Noticias

Hong Kong and global film icon Jackie Chan received a Career Leopard award on Saturday night and an enthusiastic welcome at the 78th edition of the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland. And on Sunday morning, the legendary multi-hyphenate shared insights into his career during a talk at the festival that drew a large crowd that started lining up outside the cinema well ahead of time.

Chan recalled working as a young stunt guy with Bruce Lee on Fist of Fury. “Bruce Lee tapped my shoulder [and said] ‘great’,” after several takes of a scene full of pain, he told the audience.

Chan also shared how he earned much respect from people at a bowling alley when he brought Bruce Lee there, adding that he himself was a really good bowler.

After Lee’s death, Chan was asked to remake Fist of Fury, but it was the “wrong script, wrong character,” he felt.

Jackie Chan reenacted his role in Bruce Lee’s “Enter the Dragon” at Switzerland’s Locarno Film Festival.

Chan played a small part in the iconic film. In the past, he admitted Lee accidentally hit him with a stick during a scene – but that didn’t stop him from completing the take.

“I’m no Superman. I am scared,” he admitted. “Before a stunt, I go: ‘Am I going to die this time’?”

During a masterclass at the Swiss fest, he talked about his beginnings.

“That’s a long, long story,” he said. “I was lazy, naughty, I didn’t want to study – that’s why my father sent me to martial arts school. I liked fighting when I was young. Later, he asked: ‘Did you like the school?’ Yes, very much. I could kick the teacher, punch someone – whatever I wanted,” he joked.

Chan started out as a stuntman,...

Earlier this summer, the home video distributor Shout Factory was announced to be collaborating with Hong Kong Film Archives to bring you the 4K remastering of the most coveted of Chinese action film classics. The films will include works by Jet Li, Chow Yun-Fat, John Woo, Ringo Lam and Tsui Hark. The partnership is set to be a treasure trove for fans of classic action films from Hong Kong cinema. Now, Shout! TV is going further by unveiling a Hong Kong Fight Club Fast Channel. Fast channels are free ad-supported television channels on services like Roku, Plex or Freevee that stream content live like old-fashioned television. You can also watch it Right Here!

The channel showcases the absolute greatest in action cinema from Hong Kong’s cinematic golden age of the ’80s and ’90s. Restored from new 4K scans, the channel will showcase the classic films in the best quality...

The inaugural release of Shout! Factory’s new line of Hong Kong films long blocked from American distribution due to rights issues, The Jet Li Collection presents five of the martial arts star’s earliest and most beloved hits. Though Li had been a star in mainland China since his film debut in 1982’s Shaolin Temple, he found wider success a decade later with his lead role in Tsui Hark’s Once Upon a Time in China series. The films in this set all came out between 1993 and 1994, a super-concentration of hits that made the actor the new king of Hong Kong’s action scene.

Compared to Hong Kong mainstays like Jackie Chan and Yuen Biao, who blended serious technique with comedic timing, Li harked back to the era of stoic warriors like Bruce Lee and Jimmy Wang. That makes him an odd fit at first glance for Cory Yuen...

At this week’s Shanghai International Film Festival, the state-backed China Film Foundation rolled out the Kung Fu Film Heritage Project, a $14 million (RMB100 million) program that will apply generative AI to restore—and in some cases completely re-imagine—100 classic martial-arts films starring Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Jet Li and other genre legends.

Foundation chair Zhang Qilin said the initiative aims to “preserve the storytelling and aesthetic” of touchstones such as Lee’s Fist of Fury, Chan’s Drunken Master and Li’s Once Upon a Time in China while upgrading image and sound to modern standards. Producer Zhang Qing added that the showcase project—A Better Tomorrow: Cyber Border, billed as the world’s first fully AI-produced animated feature—was completed by just 30 people in a fraction of a traditional production cycle.

“AI has collapsed the barrier between creativity and execution,” Zhang Qing told journalists. Yet the announcement has split opinion.

The debate concerning the use of artificial intelligence in the movie industry has taken a surprising turn with nearly 100 martial arts classics, including those from Jackie Chan andBruce Lee, now destined to receive AI makeovers. A major sticking point for the 2023 Hollywood strike action initiated by the Screen Actors Guild and Writers Guild of America, the place of AI in the film industry is still a hotly contested issue. With studios increasingly looking to lower production costs and maximize revenue, the role of generative AI in everything from special effects, background performances, and voice-overs is currently being placed under increasing scrutiny.

At this year’s Shanghai International Film Festival (via The Hollywood Reporter), a collection of Chinese studios announced their intentions to use AI technology to reimagine nearly 100 classic martial arts movies. Dubbed the Kung Fu Movie Heritage Project 100 Classics AI Revitalization Project, the studios plan to focus on films...

