As a film enthusiast, I find myself deeply inspired by the journey of stuntman-turned-director, Michael J. Wolf. His life story is a testament to perseverance and the power of following one’s dreams, even when faced with seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
He’s had physical encounters with Ryan Reynolds (where he was the victor) and suffered severe beatings at the hands of Ryan Gosling. He’s sparred with action stars such as Dwayne Johnson, Jet Li, Jean Claude-Van Damme, and Jackie Chan.
After spending several decades working in the film industry as a stuntman on movies such as Green Lantern, Drive, and Punisher: War Zone, Jeff Wolfe has finally achieved his long-held ambition of directing his own movie. The zombie drama Outbreak will be released in select cinemas this Friday.
In this movie, Billy Burke plays a park ranger who is mourning the disappearance of his teenage son. When a strange epidemic endangers his small town, the story unfolds. Contrary to typical zombie films, it offers more than just action and fright. It delves into the emotional turmoil of its characters, particularly the protagonist’s grief, and presents an intriguing mystery that keeps viewers guessing.
As a passionate admirer, I’ve been pouring my heart and soul into ensuring that “Outbreak” makes a significant impact. That’s why I spent the past week distributing flyers across Santa Monica, near the Laemmle Monica Film Center, one of only five theaters nationwide showing this movie. In the spirit of going all out, I believe if you aim for the home run, you can’t afford to stop at 90%. I’m giving it my all because every little effort counts.
He financed about half of the project with his wife, Outbreak producer Jennifer Wolfe, and raised the rest from friends and other contacts. He says the feature cost “well under $1 million,” but it looks far more expensive thanks to Wolfe calling in every favor he could.
He knows Outbreak is his one shot of making a movie that way.
Wolfe, as the president of the Stuntmen’s Association of Motion Pictures, advises against being the person who asks, ‘I’m doing another project! Can you help me out for free or at a low cost?’
As a dedicated admirer, I must say it was an absolute pleasure to lend a hand for the production of “Outbreak.” My friends and I were more than willing to jump on board, not just because we wanted to assist Wolfe, but also due to the lack of other engaging opportunities at the time. The film was shot under a SAG-AFTRA temporary agreement for an impressive 19 days around Los Angeles, during last year’s labor strikes.
During this pause in the field, Wolfe managed to recruit talent like Eddie Yang, who crafted the Iron Man suit for the 2008 film and designed Catwoman’s mask in The Dark Knight Rises; Bart Mixon, head of makeup known for Guardians of the Galaxy and Avengers: Endgame; along with YANNIX, the VFX studio that worked on Deadpool & Wolverine and Twisters.
In the early ’90s, the filmmaker moved to Los Angeles, proposing to instruct jujitsu at a martial arts academy in return for accommodation.
He landed a role in Bloodsport II: The Next Kumite (1996), and a few years later he was tussling with Johnson as the double for Steven Brand’s antagonist in Scorpion King (2000).
standing at six feet, three inches tall, I rarely shared the screen with fellow actors. Instead, I often portrayed villains and then endured physical altercations as a stunt performer, explains Wolfe. He viewed himself not simply as a stuntman but as an actor capable of performing stunts as well.
2010 marked the year when Wolf filmed his most iconic scene. This took place during the intense elevator fight with Gosling in Drive – a part that necessitated Wolf to have a mold made of his head, so that Gosling could deliver a kick. (It’s interesting to note that on one occasion, he was out with a well-known rock star friend, and someone recognized Wolf from Drive, while the musician remained unrecognized, which they both found amusing.)
That very same year, not only did Wolfe produce the film “Drive”, but he also experienced one of the most severe injuries in his career during the filming of “Green Lantern”. In this movie, he portrayed Bob Banks, a character who opposed Ryan Reynolds’ character, Hal Jordan.
In one part of the scene, Bob Banks and his companions surprise Hal Jordan. As the emerging superhero, Hal Jordan employs his Green Lantern ring to create a massive fist, which sends his adversaries flying into different vehicles. In the sequence, Wolf was hurled 25 feet onto the truck’s back, utilizing a wire. They executed this stunt twice for safety. All went well until midnight, when they paused for dinner. Upon resuming, Wolf was asked to perform an effortless pickup shot, involving a jump over the truck cab and into its bed.
It seems everything was fine, but there was a slight hitch. Apparently, no one realized it was raining during the lunch break. Consequently, when Wolfe attempted to jump, he lost his footing on the wet surface and collided with the rear of the truck.
Wolfe remarks that he had to sit up, and his shoulder dropped around six inches below the normal position,” says Wolfe. “Even now, it’s quite distressing to rewatch this event.
A few years passed, and Wolfe developed a passion for directing while working on the 2012 series “Revolution,” created by JJ Abrams and “The Boys” creator Erik Kripke. During the production of the pilot, he was elevated to the role of second unit director, sharing this position with future co-star from “Outbreak,” Burke. The pilot was directed by Jon Favreau.
Towards the finale, Wolf devised a significant series of scenes, and Favreau motivated him to oversee that sequence personally. With newfound confidence, Wolf subsequently expressed interest in directing an entire episode. Warner Bros., the producer, consented, but unfortunately, the show didn’t continue long enough for him to take on that role. (Wolf received an Emmy for his stunt coordination work on Revolution.)
For approximately eight years, Wolfe found himself pondering over two questions: “Alright, I think I can manage this. Yet, where will the funds originate? What will be the source of the script?” he would often wonder.
In the end, they chose to bankroll a movie themselves, settling on “Outbreak,” a script co-written by Erik Aude, Lance Ochsner, and Wolfe. The Wolfes then produced this film through their company, WolfePride Productions, alongside Kevin Matossian.
In my gaming world, when it was time to create “Outbreak”, I reached out to my reliable partners, among them being the talented Ray Stevenson, who graciously agreed to lend his acting skills to our venture.
Wolfe formed a strong connection with Stevenson when he stood in for him as the Punisher in the 2008 film “Punisher: War Zone.” Stevenson explained to him, “You and I are both the Punisher. I am the voice, and you are the physical embodiment,” according to Wolfe, who had also substituted for him on other projects like “The Book of Eli.
Eventually, Stevenson didn’t appear in the movie “Outbreak”, as he secured a part in the film “Cassino in Ischia” instead and had to decline. Tragically, Stevenson passed away unexpectedly in May 2023 during the early stages of “Cassino” production, following an illness.
In his office, Wolfe continues to display a towering poster of Stevenson from “War Zone,” often gesturing towards it and remarking, “It seems like he’s my guardian angel, always by my side.
The movie “Outbreak” from Vertical Entertainment has hit theaters and VOD, and Wolfe intends to travel to Atlanta to publicize the film as well. He believes that word-of-mouth recommendations will help the film become available in more theaters, and he emphasizes that while it’s great for people to watch it at home, experiencing it in a theater setting is even more enjoyable. (Here’s a list of participating theaters.)
He’s optimistic that the success of “Outbreak” might help him acquire studio funding for his next film, emulating the path taken by directors like Chad Stahelski and David Leitch from “John Wick,” Sam Hargrave from “Extraction,” and JJ Perry from “Killer’s Game,” who are all former stuntmen.
Says Wolfe: “Maybe I can broaden the scope of what creatives and studios think we can do.”
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2024-12-13 21:26