Tony Jaa, the martial arts movie star best known to American audiences for the Ong-Bak series and The Protector has joined the cast of Fast & Furious 7. In an e-mail exchange with The Hollywood Reporter, Jaa wrote: "I have been a big fan of the Fast and Furious franchise. The films are fast paced, fun and keep the audience involved. There is a great mix of humor and action, something I really appreciate. There is no better film to be involved in for a first U.S. studio production."
Fast and Furious 7 is directed by James Wan and boasts an impressive cast of action stars. In addition to franchise stalwart Paul Walker returning as Brian O'Conner, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as Luke Hobbs, Vin Diesel as Dominic Torretto, and Tyrese Gibson as Roman Pearce, this latest installment in the Fast & Furious series will also boast Jason Statham as the villainous Ian Shaw.
The popularity of the Fast & Furious series continues to grow, and the presence of Jaa should not only expand the international appeal of a franchise which has already done ridiculous overseas box-office, but will expose the incredibly talented actor to a wider English-speaking audience than he's ever had. At the very least, if you're a fan of martial arts films, check out the first Ong-Bakfilm, Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior.
Fast & Furious 7 drives into theaters on July 6, 2014.
Source:THR
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