While Jean Claude Van Damme had a ton of notable films in the '80s, the two he's best known for are Bloodsport and Kickboxer. They aren't all that different in that JCVD wasn't asked to do much perform the occasional split kick, but still they hold a place in many fans' hearts, including my own. Around the same time James McTeigue's Bloodsport remake began to take shape, word also came that Stephen Fung (Tai Chi Zero) was set to bring Kickboxer back to theaters, and now we know who will be starring in it.
Guardians of the Galaxy star and current WWE superstar Dave Bautista will team with another Marvel-ite, Captain America: The Winter Soldier's Georges St-Pierre. St-Pierre played Batroc in the Captain America sequel, but the current welterweight UFC champ won't be in the lead for Kickboxer. That role will go to newcomer Alain Moussi, a stunt man who has done work in X-men: Days of Future Past, Immortals, and more.
Jim McGrath and Dimitri Logothetis co-wrote the screenplay which isn't straying too far from the original film, which centered on a muay thai expert heading to Thailand to avenge the death of his brother at the hands of brutal fighter, Tong Po. It would make the most sense for Bautista to play the new bad guy, with St-Pierre possibly as the deceased brother.
Here's the remake's synopsis followed by my favorite Kickboxer clip. The film will be sold at Cannes
David and Kurt Sloan are the descendants of a well-known Venice, California dynasty of champions. Both are top-notch fighters and athletes in the prime of their lives. When David wins the Karate World Championship, a promoter lures him to Hong Kong despite Kurt's protests that the man is a crook. Not soon after, Kurt receives a letter from David and heads to Thailand to meet him. When he arrives, he discovers his brother is dead. The man responsible is the viscous Tong Po. Desperate to seek revenge, Kurt turns to Xian Chow, his brother's former mentor. To defeat the man who killed his brother, Kurt must look within himself to find the strength and courage of a champion.
