Ashley Hillard chats to actor (and musician) Rain and director James McTiegue ("V for Vendetta") about the action-packed "Ninja Assassin".

So martial arts movies... are you a big fan of them?

Rain: Yeah, when I was young I watched a lot of Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee movies - they are my heroes.

James McTiegue : For me, there's a great old Ninja movie called Shinobi that - while it does feature martial-arts, it doesn't include as much as say God of Cookery or something like that - is probably my favourite. I also like the classics, like Enter the Dragon, as well as some of the stuff Stephen Chow does. So yeah, there's quite a few.

What was the training and prep like?

Rain: I have so many weapons, don't I? [Laughs] - Sword, Chain, Rope... you name it.

That's impressive

James McTiegue : Yeah, he trained a lot. To get into physical shape he trained every day, for many long hours, and then he learnt a series of different martial arts disciplines - just to do the choreography. And he did it great. All I had to do was get my head shaved - that was my training [Laughs].

Did you use a stunt double?

Rain : Ninety percent of it was me.

James McTiegue : Even a little higher - he did a lot. Even him running and leaping in the safe house - that's him, just with a safety wire attached to him so he didn't fall to the floor.

You worked with the same stunt people from ‘'Matrix'' or "[V for] Vendetta"?

James McTiegue : Yeah... yep. Chad Stahelski and David Leitch come from this company called 8711 -they did 300, they were stunt performers in The Matrix, they come onto V for Vendetta as the stunt co-ordinators, and on this they were the stunt choreographers, stunt co-ordinators and second-unit directors. They're a great team - and they work well together.

Do you get chased around back home, Rain?

Rain: Of course, Of course [Laughs]

James McTiegue : Are you looking forward to the Paparazzi here?

Rain : I can only do my best, and hopefully Americans will love me too.

Hopefully you won't get stalked after this one!

James McTiegue : He's a got a few martial-arts movies he can protect himself with [Laughs]

So what upcoming projects do you have?

James McTiegue : I've just been to Europe scouting locations on The Raven - and I'm in the middle of casting that. And I know Rain has some projects on the go, too. Hopefully we will be doing something else together soon.

Tell us a bit about ‘'The Raven''. Is it an actioner?

James McTiegue : It has a pulp feel, but it has some great set action sequences in it. But it also has great narrative and characterization in it.

Like ‘'V for Vendetta''?

James McTiegue : Yeah, it's more back in that style again.

What about a "Ninja Assassin II"?

James McTiegue : I hope so - knock on wood; guess we'll see how the first one goes.