Action icon Jean-Claude Van Damme is set to return to his martial arts roots in Katana, a Japan-set yakuza action thriller being launched for international sales by The Veterans ahead of the American Film Market (AFM).
The film is backed by French producer, writer and director Jeremy Zag, best known for creating the hugely successful Miraculous franchise. The project will see Van Damme revisit the action genre that made him a global star through iconic films such as Bloodsport, Kickboxer and Double Impact.
Katana follows a former world champion fighter who has walked away from his violent past to embrace life as a father. However, his peaceful existence is shattered when his daughter is kidnapped by the Japanese yakuza, forcing him back into the world of combat for one final mission.
Joining Van Damme in the film are several accomplished martial arts athletes, including Armenian MMA fighter Melsik Baghdasaryan and French Muay Thai and kickboxing world champion Cyril Benzaquen.
The film is being produced by Division Z in partnership with Japan-based Wowow Bridge, a company that supports international productions filming in Japan. Wowow Bridge’s previous credits include the HBO Max crime drama series Tokyo Vice.
Production is scheduled to take place across Japan, France and Los Angeles during April, May and June.
With Van Damme returning to the kind of high-impact martial arts action that defined his career, Katana is shaping up to be an exciting addition to the action-thriller genre.
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