A thrilling new venture is on the horizon as former Call of Duty developers at Los Angeles-based Force Multiplier Studios collaborate with filmmakers Dimitri Logothetis and Rob Hickman to bring the iconic Kickboxer martial arts film franchise to the world of video games. This marks the first time the Kickboxer series, which kicked off with the 1989 film starring martial arts legend Jean-Claude Van Damme, will be transformed into an interactive gaming experience.
Van Damme, who starred in the original Kickboxer and later in the 2016 reboot Kickboxer: Vengeance alongside Dave Bautista, as well as its sequel Kickboxer: Retaliation in 2018, has been a significant part of the franchise. The third installment of the reboot trilogy, Kickboxer: Armageddon, is slated to begin filming this spring.
While details on the Kickboxer video game are sparse, with only the logo released so far, Force Multiplier Studios has shared that the game is in early development. It aims to blend the rich narrative of the Kickboxer films with fast-paced, high-octane brawler gameplay, featuring iconic characters and settings from the franchise that originally starred Jean-Claude Van Damme.
When asked about Van Damme's involvement in the game, Brent Friedman, Chief Creative Officer at Force Multiplier Studios, remained coy, stating, "We're all massive fans of the Kickboxer movies, and we have the licenses to many characters and likenesses from the Kickboxer universe that we're very excited about. We'll have much more to share later in the year." Friedman, along with co-founders Jeremy Breslau and Charnjit Bansi, brings extensive experience from working on major titles like Call of Duty, Borderlands, Halo, Tomb Raider, and Mortal Kombat.
Dimitri Logothetis, writer and director of the upcoming Kickboxer: Armageddon, expressed his enthusiasm for the project, saying, "Kickboxer is more than just a film; it's a cultural phenomenon that has inspired generations of fans and martial artists alike. I'm thrilled to collaborate with the incredible team at Force Multiplier Studios. We're going to create a gaming experience that pays tribute to the original film while introducing exciting new gameplay elements."
Force Multiplier Studios previously released Karnivus, a combat shooter within Fortnite, but the Kickboxer game represents a significant step forward for the studio. Jeremy Breslau, CEO of Force Multiplier Studios, shared his vision for the game, stating, "Our passion is innovation, and just as we're innovating on Fortnite Creative with our own environmental combat shooter experience Karnivus, we can’t wait to innovate the fighting genre with a dynamic brawler that will empower players to be the best kickboxers in the world, traveling to exotic locales and introducing new environmental combat mechanics to deliver a martial arts experience like never before."
While we eagerly await more details, including screenshots and a trailer, the promise of a Kickboxer video game that combines narrative depth with intense martial arts action is certainly exciting. Stay tuned for more information later this year.
