International action star, actor Tony Jaa drew huge attention when we broke the news of director Gary Mak’s ensemble Asian ‘Expendables’ style thriller, Makeshift Squad. The good news is that the film is still bound for production and so you need not worry there, while, and on even better terms, readers would be wise to keep an even closer eye on Jaa starting this week.
As such, Film Combat Syndicate can exclusively report that a source close to the forthcoming Chinese co-production of the new action thriller, tentatively titled Fate, has cast Jaa in a yet undisclosed role. Wilson Yip, the director of the current Ip Man trilogy and other Donnie Yen vehicles in recent memory, will direct the film, thus reuniting with Jaa since serving as producer on Soi Cheang’s S.P.L. 2: A Time For Consequences (a.k.a. Kill Zone 2). In turn, Yip joins once more with SPL (2005) co-star, action legend Sammo Hung who will serve solely as action director following Soi Cheang’s The Monkey King 2, Benny Chan’s Call Of Heroes, and his latest directorial/starring stint, The Bodyguard. Plot and story details and other specifics are under wraps for Fate as production makes its landing in October.
Jaa, having broken out on the world stage with Ong Bak in 2003 before hitting it big in James Wan’s Furious Seven (2015), makes his next Hollywood showcase with stars Yen and lead actor Vin Diesel for xXx: The Return Of Xander Cage on January 20, 2017 from Paramount Pictures. Makeshift Squad officially has Jaa on board with a cast that currently lists actress Angelababy, and martial arts action stars Tiger Chen and Iko Uwais for a February start date. More to come!