Jay Chou is ‘Green Hornet’ sidekick Kato

By Albert Valentin | Published August 10, 2009

Sony Pictures officially announced that after Hong Kong star Stephen Chow dropped out of the big screen adaptation of THE GREEN HORNET that Taiwanese pop star and actor Jay Chou has won the role of Kato, the sidekick of the titular character played by Seth Rogen.

The project had been in limbo for a while now, with Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg writing the script. Stephen Chow was not only offered the role of Kato, but was slated to make his Hollywood directorial debut. Sadly, it was first reported he would not direct but stay on as Kato. However, in July, it was announced that Chow officially left the project. Michel Gondry (BE KIND REWIND) has replaced Chow as the director of the film.

After a search was on to re-cast Kato, actors and martial artists auditioned for the role, including Korean actor Kwon Sang-Woo (VOLCANO HIGH). However, Columbia Presidents Doug Belgrad and Matt Tolmach officially made the announcement of Jay Chou’s casting as Kato.

Kato was first played by Keye Luke in a 1930’s serial version of the radio show. However, it was Bruce Lee’s version of the Kato that gained recognition in the 1966 series version, which starred Van Williams as The Green Hornet.

Jay Chou, a pop star who made his film debut with the adaptation of the anime and manga INITIAL D (2005), had studied martial arts for films, first using his new skills in the short film DOUBLE BLADE. He appeared in CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER (2006) opposite Chow Yun-Fat and will be seen as a martial arts master in the upcoming TRUE LEGEND, opposite Vincent Zhao Wen-Zhou.

THE GREEN HORNET is scheduled for release in the Summer of 2010.

Sources: Dark Horizons, The Hollywood Reporter

  • Kirk
    THE GREEN HORNET ( 9 July 2010 )

    Starring:Seth Rogen ( Green Hornet / Britt Reid ), Nicolas Cage ( Mr X ),
    Cameron Diaz ( Lenore Case ),


    Directed by Michel Gondry ( Be Kind Rewind, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind )


    Man I was so looking forward for the New Green Hornet and then i hear that
    Seth Rogen as Green Hornet and a pop star Jay Chou taking up the role of Kato, dampened my expectations. I too agree with danielzelter that George Clooney would be better Green Hornet and some real martial arts action star not pop star.

    What happened to Jet Li. I know Jet was interested and also had posted in his website about his interest in Green Hornet.

    Sony and the people behind the new Green Hornet..I have a feeling these people will kill The Green Hornet off for good.

    What kind of Green Hornet is this?
  • This project gets weirder by the minute...Jay Chou, Edward James Olmos, Seth Rogen, and Evan Goldberg? What the heck are going to do to this thing?
  • darrinkemp
    Okay. I was one of the first people to howl like a horny wolf when this thing was given to Rogan.Real talk: if you go by Rogan's screen persona then he is an unrepentant asshole.But people are seldom what they apear to be on screen. Think about it most of Hollywood's worst(best)bad guys are in real life fairly good likeable people.And the heroes and heroines tend to be shallow jerks. It is what it is.Misterjones is right the studios do this stuff because it works for them.Those of us who are martial arts movie fans are simply not a large enough segment of the movie going public.In a perfect world Donnie Yen,Jet Li,or Tony Jaa would be Kato. Hell Donnie was supposed to be the Black Mask not Jet Li.Truth is Green Hornet doesnt have to be good it only has to make money.Everybody say Transformers RoTF.And Misterjones I think the movie you mean is called Fifth Commandment. But hey I could be wrong, it happens all the time.
  • mistermjones2000
    Not this time brother. You are correct, thank you. I stand corrected.
  • darkwarrior
    After Chris Nolan,s Batman I think everybody forgot the lession learned when Joel Schumacher directed 1 Batman film.
    It was the final one that killed the fanchise.

    If Holloywood is going to use Jay Chou he should be the star of his own film not a guest star.
    He has earned it.
  • danielzelter
    So it's really trying to be another Rush Hour, not a new Green Hornet. =p Ironically, though, I don't dislike Chou, but he just stands there confused most of the time. Anyway, just be glad the Kato character's still Asian.

    misterjones: Actually, Lee had to fight with ABC to give his character more depth, since the company just originally scripted him as a token Asian servant. In fact, from what I understood from a doc at a con, the reason that Batman crossover episode ended in a draw was that certain comic book fans refused to see Robin lose.

    darkwarrior: He's actually not the first to pick up the project. But yeah, I think Clooney would still do a better job as the Hornet.
  • mistermjones2000
    You are correct!
  • darkwarrior
    They just added Edwand James Elmos(BSG).I really don,t want to see this film being made by Seth Rogen & gang.
    They will kill The Green Hornet off for good.
    I,m not a fan of Seth Rogen.He is not funny or has any real talent.
    After I heard what he is going to do I know this film will tank.

    mistermjones2000 has the best question which is "What kind of Green Hornet & kato are we going to see get made".
    I say a real terrible one.I don,t know why Seth picked this project to mess around with.I think he wants to build a bigger fan base.He was at Comic Con this year.
    Making The Green Hornet my be his way of doing that.
    Even if it,s the worst film ever made he could say"Hey you knew what I was before you let me do this.What did you expect!!?".

