What better time than now, as the globe is struck by World Cup fever, to announce director Stephen Chow’s return to the sport, twenty-five years after Shaolin Soccer? As reported by Variety, Chow will direct Kung Fu Soccer, an action-comedy that has just secured worldwide distribution. It’s about damn time!
Kung Fu Soccer “follows the Emei Women’s Football Team as it battles through the fictional ‘Supreme Invincible Cup’ tournament, blending martial arts with sport.” The cast is led by Zhang Xiaofei, Dilraba Dilmurat, and Lay Zhang Yixing.
Shaolin Soccer became a beloved hit in 2001 for its combination of wild visual effects, fast-paced sports and martial arts action, and goofball comedy. Chow followed that with 2004’s Kung Fu Hustle, which had a similar vibe. The two films solidified Chow as one of the most popular comedy directors in the world. He left acting in 2008 to focus on directing full-time, and has been behind some huge international blockbusters including 2016’s The Mermaid.
“Director Stephen Chow is widely regarded as the ‘King of Comedy’ and one of the rare filmmakers whose work has entertained audiences across cultures for decades,” said Joyce Lee, the managing director of Encore Films, in an official statement. “Most football films ask, ‘Can they win the match?’ A Stephen Chow film asks, ‘Can they win the match while breaking the laws of physics?’ That’s the magic of ‘Kung Fu Soccer’ – a film that blends imagination, action, heart, and comedy in a way only Chow can.”
