Bill Paxton In Talks To Direct ‘Kung Fu’

COMMENTS (63)

• Kung fu: skill acquired through diligent, hard work is an idea that transcends gene pools. Arts aren’t constrained to the past, they are fluid and evolve. One ethnic group can’t and shouldn’t try to control an idea that embodies freedom of expression.
  Let the movie be made, let it celebrate the transcendental nature that is embodied in true Kung fu.

  Comment by Wushu — Tuesday November 1, 2011 @ 7:34am PDT  Reply to this post

• Bill Paxton is a wonderful guy, lovely actor and a blossoming director but this idea might be worse than the “sophisticated thieves who have to wait for inclement weather” idea – what’s next? The Pink Elephant

  Comment by Anonymous — Tuesday November 1, 2011 @ 8:00am PDT  Reply to this post

• Who’s on the studio’s short list to play the “Chinese” Shaolin Monk, Taylor Lautner, Ryan Reynolds or maybe Shia LeBouf?

  Comment by YohY — Tuesday November 1, 2011 @ 9:16am PDT  Reply to this post

• For all of you talking about hot Bruce Lee should have been the lead here are some facts:

  1. Bruce did not invent the show. He had an idea about a wandering kung fu master who faces many challenges in his travels. There are many differences between Lee’s original concept and the final TV program. Lee’s Kung Fu adventure not set in the Old West nor was he a Shaolin monk. His idea eventually was used and turned into the film “The Silent Flute” – oddly enough with Carradine in the lead role.

  2. Bruce auditioned for the role of Caine but was turned down because his English simply wasn’t clear enough. Watch the TV interview with Lee from the Pierre Berton Show in 1971. Sometimes his English is hard to follow. Now imagine that on a weekly series. No TV executive is going to green light a show with a lead actor whom audiences will have a hard time understanding. This attitude continues today with many non-American actors using American accents to be better understood on shows like “House” and “Fringe”.

  Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not a Lee basher. He was a major influence in my learning martial arts (which I still practice today) and in my overall life philosophy. He simply wasn’t right for the “Kung Fu” TV show. I think his path to film legend status was his destiny. His talent was too big for the small screen.

  Comment by Kevin — Tuesday November 1, 2011 @ 11:16am PDT  Reply to this post

  • “Bruce auditioned for the role of Caine but was turned down because his English simply wasn’t clear enough. Watch the TV interview with Lee from the Pierre Berton Show in 1971. Sometimes his English is hard to follow. Now imagine that on a weekly series. No TV executive is going to green light a show with a lead actor whom audiences will have a hard time understanding.”

    Well Bruce Lee was Bron in the US and went to Hong Kong. Last I check people from Hong Kong knew English as much as Puerto Rican from Puerto Rico knowing English.

    “This attitude continues today with many non-American actors using American accents to be better understood on shows like “House” and “Fringe”.”

    Well Non-Americans from England or other part of the UK are still Anglo-Saxon same a Americans.

    Comment by Javan Nelums — Tuesday November 1, 2011 @ 2:13pm PDT  Reply to this post

• I AM HOPPING AND PRAYING THAT THIS TIME BESIDE THE RIGHT ACTOR BUT GETTINGTHE RIGHT WRITER WHO WILL UNDERSTAND THE BACKGROUND OF THE CHARACTER. KEITH CARRIDINE WAS THE RIGHT ACTOR. IT WOULD HAVE BE GREAT IF HOLLYWOOD ALLOW BRUCE LEE TO PLAY THE ROLE. I CAN’T TO SEE THE NEW KUNGFU WHEN IT COME TO THE SCREEN IN 2012. GOOD LUCK TO THE FUTURE. YOUR TRULY CHARLES DAVID HASKELL

  Comment by charles david haskell — Tuesday November 1, 2011 @ 1:40pm PDT  Reply to this post

• If you must have a half-Asian play the role, may I suggest Russell Wong. Half-asian. Speaks perfect English. Capable actor.

  Comment by LookieLookie — Tuesday November 1, 2011 @ 7:11pm PDT  Reply to this post

• How about you pay attention to the context of where I mentioned stereotyping – to spell it out since you have totally missed the point it was in reference to casting actors of one Asian ethnicity to play a character of another, as a general practice in many movies and tv shows – the stereotype being the “they all look alike” one. Irrespective of whether the concept was stolen or not, the point being made in the initial part of the response was purely that the character’s non-Chinese appearance had been addressed from a storyline perspective as a result of him being of mixed race and apparently mostly favouring his father’s physical characteristics.

  Comment by Rick — Tuesday November 1, 2011 @ 9:05pm PDT  Reply to this post

• you’re all wasting your time. Hollywood is to its core racist, so OF COURSE they are going to give the role to the white guy. Its job is to promote the Master Race and thus far they’re doing a spanking job. I don’t think Bill Paxton as even seen many Asians (Big Love is as white as a show can get), so I’m almost 100% certain he’s another white guy who grew up believing this myth that a white guy can be anything, even a shoalin monk. Just mark my words – new Kung-Fu will be made and the star will be as pale as lily.

  Here’s a big F You to Hollywood – a racist institution I no longer spend any money on.

  Comment by Avp — Tuesday November 1, 2011 @ 10:46pm PDT  Reply to this post

• My god…

  Who cares if Bruce Lee originated it or not? THE GUY IS DEAD! GET OVER IT, PEOPLE!

  Now, as for who could do this show…I don’t know, honestly. Just don’t change the premise. That’s all.

  Comment by BashingIdiots — Tuesday November 1, 2011 @ 11:46pm PDT  Reply to this post