‘Ong Bak 3′ shooting as Magnolia nabs ‘Ong Bak 2′

  • Print this article!
  • Digg
  • Facebook
  • MySpace
  • Reddit
  • StumbleUpon
  • Twitter
News | Film News | by Mark Pollard

ONG BAK 2 Magnolia Pictures has announced today the acquisition of U.S. rights to Tony Jaa’s ONG BAK 2. The company previously released the original ONG BAK and now plans to release the Thai martial arts sequel in theaters later this year through their Magnet genre label. This news comes on the same day that Prachya Pinkaew’s autistic martial arts actioner CHOCOLATE arrives on DVD and Blu-ray courtesy of Magnet.

“When we first saw the original ONG BAK, after picking our jaws off the floor, we knew we wanted to be in the Tony Jaa business. It put us on the map as a home for the best in genre fare, and helped make our genre label Magnet possible,” said Magnolia President Eamonn Bowles. “We’re beyond thrilled to be able to carry the franchise forward and continue our relationship with Tony, Sahamongkol, and the entire creative team involved.”

The film and its star were involved in controversy last year when it was reported that Jaa, then also director of the production, had walked off the set amid rumors of runaway budget costs. After a televised admission by a teary-eyed Jaa that he was basically in over his head as a first-time director, he handed the production over to longtime mentor, action director Panna Rittikrai (BORN TO FIGHT). The film was completed and released to theaters in Thailand in December of 2008.

In the same announcement, it has been confirmed that production on ONG BAK 3 has already begun and is scheduled for release in December 2009. Sahamongkol Film has already stated that the third film will feature more fighting between Tony Jaa and DYNAMITE WARRIOR star Dan Chupong. Also, Jaa’s character will suffer crippling torture that forces him to fight without using his bones. Presumably that means no knee or elbow action, which should be very interesting given that Jaa’s specialty is Muay Thai.

Tags: , , , , ,

  • Print this article!
  • Digg
  • Facebook
  • MySpace
  • Reddit
  • StumbleUpon
  • Twitter

