebrating Our 20th Anniversary!
by Alex Billington
July 24, 2026
Source: YouTube
“Now you’ll face the biggest challenge of your life.” Capelight Pictures has revealed the teaser trailer for the movie Lion Fist, an action thriller from Germany by filmmaker Taim M. Adams. This is an international production filmed in English so that it has global appeal and can be watched by anyone. Martial Arts Fighter Joe goes to prison for four years and takes his wife’s blame for a drug bust. After his release, he learns that his son needs expensive surgery because of a life-threatening tumor. Joe’s only chance to save him: a brutal all-styles tournament with a $100,000 prize. After rigorous training under Grandmaster Wu, Joe enters the ring with some of the world’s strongest fighters – but not all of his opponents fight cleanly… Of course not. Starring Mathis Landwehr as the main character Joe, Keith Cooke, Gary Daniels, Kurt McKinney, Brice Akuesson, Julin Täubner, and Yanlong Li as Grandmaster Yu. Yet another MMA movie with yet another revenge plot about a guy who needs money & needs to save his family. At least the fights seem rad.
Here’s the first official trailer (+ poster) for Taim M. Adams’ action film Lion First, direct from YouTube:
Martial artist Joe (Mathis Landwehr) emerges from four years of wrongful imprisonment to devastating news: His son needs an expensive operation to survive a life-threatening tumor. With no other options left, Joe enters a brutal martial arts tournament offering $100,000 in prize money. Under Grandmaster Wu’s (Yanlong Li) intense training, he faces some of the world’s strongest fighters but discovers his opponents will do anything to win. Lion First is directed by German-Syrian filmmaker Taim M. Adams, also director of the films The Secret and A Night with the Enemy, plus a few other short films. The screenplay is written by Sean David Lowe and Keith W. Strandberg. Produced by Wayne A. Graves and Sean David Lowe. The film also has the alternate titles No Retreat, No Surrender 5: Lion Fist or Lion Fist: Battle of Champions. This hasn’t premiered at any festivals or elsewhere, as far as we know. Capelight Pictures debuts this Lion First movie direct-to-VOD in the US starting on September 15th, 2026 coming soon. Anyone want to watch?
