Jean-Claude Van Damme Signs on For KICKBOXER: RETALIATION
Jean-Claude Van Damme is set to return to the Kickboxer franchise in the upcoming film Kickboxer: Retaliation, which is the sequel to Kickboxer: Vengeance, which hasn't even been released yet. He will join Mike Tyson, who was cast in the film last month.
Van Damme signed his contract live on video on his official Facebook page earlier this week. Dimitri Logothetis, who directed Stephen King’s Sleepwalkers and holds two black belts, is the writer and producer of Kickboxer: Vengeance and he is directing this sequel. He says, “JC brings his charisma and martial arts talents to ‘Kickboxer’ as no other actor can.”
The story centers on the character Kurt Sloane played here by Alain Moussi, who is “brought back forcibly to Thailand to fend for his life against a new formidable foe, portrayed by Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, who plays The Mountain on Game of Thrones.”
Tyson is set to play a “tough convict forced into a world of fighting behind bars.” Van Damme will be reprising his role of Master Durand. The sequel starts shooting in Thailand next week.
Kickboxer: Vengeance, which is set to be released in September, was directed by John Stockwell and stars Moussi, Van Damme, Dave Bautista, Gina Carano, Georges St-Pierre, and Darren Shahlavi.
I hope these upcoming new Kickboxer films are good! I liked the original 1989 film and it'd be awesome if the rebooted franchise actually kicks ass.