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Jackie Chan and Jet Li Together in The Forbidden Kingdom

by Alex Billington
April 11, 2007
Source: Variety

I remember reading about this team up last year, then still being shocked at first when I discovered that the marketing gimmick Rogue used to get people to see Fearless about it being Jet Li's last movie was just a confusing play on words. One of those projects that Jet Li confirmed he'd be working on was a movie with Jackie Chan. Finally some confirmed details on the project arrive, and first things first, the title - The Forbidden Kingdom.

Now for the rest of the details. Rob Minkoff is directing, the same guy who also did that unforgettable animated movie The Lion King, and those terrible movies Stuart Little and The Haunted Mansion, which leads me to believe this film with have a younger audience focus. The film will start shooting in China in early May with a script by John Fusco (Young Guns, Hidalgo). It was just picked up for release by Lionsgate here in the US.

The Forbidden Kingdom is much more of an action adventure with martial arts fight scenes, and is based on the Chinese legend of the monkey king. In the story, an American teenager discovers the king's legendary stick weapon in a pawn shop and is transported back in time to ancient China, where he joins a crew of warriors fighting to free the imprisoned king. Jet Li will play both the monkey king and the silent monk and Jackie Chan will play the monk T'sa Ho.

Sound good? To me, nope, almost even forgettable. It's amazing how easy something that sounds great at first (Li and Chan!) can take a turn for the worst once you hear who's directing (Stuart Little director) and who's writing (Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron writer). What a pity.

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