Kickboxer: Vengeance (Kickboxer remake)

[@PLUGO]

According to DEADLINE Radar Pictures (The Last Samurai, Rid****) has a new vision for Van Damme’s 1989 Kickboxer. With Stephen Fung of TAI CHI ZERO and TAI CHI HERO fame.

I think the AV CLUB said it best . . .

Barely a day after it was announced that James McTeigue plans to remake Bloodsport, sort of, now Deadline reveals that similar plans are in the works to remake Jean-Claude Van Damme’s Kickboxer, as well as basically that entire summer in junior high you spent just hanging out riding bikes and watching HBO at your friend Brent’s house.

[Brule]

Some info on Kickboxer...

http://www.sportsnet.ca/mma/ufc/gsp-...sic-kickboxer/

[GeneChing]

I poached this off of the Bloodsport redux thread. It certainly deserves it's own independent thread now.

Scott Adkins, Tony Jaa Join WWE Star Dave Bautista in 'Kickboxer'
2:59 PM PST 08/05/2014 by Pamela McClintock


AP Images/Invision
Scott Adkins
UPDATED: Ted Fields is producing the 3D remake of the 1989 cult classic.

Martial artists Tony Jaa and Scott Adkins have joined the cast of Kickboxer, a 3D remake of the 1989 cult classic. They'll star opposite martial artist Alain Moussi, WWE hero Dave Bautista and UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre, who were previously announced.

Moussi is playing the lead in the movie, which will feature more than 20 martial arts disciplines.

Producer Ted Field of Radar Pictures and Brian O'Shea's The Exchange announced the remake earlier this year. Field has been plotting the remake for more than a year, signing Hong Kong filmmaker Stephen Fung to direct. Fung's credits include the wildly popular Chinese martial arts movies Tai Chi Zero (2012) and Tai Chi Hero (2012).

Kickboxer tells the story of David and Kurt Sloan, the descendants of a well-known Venice, California, fighting dynasty. When David wins the Karate World Championship, a promoter lures him to Hong Kong, despite his brother's protestations that the man is a crook. When Kurt travels to Thailand to meet his brother, he discovers he has died and seeks his revenge.

The 1989 film, directed by Mark DiSalle, starred Jean-Claude Van Damme and world kickboxing champion Dennis Alexio.

Bautista is in theaters in Guardians of the Galaxy, while Moussi has worked in several Hollywood event films, including this summer's X-Men: Days of Future Past. Adkins' film credits include The Bourne Ultimatum and The Expendables 2.

"Kickboxer will display a style of acrobatic, rapid-fire martial arts action that Scott Adkins is increasingly becoming synonymous with," O'Shea said. "Along with Tony Jaa, Kickboxer has compiled a talented cast to push the boundaries of the martial arts form."

Dimitri Logothetis and Nick Celozzi are producing the remake alongside Field. Mike Weber and Peter Meyer will executive produce.

Adkins and Jaa are repped by Gersh.

[GeneChing]

I had heard rumors that Jaa was out. Not sure about Adkins now as he is not listed here.

Jean-Claude Van Damme to Return for Kickboxer Reboot!
By Silas Lesnick ON
December 1, 2014

There’s good news and bad news today for Kickboxer fans. Unfortunately, previously-announced star Tony Jaa (Ong Bak, Furious 7) has dropped out of the upcoming reboot. Replacing him, however, is none other than original Kickboxer star Jean-Claude Van Damme! JCVD will play an updated version of the original film’s Master Chow.

Directed by Stephen Fung (Tai Chi Zero, Tai Chi Hero), the new Kickboxer follows Eric and Kurt Sloan, descendants of a well-known Venice, California-based family of martial artists. Kurt has always been in older brother, Eric’s shadow, as he lacks the instincts needed to become a champion. But when Kurt witnesses the merciless murder of his brother at the hands of Muay Thai champion Tong Po, he vows revenge. He trains with his brother’s mentor, Xian Chow, for a Muay Thai fight to the death with Tong Po. Chow first thinks Kurt impossible to train, but through a series of spiritual exercises and tests, Chow discovers that Kurt has a deeper strength that will carry him through his final showdown with Tong Po.

Also set to star Alain Moussi (X-Men: Days of Future Past, Dave Bautista (Guardians of the Galaxy) and George St. Pierre (Captain America: The Winter Soldier), Kickboxer is produced by Ted Field of Radar Films, Dimitri Logthetis and Nick Celozzi. Mike Weber and Peter Meyer are executive producing.

“We are so excited to have ‘Kickboxer’ roll into production and to have JCVD in the role of Master Chow, passing the torch to Alain, to have him lead the franchise to a new generation ” said Field. “Audiences better get ready for this incredible reboot. The action is going to be non-stop with never-before seen stunts. Simply put, ‘Kickboxer’ will kick-ass!”

The remake of the 1989 cult classic, Kickboxer started production this week. The film is shooting in New Orleans, Louisiana and Thailand.

