In case you have been an Web 1.0 denizen, and/otherwise you rely your self among the many followers of geek tradition, then 2015’s “Kung Fury” might be a favourite of yours. The quick movie written, directed by, and starring Swedish filmmaker David Sandberg, is a intelligent and vibrant homage to ’80s motion motion pictures. A form of collision between a meme, an Grownup Swim particular, a parody movie, and a fan movie (full with its personal underdog Kickstarter crowdfunding origin story) that beat the chances, “Kung Fury” options the involvement of celebrities like Jorma Taccone (of The Lonely Island) and David Hasselhoff, lending a little bit of reputable star energy to what in any other case could have been seen as a curious goof. All that is to say that “Kung Fury” is totally pleasant, and its quick size solely helps make the prospect of a sequel extra fascinating.
Because it seems, “Kung Fury 2” turned far more fascinating than a mere sequel. Shot in 2019, the movie is just not solely feature-length, however along with that includes the returning Sandberg, Taccone, and Hasselhoff, it additionally co-stars Michael Fassbender, Alexandra Shipp, and Arnold freakin’ Schwarzenegger taking part in the President of the USA. Co-produced by Seth Grahame-Smith and co-written by Tyler Burton Smith (who wrote this yr’s “Boy Kills World”), the film appeared on monitor to be as massive if not greater a cultural second as the primary “Kung Fury.” Sadly, the film hit a wall in 2020, and regardless of post-production being lastly accomplished as of April 2024, the film nonetheless has little hope of being launched at this second. The explanation why is not a enjoyable or simply comprehensible one, as “Kung Fury 2” is a sufferer of that horrible scourge often called “authorized points.”
‘Kung Fury 2’ is caught up in a perpetual lawsuit with its traders
One would suppose {that a} film that acts as a sequel to a extremely in style quick movie (which remains to be out there on YouTube) starring names like Fassbender, Taccone, Shipp, and Schwarzenegger would not be delayed for lengthy, as cooler heads would prevail quick sufficient for the film to lastly be seen by audiences and make some dough. Sadly, this seems to not be the case for “Kung Fury 2,” as some producers of the movie filed a lawsuit towards Creasun Leisure USA, which is the Los Angeles financing/manufacturing arm of the Chinese language firm Creasun Media. Apparently, Creasun took a majority stake in “Kung Fury 2” earlier than the movie’s principal images, and the film completed taking pictures on time and on finances. But on September 16, 2020, a non-public restricted firm created to make the film, KF2EUG, filed a criticism towards Creasun that the agreed sum of money the latter firm stated they’d pay didn’t all undergo.
Particularly, a big portion of the cash Creasun was to contribute to the movie was to go to the intensive post-production visible results work, to be undertaken by the VFX home Double Detrimental. When the cash did not arrive, Double Detrimental stopped work on the film, resulting in the movie’s lengthier-than-usual post-production. As this piece by The Hollywood Reporter explains, the small print of the lawsuit solely get nastier and shadier from there, involving lots of back-and-forth about whether or not Creasun ever had the funds to pay in any respect. Producer Philip Westgren is quoted as saying that any decision was “met with stonewalling and improper actions to additional disguise Creasun’s contractual breach,” an announcement to which Creasun responded by calling the lawsuit “fully meritless and […] legally poor.” As these statements alone show, there was greater than slightly dangerous blood between the events, ensuing within the years-long dispute that as of this writing nonetheless hasn’t been resolved.
Robust phrase of mouth may save ‘Kung Fury 2’
It might appear that frequent sense ought to prevail in lawsuits like this, significantly when earnings and different such issues are being left on the desk. Sadly, this is not at all times the case; simply take a look at the state of the “Friday the thirteenth” franchise, for instance. That sequence’ recognition refuses to wane, but the rights holders insist on maintaining any additional cinematic exploits of Jason Voorhees tied up in authorized points. Given the sturdy phrases and emotions between KF2EUG and Creasun, it is completely attainable that each side really feel too strongly about their positions for both of them to settle or concede.
But whereas taking this matter to the court docket of public opinion is not a assure that issues might be resolved, it is price a shot. At numerous factors this yr, dialogue and hypothesis about what’s up with “Kung Fury 2” has cropped up, seemingly spurred on by information of the completion of the movie regardless of it not having any launch on the horizon. In Might of this yr, Taccone spoke to ComicBook in regards to the movie, lavishing it with reward excessive sufficient to make any movie geek salivate in anticipation:
“I actually hope that it involves fruition and it will get out of authorized jeopardy, or no matter has occurred within the authorized mumbo jumbo, as a result of actually, the 10-minute promo piece that I noticed, I used to be like, ‘On the very least, that is an instantaneous cult traditional. That is so particular. It’s so humorous and off the rails.’ I imply, Fassbender’s hilarious in it. I get to combat Arnold Schwarzenegger. That it would not exist, it’s so heartbreaking to me. It is actually like a criminal offense. It is a whole crime that it hasn’t been launched but.”
Maybe Taccone will proceed to speak up “Kung Fury 2” within the press, and perhaps a few of these co-stars will voice their very own opinions of it, too. In that case, it may begin of wave of curiosity that places additional stress on the lawsuit to lastly wrap up. If the worst befalls and “Kung Fury 2” turns into a fully-fledged misplaced film, nevertheless, there’s nonetheless the likelihood to get a perverse form of victory out of it: we are able to begin the rumor that perhaps the film is simply Too Superior for Human Consumption. In any case, if we won’t see the factor, we would as nicely make a delusion out of it.