Home Entertainment Netflix orders martial arts series Wu Assassins starring The Raid’s Iko Uwais

Netflix orders martial arts series Wu Assassins starring The Raid’s Iko Uwais

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Longtime readers of this site will know that I do love to watch people punch and kick each other in the face, and rarely in the last few decades has there been better face-punching and -kicking than Gareth Evans’ brutal Indonesian martial arts masterpieces, The Raid and The Raid 2: Berandal. The star of those films, Iko Uwais, hasn’t quite had the breakout Hollywood success I was sure he would after The Raid duology, despite appearing in a number of high-profile features like Star Wars: The Force Awakens. That is rapidly changing though, as Uwais is set to headline a handful of projects in the near future – and now Netflix is handing him another big one.

It was reported over the weekend that the streaming media giant has put in a 10-episode order for a new martial arts action series from writer John Wirth (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) with Hong Kong actor/filmmaker Stephen Fung (who currently serves as exec producer and action director on AMC’s amazing martial arts fantasy epic Into the Badlands) directing the first two episodes. Titled Wu Assassins, the Jakarta-born Uwais is set to star and serve as lead martial arts choreographer and stunt coordinator just like he did on the two The Raid films.

Based on Netflix’s official blurb for Wu Assassins, this won’t be as gritty and grounded as The Raid, but it still sounds pretty cool.

WU ASSASSINS is an action-packed crime drama set In San Francisco’s Chinatown. The series stars Iko Uwais as Kai Jin, an aspiring chef who becomes the latest and last Wu Assassin, chosen to round up the powers of an ancient triad and restore balance once again.

Along with Uwais, Wu Assassins will also star Byron Mann as a character known only as Uncle Six. Mann is no stranger to Netflix having just appeared in the network’s acclaimed sci-fi drama Altered Carbon. More cast members are set to be announced at a later stage, but Netflix is not waiting around on this one as the series is set to start production in August already. That should hopefully mean an early 2019 release date, if not late 2018.

Uwais with his affable, boyish charm and devastating limbs has serious leading man potential. If Netflix manages to nail that same combo of badass martial arts action and intriguing fantasy storytelling like Into the Badlands, then Wu Assassins might just be the feature to fully propel him into the limelight.

Last Updated: July 2, 2018

22 Comments

  1. As long as the worst Yster Vuis ever does not appear in it at all…
    I still need to watch the Raid movies 🙁

    Reply

    • Kervyn Cloete

      July 2, 2018 at 12:03

      Still need to watch…. I’ve lost the miniscule amount of respect I had for you.

      Reply

      • For the Emperor!

        July 2, 2018 at 12:37

        Well, it sounded good enough that I did not want to pirate it. But guess what is in my Raru cart right now thanks to SARS giving me moneys!

        Raid 1 and Raid 2
        Ip Man 1, 2, 3
        Dragon Ball Z – Heat Changing Mug
        Mythica 1-5

        Reply

        • Original Heretic

          July 2, 2018 at 12:47

          Ip Man, love those movies.
          Mythica…. Not so much.

          Reply

          • For the Emperor!

            July 2, 2018 at 12:50

            Well, I kinda liked the 3 D&D movies…so if I kinda like Mythica I will be “not unhappy”. But Ip Man – those fight scenes are amaze-balls!

          • Original Heretic

            July 2, 2018 at 12:51

            I thought the same thing, cause I also rather enjoyed the D&D movies.

            Ip Man, dude, Donnie Yen is just pure legend. It’s so sad that most of his Hollywood career was as some lowly villain. I watched Blade 2 again recently, had completely forgotten he was even in it. Tragedy, I tell you.

          • For the Emperor!

