The Kickboxer franchise will return as a television series. Deadline reports that a new show based on the films, dubbed Operation: Kickboxer, is now in the works. Gary Scott Thompson (The Fast and the Furious) is serving as showrunner with the series executive produced by Todd Garner (Mortal Kombat) and Dimitri Logothetis (Jiu Jitsu).
Jean-Claude Van Damme famously starred in 1989’s Kickboxer, the original installment of the movie series from director David Worth. In the film, Van Damme plays Kurt Sloane, a man who turns to martial arts to avenge his brother following a vicious assault in a kickboxing match. Sasha Mitchell played Kurt’s brother, David Sloane, in three sequels, while Redemption: Kickboxer 5 starred Mark Dacascos as Matt Reeves, a Sloane family friend. Van Damme did not appear in any of these sequels.
The TV series, Operation: Kickboxer, is described as a “martial arts-driven espionage” show that follows the youngest Sloane brother, Michael Sloane, thrust “into the world of international geopolitical intrigue. In order to earn his freedom, Sloane must go undercover as an MMA contender, using his clout to gain access to targets around the world, while remaining in contention for the champion title belt.” While its description mentions the “youngest brother” of the Sloane family, the report doesn’t make it entirely clear if this series is connected to any of the previous Kickboxer films or if it will serve as another reimagining.
Will Jean-Claude Van Damme Be Involved in Operation: Kickboxer?
As of now, there isn’t any indication that Jean-Claude Van Damme will be involved with Operation: Kickboxer. However, it’s worth noting that he did return to the franchise when it was rebooted in 2016. The John Stockwell-directed reboot starred Alain Moussi as a new incarnation of Kurt Sloane, though Van Damme also starred in a key role as Muay Thai trainer Master Durand. Moussi and Van Damme reprised their roles for the 2018 sequel Kickboxer: Retaliation. There have been rumblings of a third installment dubbed Kickboxer: Armageddon, but the current status of the project is unclear after it was originally announced in 2016 with plans to shoot in 2018.
Because Van Damme was willing to return for these reboot films, it’s possible he’d be up for a return in Operation: Kickboxer. If the series happens to be set in the same timeline as the original films, that would open the door for Van Damme to return as the original Kurt Sloane. Given the rising popularity of legacy sequels in recent years, this seems like something that may excite fans of the franchise much more so than a Kickboxer: Armageddon. For now, we’ll just have to wait for more details to be announced.
Operation: Kickboxer does not yet have its own, and therefore, no set release date at this time.
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