Here’s a fun game to make some of you feel old — guess how long it’s been since Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon first appeared in theaters in the U.S? If you said “15 long years,” then congratulations! You’re correct! (We’ve done our waiting!) Now, at long last, the stars have aligned, and the first trailer for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny, the long-awaited sequel to Ang Lee’s acclaimed film based on the famous pentalogy of Chinese novels, is officially here. (Warning: questionable Creedence Clearwater Revival cover included).

During our 15-year wait, Netflix was born, and the marketing focus towards casual pocket-sized screen-based viewing made an indelible mark on the film industry. This sequel faced its share of on-again, off-again difficulties and hiccups during those 15 years in production. Eventually, Netflix made a deal with Harvey Weinstein of The Weinstein Company, which bought the rights from Sony. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Now the saga can finally continue. Michelle Yeoh will reprise her role as Yu Shu Lien, a highly-skilled (retired) warrior once again immersed in the drama of war and intrigue in late-18th century China. Donnie Yen (Ip Man) also stars as a character called Silent Wolf. With the iconic 400-year-old sword supposedly attached to everyone’s destiny on the loose, Lien must courageously battle her way through hordes of flying foes.

Sadly, Ang Lee didn’t return to helm this sequel. So obviously there’ll be some differences from the first film. Instead, Yuen Woo-ping is the director and John Fusco is penning the screenplay for Sword of Destiny. Fusco, a martial-arts follower and black belt in Shaolin Kung Fu, worked for Netflix already, creating the highly addicting series Marco Polo. Along with winning a Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival award for Best Action Choreography for the first film, Woo-ping is tremendously noteworthy. He’s choreographed spectacular fights for Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill films, Kung Fu Hustle, and The Grandmaster, and his directorial credits extend to a variety of thrilling Hong Kong action films, too.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny is set for a simultaneous premiere on Netflix and select IMAX theaters on Feburary 26, 2016.

Are you as ready as we are for this film’s release? Let us know in the comments below.

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HT: NetFlix

Image Credit: The Weinstein Company