Jet Li has a mean glare, but for a guy who made a name for himself as a legend of hyperspeed fisticuffs, he’s got some portraits that are pure sissy. Every time I see Li allowing enemies to hurl themselves upon his carbide fists of doom, I imagine what he does after the fact. By all appearances, it involves crossing his legs and draping himself over a couch with a coy look on his face, reminiscing about the last sucker he introduced to the cold, hard ground.
All of which has absolutely nothing to do with the story at hand, other than it involves Jet Li who as you know (because you’re intelligent, charming, and tuned in reader of CHUD) is joining forces with Master Jackie Chan in an unnamed film that’s due out next year. The Li/Chan project is in final talks to insert Sky High‘s Michael Angarano into the lead role of scrappy underdog.
The idea of a Li/Chan dustup is what has fans excited (let’s be honest, Angarano isn’t the reason anyone but Bop! readers will see this), but I think there’s going to have to be some managed
expectations, as all things considered, the project doesn’t look like
it’s going to be the more mature stuff most fans envision.
The project is being directed by Rob Minkoff, whose track record includes Stuart Little and the Disney ride movie that wasn’t any good (The Haunted Mansion), plus the plot is standard light and fluffy family fare: Some loser kid gets beat up and travels back in time to China to rescue Li the Monkey King. Put the two together and it spells something that smells a lot like 3 Ninjas. Sounds nice and family friendly, which, you know, is ok if you’re only after the Li/Chan choreography.
Unnamed project is scheduled to start filming in China come May.