“The Kung Fu Movie Heritage Project: 100 Classics AI Revitalisation Project” is a Chinese government-supported ‘AI’ cinema initiative to digitally restore and ‘enhance’ iconic China-produced martial arts movies including those starring Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Jet Li:

“…high-definition upgrades will include ‘Fist of Fury’, ‘Drunken Master’ and ‘Once Upon a Time in China’.

“Taking innovation further, the initiative will also pioneer AI-generated remakes, including John Woo’s ‘A Better Tomorrow’….

“… reimagined as ‘A Better Tomorrow: Cyber Frontier’, a cyberpunk-themed animated feature created entirely through AI…”

Click the images to enlarge…...

China’s film industry is taking a bold step into the future with a new initiative unveiled at the 27th Shanghai International Film Festival.

The project, named the “Kung Fu Movie Heritage Project 100 Classics AI Revitalization Project,” aims to use artificial intelligence to modernize around 100 classic martial arts films, giving them a fresh look for today’s audiences.

The effort, supported by the Chinese government, will focus on iconic movies like Bruce Lee’s 1972 hit Fist of Fury, Jackie Chan’s 1978 classic Drunken Master, and Jet Li’s 1991 film Once Upon a Time in China.

Another highlight is a reimagined version of John Woo’s 1986 action film A Better Tomorrow, which will become a futuristic animated movie featuring Chow Yun-fat’s character as a cyberpunk hero. This animated remake is being touted as the first feature-length film fully produced using AI technology.

Leading the charge, Zhang Pimin, chairman of the China Film Foundation,...

Big plans are unfolding in China’s movie world. At the 27th Shanghai International Film Festival, some of the country’s top studios announced they’re using artificial intelligence to bring new life to classic kung fu films.

This project, backed by the Chinese government, is called the “Kung Fu Movie Heritage Project 100 Classics AI Revitalization Project.”

The idea is to use AI to remake about 100 old martial arts movies. These include famous titles like Fist of Fury starring Bruce Lee from 1972, Jackie Chan’s Drunken Master from 1978, and Jet Li’s breakout film Once Upon a Time in China from 1991.

Another film, John Woo’s A Better Tomorrow (1986), is being turned into a futuristic animated version, where the character played by Chow Yun-fat is now a cyberpunk figure. This version is being promoted as “the world’s first full-process, AI-produced animated feature film.”

Zhang Pimin, the chairman of the China Film Foundation,...

The Kung Fu Movie Heritage Project: 100 Classics AI Revitalisation Project was recently unveiled at the Shanghai International Film Festival, promising to digitally restore and enhance iconic martial arts movies featuring legends like Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Jet Li, and more.

According to presenters, this cutting-edge initiative aims to breathe new life into China’s storied kung fu cinema using advanced AI technology.

Chinese film studios are planning to remake and remaster martial arts classics using AI

• 100 films — including ones starring Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee, and Jet Li — will be remastered

• John Woo's 'Better Tomorrow' is being turned into 'the world's first AI-produced animated… pic.twitter.com/3tmYQLZUgt

— Culture Crave...

Some of the most influential martial arts movies of all time, including films by Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, are set to get an AI-assisted "reimagining." A large-scale plan was recently unveiled that includes 100 seminal kung fu movies.

Per Deadline, a group of Chinese film studios have partnered with the China Film Foundation and announced plans under the Kung Fu Film Heritage project for a large-scale restoration of some of the best kung fu films of all time. The news was shared at the Shanghai International Film Festival with the goal of remastering 100 films using AI to enhance "the overall production quality [...] while preserving authenticity."

Some of the titles on the list for restoration include classics like Bruce Lee's Fist of Fury and The Big Boss, Jet Li's Once Upon a Time in China, and Jackie Chan's Drunken Master. "From Bruce Lee to Jackie Chan, from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon to Wolf Warrior,...

A collection of Chinese film studios have set plans to reimagine the Kung Fu Classics in their libraries using AI technology.

The studios partnered with the China Film Foundation announced their plans under the Kung Fu Film Heritage Project, a large-scale plan to restore martial arts films, at the Shanghai International Film Festival.

The plan, first reported on by THR and Variety and subsequently confirmed by Deadline, includes the goal of remastering 100 seminal kung fu films, using AI to enhance the overall production quality of the films while preserving authenticity.

Titles set for AI restoration include Fist of Fury, The Big Boss, Once Upon a Time in China, and Drunken Master, according to reports.

“From Bruce Lee to Jackie Chan, from ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ to ‘Wolf Warrior,’ these films have shown the world the vitality and spirit of the Chinese people,” China Film Foundation chair Zhang Qilin said at the event,...

