Nicky Shen lives to fight another day at The CW. The network has announced the renewal of the martial arts, action-adventure show, Kung Fu, and its inclusion to their 2022-2023 slate. Kung Fu’s renewal for a third season was announced alongside the renewal of other CW shows – Superman & Lois, The Flash, Nancy Drew, All American, Riverdale, and Walker.
Kung Fu is a modern re-imagining of the 1972 series of the same name which starred David Carradine in the lead role. The show follows Nicky Shen, a Chinese-American woman who returns to San Francisco three years after she left home and joined an isolated monastery in China. Finding her hometown overwhelmed with crime and corruption, she uses her martial arts skills to protect her community and family, while tracking down the assassin who killed her mentor. Kung Fu’s entry to The CW roster was well received with the fight choreography, nuanced character relationships, and likable cast earning additional praise.
The show’s lead character, Nicky Shen, is played by Olivia Liang. Other main characters on the show include Althea Shen – Nicky’s sister played by Shannon Dang, Henry Yan – Nicky’s love interest played by Eddie Liu, Ryan Shen – Nicky’s estranged brother played by Jon Prasida, and Evan Hartley – Nicky’s ex and an Assistant District Attorney played by Gavin Stenhouse. Tzi Ma, Kheng Hua Tan, Tony Chung, Vanessa Kai and Yvonne Chapman round out the main cast.
Kung Fu was renewed alongside several shows which The CW president, Mark Pedowitz, recognized as some of the network’s most streamed and socially engaged programs, including them as important benchmarks to CW’s digital strategy going forward and overall future. Speaking of the network’s future, several of The CW’s scripted shows are awaiting news on their status with final decisions expected to be made soon. At the moment, Legacies, In The Dark, Charmed, Legends of Tomorrow, Naomi, 4400, All American: Homecoming, Batwoman and Roswell, NM, are yet to be renewed.
The CW also has three potential pilots for the upcoming 2022-2023 season of which the third season of Kung Fu will be a part of. The pilots include Walker’s prequel – Walker: Independence, the highly anticipated Supernatural prequel – The Winchesters, and Gotham Knights which will follow the children of Batman’s enemies who team up with his adopted, rebellious son in an unlikely alliance to prove they are being framed for the murder of the billionaire, Bruce Wayne. With the announced renewals and potential additions to the 2022-2023 programming slate, the third season of Kung Fu is part of an exciting line up for the network.
Greg Berlanti, David Madden, Sarah Schechter, Martin Gero, Christina M. Kim and Robert Berens make up a key part of the team behind the camera as the show’s executive producers. Additionally, Carl Ogawa, Jennifer Lence, Lillian Yu, Karyn Smith-Forge, Ian Smith and Kathryn Borel, Jr. serve as producers on Kung Fu. The acclaimed series is produced by Berlanti Productions, Quinn’s House and Warner Bros. Television.
via Collider