Bill Paxton may seem like an odd choice to direct a big screen take on cult favorite 1970s TV series, Kung Fu, but really he may have more cred than you would think. Not only has he been a part of three of the most popular franchises ever in The Terminator, Aliens, and Predator 2, but he's also proven to be a fairly successful filmmaker with the 2002 psycho thriller Frailty, and the far superior sports drama The Greatest Game Ever Played.
Based on a script by John McLaughlin(Black Swan), the film will follow a similar track as the show most memorable for David Carradine's performance as Shaolin monk Kwai Caine, who travels the American west armed with only his martial arts prowess and spiritual training. The show ran from 1972-1975, spawning a television movie and three follow-up series featuring Carradine. Kung Fu has proven to be one of the most beloved shows in history and has spawned many imitators, but also plenty of homages from current filmmakers. Quentin Tarantino definitely incorporated a healthy dose of it in his Kill Bill movies, which featured Carradine as the principle baddie in a Kung Fu-esque performance.
Legendary Pictures is putting this one together, with plans for the film to be shot partially in China next summer. [Deadline]
