Pardon me for being late to this one, but I was under the impression that all online footage had been taken down. Clearly not.
David Sandberg’s “Kung Fury” was an absolutely wild 2015 short film—a VFX-heavy homage to 1980s martial arts and cop action movies. It was met with acclaim and garnered close to 40 million views on YouTube. It was even selected to screen in the Directors’ Fortnight section at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival.
Sandberg managed to secure funding for “Kung Fury 2,” a feature-length sequel, which was shot in the summer of 2019. The $34M- costing film starred Michael Fassbender, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Alexandra Shipp, Jorma Taccone, and David Hasselhoff.
Six years later, and amidst a fury of legal issues, “Kung Fury 2” still hasn’t seen the light of day, and remains in a state of limbo. It’s an absolute outrage this film hasn’t been released yet.
Now, a LEAKED 10-minute sizzle reel for “Kung Fury 2” has surfaced online, reigniting excitement for the long-delayed action-comedy. The film features Fassbender as Colt Magnum, a mullet-wearing, justice-seeking FBI agent; Schwarzenegger as a cigar-chomping, shotgun-toting U.S. president; and Hasselhoff as Hoff 9000, a puppy-cradling, red-jumpsuited hero.
The footage is over-the-top ‘80s nostalgia, filled with absurd humor, and all packed with beautiful neon-soaked visuals, dinosaurs, time-traveling Thundercops, and outrageous action. This captures the same chaotic, synth-fueled spirit that made Sandberg’s short a cult hit. Its self-aware absurdity. Hilariously unhinged. We must have this movie released right away.
The plot follows Kung Fury and his eclectic team of Thundercops—a mix of humans, dinosaurs, and half-human, half-dinosaur crime-fighters—as they battle Adolf Hitler, the “worst criminal of all time,” in 1985 Miami.
Sandberg expressed disappointment over the leaked footage, stating it revealed unfinished visual effects and plot points:
This was an internal promo video that was never supposed to be seen by the public. I feel bad because it contains a bunch of plot points and temp VFX. I hope at least people can see the passion that we poured into the movie, the world deserves to see it as it was meant to be seen. This movie has been held hostage for the past 5 years but I promise to keep fighting for it and make sure this film gets the chance it truly deserves.
He totally leaked it.
“Kung Fury 2” remains in a state of limbo due to lawsuits between the film’s investors. Post-production work had been halted in 2020 and was only completed in April 2024. Alex Lebobvici, head of one of the film’s production companies, Hammerstone Studios, recently stated the hope that the issues would be resolved “shortly.” However, not too soon after, Chinese investors Creasun, who caused the initial legal woes by refusing to pay VFX fees, sued again over the film’s financing.
What we’re left with is that of an unreleased film losing its relevance, and that’s surely why the sizzle reel got leaked. People need to be reminded that this movie actually exists. Sandberg poured heart and soul into it. In fact, he hasn’t embarked on another project since production ended on “Kung Fury 2. “ His filmmaking career, once deemed to have immense potential, has been stalled because of this whole mess.
Araki wrote the screenplay, and will direct “The Decline of F*cking Western Civilization,” a dark comedy starring Ashton Kutcher, Alison Brie, and Jesse Williams. The film started shooting today in Los Angeles.