Tony Jaa To Direct Again, Co-Star With JCVD

[UPDATE, 8:30am EST, Jan 28. We have confirmed that the international project referred to in The Nation is NOT any one of the Hong Kong based projects that Jaa has been linked to in the past but is a Thai based production aiming to have an international cast. Sources tell us that - as has been the case with literally every other international production Jaa has been linked to thus far - it is still quite early in the development process with elements very much subject to change.]

Tony Jaa is gearing up to get busy.

With principal photography on the long delayed Tom Yum Goong 2 finally nearing an end, Thailand's The Nation is reporting that plans are moving ahead for two new projects involving the Thai action star.

Up first is an international production which The Nation says is to co-star Ong Bak side man Mum Jokmok as well as Jean Claude Van Damme. This may very well be the Hong Kong based project that Twitch reported on in April of 2011 which features Sammo Hung as action choreographer.

Also in the works? Though specifics are almost entirely non-existent word is that Jaa recently held a ceremony without press to bless an upcoming film he plans to both direct and star in. There are literally no details beyond that, though mentor and fight choreographer Panna Rittikrai also attended, along with Fighting Fish director Julaluck Ismalone.This would mark the second directing effort for Jaa, and the first since the absolutely disastrous behind the scenes chaos of Ong Bak 2. Will he be able to hold it together this time? Time will tell.