Slated to arrive in time for the 25th anniversary of 2001’s Shaolin Soccer, official assets are finally trickling out with a new look at Stephen Chow’s long-awaited follow-up, Kung Fu Soccer, from Encore Films. Chow sits in solely as director this time around with a cast led by Zhang Xiaofei, Dilraba Dilmurat and Lay Zhang Yixing, and an array of action and sports comedy laden with the kind of spectacle and ambition that made Chow’s inaugural film the box office hit it was.
Set to open in July and billed as one of the most anticipated Chinese commercial event films of 2026, Kung Fu Soccer follows an unlikely women’s football team whose journey of resilience, teamwork and self-belief unfolds through Chow’s cinematic style of action, comedy and imagination. As announced on Tuesday, Singapore-based Encore Films will oversee theatrical distribution and related rights across international territories outside Mainland China, bringing Kung Fu Soccer to audiences worldwide.
Check out one of the latest post-production updates below:
Lead image: Shaolin Soccer (2001) promo art.