Jean-Claude Van Damme To Appear In Kickboxer Reboot

Jean Claude Van Damme’s Kickboxer was a smash hit back in 1989. It came right off at the heels of the even more famous Bloodsport released the year prior. News of a Kickboxer remake has been in the news for some time now, though it has just come to light that the reboot will also feature a guess appearance from none other than the Belgian actor himself.

It’s reported that this time around, Van Damme will play the role of teacher and mentor to the film’s lead character that Van Damme played in the original. Actor Alain Moussi, who is known for his roles in Pacific Rim and X-Men: Days of Future Past, will step in as the new Kurt Sloan. In the original film, the teacher role was played by veteran actor Dennis Chan, who assumed a Sensei Miyagi-like role as he taught Vane Damme the age-old art of Muay Thai in order for him to avenge the injury of his older brother at the hands of the deadly fighter Tong Po.

In the remake, this role originally went to Tony Jaa, though he later dropped out due to scheduling conflicts. The remake has also recruited other notables. WWE superstar and one-time MMA fighter Dave Bautista will be filling the role of Tong Po. Former mixed martial artist and UFC champion Georges St. Pierre is also among the cast. Shooting has already begun, and the film is expected for a 2015 theater release.

The original Kickboxer with Jean-Claude Van Damme was a staple among the many martial arts flick popular in the 80s and early 90s. Of course, most of these movies are quite cheesy by today’s standards, but those like Bloodsport and Kickboxer have become classics among films of its genre.

The Kickboxer film also included four sequels, though Van Damme only appeared in the first. His character was killed off in the second installment by Tong Po, prompting his younger brother (played by Sasha Mitchell) to fight Po to avenge the murder. Needless to say, the sequels failed to live up to the first film. In fact, the third, fourth, and fifth installments went straight to video and featured terrible storylines and even more horrific fight sequences.

By appearing in the Kickboxer remake, Jean-Claude Van Damme will hopefully be able to revive a career that has become stagnant. If fans are lucky, they may even see him pull off one of his trademark helicopter spin kicks.

[photo credit: Kmeron]

Jean-Claude Van Damme To Appear In Kickboxer Reboot