EXCLUSIVE: Action icon Jean-Claude Van Damme is returning to his martial arts roots in Japan-set Yakuza movie Katana, which is being launched for sales by The Veterans ahead of the AFM.
Jeremy Zag, the French producer, writer and director best known for creating the hit Miraculous franchise, is behind the film, which will return Van Damme to the genre he graced in hits like Bloodsport, Kickboxer and Double Impact.
The movie “centers on a former world champion fighter, now a father, who has left behind a dark past. He is forced to make one more journey into combat when his daughter is taken by the yakuza in Japan.”
Joining Van Damme on screen will be a roster of martial arts champions, including Armenian MMA fighter Melsik Baghdasaryan and French Muay Thai and kickboxing world champion Cyril Benzaquen.
Pic is being produced by Division Z, in partnership with Japan-based Wowow Bridge, which supports international productions filming in Japan. Its credits include HBO Max’s series Tokyo Vice.
Filming is scheduled for April, May and June 2027 in Japan, France and LA.
The Veterans, which is handling international rights, will have a sizzle reel and screenplay for AFM buyers. CAA Media Finance is representing U.S. rights.
Zag and Van Damme have been plotting a movie together for years. We announced their collaboration on project What’s My Name? back in 2022 but that movie has seemingly morphed to become Katana.
Zag, himself a longtime karate aficionado, said today: “Jean-Claude Van Damme made me want to walk into a dojo. After thirty years of practicing Kyokushin karate at an elite level, directing him in Katana is a lifelong dream come true. I want to bring together the power of Bloodsport, the urgency of Taken and the energy of John Wick in a deeply human story: a father entering Japan’s criminal underworld to save his daughter. His experience is his strength. I want audiences to feel every impact, every breath, and the love that keeps him fighting.”
Zag, who has scripted and will direct the film, is best known for the highly lucrative Miraculous franchise, the animated film and TV series. Netflix picked up the movie instalment in a major deal, thought to be one of the largest ever for a European animation.
Zag continued: “My passion for Japanese anime helped inspire Miraculous. With Katana, I’m bringing that passion into a different universe, drawing on Japan’s extraordinary beauty, darkness and martial traditions to create a spectacular adventure for a worldwide audience. The samurai’s code of honor and the beauty and intensity of katana combat are central to that vision.”
He added: “Alongside Jean-Claude, we’re bringing together real fighters and champions from around the world, men and women from different generations. For years, Jean-Claude hadn’t wanted to return to this kind of cinema. He has placed his trust in me because we speak the same language as martial artists and share a deep understanding of combat. Together, we want to make one last great martial arts film: a celebration of everything we love about this cinema, and a tribute to an icon who inspired us all.”
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