Jean-Claude Van Damme up for 'Kickboxer' remake

Jean-Claude Van Damme's "Kickboxer" is being remade, and "The Muscles from Brussels" will be one of the stars. According to The Hollywood Reporter, 54-year-old Van Damme is in final negotiations to join the cast of the upcoming remake, which will be directed by "Blue Crush" and "Into the Blue" helmer John Stockwell. The original 1989 "Kickboxer" helped launch Van Damme's career as an action star. He starred in the cult favorite as Kurt Sloane, a young martial artist who travels to Thailand and trains in kickboxing to avenge his brother's vicious loss to a fighter named Tong Po. This time around, Van Damme will no longer be the student but the master. He's signing on to play an updated take on Master Xian Chow, the role played by Dennis Chan in the original. "We are so excited to have 'Kickboxer' roll into production and to have (Van Damme) in the role of Master Chow ... to have him lead the franchise to a new generation," one of the remake's producers said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. Stuntman and actor Alain Moussi will star in the new "Kickboxer" as Kurt Sloane, and "Guardians of the Galaxy" star Dave Bautista will portray the new version of Tong Po.