  • JAIME
    THIS FILM HAS BEEN SUCH A ROLLERCOASTER..... FIRST IT COMES OUT 2008, BUT NOT IN USA ... OK .... THEN THE MYSTERY OF WHEN WILL IT COME OUT... AFTER SO MANY WRONG DATE.. FINALLY... OCTOBER 23 FOR SURE... YAY! NOT !!! ONLY IN LIKE 5 STATES!!!! NOW I DONT HAVE AN XBOX AND MY COUSIN ACTUALLY HAD COMCAST ON DEMAND BUT I COULDNT FIND THE FUKIN MOVIE.... SO IM STILL HERE WONDERIN WHEN THE SHYT WILL COME OUT IN BLOCKBUSTER SO I COULD BE ONE OF THE LAST FOOLS TO WATCH IT... AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!! I HOPE TONY JAA READS THIS AND PREVENTS THIS MESS WITH ONG BAK 3
  • Harris Khan
    i watched the original with english subtitles on youtube! in high definition! hehe. i would say that those of you who just enjoy watching action flicks or martial arts flicks without any or very little knowledge will be very pleased as OB 2 incorporated many different styles of martial arts, heck the movie entirely revolves around that concept! those of us (including me) who are actual practioners of muay thai will be a bit disappointed as tony's ability to master some of the other moves from different martial arts overshadow his muay boran abilities. Overall a good martial arts flick, with a big WTF at the end. here's hoping OB 3 incorporates more of muay thai kickboxing than anything else.
  • loop'
    cant wait to hear more from ong bak 3
    in ong bak 2, jaa did very good with the tiger style!
  • NeoDragon
    So far I've seen Ong Bak, Ong Bak 2, and The Protector. All three films, in my opinion, were absolutely phenominal. Tony Jaa is an incredible martial artist. I can't wait for Ong Bak 3. I'm actually studying Muay Thai and elements of Muay Boran. I'm still very new to martial arts other than what I've seen in the old Kung Fu theatre movies. Out of everything I can tell you this. The applications and practices of skill is pure and definate when it comes to Mr Jaa's abilities. Despite whether it be a good film or bad the arts themselves are VERY well known to Jaa period. He's one of the very few ppl who could take a dump and make it look interesting....lol. Ok, ok that was uncalled for, I'm just saying he has incredible skills and has most likely forgotten more techniques than most ppl will ever know or learn. I can't wait!!
  • Anonymous
    tony jaa is the truth people!!! i would go on record saying that i haven't seen such ability since the "dragon" himself. not to take away anything from donnie yuen or jackie chan and even jet Li. tony is something special to watch!!!
  • Anonymous
    does the guy who wrote this article realize tony jaa learned wushu long before he knew muay thai...should't be writing articles if you don't know who you're writing about
  • DAVE
    RANKS UP THERE WITH ENTER THE DRAGON. GREAT MOVIE BOTH 1 & 2. CAN'T WAIT FOR 3.
  • Anonymous
    No disrespect for Tony Jaa because he is good.... but i choose Donnie Yen...
  • James
    Has anyone considered Donnie Yen VS. Tony Jaa while both are still amazing and fast martial artists.
  • mklucifer
    this movie was tyte! had some awesome fighting scenes used each fighting style effectivelly.
    i luved it.keeps it rough now for the support 2 finish the next movie.Cant wait 2 see how he ends up.
  • Brutality
    Oh come on guys, does it matter who makes a better what? Sounds like a bunch of crap designed to make yourselves feel smarter than everyone else. Who cares who makes what? It's martial arts on film so it's bloody awesome. There's an Indonesian martial flick coming out. The Rebel was vietnamese. Kiltro was South American. Who give a royal toss where it's from. Kung Fu is not so much a style as chinese name for martial arts. Labels limit us all, get over yourselves.

    Oh and I've seen Ong bak 2, it's pretty cool. My only complaint was, because this is a "tribal" sort of film, Tony Jaa doesn't do quite as much "bouncing around" as he did in previous films. There's not much but huts to bounce off. Buuuuut he does do one killer fight scene where he fight 2 different oponents with 2 different styles at once. Tiger Kung Fu and Muay Thai , Tricky :)
  • TARANJIT SINGH
    excellent tony
  • dvdmoviebuffer
    I stick with the thai version if it has english subtitles on it and the special features intact.Sorry I just don't trust the U.S. or the U.K. version releasing anything of the martial arts genre.
  • danmye
    To Dragon(i),

    Who said anything about being race relative to producing a specific type of martial arts movie? Let me repeat it again for you, another way-and read it carefully: no body does a culturally enriched version of Kung Fu movie better than the Chinese themselves, just as African Americans will not make a better one than the Chinese. Jackie Chan WILL NOT make a BETTER Muay Boran movie than Tony Jaa, Jim Kelly WILL NOT make a BETTER KUNG FU movie than BRUCE LEE, JET LEE WILL NOT mkae a BETTER KALARIPAYATTU movie than a film talented GURUKKAL of KALARIPAYATTU. Why? Because there are nuances of CULTURE which also permeate a peoples folk expressions, whether that accurs on film or any other medium, which simply cannot adequately be duplicated by a foreign culture. Will Ong Bak 3 be a very good actioner, yes, as Jaa is extremely talented in all ways film/action related. But when I WATCHED KUNG FU films, it was ALSO for the culture intertwined with the martial arts. If Jackie were to make a swashbuckler, it would not work anywhere near as well as Scharamouche, Gene Kelly's 1948 version of The Three Musketeers," et al.

    There is a wealth of Muay Boran yet to be explored. Since Jaa is Khmer, I believe, there is also BOKATOR. if I want Kung Fu, I'll look to Lau Sifu, not Jaa.
  • gunswordfist
    more fighting between Tony Jaa and DYNAMITE WARRIOR star Dan Chupong.

