Tony Jaa takes the lead in Paul W.S. Anderson’s Monster Hunter

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

There were two casting announcements for writer/director Paul W.S. Anderson's Capcom video game adaptation MONSTER HUNTER made back-to-back yesterday. The first one revealed that Anderson's wife and RESIDENT EVIL star Milla Jovovich had been joined in the cast by HELLBOY's Ron Perlman and ANT-MAN's T.I. Harris. Close on the heels of that, the project revealed the name of its male lead: Tony Jaa.

Capcom's MONSTER HUNTER games put players in the role of 

a Hunter, slaying or trapping large monsters across various landscapes as part of quests given to them by the locals. As part of its core gameplay loop, players use loot gained from slaying monsters, gathering resources, and quest rewards to craft improved weapons, armor, and other items that allows them to face more powerful monsters.

That Hunter role is the one Jaa will be playing. His character in the film is simply called The Hunter.

Jovovich is playing a character named Artemis, Perlman's character is Admiral, the leader of the Hunter's Crew, and Harris is a sniper named Link.

A Thai actor probably best known for starring in the ONG-BAK and THE PROTECTOR films, Jaa has also appeared in the seventh FAST & FURIOUS film and crossed paths with Vin Diesel again in xXx: RETURN OF XANDER CAGE. Monsters don't stand a chance against this guy.

MONSTER HUNTER is being produced by Anderson, Jeremy Bolt, and Robert Kulzer. The $60 million movie is set to begin filming in South Africa next month.