Kung Fury 2 has added a brand new cast member in the form of Alexandra Shipp. The sequel to the viral sensation has been in the works for some time, but is finally picking up major steam as it ramps up for a production start this summer. Now, Shipp has been added to a growing cast that already includes Arnold Schwarzenegger and Michael Fassbender. Unfortunately, Shipp’s addition comes at a cost.
According to a new report, Baby Driver star Eiza Gonzales, who had previously been tapped for a role in the sequel, has had to bow out. That has paved the way for Alexandra Shipp to come in, taking the part Gonzales had previously been set for. Shipp will play a reporter named Rey Porter, who will do whatever it takes to get the best story. Shipp was recently seen as Storm in Dark Phoenix which, unfortunately, tanked at the box office, as well as the Shaft reboot which, again, tragically underperformed. Shipp’s other credits include Love, Simon and Straight Outta Compton. Shipp’s work speaks for itself, so it would be hard to pin the financial failures of those movies on her.
The original Kung Fury, released in 2015, managed to become a huge success and viral internet sensation. The short, directed by David Sandberg, has since racked up more than 40 million views on YouTube. Sandberg returns as writer, director and star in the follow-up. The original short served as an homage to 80s action, martial arts and cop movies. David Hasselhoff recorded a song and shot a video for the soundtrack titled True Survivor, which helped bring a great deal of attention to the project. It isn’t clear yet if Hasselhoff will be bringing the goods again this time around.
Related: Arnold Schwarzenegger Joins Kung Fury Movie
Kung Fury 2 centers on our returning hero, with the action heading to 1985 Miami. The city is safe, thanks to the watchful eye of Kung Fury, known as “the greatest damn cop of all time.” His trusty group of Thundercops is the ultimate police force, who were assembled from various points in history, banding together to take down the Kung Fuhrer, Adolf Hitler. The sequel sees the death of a team member, which rips the group apart. The event leads to a mysterious villain emerging to aid the Fuhrer in his quest to obtain the ultimate weapon. Our hero must traverse time and space to save his friends, defend the Miami Kung Fu Academy and defeat evil once and for all.
Tyler Burton Smith (Child’s Play) co-wrote the screenplay for the sequel. There is no word yet on a release date, but with filming expected to begin before summer’s end, it wouldn’t be at all surprising to see this hit theaters in 2020. There’s also a chance a streaming service such as Netflix could pick up the rights. We’ll be sure to keep you posted as further details on the project are made available. This news was previously reported by Deadline.
