Tony Jaa to lead new assassin action trilogy from Starlight Entertainment

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Tony Jaa, Monster Hunter, assassin, Starlight Entertainment

Muay Thai master Tony Jaa is gearing up to lead his first English-language action trilogy courtesy of Midway and Crazy Rich Asians backer Starlight Entertainment. The set up would see the Ong Bak, Furious 7, and xXx: Return of Xander Cage actor playing a legendary assassin who disappeared three years ago and becomes the target of all criminal organizations and law enforcement agencies.

According to Deadline, producers are saying that the story will unfold in an unconventional structure, and as the manhunt accelerates, the mystery of the assassin’s identity is slowly unraveled. At least this is what is planned for the first chapter, which the studio hopes will become a trilogy.

“Tony is the perfect artist to lead this fast-moving, adrenaline rush of a movie, where the physical demands match the traditional leading man visceral performance needs. He’ll be able to demonstrate his full, and extremely impressive, repertoire of skills to elevate this story, which will have inherent cross-border appeal globally,” said Starlight CEO Peter Luo.

The film has yet to secure a title, though we do know that Luo (Scary Stories To Tell in the Dark), Jaa, and Mike Selby (Triple Threat, The Last Full Measure) will finance the effort with plans to begin shooting in 2021.

Starlight Entertainment, you had me at Tony Jaa. After all, who doesn't want to see one of the world's most influential Muay Thai masters lay waste to an army of corporate goons, crooked crime bosses, or corrupt cops? Bring 'em all on, I say, and let Tony get to work!

Next up for Jaa is his role as The Hunter for Paul W.S. Anderson's MONSTER HUNTER. He stars in the upcoming action film opposite Milla Jovovich as the two characters become embroiled in a desperate battle for survival against enormous enemies with incredible powers. For the moment, Monster Hunter is expected to premiere only in theaters on December 30, 2020, but we'll see.

We'll be sure to bring you more details about this project as it develops.

Source: Deadline

About the Author

Born and raised in New York, then immigrated to Canada, Steve Seigh has been a JoBlo.com editor, columnist, and critic since 2012. He started with Ink & Pixel, a column celebrating the magic and evolution of animation, before launching the companion YouTube series Animation Movies Revisited. He's also the host of the Talking Comics Podcast, a personality-driven audio show focusing on comic books, film, music, and more. You'll rarely catch him without headphones on his head and pancakes on his breath.