Iko Uwais Returns to Silat With Indonesian Action Film ‘Warrior’

Iko Uwais is returning to his home turf. The martial arts star who became a global name through the “Raid” franchise is set to lead “Warrior,” a new Indonesian action thriller that brings him back to the Silat-based fighting style that launched his career.

The film follows a former elite Silat practitioner who walks out of prison determined to leave his violent past behind – a resolution that quickly unravels when a Malaysian crime syndicate moves into his neighborhood, seizing control of local streets and going after the people he cares about. Drawn back into the world he tried to escape, he finds himself the sole obstacle between the syndicate and the community it wants to control. The conflict spirals from street-level intimidation into full-scale warfare, played out across Jakarta’s markets, back alleys and rooftops.

The film represents the first foray into solo directing for John Radel ACS, a cinematographer and producer who has worked on major productions across Asia and Hollywood, including Dev Patel’s “Monkey Man” and Michael Mann’s “Blackhat.” Radel has built an extensive working relationship with Uwais over four previous films as both DP and producer, and is also aboard the forthcoming action feature “Warpath,” which pairs Uwais with Scott Adkins.

On the producing side, the project unites Indonesian industry veteran Delon Tio – whose Nation Pictures banner has been behind many of the country’s most significant films, including the Mo Brothers’ debut “Macabre” – with Erika North and Nick North of Yeti Entertainment, a company with deep roots in international film development and finance across Asia and the U.S. Rounding out the team is Mike Leeder, an action producer working through Red Packet Media.

Uwais will take on an executive producer role alongside Ryan Susanto through his newly established Uwais Pictures label. International sales have been entrusted to K-Movie Entertainment.

The project is the first to emerge from a newly formed joint venture between Asia Media Alliance Group and Nation Pictures, which is focused on genre filmmaking across Southeast Asia for the international market. A broader slate of action and horror titles is expected to be unveiled in the coming months.

Production is set to kick off this summer, with the entire shoot based in Indonesia, drawing on local locations, crews and up-and-coming martial arts performers.

Uwais is represented by Brett Norensberg at Gersh and Mike Straut at Vault.