Ludi Lin, known for his role in the upcoming Mortal Kombat II, steps behind and in front of the camera for Quentin Lee’s genre-bending thriller exploring the dark side of the American Dream for international students.
Lin, who’s set to reprise his role as Liu Kang in the highly anticipated Mortal Kombat II, is expanding his involvement in the world of cinema. He’s now on board as both the lead actor and a producer for The Unlucky, a new sci-fi thriller helmed by filmmaker Lee. The project is currently being presented to international buyers at the Cannes Film Market, with Jennifer Price, a former representative for the Quebec Film and Television Council, serving as executive producer.
The Unlucky takes inspiration from Lee’s own experiences as an international student in the United States. The Canada-certified feature tells the story of a graduate student from overseas attending Yale who becomes romantically involved with a captivating young woman. His acceptance of her Thanksgiving invitation, however, plunges him into a deceptive scheme that quickly devolves into a terrifying ordeal.
Lin himself expressed his excitement for the project, stating, “The Unlucky is a genre-twisting sexy thrill ride and I am so excited to be a part of it.”
The screenplay for The Unlucky is a collaborative effort between Dennis Escobedo (Last Summer of Nathan Lee) and director Lee, building upon Lee’s original story idea. Lin and Lee will both serve as producers under Lee’s British Columbia-based production company, Margin Films Ltd.
Lee, who recently received a 2024 Canadian Screen Award for Best Comedy Special for Comedy Invasion, highlighted the film’s relevant themes. “As a former international student in America myself,” Lee noted, “I can’t think of a more timely moment to tell a horror story on this subject. International students in the U.S. have long been scapegoated and systematically exploited – both financially and historically – by American institutions and the government.”
Executive producer Jennifer Price also shared her enthusiasm, adding, “Quentin has assembled a really strong team to bring this amazingly original story to life. I’m thrilled to be a part of it.”
Lin’s Expanding Filmography and Lee’s New Streaming Venture.
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The Unlucky marks another interesting project for Ludi Lin, whose Mortal Kombat II is scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on October 24th. His previous work includes roles in the first Mortal Kombat film, Power Rangers (2017), Aquaman (2018), and the award-winning Chinese drama Summer Knight. He also appeared in episodes of Netflix’s Black Mirror and Son of the South, a civil rights drama executive produced by Spike Lee.
In related news, Quentin Lee is also launching Truce, a new TVOD platform, at Cannes on May 15th. This platform will feature a lineup of 100 titles at its launch, including two Emmy 2025 FYC contenders from Lee himself: Rez Comedy, the first all-Indigenous stand-up comedy documentary feature, and Midnight Snack with Julie Chan, the first late-night talk series hosted by a Chinese American woman. Truce aims to be a “Fair Trade” streaming platform, utilizing TODAQ’s TAPP technology to provide filmmakers with greater control over their content, viewer relationships, and pricing, offering instant payouts after purchases.
