Last year, word broke that, after several years of development and a $20 million co-sign from Universal, RZA's directorial debut, The Man With The Iron Fist, was officially a go. And then, shortly after, it was announced that RZA's pal Russell Crowe had joined the cast. The Abbott is mum about how big a role his American Gangster chum Crowe will play, but Crowe's name is big enough to add some box office credibility. Written by RZA and Eli Roth (writer-director of the Hostel films) the old-school martial arts pic takes place in feudal China, where, today, it's currently in production.
And now, the full cast is finally confirmed. The most notable additions are Lucy Liu, who will play the role of Madame Blossom, Blaxploitation film queen Pam Grier, former WWE superstar Dave Batista as Brass Body, and Vietnamese MMA champ Cung Le as Bronze Lion. RZA, in addition to writing, directing, and scoring The Man With The Iron Fist, will play "a weapons-making village blacksmith." Sounds like a fittingly strange cast, and with Roth and Quentin Tarantino helping out as producers, expect some kick-ass things to come.
