Wu Assassins, but where was the standalone movie filmed? Like Wu Assassins, Fistful of Vengeance stars Indonesian martial arts star Iko Uwais as Kai Jin, a San Francisco chef who has the skill and power of 1,000 monks after absorbing an amulet and becoming the final Wu Assassin. Lewis Tan, Lawrence Kao, and JuJu Chan are also returning to their roles, facing a new threat in Bangkok alongside Kai.
Wu Assassins was the first English-language starring role for Iko Uwais, following ing roles in the sci-fi action film sequel, Beyond Skyline, and Peter Berg’s action thriller, The Expendables 4. Despite being Hollywood productions, both blockbusters were filmed outside of the United States. Snake Eyes was shot in Canada and Japan, while The Expendables 4 was filmed in England, Bulgaria, and Greece.
Despite Wu Assassins taking place primarily in the Chinatown district of San Francisco, the Netflix series was filmed entirely in British Columbia, Canada. This is a common practice for lowering production costs in Hollywood, though a different approach was used for the follow-up film, Fistful of Vengeance. Fistful of Vengeance also takes place in San Francisco, before the action shifts to Bangkok, Thailand, but where was it filmed?
Although it is unclear whether Wu Assassins will receive a second season on Netflix, the success of Fistful of Vengeance may factor into that decision. In many ways, Fistful of Vengeance is an improvement on the series, including choices involving the filming locations. As opposed to Wu Assassins, the San Francisco sequences of Fistful of Vengeance were actually filmed in San Francisco. A majority of the narrative takes place in Bangkok, which is also where the follow-up movie was filmed. The decision to film in the locations of the narrative imbue the Netflix film with a sense of realism, contrasting the fantasy elements of the story.
The decision to set Fistful of Vengeance in Thailand is interesting, especially after Uwais appeared alongside Thai martial arts star Tony Jaa in Triple Threat. Jaa is also a part of the ensemble cast in The Expendables 4, which may indicate an increase in martial arts for the newest sequel in the franchise. Hollywood has worked hard to capitalize on the talents of these foreign martial arts stars in recent years, which is why it is so ironic that the productions have so rarely been filmed in the US. If Fistful of Vengeance has a sequel or Wu Assassins is given a second season, it will be interesting to see where they are filmed.
