Bill Paxton Set To Direct Big Screen Version Of Kung Fu

Bill Paxton Set To Direct Big Screen Version Of Kung Fu

No, not the Marvel comics character Shang-Chi, but a movie version of the '70s Tv show which starred David Carradine and also had a comic book series. Deadline has the details..

News
By MarkCassidy - Nov 01, 2011 06:11 AM EST
Filed Under: Action
Source: Deadline

I'm sure any CBMer of a certain age, or even those wise enough to catch some re-runs, remember the Kung Fu Tv series fondly. It starred the late David Carradine as a Shaolin Monk possessed of great martial arts skills as he wanders the American wild west in search of his brother, adventure and enlightenment. It was pretty damn awesome. And now Legendary Entertainment are bringing us a big screen version with none other than Hudson himself at the helm..



Bill Paxton is in talks to direct Kung Fu, a screen adaptation of the classic 1972 TV series that starred David Carradine. Paxton, who’s coming off a run in the HBO series Big Love, gets the job after helming two solid films: Frailty and The Greatest Game Ever Played. John McLaughlin will write the script.


It will be nice to see ol Grasshopper up there on the cinema screen. Kung Fu was originally conceived as a vehicle for Bruce Lee but the studio decided to go with a "less Asian" looking actor for the lead. A less Asian, Asian character. So Carradine was chosen. The show ran for three seasons between 1972 and 1975, spawning a movie in 1986 as well as novels, comics and several spin-off series, the latest of which was Kung Fu: The Legend Continues. What do you guys make of this, and Paxton as director?



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lntrn8
lntrn8 - 11/1/2011, 7:23 AM
hope it's an asian!
SaintCrow
SaintCrow - 11/1/2011, 7:31 AM
hope its not hollywoodized. potential for a really cool international film
StrangerX
StrangerX - 11/1/2011, 7:35 AM
Bruce Lee demolishes all.
SHO1138
SHO1138 - 11/1/2011, 7:40 AM
Brandon Lee played the son of Carradine in the movie.

Paxton is a good director; was just talking about Frailty yesterday.
Hellsing
Hellsing - 11/1/2011, 7:44 AM
I've seen of re-run episodes on TV and I enjoyed it quite abit, Paxton isn't bad director at all so we'll see how this turns out though.
Unionjack
Unionjack - 11/1/2011, 8:05 AM
Show would have been a whole lot better, if they hadn't bottled it and un-cast Bruce Lee!!

I'm with Intrn8 - actor needs to be asian!!
Kayo
Kayo - 11/1/2011, 8:21 AM
i agree, Paxton is a good director
REMY1
REMY1 - 11/1/2011, 8:27 AM
Tony Jaa isnt Chinese....and the show is called "Kung Fu" not "Muy Thai".
marvel72
marvel72 - 11/1/2011, 8:44 AM
this is one of the greatest martial arts movies ever!

ip man (sorry about the music)
SWelch
SWelch - 11/1/2011, 8:45 AM
You have to understand the reasons why they didn't go with Bruce Lee.

The character Caine wasn't suppose to be full Chinese. His mother was Chinese but his father was an American. So he was actually looking for his half brother who was American.

now I'm not saying they were right for their decision but that the reason they went with Carradine.

I have all 3 seasons on DVD and it still holds up today as it did when it was aired. It was most definitly a head of it's it time for that kind of show and really a different kind of western. If it was to show up on TV today we wouldn't give a second thought.
Natetrix79
Natetrix79 - 11/1/2011, 8:48 AM
Good shit Knight3000, Russell Wong is a great martial artist he would be Awesome but there is only one man for this movie............Donnie Yen!!!! This movie needs a solid actor who's a great fighter & a little bit older, you can't have a 21 year old Shaolin Master! If anyone hasn't seen Ip Man with Donnie Yen WATCH IT!!!! That's the kind of fighting this movie needs not all the "wire-fu" stuff they like to do in America & some of the bigger budget Asian martial arts movies.
TyrannicalOverlord
TyrannicalOverlord - 11/1/2011, 9:03 AM
Paxton? Awesome.
plasticman
plasticman - 11/1/2011, 9:25 AM
I'd love to see Tony Jaa finally get a Hollywood movie, but I wouldn't be opposed to seeing Jay Chou again. He is what made Green Hornet good.
AlexDeLarge87
AlexDeLarge87 - 11/1/2011, 9:25 AM
Donnie Yen all the way.
derberg49
derberg49 - 11/1/2011, 9:43 AM
Hope that Bruce Lee's estate sees some of the royalties from this.
Bandrews1
Bandrews1 - 11/1/2011, 9:44 AM
I always wondered if they were going to ever do a film version of this, it had potential to be good. I guess we'll see what happens .
lntrn8
lntrn8 - 11/1/2011, 9:44 AM
Tony Jaa is the most phenomenal martial artist alive, in my opinion, & like many of you say . . . his specialty is muy thai, not kung fu. He was my 1st thought for a "Kung Fu" flick - then out of respect for each martial art discipline I thought "his gig ain't kung fu". I think he is talented enough to LEARN and apply kung fu in this adaptation and bring Kung Fu to a whole new level as far as his natural abilities. Yes, then Tony Jaa would be great and the best in that scenario only.

