The Man with the Iron Fist gets Russell Crowe

RZA has well known infatuation with movies, especially kung-fu movies, that’s been an influence on his music for over a decade. He helped score some of the most memorable tunes for Quentin Tarantino’s “Kill Bill” series and has rubbed elbow’s with some of Hollywood’s elite for years and word comes from Twitch Film that Russell Crowe will be joining Lucy Liu, Daniel Wu and Byron Mann in RZA’s directorial debut “The Man with the Iron Fist”.

It’s an interesting albeit risky bit of casting. On the interesting side if Crowe can recapture some of the energy that made him so compelling in LA Confidential or even his gunslinger role in Sam Raimi’s The Quick And The Dead then we’ve got something that could be very fun on screen. On the risk side, however, how many fifteen year old kids in a mall in middle America can you picture saying “Hey, let’s go see that new Russell Crowe kung fu film?”

I like the RZA. I really really do, but so far this movie has “WTF” written all over it. Don’t get me wrong, I love the Wu Tang clan and think that RZA is a very talented musician, and I know he has some experience as a music video director but I just don’t understand why Russell Crowe and co. would agree to do a movie with such an unproven director.

I understand that these guys aren’t really the largest box office draws anymore but this is just plain risky. I really hope that spending time with Quentin Tarantino, Eli Roth, and friends helped RZA shape an entertaining approach to the movie and hopefully the film can help turn Crowe’s career and bring him back to prominence. Can Crowe do kung-fu? Can RZA direct a good kung-fu film?

Who is the man with the Iron Fist?

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About Anthony Whyte

Content Manager | Senior Editor | Daydreamer | Keep your head on a swivel and don't blink

8 thoughts on “The Man with the Iron Fist gets Russell Crowe

  1. This is a no-brainer. Seriously, why are you guys even concerned? RZA will rock this to china and back…

    I’m not saying it’s easy to direct a movie but if any of you have read the Wu-tang book by RZA know that he is one serious man (sometimes to serious) and as stated he L U V kung-fu movies so I say there is no chance he’ll mess this one up, crowe or no crowe

  2. Lets face it Russell Crowes career hasn’t taken off yet. Here’s hoping this will do it for him……….heehee. Kung Fu Crowe, sounds like a recipe for chaos.

  3. help turn Crowes career are you serious!!!!!!! Granted Robin was lack luster but you dont have to go back 10,5 or even 3 movies to find a great performance. State of Play, Body of Lies and American Gangster were all great performances but jeez i guess we can just say his career is in the crapper..

    1. Russell Crowe is one of the greatest living actors still practicing his craft. Period. His problem isn’t with his performance, but rather with his most recent films failing to generate a appreciable return. Twitchfilm also reported that only two of Crowe’s past ten features have made their money back at the US box office (American Gangster, 3:10 To Yuma).

      1. ok well i agree with you that he is one of the greatest living actors. However you point about about making money at the US box offcie is ridiculous We are in a world wide market so probably a good idea to see what the world wide gross has been for his flicks before you say they have failed.

        Robin Hood Budget 200mill Worldwide: $321,669,730
        Body of Lies budget 70mil Worldwide: $115,097,286
        Amercian gangster Budget 100mill Worldwide: $266,465,037
        State of Play Budget unsure but well below Worldwide takings of $87,812,371
        A good year budget 35mill but still Worldwide: $42,064,105
        Master and Commander budget 150mill Worldwide: $212,011,111
        Cinderella Man Budget 88mill Worldwide: $108,539,911

        So anyway apart from Tenderness all of his last 10 movies have made money and plenty of it …

        enough said

        (all figures sourced from Box Offcie Mojo)

  4. Based on RZA’s large infatuation with Kung Fu I am assuming that he will go with the style of the older Kung Fu films. A part of me is no doubt saying “Seriously, what the hell man?” but I am also kind of interested in knowing more about it. Now is RZA also going to be in the film? Also maybe Crowe signed on since he wored with him in American Gangster, maybe they got along and could be why he is agreeing the film.

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