We’ve also got our hands on an advance poster for the Kickboxer, which you can check out below:

[GeneChing]

So am I.

Gina Carano Joins Kickboxer Reboot
By Silas Lesnick ON
December 8, 2014



On the heels of word last week announcing that Jean-Claude Van Damme is set to star, the upcoming Kickboxer remake has added Haywire star Gina Carano to its roster of fighting and acting talent. Carano will play a fight promoter in the new take on the 1989 martial arts actioner.

“It will be fun to watch Gina as the sneaky and dangerous temptress, a boa constrictor of this fighting jungle,” says Radar Films’ Ted Field. “Watch out kickboxers!”

Directed by John Stockwell (Cat Run), the new Kickboxer follows Eric and Kurt Sloan, descendants of a well-known Venice, California-based family of martial artists. Kurt has always been in older brother, Eric’s shadow, as he lacks the instincts needed to become a champion. But when Kurt witnesses the merciless murder of his brother at the hands of Muay Thai champion Tong Po, he vows revenge. He trains with his brother’s mentor, Xian Chow, for a Muay Thai fight to the death with Tong Po. Chow first thinks Kurt impossible to train, but through a series of spiritual exercises and tests, Chow discovers that Kurt has a deeper strength that will carry him through his final showdown with Tong Po.

Also set to star Alain Moussi (X-Men: Days of Future Past), Dave Bautista (Guardians of the Galaxy), George St. Pierre (Captain America: The Winter Soldier) and Sara Malakul Lane (Sharktopus), Kickboxer is produced by Field alongside Dimitri Logothetis and Nick Celozzi. Mike Weber and Peter Meyer will executive produce as well as Brian O’Shea, Nat McCormick and Jeff Bowler from The Exchange. The Exchange is selling Kickboxer worldwide.

Kickboxer is now in production. The film is shooting in New Orleans, Louisiana and Thailand.

Word is Adkins is out. So is Stephen Fung it seems.

[GeneChing]

Tuesday, December 23, 2014
NOLA 'Kickboxer' Crew Unpaid, Crew Member Says 'Producers Didn't Have The Money'



The forthcoming remake of director John Stockwell's newly titled Kickboxer: Vengeance remake is one of the most hyped about films going into the new year. Sadly, the film is not without its share of roadbumps, especially pertaining to previous unfortunate news of its casting and crewing as production didn't start until three months after its initial September date.

Now, the word is that up to 200 people and their families in New Orleans, Louisiana have been affected after 150 crew members, mostly local workers, were left unpaid, based on a new report by Katherine Sayre, lead business reporter at Nola.com | The Times Picayune. Crew members initially refused go start work on the film's last day of its New Orleans shoot on December 13 after learning their paychecks wouldn't arrive as they expected, prompting producers to intervene with the promise of payment delivery last Tuesday.

Among several people, Sayre's report also quotes New Orleans-based 39-year film industry veteran and SFX coordinator R. Michael Bisetti, who simply said "The bottom line is, they didn't have the money,". The report also cites prop master Stan Gilbert who says crew members were now forced to pay out-of-pocket to stay on good terms, even though he and other experienced crew were able to attain vendors' services without upfront payment.

The report is a bit perpetual in highlighting an unfortunate pattern involving Radar Pictures' efforts to move the film forward. Martial arts stars Scott Adkins and Tony Jaa had their own reasons for leaving the production earlier this year, aside from Tai Chi 0 and Tai Chi Hero helmer Stephen Fung, who, according to a source formally attached to the production as of a few months ago, says payment was also an issue among some of Fung's other concerns.

In lieu of this week's news pertaining to the New Orleans crew, a lawyer representing the producers of Kickboxer: Vengeance explained that the payment delay "stems from arranging a bridge loan and substitute financing for the production." The report also says check will hopefully arrive to its New Orleans crew this week, preferably before Christmas Day.

It's not easy covering this type of news on a film, especially when it comes to business dealings and the inconveniences that follow when it comes to money. Financing may have been an issue with this film for a long time now, which also explains why filming was slow to start, and I sincerly hope this production isn't marred by any more stifling news. Personally, I'd rather talk about how awesome it will be to see Moussi take on such a high caliber cast that reunites In The Blood director and star John Stockwell and Gina Carano along with Darren Shahlavi, Georges St. Pierre, T.J. Storm, Dave Bautista and superstar Jean Claude Van-Damme in a story full of intense action and drama with the proper thrills any fan of the genre can look forward to.

As things stand however, what's required here is accountability. The economy is still in a major recovery period while American families are still struggling, and the last thing anyone wants to do is to end up working for free and feeling like their labor is unaccounted for. If any lesson is to be learned here, it is that not only MUST you pay the people who work for you, but do so in a timely fashion that represents your professionalism and commitment to the work force wherever you are in the world.

My heart goes out to the crew this week, whose efforts to help make the holidays more enjoyable are now underway with a newly launched Facebook page attributed to the crew. Subscribe to the page and reach out.

Stay tuned for more info and updates.

Well, that's discouraging...