Leaked 10-Minute Action-Packed ‘Kung Fury 2’ Reel Stuck in Legal Limbo Since 2020

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A vibrant, over-the-top, predominantly mad preview for “Kung Fury 2,” a film featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Michael Fassbender, and David Hasselhoff as its action-comedy stars, which halted production in 2020 due to legal problems, has surfaced online.

The extravagant, high-octane 10-minute trailer presents Schwarzenegger as a cigar-smoking, shotgun-wielding U.S. president determined to take down Nazis, Fassbender as a rule-breaking FBI agent sporting an impressive mullet who discusses the art of making a “justice omelette,” and David Hasselhoff morphing into an 80s sports car. An absurd storyline seems to revolve around a diverse group of heroes consisting of humans, dinosaurs, and half-human-half-dinosaur law enforcers known as the Thunder Cops, led by martial arts expert Kung Fury (portrayed by director David Sandberg). This team is tasked with restoring order in 1985 Miami, but their mission becomes complicated when they encounter “the most notorious criminal of all time,” Adolf Hitler. Of course!

It’s been verified by EbMaster that the 10-minute video on YouTube, which was posted anonymously, is authentic and genuine.

Sandberg revealed that the video they shared was initially intended for internal use only, not for public viewing. He expressed regret because it includes key plot points and temporary visual effects. However, he hopes people will appreciate the enthusiasm we put into the movie, as it’s worth seeing in its original form. Unfortunately, this film has been withheld for five years, but Sandberg vows to continue fighting for it and ensure it gets the opportunity to shine as intended.

The long-awaited sequel to “Kung Fury,” originally announced in 2015 and filmed in 2019, is the full-length continuation of the cult classic short. This over-the-top, nostalgic tribute to ’80s martial arts films and buddy cop movies gained massive popularity on YouTube following a successful Kickstarter campaign.

Originating from Sandberg’s homeland Sweden, the short film predominantly utilized a green screen setting and starred Sandberg himself as Kung Fury, a Miami-based Lamborghini-driving cop with kung fu skills, who travels back in time to combat “The Kung Fuhrer,” Hitler. The action-packed short introduced various characters such as Uzi-wielding female viking warriors, some dinosaurs, and a half-dinosaur police officer named Triceracop (who all make a reappearance in the trailer). The full-length sequel, with a reported budget exceeding $34 million and featuring A-list celebrities, was anticipated to maintain the same themes while amping up the absurdity. The promotional material suggests that goal has been met.

The leak appears to be strategically coordinated with the Cannes Film Festival, a time when “Kung Fury” initially debuted in the Directors’ Fortnight sidebar back in 2015. It was also during this festival that Sandberg and KatzSmith Productions first announced the feature sequel for the same year.

Following the completion of main filming for “Kung Fury 2” in late 2019, which was shot in Bulgaria and Germany, post-production work came to a halt in 2020 due to a legal dispute between the producers and the Chinese investors, Creasun. A lawsuit was filed against Creasun Entertainment USA, the American branch of Creasun Media, alleging that it failed to pay a promised $10 million, thereby halting production. At the time, Creasun contended that the lawsuit was baseless and was initiated because they had exercised their contractual rights to assume control over the film. As of now, it appears that there has been minimal progress on the project.

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2025-05-10 10:22