Tony Jaa is Meditating In the Jungle… Seriously

Variety is reporting that Tony Jaa (Ong Bak, The Protector) has gone off to the jungle to meditate due to the three years it has taken him to film Ong Bak 2. Reporting the news on July 27, apparently Jaa has been missing since June according to Sahamongkol president Somsak Techaratanaprasert who held a press conference to confirm the fact.

“But I love him as a son,” said Techaratanaprasert as the studio insists the much-anticipated Thai film “Ong-bak 2″ will be finished in time for its scheduled Dec. 5 release in Thailand.

Jaa, who became a first-time helmer after scoring a global hit as the Siamese kick-boxing sensation in “Ong-bak” and “Tom-yum-goong,” has spent nearly three years shooting “Ong-bak 2.”

The pic’s show reel generated buzz at the Cannes Film Market. But Jaa’s producers at Sahamongkol Film Intl. couldn’t reach him by phone.

Apparently the studio does expect Ong Bak 2 to still be ready for its Thai release on December 5, but according to his family Jaa has suffered a lot of stress from the shoot and has gone to meditate in the jungle. Reports in the Thai press suggest a case of budget mismanagement that resulted in Jaa spending over 200 million baht ($6.25 million) without finishing the film. Continue Reading…

‘Ong Bak 2′ Posters

Tony Jaa’s new film, currently titled “Ong Bak 2” has gotten some more posters.

A young man in the Ayutthaya period grows up among villagers who preserve the legacy of the traditional khon masked dance. He becomes an outcast when he finds that his firm limbs weren’t made to pursue the specialty of his ancestors, but with the advice of a mysterious guru he’s able to develop a new style of fighting which mixes the strength of martial arts with the regal elegance of khon dance. Then he’s ready to go out and fight the enemy.

In America the Weinstein Brothers owns the rights to “Ong Bak 2″, which means we can expect to see the film released in U.S. theaters in about two years. (Variety)