Jean-Claude Van Damme Returning for KICKBOXER Reboot, Plus Poster
The Kickboxer movie reboot is still moving forward and we have a bit of good news and bad news. Let's start off with the good: Jean-Claude Van Damme is set to return to the franchise! The bad news: Thai martial arts star Tony Jaa (Ong Bak, Furious 7) had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts. Van Damme is taking Jaa's place, and in this version of the story Van Damme is the master, not the student. He will play an updated version of the original film’s Master Chow.
The actor joins Alain Moussi (X-Men: Days of Future Past), Scott Adkins (The Bourne Ultimatum), Dave Bautista (Guardians of the Galaxy), and George St. Pierre (Captain America: The Winter Soldier).
The reboot is being directed by Stephen Fung, who is known for films such as Tai Chi Zero and Tai Chi Hero. The story follows Kurt Sloan (Moussi), "a talented martial artist who travels to Thailand where he must learn the secrets of the kickboxer to avenge his brother's death at the hands of Tong Po (Bautista)."
Producer Ted Field of Radar Films had this to say in a statement:
"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."
I think it's cool that Van Damme will be in the film, but it would have been a lot cooler had he reprised his role from the original film. Regardless, the movie has a pretty kick-ass cast, and I'm curious to see how it turns out.
Source: THR