David Leitch Says Kung Fu Reboot with Donnie Yen Is in Development



David Leitch Says Kung Fu Reboot with Donnie Yen Is in Development

Summary

  • The
    Kung Fu
    film adaptation starring Donnie Yen is “in development,” according to filmmaker David Leitch.
  • The big-screen adaptation will see Yen taking on the role of Kwai Chang Caine, who was first brought to life by David Carradine on the 1970s television series,
    Kung Fu.
  • Leitch hints at the potential possibility of his modern-day
    Kung Fu
    being shot in IMAX.

Kwai Chang Caine’s return in the previously announced Kung Fu film adaptation is “in development,” according to filmmaker David Leitch. Leitch is busily promoting the upcoming release of his newest film, The Fall Guy, which stars Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt. And while speaking with Steve Weintraub at the SXSW film festival, Leitch revealed that “we’re making” the Donnie Yen-led Kung Fu film “happen.” Leitch said in an interview with Collider:

“I’m obviously really passionate about both those things. And you know, kung fu, martial arts is a huge part of my life, has been since I was a kid. I’m a huge fan of Donnie and his work and his films. And so the potential of that is really, really interesting. We’re in the development phase with Donnie, and it’s really exciting, and it just feels like a big international franchise potential with Donnie as Caine. So, I’m really excited about it, but again, it’s in development and we’re making it happen.”

Kung Fu

Release Date October 14, 1972

Seasons 3

Back in January, it was announced that Leitch would direct the upcoming reimagining of the 1970s television series, which starred David Carradine as Caine. Yen will take up the role of the skilled martial artist and Shaolin monk, who was originally developed by none other than the late Bruce Lee. But fate took a hand, and Lee never got the opportunity to play the character his Kung Fu concept gave birth to.

The Controversy and the Possibilities of Kung Fu

Originally developed as a TV show that took place in the Old West, The Warrior was initially developed by Bruce Lee and Fred Weintraub, who would go on to produce Lee’s crowning achievement in film, Enter the Dragon (1973). Unfortunately, according to writer and Lee biographer John Little, the martial arts star never really had a chance of being cast as Caine. The casting controversy swirling around the famed martial artist and Kung Fu was corroborated by Lee’s widow, Linda Lee Cadwell, in her memoirs.

The show was eventually greenlit and then released in 1972 with David Carradine playing the lead role that was envisioned by Lee. Feeling slighted, Lee focused on his partnership with Raymond Chow and The Way of the Dragon (1972), which pitted Lee against none other than Chuck Norris.

Over the years, the original three seasons of Kung Fu paved the way for more installments in what started showing signs of a growing martial arts franchise. In 1986, Carradine reprised the role of Caine in the made-for-TV Kung Fu: The Movie. But in 1987, the controversy which once plagued Bruce Lee seemed to come full circle as the late martial artist’s real-life son, Brandon Lee, portrayed Johnny Caine in Kung Fu: The Next Generation. Unfortunately, the TV pilot was never picked up, but it did air via the CBS Summer Playhouse. And for four seasons from 1993-1997, Carradine reprised the role of Caine once more in Kung Fu: The Legend Continues.

Related The Best Martial Arts Movies of All Time, Ranked From Bruce Lee to Jet Li and Jackie Chan to Michelle Yeoh, these are the best martial arts movies of all time, ranked.

However, Leitch’s modern-day Kung Fu would certainly have a supreme advantage over its predecessors thanks to movie theaters’ premium formats like IMAX, 4K, Dolby and AMC’s PRIME. And when Leitch was asked about the possibility of Donnie Yen’s untitled Kung Fu movie being shot in IMAX 70mm, the filmmaker said in the same interview with Collider:

“The palette of that world [and] the epic landscapes and the things that really lend themselves to IMAX are all sort of embedded in the world of Kung Fu from the original. And so that’s something that’s been sort of percolating in our heads. I’m not gonna commit to the IMAX cameras just yet, but it would be an honor always to use them because the format is amazing, and 70 millimeter is amazing. Haven’t had that opportunity yet.”

