One of the best and still somehow most underrated action stars in the business, Michael Jai White, continues to find some well-deserved success on streaming thanks to this ‘90s action movie throwback. Forcing The Dark Knight and Spawn star into a Die Hard-esque scenario, the action outing is now fighting its way up the streaming charts as White demonstrates once again why he’s so popular with those in the know.
Released in 2020, Welcome to Sudden Death is directed by Dallas Jackson, and finds Michael Jai White in the classic action hero role of an ex-Special Forces officer who must fight to the death to rescue hostages after a basketball arena is taken over by terrorists. Yippee Ki‐Yay. The rest of the cast includes Gary Owen (Ride Along), Michael Eklund (Altered Carbon, Locked), and Marrese Crump (Black Panther, Warrior King 2).
The reason Welcome to Sudden Death feels so 1990s is because it kind of is. The action movie is, in fact, a remake of Jean-Claude Van Damme’s underrated 1995 action classic, Sudden Death, which similarly finds the “Muscles from Brussels” saving a crowd of ice hockey fans. With a change of hero and sport, Welcome to Sudden Death could just be the action throwback you’re looking for, with reactions hailing the return to “the Die Hard scenario” with the “badass” Michael Jai White. Welcome to Sudden Death is currently ranked #4 on 
STARZ alongside the likes of Looper, Shadow Force, Flight Risk, Ballerina, and more, and you can check out the synopsis below…
“At a basketball game, an ex-Special Forces officer must face a group of tech-savvy hostiles when a team owner and his daughter are taken hostage.”
Michael Jai White is Dominating Starz Right Now
After years upon years of displaying his particular set of skills, Michael Jai White has landed not one, but two knockout punches on Starz. Alongside Welcome to Sudden Death, the actor and martial artist can also be seen bringing the pain in this year’s John Wick-meets-Crank genre mash-up action comedy, Hostile Takeover, which is currently #2 on Starz.
Released earlier this year, Hostile Takeover is directed by Michael Hamilton-Wright from a script he co-wrote with Buron L. Warner, and stars Dawn Olivieri, Aimee Stolte, and Aleks Paunovic, alongside White. Described as a “hyper-stylized, kinetic thrill ride full of savage action, mystery and humor,” Hostile Takeover follows White as an elite assassin who attends a “Workaholics Anonymous” meeting after struggling over the morals of his profession. Unfortunately, a powerful crime syndicate gets wind of this meeting and, growing suspicious that he’ll turn on them, decide to kill the expert killer. Big mistake.
Michael Jai White is next due to hunt down fellow action movie icon Dolph Lundgren in Exit Protocol, which follows a notorious hitman who, after making a career killing other assassins, wants out. But walking away is not an option. Now marked for death, he unexpectedly finds himself partnering with a former target to outrun his boss.
- Release Date
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September 29, 2020
- Runtime
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80 minutes
- Director
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Dallas Jackson
- Writers
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Gene Quintano, Dallas Jackson
- Producers
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Griff Furst