Universal Pictures is gearing up to reboot the Kung Fu TV series as a movie with Deadpool 2, Atomic Blonde, and Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw director David Leitch. Leitch has become known for his impressive handling of action beats in films, having worked as a co-director on the first John Wick movie with Chad Stahelski, so he appears to be a good fit for Kung Fu. The film does not yet have a cast or writer but is moving quickly to get a scribe in place. The original Kung Fu TV series aired in 1972 on the ABC network.
Kung Fu starred David Carradine as a master of martial arts, fleeing from China when his master was killed. Carradine’s Kwai Chang Caine ultimately wandered the Ole West and played the good guy by helping those in need and enduring awful racism, all the while evading assassins who were out for his head. The TV series would often break out into action sequences as the peaceful character was often provoked. This is where Leitch will come into play, using his skillset to produce impressive action sequences with the yet to be assembled cast members. Prior to his career as a director, Leitch was a stuntman himself.
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Fans of Leitch got a look at him in Deadpool 2 when he made a cameo appearance in the film. In addition to Kung Fu, Leitch is also in place to direct a remake of Bruce Lee’s Enter the Dragon from 1973.
Leitch and Kelly McCormack will produce Kung Fu via their 87North Productions, teaming with Stephen L’Hereaux and his Soliphist brand. Ed Spielman, creator of 1972’s Kung Fu TV series, will be an executive producer on the film. Universal’s Executive Vice President of Production will oversee the project for the studio.
A Kung Fu series remake was also ordered by the CW last year. The TV version written by Christina M. Kim will follow a young Chinese-American woman who, prompted by a quarter-life crisis, drops out of college and goes on a life-changing journey to an isolated monastery in China. However, when she returns and finds her hometown overrun with crime and corruption, she uses her martial arts skills and Shaolin values to protect her community and bring criminals to justice — all while searching for the assassin who killed her Shaolin mentor and is now targeting her.
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Kung Fu does not yet have a release date.
