Stephen Chow’s Kung Fu Soccer is heading to North American and British cinemas after finishing the summer as China’s biggest box office hit.
Singapore-based distributor Encore Films said Wednesday that the comedy legend’s long-awaited Shaolin Soccer spinoff will open Oct. 23 in the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Ireland. The rollout will include the original-language version and a newly produced English dub featuring voice performances by Chow, Jimmy O. Yang and MC Jin.
The release arrives in the 25th anniversary year of Shaolin Soccer, which became Hong Kong’s highest-grossing local film upon its 2001 release before developing a global cult following. Chow followed it with Kung Fu Hustle (2004), another genre-blending smash that earned more than $100 million worldwide and cemented his reputation as one of Hong Kong’s greatest comedy-action hitmakers.
Timed at home to tap into this summer’s World Cup fever, Kung Fu Soccer earned approximately $344.4 million (RMB 2.315 billion) during China’s June 1-Aug. 31 summer moviegoing season, becoming the season’s biggest earner. Chow’s return helped lift the country’s summer theatrical revenue to $1.86 billion (RMB 12.498 billion), up 4.45 percent from a year earlier, according to figures from the China Film Administration and Maoyan Research Institute.
Written and directed by Chow, Kung Fu Soccer marks his first feature behind the camera since 2019’s The New King of Comedy. Previously announced under the title Shaolin Women’s Soccer, the Hong Kong-China co-production reworks the original film’s martial-arts-meets-scrappy-sports-team premise around an all-female squad of underdogs.
Zhang Xiaofei, the star of Chinese blockbuster Hi, Mom, plays the captain of the Emei Women’s Football Team, which enters the Supreme Invincible Cup determined to prove its doubters wrong. Dilraba Dilmurat plays the team’s star striker, while Lay Zhang serves as its kung fu mentor, helping the players combine martial arts mastery with soccer skills to overcome formidable opponents and setbacks on and off the field. The ensemble also includes Hong Kong screen icon Carina Lau, Japanese star Takeru Satoh, Sisley Choi, Louis Cheung, Yang and Jin.
Encore acquired worldwide distribution rights outside mainland China from Chow’s production banner, The Star Overseas, in June. The October openings in the West follow the film’s earlier theatrical rollout across the Asia-Pacific region.
“Following the tremendous response to Kung Fu Soccer across Asia and Oceania, we’re excited to bring the film to cinema audiences in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland,” said Encore Films managing director Joyce Lee.
“Stephen Chow’s films have always transcended language and cultural boundaries, bringing audiences together through his unique blend of action, comedy and heart,” she added.
Encore has also completed a Cantonese dub. “Through a special English-dubbed version that makes the film more accessible to wider audiences, alongside a newly completed Cantonese-dubbed version whose voice cast will be announced soon, we hope to introduce Stephen Chow’s signature style of comedy to new audiences while reconnecting with longtime fans,” Lee said.