Ong Bak 2

Darth Mattitude · The Dark Admin

Ong Bak 2

Man In Black · Anime Mod

Tony Jaa is directing it himself. He really wants to emulate Bruce Lee, doesn't he?

Not hat Bruce isn't a bad role model...

Totoro101 · Movie Executive Producer

looks cool! Tony Jaa is fantastic and even better that he wants to emulate the legend that is bruce lee.Loved the first movie so ill no doubt watch this. I actually havent seen Warrior King properly yet even though iv had it for a good year almost.

Man In Black · Anime Mod

Trailer is HERE.

DM - get a clean pair of underpants ready!

Darth Mattitude · The Dark Admin

I had already seen that I don't know why it wasn't posted already. Still looks awesome!

Totoro101 · Movie Executive Producer

nice one Mib ^_^.

jack_jeckel · On The Casting Couch

WOW!
The trailer already has more of a story than the first Ong Bak which is great and the fight scenes and action have also looked like they improved greatly so I can't see how this could be bad in anyway. Looking forward to it!

Does anyone know what martial arts he has learned so far? I know for the first Ong Bak and Warrior King all he really had was a few years of Muay Thai but am guessing he has learned more since.

Darth Mattitude · The Dark Admin

Tony Jaa is skilled in Muay Thai, Muay Boran, Krabi Krabong, Taekwondo, and gymnastics.

He was also In Mortal Kombat Annihilation as Liu Kangs stunt double, Jackie Chan wanted him in Rush Hour 3 but he had to decline due to filming Ong Bak 2 and he was rumoured at one point for casting in Die Hard 4 as the villan, that one obviously didn't happen.

jack_jeckel · On The Casting Couch

Ah I didn't know about Taekwondo, that must be something new he is working on. Muay Boran is just basically Muay Thai, I fail to see a difference. But Krabi Krabong is interesting, I had to google that one, am guessing that's what he uses in Ong Bak 2 for the weapon fighting scenes, good stuff. And... gymnastics isn't a martial art :P

I think if Tony Jaa keeps learning and mastering new Martial Arts he could go on to be one of the best Martial Artists one day. Still has a long way to go though.

I would have loved to have seen him in Rush Hour 3 having a fight scene with JC, that would be have been awesome!

Man In Black · Anime Mod

There is no question that Tony Jaa is a very talented martial artist but I hope he concentrates more on the fighting and less on the showy gymnastic routines. It certainly looks like he is trying to be more innovative in his fight scenes.

-- Edited by Man In Black at 15:02, 2008-07-05

Man In Black · Anime Mod

This film has hit a tiny snag. or rather, quite a major one...

Filmstalker:

Waiting for the new film from Tony Jaa, Ong Bak 2, might take a little longer than expected as it has been revealed that he's gone missing right in the middle of filming.

Jaa has been working on the film for nearly three years now, and reports have been that he's been stressed out by the filming so he heading into the jungle to meditate. Meanwhile a replacement director has been lined up.

There are, of course, rumours floating that Tony Jaa has spent a fortune on the film as he's been directing, his first time in the director's chair, however the production team have denied that and Somsak Techaratanaprasert of Sahamongkol Film International stated quite clearly:

"I guarantee that this is not a case of financial fraud, and I have no intention of pursuing any legal action against him...We're running behind schedule, and some of our international contracts have been cancelled because of that. I know he loves this film very much, so I just want him to finish the film because there's only a little work left."

However they have a film to finish and money to earn back, and they can't wait forever, so Variety report that they have a director lined up to take his place. Prachya Pinkaew directed two films featuring the great martial artist, Ong Bak and Tom yum goong (The Protector) and he is ready to take the director's chair, complete the filming, and edit it all together into a film for release.

"Jaa has little experience directing...He's spent nearly $7.8 million. The film is almost finished, so I'll try to see what I can do with the footage that he's shot."

It is worrying where he's gone, especially since he is such a great talent, the work he did in those first two films was truly stunning and I found it hard to believe that he could do some of the things he did.

Ong Bak 2 was lining up to be an incredible film with stunning fight sequences as Jaa took on all manner of martial arts. You can see from this previous extended trailer how many different arts were going to be involved.

