Ludi Lin, best known for his role as Liu Kang in the upcoming Mortal Kombat II, is expanding his work in the film industry. The Chinese-Canadian actor has signed on as both lead actor and producer for The Unlucky, a new sci-fi thriller directed by Quentin Lee.
The project is being presented to international buyers at the Cannes Film Market. Executive producer Jennifer Price, former Los Angeles representative for the Quebec Film and Television Council, is leading the sales efforts.
The Unlucky is inspired by Lee’s personal experiences as an international student in the U.S. The story follows a Yale graduate student from overseas who falls for a charming young woman. He accepts her invitation to Thanksgiving, only to get caught in a dangerous scam that turns into a horror story.
“The Unlucky is a genre-twisting, sexy thrill ride, and I am so excited to be a part of it,” Lin said.
The screenplay was co-written by Dennis Escobedo (Last Summer of Nathan Lee) and Quentin Lee, based on Lee’s original story. Lin and Lee will produce the film through Lee’s British Columbia-based company, Margin Films Ltd.
Lee, who won a 2024 Canadian Screen Award for Best Comedy Special with Comedy Invasion, emphasized the film’s relevance. “As a former international student in America, I feel this is the perfect time to tell a horror story on this subject. International students in the U.S. have been scapegoated and exploited, both financially and historically, by American institutions and the government,” he said.
Executive producer Jennifer Price praised the project. “Quentin has assembled a strong team to bring this original story to life. I’m thrilled to be a part of it,” she added.
Ludi Lin’s Mortal Kombat II will be released in theaters worldwide on October 24. His past credits include the first Mortal Kombat film, Power Rangers (2017), Aquaman (2018), and the Chinese drama Summer Knight, which won Best Film in the Asian Future category at the 2019 Tokyo International Film Festival. He has also appeared in Netflix’s Black Mirror and the civil rights drama Son of the South, produced by Spike Lee.
In addition to The Unlucky, another of Quentin Lee’s projects will be featured at Cannes. On May 15, Lee will launch Truce, a new TVOD streaming platform. The platform’s first 100 titles will include two Emmy 2025 FYC entries: Rez Comedy, the first all-Indigenous stand-up comedy documentary, and Midnight Snack with Julie Chan, the first late-night talk show hosted by a Chinese American woman.
Truce markets itself as a “Fair Trade” streaming service. It uses TODAQ’s TAPP technology, giving filmmakers more control over their content, audience relationships, and pricing. The platform also promises instant payments to production teams after purchases.
Related topics:
