Expectations for Keanu Reeves’ martial-arts movie A Man of Tai Chi have been running high ever since the project was announced in December 2011. Once Ted, later “The One” and now a director, Reeves spent months in China shooting the project, which will feature an abundance of Chinese dialogue and stuntman Tiger Chen in the lead (Reeves plays the villain).
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Reeves, now 48, had years of action acting experience — from 1991’s Point Break to The?Matrix franchise — to put to use when he stepped behind the camera for the, by all accounts, frenetic kung-fu flick. He’s also had some of the best help in the business, from legendary fight choreographer Yuen Woo-Ping (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), who tells THR that Tai Chi employs a mix of martial-arts disciplines that has never been seen on film before.
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The film is co-produced by China Film Group, Wanda Media, Village Roadshow, Universal and Company Films. Universal will distribute the film in the U.S.
Here, The Hollywood Reporter hosts an exclusive image of Reeves directing Chen on the set of the film. View it above.
