Get ready to bend the laws of physics—on the pitch, once again! Cinema legend Stephen Chow is officially back in the director’s chair for Kung Fu Soccer, the long-awaited spin-off to his 2001 cultural phenomenon, Shaolin Soccer. In a massive power move, Singapore-based Encore Films has just secured the worldwide distribution rights (outside mainland China) for the upcoming blockbuster.
It’s hard to understate the hype. When Shaolin Soccer first hit screens a quarter of a century ago, it revolutionized sports comedy by blending laugh-out-loud slapstick with CGI-fueled martial arts. Fans instantly fell in love with the iconic underdog story, gravity-defying bicycle kicks, and fiery super-strikes that made it a massive global hit. Now, Chow is bringing that exact irreverent energy to a brand-new generation.
While Chow won’t be starring in the film—having mostly stepped back from acting after 2008’s CJ7—he’s fully helming the project. The film shifts the spotlight to an all-female squad, tracking the underdog Emei team as they fuse martial arts with their gameplay for an improbable championship run. The cast is stacked, led by Zhang Xiaofei (Hi, Mom), alongside popular stars Dilraba Dilmurat and Lay Zhang.
Kung Fu Soccer marks Chow’s first directorial feature since 2019’s The New King of Comedy. Currently in post-production with an expected heavy dose of jaw-dropping VFX, the film is slated for a 2026 release. The timing couldn’t be more perfect, as it celebrates the 25th anniversary of the original Shaolin Soccer while riding the wave of global excitement for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. In the meantime, enjoy the Chinese trailer to Shaolin Soccer below to relive some of that unhinged epicness.
Cover image via Magic Spongers.
