Kristen Kreuk has played Lana Lang, Clark Kent's childhood sweetheart, in Smallville for the last 7 years. Since the show has a "no flights! no tights!" policy in refusing to actually enter Superman territory, it will soon come to an end either this season or next season. As a result, 24-year-old Kreuk is cleverly gearing up to add film star to her resume since she just signed on to star in the sequel Street Fighter: Legend of Chun-Li, with Andrzej Bartkowiak (Romeo Must Die and Doom) as the director. It will commemorate the 20th anniversary of the game with its release in 2008. I'm not exactly up on my Street Fighter history, but I did play the video games when I was younger (although I preferred Mortal Kombat).
Nonetheless, the game has had more incarnations as a cartoon than live-action. To date, the only live-action film that exists starred the once unstoppable Jean-Claude Van Damme in 1994. The movie changed the video game's plot and made it less violent with its campy cast. Suggesting from the choice of director, the sequel will probably be darker. Chun-Li was the only female character in the game and she was well-known for her "Hundred Rending Leg" move, which was basically her kicking an opponent rapidly and forcefully. Hopefully, she'll have more killer moves and an updated costume. As for the rest of the plot, that's soon to come.
Nonetheless, the game has had more incarnations as a cartoon than live-action. To date, the only live-action film that exists starred the once unstoppable Jean-Claude Van Damme in 1994. The movie changed the video game's plot and made it less violent with its campy cast. Suggesting from the choice of director, the sequel will probably be darker. Chun-Li was the only female character in the game and she was well-known for her "Hundred Rending Leg" move, which was basically her kicking an opponent rapidly and forcefully. Hopefully, she'll have more killer moves and an updated costume. As for the rest of the plot, that's soon to come.
One has to wonder if this is a smart career choice for Kreuk. After all, it's a sequel to a film that didn't do very well in the U.S. Plus, Kreuk has made a point of not pigeonholing herself as Asian, even though she's Chinese and Dutch. But it's not like she has a hefty resume to fall back on--cameoing alongside Matt Damon in the cult favorite Eurotrip is her best film credit. Not to mention, the highest honor Smallville and its cast has received is from the Teen Choice Awards, and they usually go to her co-star Allison Mack. So maybe giving into a Hollywood cliche is a smart move. It worked for Lucy Lui--sort of--and now she has her own show coming to ABC in January where she just plays a city girl sans nationality. And if films aren't a future for Kreuk, there's a rumor that the sequel could lead to a TV series, and if it's live-action she could be a shoe-in.
Update: Jean-Claude Van Damme declined a role in the film.
WWE Films (worldwide sports entertainment/marketing giant) teams with Capcom (worldwide video game franchise creator) teams together and produces the best Street Fighter film there ever could be.
ReplyDeleteThe Cast:
Ryu - CM Punk
Ken - Chris Jericho
Sagat - Kane
E. Honda - Umaga
Blanka - Domino/Boogeyman
Guile - John Cena
Chun-Li - Lena Yada
Zangief - Vladimir Kozlov/Big Show/Mike Knox/Gerard Butler
Dhalsim - Rodrigo Santoro (Xerxes from 300)
Balrog - MVP
Vega - Jeff Hardy
M. Bison - Batista
Fei Long - (Would have to do some casting in China)
T. Hawk - The Great Khali/John Morrison
Dee Jay - Elijah Burke
Cammy - Maryse
Akuma - Triple H/Deuce/John Morrison
Rose - Victoria
It's a match made in movie heaven. It's one of those things that is so simple to conceptualize, it just makes sense from first thought.
If you don't know who the Street Fighter characters or WWE Superstars are, just Google search the names and you'll see the natural marriage of talent and popularity.
See you in the seats,
E