    Poor Jay Chou may see his career drop after this film.
  • BruisedLo
    noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
  • mistermjones2000
    Jay Chou is a 30 year old multi-acting award winner (2 awards) He is also an internationally reknown singer-composer with multi-million selling albums. He is the kid playing the 2nd son in Curse of the Golden Flower which I liked very much. He deserves a shot at the role of Kato which was played by Bruce Lee on television but did not define Bruce Lee. In fact Bruce Lee's character was every bit the opposite of the bowing, serving, second banana sterotype role Hollywood would only think of giving any minority in the 1960's.

    So...back to racism in the martial arts I think it is more important to find out what kind of Green Hornet and Kato are we going to see get produced? I mean, it's not even called The Green Hornet and Kato. It's called the Green Hornet. Yet we are all wanting to see Kato. It was mainly Bruce Lee's protrayal of this character that made this silly television show even worth watching. How will Asians be portrayed in this movie? When will it be set?

    Will this production eve be martial arts driven? We certainly hope it will, again because of Bruce Lee but the characters were created by George Trendle and Fran Striker for a 1930's RADIO program. Kato was originally described as Japanese but then later Korean and even as Filipino. My point is there is alot of room to work with here depending on the writers. Let's keep an open mind and judge it when it comes out. Anyone remember the reaction of fans when they annouced Michael Keaton as Batman?
  • mistermjones2000
    To Lionclaw77
    No, I am not a Jay Chou fan. I am a 52 year-old NYC born and raised black man. I am a fan of the old Shaw Brothers movies. Since this movie is not fan generated project, I would have to say that making money for the studiio is its top priority. We are just talking about it because of Bruce Lee's past involvement but we still don't know what kind of Green Hornet they are producing. It's their baby and it is totally up to them. There is nothing wrong with art for art's sake but being in denial about money moving the world, in my opinion, is not in our best interest. We can strive for a quality product that also makes money. Again Bruce Lee set a great example his movies were good and they made a ton of money.

    To darrinkemp
    I am the one who is wrong. It is indeed called THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT. I stand corrected. Thank you very much. It was loaned to me by a friend who is also concerned about the future of martial art movies by real martial artists and I liked it enough to look for an opportunity to give it a mention.
    Nice to hear from you.
  • Lionclaw77
    To mistermjones2000
    No I have not seen The Fifth Amendment and is this about what makes money or what makes a quality martial arts movie/or movie in general? Just because Michael Keaton didn't fit my discrpition of Bruce Wayne doesn't Wayne doesn't make the movie bad. I didn't mind when he was in the batsuit and no matter who they pick for batman it's still going to make money becuase it's BATMAN. P.S. Are you a fan of Jay Chou?
  • mistermjones2000
    To Lionclaw77
    I understand the term "most people". The thing is; if what you say were true the studios wouldn't keep making money hand over fist making these movies with these pop stars and it is the reason why they keep on doing so. Most people just keep buying the tickets to see these movies with these pop stars in them--which are made not for martial artist or martial arts but for profit.

    And by the way, "most people" disagree with you about Michael Keaton's protrayal of Batman hence the ticket sales and 2 sequels.
    Bruce Lee was a very unique talent in that he was as knowledgeable about the Hong Kong movie industry as he was skilled in the martial arts. His contributions to the international movie industry were timely and historic. Both Jackie Chan and Jet Li really made their mark after they took control of their movies from the studios and became hands on in the production process. This website is instrumental in incouraging other martial artists to do the same but if martial artist wait the studiios to cast them based on their skills and not there market share they have a long wait. See Tony Jaa as an example. Movies with pop stars in them are not going to disappear as long as they make money for the studios. In my opinion a more proactive approach in supporting martial art movies produced by martial artists will encourage more of them. Have you seen the movie THE FIFTH AMENDMENT?
  • Lionclaw77
    The thing is most ppl are probably tired of seeing pop stars in martial arts roles. Why not just put the real thing to have a more natural looking movie. And, by the way, I thought Michael Keaton was almost as lame of a batman as George Clooney.
  • brucesfan
    U got to be joking...Jay Chou can't act or fight....it's an embarrassment for Bruce Lee's character
  • Whydoesitmatter?
    FAIL!!! Should have did WHATEVER it took to get donnie yen or tony jaa...
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