With John Wick reigniting interest in the martial arts genre, one 80s action franchise is primed for a reboot. Much like its titular assassin, the John Wick franchise has shown itself to be a force of nature. Starting in 2013 with a modestly-budget first outing, the property has since blossomed into one of the most exciting and popular franchises on the modern action landscape. John Wick has raised the bar for action movies, pushing other titles to match the rewards of his disciplined martial arts fight scenes.

With John Wick imitators cropping up left and right, it’s worth looking to cinema’s last martial arts boom for ideas for the franchise’s successor. It’s true that John Wick’s saga may not be concluding as quickly as John Wick: Chapter 4’s ending initially suggested, but the franchise can’t sustain a burgeoning martial arts resurgence on its own. There are plenty of pre-existing properties from the last boom that could be rebooted into vehicles for a fresh crop of action stars, but one IP boasts the perfect conditions.

The Martial Arts Movie Resurgence Is Great For Kickboxer

The face of mainstream action cinema has undergone a transformation in the wake of John Wick. The films, with their meticulously choreographed martial arts action, have reignited audience interest in skillfully arranged action choreography. With plans in motion for an entire John Wick cinematic universe and films like Bullet Train and Everything Everywhere All at Once following the martial arts example, cinema seems headed for a martial arts boom similar to that which launched the careers of stars like Steven Seagal, Chuck Norris, and Jean-Claude van Damme in the 1980s and 90s. That said, there’s plenty of evidence that a Kickboxer reboot has the potential to be that next John Wick-like franchise.

It’s still too soon to say if the early rumblings of a martial arts resurgence will materialize into anything substantial. A lack of young movie stars with the necessary martial arts training meant that John Wick and Everything Everywhere required the participation of Keanu Reeves and Michelle Yeoh, two stars who first rose to prominence in the 90s. The lack of a major pipeline of low-budget martial arts movies similar to that which fed the 80s and 90s boom means that the new wave may not have the new stars necessary to support it. However, the chances of a big-budget Kickboxer reboot are better than they’ve been in decades.

Kickboxer Is The Perfect Kind Of Franchise To Reboot

It’s worth noting that Kickboxer already received a reboot in 2016 with Kickboxer: Vengeance; however, the film was a low-budget affair and received poor reviews. With a higher budget and the right director, another Kickboxer remake could capture the charms of the original while skipping over the cheesier elements that hold the film back from being an all-out classic. Indeed, it’s Kickboxer’s non-classic status that makes it prime fodder for a reboot; the film is a recognizable IP, but audiences are not so precious about the original that they would mind a dramatic overhaul. A sharp reinvention of Kickboxer could be the perfect follow-up to John Wick.