At the same time, hollywood execs can pull a dumbnutter and do the same thing they did with the Jackie Chan's flick "The Kung Fu Kid" . . . I mean "The Karate Kid" remake. Too often hollywood execs do dumb stuff.
Bandrews1
Bandrews1 - 11/1/2011, 9:45 AM
Has potential I meant to say.
Shaman
Shaman - 11/1/2011, 9:50 AM
Donnie Yen is beyond any doubt the best choice for this role.
MaddMonkk
MaddMonkk - 11/1/2011, 10:38 AM
If you guys remember Kung Fu (and I do) you'll realize there wasn't much kung fu in it. He solved problems with his......wait for it......his mind.
sneaki
sneaki - 11/1/2011, 10:44 AM
Thay didn't go with Bruce Lee because it was the 60's when Bruce Lee pitch the ideal it was about race that's way Bruce Lee didn't star get your dam facts stright
MarkCassidy
MarkCassidy - 11/1/2011, 10:52 AM
Anyone care to translate? Or did this guy just repeat what I did in the article only more stupidly?
plasticman
plasticman - 11/1/2011, 10:54 AM
Is there a stupid echo in here? Yes, Ror, I think there is.
CaptainDC
CaptainDC - 11/1/2011, 11:10 AM
Yesss! Going to be great! AMAZING idea!!!
darkshot
darkshot - 11/1/2011, 11:34 AM
i agree with marvel72 ip man is one of the best films ever! donnie yen would be perfect for this film!
MaddMonkk
MaddMonkk - 11/1/2011, 11:57 AM
Ror, sneaki is proof that most children do not read the articles and just look at the pictures (reminds me of a certain magazine i subscribe too)
Shaman
Shaman - 11/1/2011, 12:31 PM
Ip Man is definitely one of the best FILMS ever made, not only one of the best ever martial arts films either.
headlopper
headlopper - 11/1/2011, 12:35 PM
Series was awesome as a kid. Learned new and creative ways to beat up my younger brother watching that show.
I will definitely go see this movie.
"Snatch the pebble from my hand grasshopper.."
headlopper
headlopper - 11/1/2011, 12:37 PM
meant...(NO EDIT BUTTON!)
mgeoff88
mgeoff88 - 11/1/2011, 2:11 PM
Bill Paxton directing a martial arts flick? Very interesting.

I'm not sure who I see in the role though.

@SuperArgo I know, man. Enough of this race bending.
Bodwulf
Bodwulf - 11/1/2011, 3:37 PM
Yeah Ror! "get your dam facts stright" !
LOL
maskman0
maskman0 - 11/1/2011, 5:17 PM
Donny Yen for Kung Fu. Donny Yen for Shang Chi as well.
KnelB4zod81
KnelB4zod81 - 11/1/2011, 7:43 PM
If Donnie yen is not in this, then in it self makes this film a total fail. For those who question the ORIGINAL CONCEPT...It was MEANT for BRUCE LEE, WHO IS 100% Asian!
LifesIllusions
LifesIllusions - 11/2/2011, 1:56 AM
SWelch wrote:

"You have to understand the reasons why they didn't go with Bruce Lee.

The character Caine wasn't suppose to be full Chinese. His mother was Chinese but his father was an American. So he was actually looking for his half brother who was American."

@SWelch:
The mixed Chinese/American heritage of Caine was written after the decision to go with Caradine. The entire idea for "Kung Fu" was originated by Bruce Lee. Caine was originally a fugitive Shaolin monk from China, and fully Chinese. By the time the story went into production, studio suits felt that Lee's voice and accent would be detrimental to a show's success. Thus, the decision to cast a "less Asian" Asian. And, by the time the show was ready to go into production, Lee had prior commitments with Shaw Brothers Studios in Hong Kong, which meant that he wasn't available to do the show anyway.
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