At the time of this writing, the untitled
Kung Fu
project has not received an official release date.

You can view the original article HERE.

N.Y. Assemblyman Introduces ‘Peanut’s Law,’ Says Investigation Request Ignored
N.Y. Assemblyman Introduces ‘Peanut’s Law,’ Says Investigation Request Ignored
‘B.M.F.’ Big Meech Gets Porcelain Veneers After Prison Bid
‘B.M.F.’ Big Meech Gets Porcelain Veneers After Prison Bid
How TV news anchors gear up for election night
How TV news anchors gear up for election night
NBA Reopens Jaxson Hayes Investigation After TMZ Video of 2021 Incident
NBA Reopens Jaxson Hayes Investigation After TMZ Video of 2021 Incident
Nothing Left to Prove: Quincy Jones (1933-2024) | Tributes
Nothing Left to Prove: Quincy Jones (1933-2024) | Tributes
Daryl Dixon – The Book of Carol Ending, Explained
Daryl Dixon – The Book of Carol Ending, Explained
Every TV Series Coming to Major Streaming Services in November 2024
Every TV Series Coming to Major Streaming Services in November 2024
The Unloved, Part 131: Dark City | MZS
The Unloved, Part 131: Dark City | MZS
I was crying at a certain point because I felt that I had hurt him
I was crying at a certain point because I felt that I had hurt him
Gina Zollman To Perform Her Show “ORI gina LS” At The Arthur Newman Theatre, Palm Desert, CA, Sunday 11/24/24
Gina Zollman To Perform Her Show “ORI gina LS” At The Arthur Newman Theatre, Palm Desert, CA, Sunday 11/24/24
Iggy Pop announces “landmark” 2025 London and Glasgow shows
Iggy Pop announces “landmark” 2025 London and Glasgow shows
Watch Fontaines D.C. sing Antonio Vega’s ‘Tesoros’ in Spanish in Madrid
Watch Fontaines D.C. sing Antonio Vega’s ‘Tesoros’ in Spanish in Madrid
The 3 Biggest Scandals in Sports History
The 3 Biggest Scandals in Sports History
Kiss918 on the Edge: Pushing the Boundaries of Digital Casino Innovation
Kiss918 on the Edge: Pushing the Boundaries of Digital Casino Innovation
Patriots’ Maye clears concussion protocol, will play vs. Titans
Patriots’ Maye clears concussion protocol, will play vs. Titans
Silver: NBA looking at ‘other formats’ for 2025 ASG
Silver: NBA looking at ‘other formats’ for 2025 ASG
The End Trailer Arrives for 2024’s Most Audacious Film
The End Trailer Arrives for 2024’s Most Audacious Film
Taylor Sheridan is Correct: Critics Have Become Irrelevant
Taylor Sheridan is Correct: Critics Have Become Irrelevant
Silence of the Lambs Influenced Daisy Ridley’s New Movie Magpie
Silence of the Lambs Influenced Daisy Ridley’s New Movie Magpie
Emilia Clarke’s ‘The Night Before Christmas in Wonderland’ Gets Release Date
Emilia Clarke’s ‘The Night Before Christmas in Wonderland’ Gets Release Date
Banana Republic’s Holiday Campaign, Burberry’s Stock Rises
Banana Republic’s Holiday Campaign, Burberry’s Stock Rises
The Best-Dressed Stars at LACMA Art + Film Gala 2024
The Best-Dressed Stars at LACMA Art + Film Gala 2024
Beauty Made In Italy Brings A Big Crowd To The West Hollywood EDITION Hotel
Beauty Made In Italy Brings A Big Crowd To The West Hollywood EDITION Hotel
The Best-Dressed Stars At The 2024 WSJ Innovator Awards
The Best-Dressed Stars At The 2024 WSJ Innovator Awards