Jackie Chan to face younger self in A Legend with AI tech

At 70 years old, the legendary Chinese kung fu icon, Jackie Chan, is gearing up to confront his 27-year-old digital self in the upcoming movie A Legend, utilizing cutting-edge artificial intelligence technology, as disclosed by producers at a Shanghai event marking the 25th anniversary of Bona Film Group.

Directed by Hong Kong filmmaker Stanley Tong, known for his extensive collaborations with Chan over three decades and 10 films, A Legend serves as the companion piece to Chan's 2005 blockbuster The Myth.

In this forthcoming film, Chan portrays Professor Fang, an archaeologist who stumbles upon an ancient jade artifact with mystical powers, enabling him and his assistant to travel back to a tumultuous period in the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 24). Their journey leads them to encounter a captivating princess from the nomadic Xiongnu tribes, setting the stage for their own legendary tale.

Despite the digitally rejuvenated younger version of Chan in his late 20s, the grand battlefield scene, featuring over 10,000 galloping warhorses on vast grasslands, was authentically captured using conventional methods in Zhaosu county within the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

Alongside A Legend, Bona Film Group also provided updates on other significant projects, including Hu Mei's The Dream of the Red Chamber, Gao Peng's A Long Shot, and Dante Lam's Operation Leviathan.

Yu Dong, chairman of Bona Film Group, revealed that most of the actresses embodying the "Jinling Shi'er Chai", representing the 12 most exceptional female characters, were aged between 14 and 16 during the 2017 filming.

He suggested that younger audiences unfamiliar with the classic epic Dream of the Red Chamber by Cao Xueqin from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) should view the film as a succinct introduction to the novel's intricate plot and captivating characters.