    WAIT! He already fights him? Now I'm even more interested in this movie..oh wait its already at the top of my martial arts movie list. hehe Can't wait to see it in theaters.
  • As far as Tony using other forms of martial arts in OB2, that's wonderful. This is something that "Chocolate" did fairly well (referencing Bruce Lee), and it breaks up the monotony of the fight scene. All I require in this is that there be a rationale for whatever technique is utilized. That's one of the things about Western MA films that becomes so maddening, i.e. two guys fight brawl style and one suddenly does a Capoeira maneuver. Lame!
  • Stuntman
    I wouldn't get too excited, I watched this film the day it was out. Most films show the money shots in the trailer and normally there's alot more to look forward to. In the case of Ong Bak 2 the trailer is the only part worth watching. Ong Bak fans exoecting to see more of the same in the first film will be slapped in the face when they watch this and say WTF ?
  • dac1138
    Magnolia bought the international cut of Ong Bak because that's what was being sold internationally. Since then they have released either theatrically or on DVD, Banlieue 13, Kiltro, Dynamite Warrior, Chocolate, and both Bodyguard films in their original language and uncut. And that's just the martial arts stuff, they have or are going to release such great foreign films as Dai Nippon Jin and Let the Right One In uncut and undubbed. No reason to think they'll not do the same here.
  • dragon (i)
    TO danmye

    I think that it's ok for tony jaa and his team to take on the role of doing some kung fu in the movies they make, thats just like saying, its stupid for black or white or any of race of director to try and make a good kung fu flick,yeah we know it comes from china,but come on, try and be a little more open minded,thailand is a asian country and i'm sure if he did some karate it would no matter that much huh? who care, ong bak too looks like jaa can do kung fi better than most of the lackless hong kong efforts anyway.

    I say no matter what the race.color.creed, i love seeing diffrent races try diffrent martial arts. good or bad
  • DragonSword
    finally! now all we need is a release date to ease the insanity wait factor.
  • danmye
    Seen all this before in Kung Fu movies, nothing knew. Very beautiful, but a copy of Hong Kong cinema. TONY JAA AND CO. should have stuck with the joys of exposing us to the deeper aspects of beautiful THAI MARTIAL ARTS, and left Kung Fu representation to Chinese action directors. Still a great looking trailer.
  • sowutifmahsnsux
    cool, i hope they release it unadulterated. though ong bak and tyg were cut so my hopes are not high
  • Walter
    Tony Jaa is next great martial artists. I hope he makes movies in the U.S. I would likes to see him more. But I hope Onk Bak 2 comes soon in US Release.
  • BruisedLo
    DD did a good job releasing The Protector though. The 2nd disc is the full Thai version, so it's worth getting. I wouldn't mind if Dragon Dynasty got their hands on Ong Bak 2, and released it the same way as Tom Yum Goong.

    I'm just glad the film is forthcoming to the US. After all the trouble Jaa went through, with the whole money problem, to him basically going broke paying the workers, and they had to stall the film, putting his reputation and himself in jeopardy. It was such a mess, thank god they finished the film, and it was successful, and he's alright now.
  • Rhythm-X
    Magnolia's release of ONG BAK was cut (by EuropaCorp, but cuts are cuts, I don't care who made them) and the US DVD (of the cut version) had closed captions instead of subtitles. Still, this beats the hell out of Dragon Dynasty having anything to do with it, purely on principle. Glad the Weinsteins let these rights revert to Sahamongkol when the film's fate was far from certain.
  • Jazz Man
    This looks awesome! I'm glad Dragon Dynasty and Mirimax didn't get hold of this.
  • Darrin Kemp
    If Ong Bak 2 is half as good as the trailer,then it's going to be something else.
  • KUNG FU BOB
    So far this company has released everything uncut with original language tracks.
  • 107
    Cut or uncut - - running time - if available - TY
blog comments powered by Disqus