It's unclear whether it's going to be called The Man with the Iron Fist or Fists (we're going with Fist), but one thing's for damn sure, RZA just got himself a big budget for his feature film debut.
According to Deadline, the prominent Wu-Tang Clan member is getting $20 million from Universal Pictures to produce the martial arts film.
The movie will be done in partnership with Eli Roth (Hostel), who will take production duties, as well as the mentorship of the one and only Quentin Tarantino (Inglourious Basterds, Kill Bill), who RZA often cites as one of his biggest influences in film.
Filming will start in September in Hong Kong, where RZA has spent a lot of time researching the various martial arts that will be featured in the movie. RZA will play the titular character, a blacksmith who makes swords for villagers in feudal China. The self-professed kung-fu expert will also provide music for his film's soundtrack.
"RZA has imagined every tribe, every fighting style, every costume," Roth told Deadline. "He knows kung-fu like I know horror."
As we previously told you, RZA has been working on the project for the past couple of years and has been given a ringing endorsement by both Roth and Tarantino.
"I know he's going to make a brilliant film," Roth told the L.A. Times back in January.
And after the low-budget majesty of Wu-Tang vs. the Golden Phoenix, a previous film endeavour by RZA, it should be very interesting to see what he can do with a cool $20 million.
According to Deadline, the prominent Wu-Tang Clan member is getting $20 million from Universal Pictures to produce the martial arts film.
The movie will be done in partnership with Eli Roth (Hostel), who will take production duties, as well as the mentorship of the one and only Quentin Tarantino (Inglourious Basterds, Kill Bill), who RZA often cites as one of his biggest influences in film.
Filming will start in September in Hong Kong, where RZA has spent a lot of time researching the various martial arts that will be featured in the movie. RZA will play the titular character, a blacksmith who makes swords for villagers in feudal China. The self-professed kung-fu expert will also provide music for his film's soundtrack.
"RZA has imagined every tribe, every fighting style, every costume," Roth told Deadline. "He knows kung-fu like I know horror."
As we previously told you, RZA has been working on the project for the past couple of years and has been given a ringing endorsement by both Roth and Tarantino.
"I know he's going to make a brilliant film," Roth told the L.A. Times back in January.
And after the low-budget majesty of Wu-Tang vs. the Golden Phoenix, a previous film endeavour by RZA, it should be very interesting to see what he can do with a cool $20 million.
