Kung Fu monks to make film and TV series

Tired of others stealing their thunder – and profits – the famed fighting monks of China’s Shaolin temple are going into showbusiness themselves as producers of a movie and television series.

Abbot Shi Yongxin is to serve as executive producer of the features, both titled Legends of Monk Warriors of Shaolin Temple, the official Xinhua News Agency said.

Monks will have roles, particularly in the action sequences, the report said.

In the 1970s television series King Fu, actor David Carradine played the wandering Shaolin monk Kwai Chang Caine. The series kick-started the martial arts craze in the UK.

Xinhua said that over five years of planning, the temple had final script approval and would seek top international actors and film industry professionals to help with the production, whose 200 million yuan (€20m) budget is high for a Chinese feature.