THE KICKBOXER: CITY OF BLOOD Adds Actress 'Raid 2' Actress Julie Estelle

Cult director favorite Albert Pyun is gearing up to direct his latest return to the familar days of the Kickboxer franchise in a fresh new approach in The Kickboxer: City Of Blood with franchise star, actor and martial artist Sasha Mitchell back in the fray. It's taken a couple of years with updates ever evolving, but fortunately movement is now being made and not only does the film have a start date, it also has a killer new actress on board.

Pyun took to social media on Wednesday night via his Facebook page to express his thanks to co-producers Jenny Luk and Mike Leeder for their best efforts in helping the film move forward as things got busy this month for the director, while more importantly, Pyun officially confirmed the addition of actress Julie Estelle, best known for her iconic role in last year's cult blockbuster crime thriller, The Raid 2 as shade-wearing clawhammer-wielding killer, Hammergirl. Estelle joins the film in a newly revamped story led by Mitchell who will play troubled UN peacekeeper, David Anderson, forced underground through near century-old World War II tunnels to evade Myanmar's secret police while protecting a young witness to a slate of political murders, whereas Estelle will play the role of "Tun", the deadly secret police agent assigned to kill her.

As previously reported, the new film reunites Pyun with Mitchell who starred in three of all five Kickboxer movies among which Pyun directed two. Actress Clare Kramer and actor Kevin Sorbo are among other familiars listed with other casting to possiblty include actors Michael Tushaus, Scott Paulin, Norbert Weisser and Dennis Chan who played supporting character, Muay Thai master Xian Chow in the initial film series. One other prosepct in the form of martial arts star and actor Mark Dacascos has not yet been confirmed for a role.

It's also worth noting that Estelle's casting here couldn't have come at a better time while several of her fellow Raid alum have already branched out to other audiences beyond borders. The actress was attached to star in the now-discontined production of The Night Comes For Us, so this serves a quite a bit of respite for fans. Estelle comes off with a very strong screen presence which would definitely help her in the long run if she spreads her wings.

The Kickboxer: City Of Blood is readying to begin in filmimg in Guangzhou, China over at ACE Studios on February 26. Stay tuned for more info!