The first footage from director David Sandberg's Kung Fury: The Movie, aka Kung Fury 2, has found its way online via a 10-minute leaked sizzle reel, and this might just be one of the most gloriously insane things you're ever likely to watch.
The retro action/sci-fi comedy has been stuck in limbo since production was forced to shut down five years ago after a lawsuit between the producers and the film’s Chinese investors, Creasun. In late 2020, Creasun Entertainment USA was accused of refusing to come up with the $10 million it promised, effectively bringing the movie to a screeching halt.
“This was an internal promo video that was never supposed to be seen by the public. I feel bad because it contains a bunch of plot points and temp VFX,” Sandberg told Variety in a statement. “I hope at least people can see the passion that we poured into the movie, the world deserves to see it as it was meant to be seen. This movie has been held hostage for the past 5 years but I promise to keep fighting for it and make sure this film gets the chance it truly deserves.”
The movie, was developed as a feature-length follow-up to the cult short Kung Fury, a wildly OTT homage to 1980s martial arts films and buddy cop movies that became a viral sensation on YouTube after a hugely successful Kickstarter campaign.
The bonkers footage feature as a gun-toting U.S. president “out to kick some Nazi ass,” Michael Fassbender as a renegade FBI with an all-timer mullet agent named Colt Magnum, and Baywatch and Night Rider star David Hasselhoff, who... transforms '80s sports car called the Hoff 9000.
The original short followed the adventures of Miami’s Lamborghini-driving “kung fu cop” Kung Fury (Sandberg), who was tasked with saving his city from the evil machinations of Adolf Hitler (don't worry, it gets even weirder). His mission sees him face-off against Nazis, ninjas, werewolves and dinosaurs along with his team: TriceraCop, Hackerman and Barbarianna.
There's speculation that this reel was intentionally leaked by the filmmakers in the hopes of getting financing to complete the movie, in much the same way that the Deadpool test footage that was released back in 2015 led to Ryan Reynolds getting the opportunity to bring the Merc With a Mouth to the big screen.
Check out the Kung Fury: The Movie footage - which does contain some spoilers - below, and let us know what you think in the comments section.