Netflix's 'Wu Assassins' Trailer: A Chef Becomes A Supernatural Kung-Fu Warrior
Netflix's Wu Assassins Trailer: A Chef Becomes A Supernatural Kung-Fu Warrior
Netflix has released a new trailer for its supernatural-infused martial arts show, Wu Assassin.
Samantha Clair
Netflix means to right the wrong that was Iron Fist with a new action-packed martial arts crime drama series starring The Raid's Iko Uwais. Wu Assassins will launch globally on Netflix August 8, 2019.
The supernatural-infused action series comes to us from executive producers John Wirth (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Falling Skies) and Tony Krantz (24). Wirth will also serve as showrunner and head writer. Altered Carbon's Byron Mann co-stars as Uncle Six, while Summer Glau (Firefly makes an appearance as Miss Jones in the Netflix original.
The 10-episode series will follow Kai Jin (Iko Uwais), a young Chinatown chef in present day San Francisco as he gets thrust into the world of the "Chinese Triad", of which his father is the head. Kai encounters a mystical spirit, and becomes the legendary "Wu Assassin", and must use his enhanced martial arts skills to recover supernatural powers from five criminals threatening to destroy the world. The recent Wu Assassins trailer showcases the stylish fights and mystical elements over the backdrop of a sample track from Snoop Dogg and The Higher Brothers. The visuals blend ancient Chinese elements with modern day settings, and a little body-switching camera trickery similar to the Wachowski siblings' Sense8. Kai looks ready to take on his father who claims he will do "anything necessary to protect my power. Even if it means killing my beloved son." And we're sure ready to watch!
Fans of the genre can expect an exciting ride as Iko Uwais will also function as producer, lead martial arts and fight choreographer and stunt coordinator. Uwais served as fight choreographer on the popular The Raid: Redemption about a S.W.A.T team fighting to escape a surrounded tenement building with limited resources, as well as its follow-up film The Raid 2. Both movies are known for their high-energy, entertaining action sequences. He also served as co-fight choreographer in Mile 22, in which he starred alongside Mark Wahlberg (Transformers: The Last Knight) and Lauren Cohen (The Walking Dead).
Wu Assassins' release comes during Hollywood's recent, and welcome, push to produce more Asian-American content. With the success of Crazy Rich Asians, Marvel's announcement of the upcoming Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and the growing Chinese film industry, Netflix has seen the writing on the walls.
The streaming service is expected to launch the series on August 8, 2019. It will feature 10 episodes, each 45 minutes. It is being helmed by creators John Wirth and Tony Krantz. Along with fellow executive producers Stephen Fung, Michael Frislev, Chad Oakes. It stars Iko Uwais, Byron Mann, Li Jun Li, Celia Au, Lewis Tan, Lawrence Kao, Tommy Flanagan, Katheryn Winnick, Tzi Ma, JuJu Chan, Summer Glau, Robin McLeavy, Travis Caldwell. We can expect episodes directed by Stephen Fung, Roel Reiné, Toa Fraser, Katheryn Winnick, Tony Krantz, and Michael Nankin, from writers John Wirth, Cameron Litvack, David Simkins, Julie Benson, Shawna Benson, Yalun Tu, Jessica Chou.
Topics: Wu Assassins, Netflix, Streaming