Jean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg, known professionally as Jean-Claude Van Damme, is a Belgian martial artist and actor. Born and raised in Brussels, his father enrolled him in a Shotokan karate school at the age of ten, which led Van Damme to hold the rank of 2nd-dan black belt in karate, and compete in several karate and kickboxing competitions. With the desire of becoming an actor, he moved to the United States in 1982, where he did odd jobs and worked on several films, until he got his break as the lead in the martial arts film Bloodsport (1988).
The Karate Kid is a 1984 American martial arts drama film written by Robert Mark Kamen and directed by John G. Avildsen. It is the first installment in the Karate Kid franchise, and stars Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita, Elisabeth Shue, and William Zabka. The Karate Kid follows the story of Daniel LaRusso (Macchio), an Italian-American teenager from New Jersey who moves with his widowed mother to the Reseda neighborhood of Los Angeles. There, LaRusso encounters harassment from his new bullies, one of whom is Johnny Lawrence (Zabka), the ex-boyfriend of LaRusso's love interest, Ali Mills (Shue). LaRusso is taught karate by a handyman and war veteran named Mr. Miyagi (Morita) to help LaRusso defend himself and compete in a karate tournament against his bullies.
Bloodsport is a 1988 American martial arts sports action film directed by Newt Arnold and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, Leah Ayres, Forest Whitaker, Donald Gibb, Roy Chiao and Bolo Yeung. The film centers on Frank Dux, a United States Army Captain and ninjutsu practitioner, who competes in an underground full-contact martial arts tournament called the Kumite in Hong Kong. Based on Dux's real-life claims, the film was marketed as a true story. It was one of Van Damme's first lead roles and showcased his abilities, launching his career as a mainstream action star.
Hwang Jang-lee is a Japanese-born Korean martial artist and actor best known for his Hong Kong martial arts films. He is a ninth-dan grandmaster in Tang Soo Do and Taekwondo who began training in 1957. Prior to his acting career, Hwang was a martial arts instructor for the Korean military in Vietnam.
Yeung Sze, better known as Bolo Yeung, is a Hong Kong former competitive bodybuilder, martial artist, and martial arts film actor. Primarily cast as the villain in the movies he stars in, Sze is globally known for his performances as Bolo in Enter the Dragon (1973), starring Bruce Lee, and as Chong Li in Bloodsport (1988), starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, as well as other numerous appearances and a long career in Hong Kong martial arts films.
Donald Richard Gibb is an American actor, best known for his roles as the hulking, dimwitted fraternity brother Ogre in several installments of the Revenge of the Nerds film series, as Kumite fighter Ray Jackson in Bloodsport, and as Leslie "Dr. Death" Krunchner on the HBO sitcom 1st & Ten.
The Quest is a 1996 American martial arts film directed by Jean-Claude Van Damme in his directorial debut, as well as starring in the film. The film co-stars Roger Moore, James Remar and Janet Gunn. The Quest premiered in Turkey on April 19, 1996, and was released in the United States on April 26, 1996.
Bloodsport III is a 1997 martial arts sports action film directed and produced by Alan Mehrez, from a script written by James Williams. It is a direct sequel to Bloodsport II: The Next Kumite, and the third installment overall in the titular film series. The movie starred Daniel Bernhardt, reprising his role as Alex Cardo. It was released direct-to-video in 1997.
Bloodsport 4: The Dark Kumite is a 1999 martial arts sports action film directed by Elvis Restaino, from a script written by George Saunders, while Alan Mehrez once again serves as producer. It is the direct sequel to Bloodsport III, and the fourth installment overall in the titular film series. Daniel Bernhardt returns to the series, albeit in the new role of John Keller. It was released direct-to-video in 1999.
One Nite in Mongkok is a 2004 Hong Kong crime thriller film written and directed by Derek Yee and starring Daniel Wu, Cecilia Cheung and Alex Fong. The film is a sequel to the Yee-produced 2000 film Double Tap, with Fong reprising his role from the previous installment. A sequel to the film, Triple Tap, was released in 2010, which was once again directed by Yee and featured Fong reprising his role, while also starring Wu in a different role.
Erik Paulson is an American mixed martial artist. He is the first American to win the World Light Heavyweight Shooto Championship in Japan.
Sheldon Lettich is an American screenwriter, film director and producer. He is best known for his collaborations with Jean-Claude Van Damme and his work in the action film genre.
Louis Fan Siu-wong is a Hong Kong actor and martial artist. He is best known worldwide for his starring role as Ricky in Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky (1991) and as Jin Shanzhao in Ip Man (2008) and Ip Man 2 (2010), as well as roles in numerous television series produced by TVB.
Triple Tap is a 2010 Hong Kong action film directed by Derek Yee and starring Louis Koo and Daniel Wu. This film is a sequel to Yee's 2004 film One Nite in Mongkok, which starred Wu in a different role, and the Yee-produced 2000 film Double Tap, which starred Leslie Cheung and Alex Fong, the latter being only actor to reprise his role from both previous installments.
Daniel Bernhardt is a Swiss actor, model, and martial artist. He made his acting debut in the leading role in Bloodsport II: The Next Kumite (1996), and appeared in two of its sequels, Bloodsport III (1997) and Bloodsport 4: The Dark Kumite (1999). Also known for playing villainous characters, he starred opposite Chuck Norris in The Cutter (2005), Jean-Claude Van Damme in Kill 'Em All (2017), Sylvester Stallone in Escape Plan: The Extractors (2019), and Keanu Reeves in The Matrix Reloaded (2003), John Wick (2014), and The Matrix Resurrections (2021).
FPJ's Ang Probinsyano is a 1996 Filipino action film co-written, directed and produced by Fernando Poe Jr., who also stars in twin lead roles. The film was a box office hit. A sequel, Pagbabalik ng Probinsyano, was released in 1998.
The Bloodsport franchise consists of American martial arts-sports action-thriller installments including two theatrical films, two straight-to-home video sequels, and one limited release reimagined genderswap-followup. Based on the purported true story experiences of Frank Dux, which have since been called into question, the series centers around the original story written by Sheldon Lettich. The plot involves American characters who compete in underground life-or-death mixed martial arts tournaments, while also competing for the honor of their instructors.
Lady Bloodfight is a 2016 martial arts film directed by Chris Nahon and starring stuntwoman Amy Johnston as an American fighter who travels to Hong Kong to participate in an all-woman Kumite. It is the fifth installment in the Bloodsport film series, and is a standalone sequel to the previous movies.
