Yakuza Kidnap His Daughter, Forcing Jean-Claude Van Damme to Officially Return to Martial Arts in New Movie
A return to fighting roots
Van Damme began as a European karate champion before moving to Los Angeles to pursue film work. His breakthrough came with Bloodsport, followed by Kickboxer, which brought Muay Thai to international audiences.
He went on to star in films including Double Impact, Hard Target and Universal Soldier. Katana brings him back to a story centered on combat sports.
The story behind Katana
According to Deadline, Van Damme will play a retired fighter and family man who has left competition and a troubled past behind. He returns to the ring after the Yakuza crime syndicate kidnaps his daughter.
Production plans and status
French filmmaker Jeremy Zag is writing and directing the movie. He is best known for creating the Miraculous animated franchise. Production is scheduled to start in spring 2027, with filming planned across Japan, France and Los Angeles. The project remains in development, and a release date has not been set.
Key points
- Van Damme stars in Katana as a retired fighter forced back into competition.
- The Yakuza kidnap his daughter, driving the film’s central conflict.
- Melsik Baghdasaryan and Cyril Benzaquen are also set to appear.
- Production is planned for spring 2027; no release date has been announced.