By | Published December 21, 2008

Variety reports that American-born Hong Kong actress Maggie Q (GEN-Y COPS, LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD), Sean Faris (NEVER BACK DOWN), Ray Park (X-MEN, G.I. JOE), and Will Yun Lee (ELEKTRA) have been cast in the live action adaptation of the SNK Video Game THE KING OF FIGHTERS.

Hong Kong director Gordon Chan (FIST OF LEGEND) is making his Hollywood debut on the film. David Leitch, who also has a role in the film, is pulling double duty as he is also the action choreographer. Leitch’s previous work as stunt co-ordinator includes the recent Hollywood films SPEED RACER, BANGKOK DANGEROUS, and is serving as action coordinator on the upcoming X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE.

The film is currently underway in Vancouver with principal photography to finish in mid-January for a Summer/Fall 2009 release date.

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  • Respiratory Al

    I’m not holding my breath on this movie despite its all star cast. Gordon Chan’s Fist of Legend was a classic because of Yuen Woo Ping’s great choreography combined with Jet Li’s brilliance. I’ve seen Leitch’s work on Speed Racer & Bangkok Dangerous…they are lackluster at best and both movies only made minor dents in the box office.

  • TibetanWhiteCrane

    Who the f**k is David Leitch??

  • Anonymous

    it’s gonna be one of those movies you have to go see so you can complain about how much it sucked !!!

  • Anonymous

    Gordan directed thunderbolt with jackie chan that was surprisingly good. He deserves respect for making a top 5 martial arts movie of all time.

  • Albert Valentin

    I think David Leitch is on the 87Eleven Stunt Team, the same stunt team that did stunts for 300, Speed Racer, Bangkok Dangerous, The Matrix, and other films. What really surprised me is that Sean Faris is back in another martial arts films. He studied in Mixed Martial Arts with 87Eleven for NEVER BACK DOWN. I wonder who he will be playing. Your guess is as good as mine. Probably depends on which KOF game they are going to base the movie off of.

  • KimchiGUN

    I hope it isn’t going to do a “DOA”… go straight to DVD. That was a bad mark on Cory Yuen!

    Its going to be good or very bad OR fans of KOF game will tolerate it!

    Holla!

  • Anonymous

    For f**k sake! Why does hollywood have to kill everything classic which comes from asia. Leave it alone and let the people who created them make something of it if they wish.

  • Anonymous

    well done kill another classic!

  • Benzaiten

    Really should get a martial artist who understands how fight choreography works, like DONNIE YEN. Pity this will be a straight to vid since none of these actors are known for martial arts of even looking like they can fight.

  • Anonymous

    Dam i agree, at least they should give some respect to the classic franchise and get some real martial artists who know how to fight and not some american bums who cant even lift their legs higher than their f**kin hips!

  • gunswordfist

    Well X-Men Origins: Wolverine’s fights look incredible just based on the trailer and Gordon Chan needs no intro (lol) so there’s hope. I just want to know who’s playing who. I’ve been playing King Of Fighters 2003 online on gametap while it was free for the last few days and will be ANGRY if they cast the only guys I pick, Iori, Kyo, Joe and Robert wrong. If they somehow cast them right then this movie could actually be entertaining. It still has no chance against the Tekken movie though, which will have Cung Le, Lateef Crowder (YES the real life Eddy Gordo. Us LC fans will finally get what we want.), the director of Rapid Fire and Cyril R. as the fight choreographer. Cyril fought Jet Li in the end of Kiss Of The Dragon (man I LOVE that fight) and did the fight choreography in District B13.

  • gunswordfist

    Oh and Terry Bogard. HowTF did I forget about the Legendary Hungry Wolf from Southtown. He was the first KoF character I liked. If they cast him wrong (or if they don’t put him in the movie at all) I will be VERY VERY ANGRY! The movie needs some Buster Wolfing.

  • ansatsusha_gouki

    WOW…First Cowboy Bebop know this,I predict this movie is gonna be ruined.I am appalled that they would even considered on of the greatest video game thats out into a movie.Hollywood need to stop getting their stuff from Asia and have a original thought once in awhile.

  • Geeksta

    ansatsusha_gouki has a good point with the original idea. alot of the ideas from movies nowadays are from animes or cartoons that have been classics and always rememebered as a classic. to bring this up and destory the very nature of the idea is very naive. seriously, how are you going to cast people doing fireballs and uppercuts like in the games, and not to mention cowboy behop who needs a actor like bruce lee to be spike. none the less, they need to stop thinking outside the box and do something they are well good at so they can be seen and noted by the fans to give them a proper welcoming. either way its a pity to see some of the BEST and i mean BEST classics of gaming and anime being tainted.

  • Batzarro

    Anonymous: Classic is hardly a proper descriptor for KOF. Try “cult favorite”. Wich makes it even better in my eyes they are making a movie about it.

  • Albert Valentin

    I think if I read the casting right, I could be wrong, Leitch himself will be playing Terry Bogard.

  • jerome

    no i agree, i already think this is going to suck! Maggie Q as Mia ! NO, NO, NO and more NO. why does Hollywood insists on RAPING these franchises AAARRRRRHHHH im so mad. almost as mad as when i found out that Keanu Reeves is gonna play Spike in the cowboy bebop movie. I pray that Tekken isn’t a peice of garbage, cause if not i will probably off myself. That’s it i’m going to make my own movie, Yo KFC if i make a good movie will you give me a review?

  • http://www.kungfucinema.com Mark Pollard

    You make a good martial arts-themed movie Jerome and I will personally review it for KFC.

  • Adder

    I abandoned all hope of KOF being a good movie as soon as I saw the logo. It’s like SF’s logo all over again. Ray Park is a great guy, but he’s no Rugal. Also, Keanu Reeves as Spike? Seriously? Excuse me while I go hang myself.

  • BruisedLo

    and they have a white boy playing Kyo, whose not even japanese. the movie is gonna bomb as bad as the legend of chun li.

  • Biomorph

    Dave Leitch-one of the roles he played was as the “police martial arts intructor” in the old Martial Law tv series starring Sammo Hung.He was a recurring role.I can vouch for his skill level,you can’t blame” BANGKOK DANGEROUS” on him, I’m sure he didn’t edit,write, produce and direct it.Fights are MADE IN THE EDITING ROOM.For an example,check out the 87Eleven website and watch the pre-viz video of the fight scene for “Serenity”.Compare it to the real thing.Then you ‘ll have an understanding of what can happen to good work after it goes thru post.The real problem with Hollywood is not lack of talent,it’s that thepowers that be don’t trust that talent.