Arnold Schwarzenegger's next movie Kung Fury 2 wrapped filming in 2019 but still has no release date, so why is taking so long? Arnie was once the biggest movie stars in the world, but he later swapped acting for politics in 2003 when he became Governor of California. When he returned to the big screen a decade later, he appeared in a series of duds like The Last Stand or Sabotage that were critical and financial disappointments. Outside of The Expendables or Terminator movie franchises, most of his recent projects failed to find an audience.
Even Schwarzenegger's most recent Terminator sequel - 2019's Dark Fate - was a box-office disappointment. Of course, Arnie still has an adoring fanbase, but shifting audience interests and the current film landscape makes it tricky to find a project that suits his talents. His next project will be Utap, a Netflix action comedy that sounds like a True Lies riff. This involves Arnie's CIA agent, who learns his daughter (Monica Barbaro) is also a spy, with the two forced to work together and reassess their relationship. Schwarzenegger also has an anticipated sequel on the way, but one that finished filming years ago.
Kung Fury 2 Wrapped In 2019 But Still Has No Release Date
In 2015, a short film called Kung Fury (which had a Hasselhoff tie-in song) arrived online that played like a hyperactive homage to '80s action cinema. It was directed, written by and starred David Sandberg as Detective Kung Fury, who alongside his talking dinosaur partner Triceracop, goes back in time to kill Hitler. It was a goofy homage to the action movies of the past and was enough of a hit to score celebrity fans like Arnie and Michael Fassbender. They later agreed to star in a feature-length sequel, with Sandberg again starring. Kung Fury 2 also cast Alexandra Shipp and Jorma Taccone and filmed from July to September 2019.
Schwarzenegger - who almost appeared in Parks & Rec - was cast as The President in Kung Fury 2, and multiple behind-the-scenes photos of him in the role can be found online. However, in September 2020, it was revealed (via THR) that the producers were suing Chinese financiers Creasun Entertainment, alleging breach of contract and failing to provide 10 million dollars. This was a third of Kung Fury 2's estimated budget, most of which was supposed to go to post-production VFX. This lawsuit - and the pandemic - appear to be the main reason for the follow-up's long delay.
Kung Fury 2 May Finally Arrive In 2023
Outside of a Facebook post from 2021 stating that Kung Fury 2 would arrive in 2022, no concrete updates about the movie's status have been offered. An anonymous Reddit post has claimed the sequel was further delayed due to "an issue with the VFX company," but that most of the effects work had been completed and that the movie would "hopefully" arrive in 2023. While Kung Fury 2 might be arriving a little late to cash in on the original's popularity, the fact Fassbender and Arnie appear should garner it some attention. Besides, the world could use a really fun Schwarzenegger movie.