This would fit with a previous story back in May of 2007 when we heard that the Weinstein's were trying to sell the film's worldwide distribution rights back, this was probably so they could recoup losses to date and perhaps then they sensed problems.

Whatever happened, it looks like the film may be taken over and completed by someone else, which might prove difficult with no Tony Jaa, after all he is the lead of the film too. Hopefully though, this is just some press to get focus back on the film to help get it completed and Jaa will return.

Let's hope this is nothing serious and he does make it back to complete the film.

Man In Black · Anime Mod

And he's back:

Tony Jaa has surfaced on television no less, and he's revealed that he hopes to finish Ong Bak 2 while at the same time raising more controversy about where the money has gone on the project.

According to press reports huge amounts of money has disappeared on the film, the studio played that down but still suggested a lot of money has been spent on the project. However Jaa denies that.

In the television appearance that Variety tells us happened on a Monday night television talk show, Tony Jaa appeared to address the allegations in the media about his disappearance.

The media had been carrying reports that over 250 million Baht has been spent on the production already, and that with other production companies and investors leaving the film, the studio were rather concerned. Jaa says otherwise:

'I'm shocked at what happenedI didn't receive Baht250 million. There must be a misunderstanding over the number and I have proof of all my spending.

There are so many problems. I went away to focus on the artistic angle of the film. I make this film not with the number and figures in mind, but for its artistic quality. I invest my effort in it with almost spiritual devotion.'

Actually Tony Jaa is claiming that he only ever received 117 million Baht from the studio for Ong Bak 2, and at one point during the interview broke down.

However he did apologise to the studio for the trouble he has caused the production and said that he has never forgotten the help and support of the studio. He does want to return and finish the production, however that will depend on how the studio feels.

Last we heard was that the studio were concerned for Jaa after he went missing from the set and had hired Prachya Pinkaew to complete the film in his absence, and since it was only eighty percent filmed, that might well mean completing the film without him there, something that might prove a problem without the lead actor.

Here's hoping they do let him come back to complete the film, however there's that additional question of what has happened to the rest of the budget. Jaa claims one figure while it seems double that may have been raised, a troubled production indeed. I just hope that we get the chance to see this film, particularly with the mammoth amount of martial arts work that Jaa has taken on.

Totoro101 · Movie Executive Producer

Good news he is back but seems like there is quite some trouble with the film and with tony at the moment.Hopefully the film will be finished because Ong bak was excellent and no doubt this will be even better.

Man In Black · Anime Mod

Update from Filmstalker:

Tony Jaa looks set to complete Ong Bak 2, although the studio have imposed some restrictions on him during the filming.

A meeting with the head of Sahamongkolfilm International has resulted in the agreement for them to fund the completion of the film with Jaa at the helm, although with careful monitoring. What's more bizarre is that the meeting took place in a police station.

We already heard that Tony Jaa had gone missing in the jungle during filming of Ong Bak 2, and that the studio were claiming that a huge budget had already been appropriated by the film, although not spent. When Jaa reappeared he was on a talk show claiming that he never had that amount of budget, and that deepened the mystery.

So when Variety had the story today that Jaa went into the National Police Office claiming he was being followed and that was where he met with the President of Sahamongkolfilm International, Somsak Techaratanaprasert, to discuss his return to the film, I really began to think that he was either losing it or that there was some conspiracy against him and the film.

It also appears that Jaa's lawyer had issued a set of demands to the studio which included a Baht 50 million (US $1.5 million) contract cancellation fee, they obviously refused and agreed to continue discussions only once Ong Bak 2 had been completed.

Apparently the meetings to agree the way forward have been ongoing for weeks, however they've finally been completed and it looks as though a solution has been found. Prachya Pinkaew, the director of Ong Bak and Tom yum goong (The Protector), and action choreographer Panna Rittkrai will monitor the production alongside Jaa, and I suspect that after Ong Bak 2 the relationship between Jaa and the studio will end, and perhaps Jaa's directing career as well.

Mollison · 500 Club Member

Such a shame when great talent and a potentially great production is spoilt but backroom manouvering and the like. Regardless of what the future holds, I just want this film finished (with Jaa at the helm). As they say in the industry, "Get it done!".