More than thirty years later, we are getting a proper sequel to John Carpenter's cult classic Big Trouble in Little China. It may not be a movie, but this sounds like it is going to be as authentic as it comes. Boom! Studios is getting ready to publish a brand new comic book series, Big Trouble in Little China: Old Man Jack, this September. The best part? John Carpenter, the man who directed the original movie, is on board to co-write the series with Anthony Burch, who wrote Borderlands 2.
The very welcome news comes courtesy of Screen Rant, who have all of the information Big Trouble in Little China fans need. Firstly, the book is being described as Jack Burton's "final ride," which implies that this story will conclude his arc. Since it is named Big Trouble in Little China: Old Man Jack, it sounds very much like the series is being done in the vein of Logan, which was loosely based on the Marvel Comics series Old Man Logan. Here's the official synopsis for Old Man Jack.
"From John Carpenter (director of Big Trouble in Little China, Halloween, The Thing, Escape from New York) and Anthony Burch (writer of Borderlands 2) comes the story of old man Jack Burton's final ride in the Pork-Chop Express. The year is 2020, and hell is literally on Earth. Ching Dai, sick of relying on screw-ups like Lo Pan to do his bidding, has broken the barriers between Earth and the infinite hells, and declared himself ruler of all. Sixty-year-old Jack Burton is alone in a tiny corner of Florida with only his broken radio to talk to, until one day it manages to pick up a message. Someone is out there in the hellscape, and they know a way to stop Ching Dai. The first story arc of the Old Man Jack series features four issues and introduces an older Jack trying to ignore a certain awfulness around him and he's unexpected called into action, reuniting with a familiar not-so-friendly face. Hilariously weird foes, strange luck, and unexpected allegiances make this series must-read for fans of the film looking for that sequel."
Big Trouble in Little China was not a hit at the box office when it was released in 1986, but Kurt Russell's performance and the crazy premise courtesy of writer/director John Carpenter has propelled the movie to true cult status. The original story centered around an unsuspecting, macho truck driver named Jack Burton who goes to San Francisco to pick up his buddy's fiance who winds up getting kidnapped. Soon, Jack Burton discovers that the girl has been abducted by a genuine, sorcerer, played by James Hong, who is the ghost of a 3000-year-old warlord. Zaniness ensues. This new book sounds very much like a true successor to that movie.
There has been a lot of talk of a remake of Big Trouble in Little China, with Dwayne Johnson attached to star, but things have been quiet on that front for a while. So this will have to do, and may do much better than that remake ever could, in the meantime. As far as BOOM! Studios goes, they have been publishing Big Trouble comics for many years, doing a Big Trouble in Little China and Escape From New York crossover just last year. You can check out the first art from Big Trouble in Little China: Old Man Jack for yourself below.
