BREAKING MOVIE/TV NEWS

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Legendary Goes West for Big Screen Kung Fu


Thomas Tull's Warners-based Legendary Pictures will adapt the martial arts western TV series Kung Fu for the big screen, optioning a screenplay by series writer Howard Friedlander and acquiring world film rights from creator Ed Spielman.

Premise of the Kung Fu movie will explore the origins of the main characters, including flute-playing 'Kwai Chang Caine', a peaceful 'Shaolin' monk who flees China for the American Wild West.

Originally meant as a TV vehicle for martial arts star Bruce "Green Hornet" Lee, actor David "Kill Bill" Carradine starred as Caine. The show debuted in 1972 as an ABC movie of the week, then ran as a weekly series until 1975. Two additional MOW's followed as well as a 1993, Toronto-shot TV series, also starring Carradine.

Legendary is currently co-financing Warners Superman Returns and director Roland Emmerich's upcoming 10,000 B.C.