AFM: Jean-Claude Van Damme on His New Passion Project and Why He Won’t Be Retiring Anytime Soon
The action legend sits down with director James Cullen Bressack to discuss 'Darkness of Man', which they promise will display a side of the Muscles From Brussels that the world has never seen.

BY ALEX RITMAN

NOVEMBER 2, 2022 7:30AM

RÉGINE MAHAUX

Of all the action heroes merrily kicking the asses of bad guys in the late ’80s and early ’90s, in terms of actual fighting prowess, few came close to Jean-Claude Van Damme, a karate and kickboxing champion who turned his phenomenal martial arts skills — including a particularly impressive spin-kick — into, for a while, back-to-back box office gold.

First propelled into the action arena thanks to Cannon Films’ 1988 low-budget smash Bloodsport, Van Damme quickly cemented his iconic status as the Muscles From Brussels thanks to 1989’s iconic Kickboxer, then starred as warring twins in 1991’s Double Impact, began a long-running onscreen feud with Dolph Lundgren in Roland Emmerich’s sci-fi 1992 hit Universal Soldier, led John Woo’s U.S. debut Hard Target in 1993 and donned Guile’s beret in 1994’s Street Fighter video game adaptation. Like many ultra-ripped stars of the time, however, the hits eventually dried up and so began a period of mostly straight-to-DVD releases. But out of nowhere, Van Damme suddenly showed another side to himself in 2008’s gritty, self-reflective and personal JCVD, then began mixing things up, starring in comedies, voicing kids animations (Kung Fu Panda and, most recently, Minions: The Rise of Gru) and joined his former cohorts for The Expendables, all the while keeping the action going.

Now, at the age of 62, JCVD is set to keep the action going again in Darkness of Man, his latest project being introduced at the American Film Market by VMI Worldwide. From director James Cullen Bressack — a prolific young filmmaker whose list of action films includes Beyond the Law (starring Steven Seagal), The Fortress (starring Bruce Willis) and Hot Seat (starring Mel Gibson) — and based on an original story he devised with Van Damme, the film, to be set and shot in Los Angeles, looks poised to show yet another side to the star.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter from Thailand (where he owns a Muay Thai kickboxing ring) via Zoom, Van Damme — alongside his director Bressack — describes the “brutal” nature of the violence in Darkness of Man (he’s going to get an absolute kicking, apparently), says that, despite reports, his final action film might be some way off, explains why he’s looking forward to shooting in L.A. (clue: It’s his dogs), and reveals why you shouldn’t be alarmed if you see him stretching in an elevator.
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