New Director for 'Kung Fu' Movie?

by Peter Martin Sep 13th 2007 // 1:32PM

Filed under: Action, Drama, Deals, Warner Brothers, Remakes and Sequels, Western

Yes, grasshopper, it may be true: the movie adaptation of the 1970s Kung Fu television series appears to be moving forward. Christopher Campbell reported last November that Allen and Albert Hughes (Dead Presidents, From Hell) were slated to direct the movie. Production was to start some time this year in anticipation of a 2008 theatrical release to tie in with the Beijing Olympics. Cory Goodman was signed to do a rewrite of the original script by Howard Friedlander and Ed Spielman. Now ComingSoon.net is reporting that Max Makowski has been hired to direct.

Does that mean that Warner Brothers and Legendary Pictures liked the rewrite, but the Hughes Brothers did not? Did the Hughes Brothers jump ship in favor of another gig? More than likely, the official answer would be "creative differences" or "scheduling conflicts." If the report is true, what will Max Makowski bring to the project? Born in Brazil, Makowski now lives in Hong Kong, according to an indieWIRE profile that ran when his crime film One Last Dance screened at Sundance in 2006. The plans are to film Kung Fu in China, so his background would be a plus. Makowski has also directed episodes of the TV spy show The Agency.

Bruce Lee ~~came up with the original idea and wanted~~ auditioned * to star as a Shaolin monk wandering the American West. Instead, David Carradine got the part of "Caine." Carradine was fine; the show itself never transcended the episodic formulas of its time, but was distinguished by solemn philosophical touches and a message that martial arts were not primarily about beating people up -- Caine always restrained himself. ComingSoon.net says a new casting call has gone out, looking for "a handsome mix of East (Chinese/Asian) meets West (American)," which is discouraging to read. Thirty years after Bruce Lee was denied, a Chinese actor is still not preferred for the part?

* UPDATED: Without specifically citing a source, commenter "pvitari" says that Ed Spielman came up with the original idea. (Perhaps this is supported by the DVD that "pvitari" mentions, which I don't have.) I should have indicated that my source was IMDB, which lists Lee as co-creator and cites Lee's widow as their source. Wikipedia has more information and two more sources. To avoid confusion -- and pending further investigation -- I've modified the article.-- PM.

7 Comments

Tags: albert hughes, allen hughes, cinematical, cory goodman, david carradine, dead presidents, film, from hell, kung fu, max makowski, movies

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

9-13-2007 @ 4:15PM

TomLubbers said...

Kenau Reeves would be perfect for the part of Caine. He already has the speech pattern down and isn't he actually part chinese? Even if only a fourth. He probably would fill the seats. I would like to see Carradine as master PO or perhaps as Caine's father as told through the inevitable flashback segments.

9-13-2007 @ 3:07PM

John R said...

Bleh. I agree with the writer on this one. An Asian person STILL can't be casted for this role? Did the people behind this film see "Dragon"? It's 2007, let's at least pretend some social progress has been made.

This is worst casting notion I've read about since IGN.com fantasy casting of the supposed Robotech project (Read: near complete whiteout).

http://movies.ign.com/articles/818/818866p1.html

9-14-2007 @ 1:31AM

d chen said...

goes to show how strange hollywood can be.
but what else is new. of all the medical dramas on tv, how many asians are cast?

it will, yet again, be a slap in the face. asians are not good enough to portray asians on film.

yellow face tv.

9-14-2007 @ 9:16AM

pvitari said...

Please stop spreading the false idea that Bruce Lee came up with the idea of Caine. Ed Spielman came up with the show's concept and wrote the original script which he hoped would become a feature film. It ended up on the shelf at Warner Bros., where Jerry Thorpe, who would become the show's executive producer, discovered it and decided it would make a great TV series instead. Thorpe wanted Carradine from the beginning -- he had seen him playing Atahualpa in Royal Hunt of the Sun on Broadway -- but he auditioned other actors, including Bruce Lee. Lee's audition is discussed in the featurettes on the season 1 DVD. Yes, Lee would have liked to play Caine, but he did NOT "come up with the original idea." Ed Spielman came up with the original idea.

9-14-2007 @ 4:06PM

Pat Miller said...

Caine was supposed to be of mixed ancestry so shouldn't the part go to the best actor ? Carradine is so identified with the role that it influences everything he has done. Let talent decide.

9-15-2007 @ 1:37AM

Alisa said...

Read Herbie J Pilato's Book The Kung Fu Book of Caine. The book was published in 1993. Herbie is working on an update of this book, where he will be including his KungFu Book of Wisdom and a complete guide to Kung Fu and Kung Fu: The Legend Continues.

Herbie writes in his book on Page 4 "Of the word 'grasshopper," Ed Spielman, who wrote he original Kung Fu script with Howard Friedlander, says: "I have written numerous screenplays, books, and articles, and numerous films have been produced of my work. But out of everything I have ever been associated with professionally . . . I'll be remembered as the guy who created Grasshopper."

(@

Alisa

9-15-2007 @ 8:17PM

stephen martin said...

Caine's parents were one was Chinese and one was American.That is why Bruce Lee was too Chinese for the role,plus, Caine was to speak in a regal way.Still want an Asian to play the role and to also make sure they have ample kung-fu talent.