Beyond Ong-Bak 3 with Tony Jaa

Ong-Bak 3 will be released in Thai cinemas on May 5. It looks to be the conclusion of an epic two-part historical martial-arts prequel to the 2003 urban action drama that made Tony Jaa a star.

With Ong-Bak 3 being readied for release, Tony Jaa is making the rounds with the press. He was interviewed this week by The Nation's Parinyaporn Pajee and the one-on-one is in today's paper.

Here's a chunk:

After Ong Bak 3, do you have any plans in mind?

I'd love to do something new and different. I love movies and martial arts. So it could be anything, action with comedy or romance or like James Bond. Who knows?

Sia Jiang [Sahamongkol boss Somsak Techaratanaprasert] says that he has a plan for you to work with Donnie Yen. When will it happen?

It is the next step but we haven't settled anything. In fact, it's been talked about since Ip Man. The second part is due to come out [on April 29] but I was in the middle of shooting Ong-Bak 3, so may be next time.

Who do you want to work with exactly?

Many people. I'd love to work with my childhood hero Jackie Chan and also Jet Li.

You're 33 now. Does your age change anything about how you play action roles?

I'm still doing my own stunts even though I have a few problems with my body. In the future, I might work behind the scenes as a director, action choreographer.

Will you continue to make Thai films or seek international projects?

Maybe it's time to go international. But I need to consider the script first. I'll still make Thai films because I have plenty ideas about bringing Muay Thai, our culture, to the screen. International projects might have limitations in that we can't do what we want.

Read the rest for Tony's thoughts about swords and clubs and the martial art of Nattayut, as well as karma, khon dancing, difficulties working along the Thai-Cambodian border, rutting elephants and body odor.

Seen the trailer yet?