Legendary kicks in on 'Kung Fu'
'70s TV skein comes to the bigscreen
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Warners-based Legendary Pictures is bringing "Kung Fu" to the bigscreen after acquiring film rights to the 1970s TV skein from series creator Ed Spielman.
Legendary has optioned a screenplay from Spielman and Howard Friedlander, also a writer on the original series.
Led by Thomas Tull, Legendary has said from the outset it would take an active role in developing its own projects, in addition to co-financing and co-producing at least 25 Warner pics over a five-year period. Legendary also has a first-look distribution pact with Warners.
Warner Bros. toyed itself with the idea of making a feature based on the martial arts TV series -- which was produced by the studio's TV division -- but rights reverted back to Spielman at least five years ago.
Legendary wouldn't disclose a specific logline for the bigscreen version of "Kung Fu," but prexy of distribution and marketing Scott Mednick said the film would explore the events on which the TV show was based and the origins of the main characters.
David Carradine immortalized the lead role of Kwai Chang Caine, a Shaolin monk who flees China for the American Wild West, where he helps the powerless.
Original skein made its debut as a movie of the week in 1972, then ran as a weekly series on ABC until 1975. Two additional telepics followed as well as another series in 1993.
Mednick said that while martial arts have become an integral part of movie storylines, even escalating to the fantastical, Legendary is planning a more realistic rendering.
With Warners, Legendary is co-financing and co-producing "Superman Returns," animated kiddie pic "The Ant Bully," M. Night Shyamalan's "Lady in the Water" and Roland Emmerich's "10,000 B.C.," among other projects.
