In a series of promotional images for Kickboxer: Vengeance that were released this week, original Kickboxer star Jean-Claude Van Damme appears in his new role for the remake, as well as Guardians of the Galaxy and Spectre actor Dave Bautista, who plays the film’s villain.
The images debuted on the Facebook page for Kickboxer: Vengeance, and include a shot of Van Damme as Master Durand, the mentor for the film’s protagonist. Another image features Bautista as Tong Po, a vicious fighter who doesn’t shy away from killing his opponents in the ring.
Directed by Blue Crush and Cat Run filmmaker John Stockwell (who also received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for writing the 2000 television miniseries Cheaters), Kickboxer: Vengeance casts veteran stunt performer Alain Moussi (X-Men: Days of Future Past) as the younger brother of a kickboxing champion who was murdered in the ring after being lured to a shady, no-holds-barred competition in Hong Kong. Determined to avenge his brother’s murder, he trains with his brother’s former mentor (Van Damme) and enters the brutal competition that pits him against the deadly fighter Tong Po (Bautista).
Meet Master Durand. Jean-Claude Van Damme #jcvd is back in the highly anticipated #KickboxerVengeance.
Posted by Kickboxer:Vengeance on Tuesday, November 3, 2015
Meet Tong Po, #DaveBautista in #KickboxerVengeance
Posted by Kickboxer:Vengeance on Monday, November 2, 2015
Along with Moussi, Van Damme, and Bautista, the film also stars former mixed martial-arts fighter turned actress Gina Carano (Haywire), mixed martial arts fighter George St. Pierre (Captain America: The Winter Soldier), and Sara Malakul Lane (Sharktopus).
There’s currently no official premiere date for Kickboxer: Vengeance, which finished filming earlier this year and is expected to be released at some point in 2016. It’s uncertain whether the film will have a theatrical release, be available via on-demand, or have some other form of distribution.
