Sci-fi fans may recall the cult classic short film Kung Fury which was released in 2015 to near-universal praise from critics and audiences alike. What many fans may not realize, however, is that a second Kung Fury movie was shot back in 2018-2019, which ups the score with a wide array of over-the-top insanity. Unfortunately, Kung Fury 2 still has not seen the light of day, leaving fans and filmmakers alike quite frustrated.

Legalities Holding Up The Release

Kung Fury 2 star Jorma Taccone referred to the unreleased film as an “instant cult classic” and argued, “it’s a crime it hasn’t been released.” Taccone portrays Adolf Hitler in both installments of the Kung Fury series, so if he wants the film to be seen, you can rest assured that it’s an excellent final product. While discussing the project in a recent interview, Taccone claims there is “legal mumbo jumbo” of some sort preventing the movie from seeing a wide release.

Kung Fury 2 Is Even Wilder

The first Kung Fury was a passion project that brought the over-the-top action of 80s films, kung fu classics, and exploitation films into a harmonious blend. Throughout the project’s brief runtime, the titular hero travels through time, karate-chopping nazi soldiers and fighting Hitler with the aid of Thor on tyrannosaurus rex-back. Kung Fury 2 apparently takes things even further, with big-name cameos, high-quality special effects, and a longer total runtime.

Arnold Schwarzenegger Is President

The first film has a brief cameo appearance from David Hasselhoff as a big ‘get,’ highlighting the film’s homage to popular 80s projects. Kung Fury 2, however, is said to have Arnold Schwarzenegger in the role of the president of the United States, as well as Michael Fassbender in the role of Kung Fury’s new partner, Colt Magnum. The film, which was crowdfunded through Kickstarter, was originally meant to release in 2022, before being pushed back into 2023 and beyond.

The Delay Remains A Mystery

The most recent updates regarding Kung Fury 2 saw the film slated for a November 2023 release, though obviously, that date has come and gone. Jorma Taccone claims that he has seen the final cut of the film at this time, though he refused to elaborate on what exactly is halting the long-awaited release.

Taccone teased a number of big moments from the unreleased film, however, including a fight scene between his Hitler and Schwarzenegger’s POTUS, and Fassbender’s character being a major source of comedy throughout the project.

Taccone also claims that a 10-minute-long preview of Kung Fury 2 exists, highlighting some of the best moments of the film to entice viewers into catching the full release. The Kung Fury franchise was created by David Sandberg, (no relation to the Shazam director of the same name) who also stars in the lead role in both films. Sandberg is currently in the midst of an ongoing legal battle with Creasun Entertainment, who failed to pay an estimated sum of $10 million into the project, effectively halting all progress.

The Film Needs Saving

With any luck, Kung Fury 2‘s legal drama will soon come to an end, allowing the film to be released in the near future. The shelf life for a film of this nature is shrinking by the day, as we get further and further from the original Kung Fury short. Still, Jorma Taccone seems to believe the movie is hilarious and visually interesting enough to completely stand on its own, making it one of the most anticipated films in recent memory.