Excitement is brewing in the gaming world as former Call of Duty developers at Los Angeles-based Force Multiplier Studios team up with filmmakers Dimitri Logothetis and Rob Hickman to bring the iconic Kickboxer martial arts film franchise to video games for the first time. This collaboration aims to blend the rich storytelling of Kickboxer with intense, high-octane brawler action, featuring beloved characters and settings from the series that originally starred martial arts legend Jean-Claude Van Damme.

The Kickboxer saga kicked off in 1989 with Van Damme's portrayal of Kurt Sloane, sparking a franchise that saw numerous sequels. Although Van Damme did not return for Kickboxer 2, opting instead for Double Impact in 1991, he reprised his role in the 2016 reboot, Kickboxer: Vengeance, alongside Dave Bautista, and followed up with Kickboxer: Retaliation in 2018. The third installment, Kickboxer: Armageddon, is set to begin filming this spring.

While the Kickboxer game is still in its early stages of development, Force Multiplier Studios promises a thrilling experience. When asked about Jean-Claude Van Damme's involvement, Brent Friedman, Chief Creative Officer at Force Multiplier Studios, remained coy but enthusiastic. "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," Friedman stated, hinting at more details to come later in the year.

Force Multiplier Studios, founded by industry veterans Jeremy Breslau, Brent Friedman, and Charnjit Bansi, boasts an impressive resume with contributions to titles like Call of Duty, Borderlands, Halo, Tomb Raider, and Mortal Kombat. Their first project, Karnivus, a combat shooter released within Fortnite, paves the way for what promises to be an ambitious step forward with the Kickboxer game.

Dimitri Logothetis, writer and director of Kickboxer: Armageddon, expressed his enthusiasm for the project: "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."

Jeremy Breslau, CEO of Force Multiplier Studios, emphasized their commitment to innovation, drawing parallels between their work on Karnivus within Fortnite Creative and the upcoming Kickboxer game. "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," Breslau explained.

As anticipation builds, fans will have to wait a bit longer for more details—no screenshots or trailers have been released yet. Stay tuned for more updates on the Kickboxer video game later this year.