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.
“I guarantee that this is not a case of financial fraud, and I have no intention of pursuing any legal action against him,” Techaratanaprasert said. “We’re running behind schedule, and some of our international contracts have been cancelled because of that. I know he loves this film very much, so I just want him to finish the film because there’s only a little work left.”
Prachya Pinkaew, who directed the first “Ong-bak” and “Tom-yum-goong” (shown as “The Protector” in the U.S.), confirmed that he will step in to edit the footage and maybe direct the rest of the movie.
“Jaa has little experience directing,” said Pinkaew. “He’s spent nearly $7.8 million. The film is almost finished, so I’ll try to see what I can do with the footage that he’s shot.”
In any case, the film was scheduled for a December 5 opening in Thailand, which still seems likely if the producers bring in Prachya Pinkaew to chop what’s already been shot into a film. Of course, this would mean Jaa has not finished shooting the movie, and the final cut we’ll get from Pinkaew’s version will be incomplete.
Watch Tony Jaa’s fantastic “Ong Bak 2″ promo reel