            July 2, 2018 at 12:57

            Blade 2? Aaa one of the hunters! And in Highlander: Endgame…

          • Original Heretic

            July 2, 2018 at 13:01

            Yeah, see? One doesn’t even think of Blade 2 when you consider his filmography.
            And yeah, Highlander: Endgame (GASP, Avengers stole it!!!!). His death in that always pissed me off so badly. Back then, I didn’t really know who he was, he was just that Asian dude who occassionally rocked up in movies and was totally hardcore.

          • For the Emperor!

            July 2, 2018 at 13:04

            Yeah, even not knowing who he was – they set up his character as this King of Kung Fu type guy…and then less payoff than a Rian Johnson Star Wars movie…

          • Original Heretic

            July 2, 2018 at 13:09

            Exactly. When he just sat back and accepted his fate, I very nearly shouted out “C’MON!!” in the movie theatre. Yeah, I actually watch H: EG on the big screen, so big a Highlander fan am I.
            So wish they’d do that remake reboot already!
            And may i very quickly add, THEY BETTER NOT SCREW IT UP. Or heads are gonna roll.
            Wait…heads will roll anyway…
            Argh, you know what I mean!!

          • For the Emperor!

            July 2, 2018 at 13:13

            The heads keep rollin rollin rollin! I would love more/new Highlander! Perhaps also have one or two original stars in a cameo to “pander to the fans”, like having Duncan McCleod be the vilage chief for the new Highlander? Or Methos as a watcher? Lol, now I am ruining it again 🙂

          • Original Heretic

            July 2, 2018 at 13:19

            Fanboy alert! I repeat, FANBOY ALERT!
            Not to worry, you’re in good company.

            Well, it’s been a trend to introduce some of the older actors of the original series and movies into the modern takes, so why not?
            But forget Duncan and Methos.
            I WANT CONNOR MACLEOD OF THE CLAN MACLEOD!!
            It would add…well, it would be a kind of magic to see him appear in the new iteration, to some degree.

          • For the Emperor!

            July 2, 2018 at 13:22

            I was saving Connor to replace Sean Connery 🙂

          • Original Heretic

            July 2, 2018 at 13:26

            Yeesh, that original movies is still one of the weirdest in terms of casting.
            Lambert with his French accent, playing a Scotsman.
            Connery with his Scottish accent playing a Spaniard.

            Like, dafuq?!

            Yet, somehow it worked. I think a large part of that had to do with Clancy Brown’s amazing portrayal as The Kurgan. To this day, when I see him, I think of Highlander.

          • For the Emperor!

            July 2, 2018 at 13:27

            There can be…only ME!
            *I think he said it*

          • Original Heretic

            July 2, 2018 at 13:29

            What I’d ALSO really love for a remake is for them to ditch the electricity effect for the Quickening.
            It was so cool when it had that ghostly effect in the original. Because that’s what it was! The ghosts of all the past immortals.

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            July 2, 2018 at 13:37

            I enjoyed the Mythica movies. They’re nothing fancy, but fun to watch overall. Probably the closest thing to D&D-style movies you can get that I’m aware of.

          • For the Emperor!

            July 2, 2018 at 13:50

            Back in the day I also really liked the more “campy” Hercules and Xena series…need to get them as well! I’m a sucker for some fantasy (even bad ones), and I believe it all started with Conan!

        • Kervyn Cloete

          July 2, 2018 at 15:26

          FAITH IN HUMANITY RESTORED!

          Reply

          • For the Emperor!

            July 2, 2018 at 15:39

            Because of the Dragon Ball Z – Heat Changing Mug, right? 😛
            *Wish it had Vegeta on though 🙁

      • Original Heretic

        July 2, 2018 at 13:07

        Then add me to your list of no respect. Also have not seen either of them.
        Time is such a bastard, I tell you. So many movies/games/books, not nearly enough time to get them all in.
        Especially when one is stuck watching kiddies cartoons most of the time. Ah, the joys of parenthood.

        Reply

  2. G8crasha

    July 2, 2018 at 16:49

    I need to add this to My List on Netflix. Netflix is definitely no bad investment!

    Reply

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