Another round of kicks

A box-office hit when it was released in 1989, Jean-Claude Van Damme’s martial-arts action drama “Kickboxer” went on to become a cult franchise though subsequent productions didn’t star the Belgian actor.

Now, more than two decades later, the movie is returning to Thailand in a remake titled “Kickboxer: Vengeance”, with Van Damme taking a major role.

The film crew flew to Bangkok last month to start filming and held a press conference to discuss the project. Van Damme, unfortunately, was a no-show, his absence due to a late night on set and a sore throat.

 The film has undergone several crew changes since it was originally planned.

Dimitri Logothetis, who co-wrote the script, has taken over as director from John Stockwell, who in turn took over from Hong Kong filmmaker and actor Stephen Fung.

Likewise, action superstar Phanom “Tony Jaa” Yeerum, who was originally cast as the Muay Thai master, was forced to withdraw because of scheduling conflicts and Van Damme stepped into the role.

Logothetis describes his “Kickboxer” as a reboot rather than a remake or sequel, reasoning that the movie is set in the present and tells a different story from the original.

“We wanted to bring it into the modern day while also still taking elements from the original ‘Kickboxer’. It was an authentic and cutting-edge film when it was released so we need is to make it authentic now,” says the director, who did not, however, reveal the plot of the new film.

The original “Kickboxer” follows Kurt Sloan who learns Muay Thai to avenge his brother’s death at the hands of the lethal Tong Po.

Van Damme’s original role as Sloan is being played by Alain Moussi, a stunt performer whose credits include “X-Men: Days of Future Past”, “Pacific Rim” and “White House Down”. “Kickboxer” marks his debut as an actor.

“Guardians of the Galaxy” star and WWE wrestler Dave Bautista plays Tong Po, a role for which he is perfect, according to Logothetis, because of his physique and his Muay Thai ability. Former UFC welterweight champion, George St Pierre, who recently appeared as Batroc in “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” also stars along with former mixed-martial-artist Gina Carano and US-based Thai actress Sarah Malakul Lane.

“What I like about this character is she a strong woman, a cop, not just eye candy,” says the Thai-English actress, who has been living and working in Hollywood for the past seven years.