[UPDATED] Tony Jaa And Scott Adkins Are Confirmed For KICKBOXER

It was previously broken on Film Combat Syndicate that international action star Tony Jaa was in talks for a role in the film, following his forthcoming appearances in Skin Trade, Fast And Furious 7 and SPL 2: A Time For Consequences. With Jaa joining alongside lead actor, martial artist and stuntman Alain Moussi, added with co-stars Georges St. Pierre and Dave Batista, at least one more name is now sealing the deal of promise in the form of martial arts action superstar Scott Adkins.

May the cheering commense! But please, no chanting Boyka. That’s another franchise.

Brian O’Shea, CEO of The Exchange, has announced and confirmed that in addition to having Dave Batista, star of GUARDIANS OF THE GLAXY, former UFC welterweight champion George St. Pierre, and Alain Moussi of X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST, the 3D reboot of KICKBOXER will boast two additional action stars: Scott Adkins (THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM, ZERO DARK THIRTY) and martial arts legend Tony Jaa (ONG BAK trilogy, FAST & FURIOUS 7). 

The high-octane KICKBOXER remake is directed by Stephen Fung (TAI CHI ZERO, TAI CHI HERO). It stars Alain Moussi (X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST), 

With the addition of Adkins and Jaa, KICKBOXER features a variety of over 20 martial arts disciplines. GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY star Batista has long wrestled professionally for WWE but has formal backgrounds in Kali, Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Moussi is a practitioner of Karate, Kickboxing, Aikido, Goshindo, Kobudo, Filipino martial arts, Sambo, Judo, and Jiu-Jitsu. St. Pierre practices Kyokushin Karate, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, Boxing, and Wrestling along with a vast array of talents stemming from a Mixed Martial Arts background. 

Adkins has a lengthy resume in the action genre with roles in THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM, THE EXPENDALES 2, and a slate of other action-centric films. Adkins has also worked alongside the original KICKBOXER, Jean-Claude Van Damme, battling the legend on screen in UNIVERSAL SOLDIER: DAY OF RECKONING. Adkins has backgrounds in Taekwondo, Kickboxing, and Judo. 

Jaa is a veteran of the martial arts genre. His groundbreaking, blitzkrieg-paced ONG BAK films are cult classics. He also starred in THE PROTECTOR. Jaa is trained in Taekwondo, Muay Thai, Muay Boran, Aikido, Judo and Wushu. 

KICKBOXER follows Kurt Sloan (Moussi), a talented martial artist who travels to Thailand where he must learn the secrets of the kickboxer to avenge his brother’s death at the hands of Tong Po (Bautista). 

The film is produced by Ted Field of Radar Films (RIDDICK, THE LAST SAMURAI), Dimitri Logothetis and Nick Celozzi. Mike Weber and Peter Meyer will executive produce. 

“Kickboxer will display a style of acrobatic, rapid-fire martial arts action that Scott Adkins is increasingly becoming synonymous with,” said O’Shea, “Along with Tony Jaa, KICKBOXER has compiled a talented cast to push the boundaries of the martial arts form.”

Adkins is currently set to appear in a couple of more films set between now and later this year, including Wych Kaosayanada’s murder thriller Zero Tolerance, SPL 2 co-star Wu Jing’s commando actioner, Special Forces: Wolf Warrior, and the upcoming comedy, Grimsby. Also waiting in the wings is Adkins’ return to the pivotal role of Yuri Boyka in Undisputed 4 with a script still in development, and may take longer. At least for now, Kickboxer offers another sure thing for loyal Adkins fans. Stay tuned!