Bloodsport is a 1988 American martial arts action film directed by Newt Arnold and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, Leah Ayres, Forest Whitaker, Donald Gibb, Roy Chiao, and Bolo Yeung. The film centers on Frank Dux (Van Damme), a United States Army Captain and ninjitsu practitioner, who competes in an underground, full-contact martial arts tournament called the Kumite in Hong Kong. It was one of Van Damme’s first starring films and showcased his athletic abilities, launching his career as a mainstream action star.
The screenplay is based on many of Dux’s claims first covered in the November 1980 issue of Black Belt magazine. The real Dux served as the film’s action choreographer and technical advisor. After its release, many of Dux’s claims were disputed, including by co-screenwriter Sheldon Lettich, who claimed Dux fabricated his fight record and the existence of the Kumite.
Bloodsport was produced by Cannon Films and released by Warner Bros. on 26 February 1988. Despite mixed reviews from critics, it was a considerable box office success, grossing $50 million on a budget of $1.5–2.3 million. It developed a strong cult following, and has been cited as an influence on the development of mixed martial arts. It spawned three direct-to-video sequels.
In January 1989, the Los Angeles Times reported a U.S. box office gross of $11.7 million against a budget of $2.3 million. In August 1989, the Chicago Tribune reported that the film pulled in $50 million worldwide, including $15 million in the U.S. and Canada, making it Cannon Group’s most profitable film of 1988.
