Keanu-Reeves-in-Man-of-Tai-ChiKeanu Reeves is a name that we are all familiar with. Anyone who’s seen The Matrix (or any number of the things that have made pop culture references to it since 1999) will know his name. Until now, it’s been for his work in front of the camera. And now we can finally look forward to seeing him step into the director’s chair with Man of Tai Chi.

The martial arts movie is expected to feature more than a dozen fight scenes, racking up more than half an hour’s worth of footage between them. And it goes without saying that we’re looking forward to its arrival. And to help make that wait a little bit easier, Universal have released a great new trailer to give us a taste of what to expect.

In bustling Beijing, China, ambitious young “Tiger” Chen Lin-Hu (Tiger Chen) works as a lowly courier; but after work, he is a young martial arts star, rising through the ranks representing the Ling Kong Tai Chi tradition. Though most associate Tai Chi with peaceful, yoga-like movements, Tiger has perfected the ancient art and started to make a name for himself in the prestigious Wulin Wang martial arts championship.
Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, police investigator, Suen Jing-Si (Karen Mok), who works for the organized crime unit OCTB, has run into a wall in her pursuit of Donaka Mark (Keanu Reeves).

Donaka is a powerful Hong Kong businessmen who runs a secret underground fighting ring, where cold hard cash is made by defeating one’s opponent in a no-holds barred fight privately broadcast to wealthy patrons. Looking for a new “star,” Donaka tries to lure Tiger with the promise of easy money.

At first, Tiger declines, committed to the purity and integrity of his pursuit. But when his temple is threatened with redevelopment, Tiger relents so that he may protect the legacy of Ling Kong Tai Chi. Soon, Tiger is an underground sensation, defeating international opponents with reputations of deadly force. But the darker side of Tiger’s skill begins to emerge. His public fights in the Wulin Wang tournament become more aggressive, bringing Tiger unwanted attention and shame to his elderly master (Yu Hai)

Seemingly unable to harness the darkness inside of himself, Tiger eventually agrees to work with Jing-Si to bring down Donaka’s deadly private game. But when every fight is the fight of his life, will Tiger be able to sustain his best intentions and manage the darkest and worst possibilities of his craft?

Reeves is both behind and in front of the camera, starring alongside Tiger Chen, Karen Mok, Simon Yam, Yu Hai, Ye Qing, and The Raid’s Iko Uwais.

Reeves is directing from a script penned by Michael G. Cooney, and I can’t wait to see what he brings to the table as a director.

Man of Tai Chi remains without a firm release date. But we’re hoping that it will be making its debut on the festival circuit a little later this year, and that its release date across the world will follow shortly after. In the meantime, here’s that all-important new trailer. Enjoy.

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