The use of AI to upscale films into 4K transfers has been a controversial topic. When James Cameron’s classic films were announced to be converted into ultra-high definition, they were greatly anticipated due to the high-quality special effects and action sequences in his films and fans were thirsting to see it in crisp 4K resolution. Unfortunately, something became noticeably off with the image quality and people realized that they were upscaled with AI, which made for some unnatural smoothing and, in the case of Jaws 3, some really wonky background artifacts.

While there is a great deal of debate with this method, Variety reports that the China Film Foundation and its partners are embracing AI to restore one hundred classic martial arts movies under an initiative called the Kung Fu Film Heritage Project. This initiative will digitally remaster Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Jet Li films, among others, and...

Hollywood studios and craftspeople may be busy agonizing over the proper role of AI’s potential within the film industry, but Chinese studios aren’t slowing down.

Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Jet Li and a legion of the all-time greats of martial cinema are about to get an AI makeover. In a sign-of-the-times announcement at the Shanghai International Film Festival on Thursday, a collection of Chinese studios revealed that they are turning to AI to re-imagine around 100 classics of the genre.

Lee’s classic Fist of Fury (1972), Chan’s breakthrough Drunken Master (1978) and the Tsui Hark-directed epic Once Upon a Time in China (1991), which turned Li into a bone fide movie star, are among the features poised for the treatment, as part of the “Kung Fu Movie Heritage Project 100 Classics AI Revitalization Project.”

There will also be a digital reworking of the John Woo classic A Better Tomorrow (1986) that,...

Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee and Jet Li may soon return to global screens in digitally resurrected form.

At the 27th Shanghai International Film Festival, the China Film Foundation and partners launched two major AI-driven initiatives under the Kung Fu Film Heritage Project: a large-scale effort to restore 100 classic martial arts films using artificial intelligence, and the unveiling of a brand-new animated feature, “A Better Tomorrow: Cyber Border,” billed as the world’s first fully AI-produced animated feature film.

The restoration project aims to digitally remaster 100 landmark kung fu films, using AI to enhance image, sound, and overall production quality while preserving the storytelling and aesthetic of the originals. Organizers described it as a long-term commitment to reviving the cultural and cinematic legacy of Chinese martial arts cinema.

“From Bruce Lee to Jackie Chan, from ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ to ‘Wolf Warrior,’ these films have shown the world the vitality and spirit of the Chinese people,...

Bruce Lee was found unconscious on July 20, 1973, after he went to sleep complaining about a headache. He was pronounced dead at the hospital. He was at the home of Taiwanese actress Betty Ting Pei in Kowloon, Hong Kong. He was 32 years old at the time of his death. Dr. Peter Wu, a neurosurgeon, confirmed that his death was caused by cerebral edema or swelling of the brain.

There have been some crazy theories regarding his death, which had nothing to do with his cerebral edema. Some believed that he was assassinated by the Mafia. They suspected that Lee’s encounter with director Lo Wei two weeks before his death had something to do with his death. Others also called it a family curse after his son Brandon Lee also died young in a set accident.

However, the more believable theories suggested what caused his cerebral edema. Here are some of these theories,...

With more than 150 credits to his name over the past 60 years, Jackie Chan has no plans to stop performing his own stunts anytime soon.

As the Academy Award honoree reprises his role as Mr. Han in Karate Kid: Legends, premiering May 30 in theaters, he explained that doing stunts are in his “heart and soul” after making his doubling debut in Fist of Fury (1972).

“Of course, I always do my own stunts. It’s who I am,” he told Haute Living. “That’s not changing until the day I retire, which is never! And to be honest, when you’ve done it for 64 years straight, there’s no physical preparation anymore. Everything is in your heart and soul; it is muscle memory.”

Although the film industry has evolved over the years with CGI and wirework allowing doubles to perform more complicated stunts, Chan remains a purist. But while he prefers doing stunts the old-fashioned way,...

In many walks of life, a combination of recency bias and genuine progress makes it easy to think that the latest thing is also the greatest thing. However, this thought process doesn't apply to the martial arts movie genre, where a man who died in 1973 continues to be the yardstick all other stars are measured with -- and generally fall short.

Bruce Lee's death at the age of 32 cut short his life but not his legend. It can be easy to forget that his "Bruce Lee era" was just the final, star-making phase of his career. Before breaking through with his English name on "Green Hornet," Lee appeared in 20 Hong Kong movies, often using his Chinese name Lee Jun Fan and stage names like Lee Siu Lung ("Lee Little Dragon"). This means that a true Lee aficionado has plenty of comparatively obscure material to wade through -- from the 1941 film "Golden Gate Girl,...

Bruce Lee was undoubtedly one of the 20th century's most important and influential pop culture figures. Born in San Francisco and raised in Hong Kong, Lee was a prominent child star who appeared in roughly 20 films between the ages of 6 and 20. Lee returned to the United States and enrolled at the University of Washington in the early 1960s. It was at this time he began teaching martial arts. In 1967, Lee founded Jeet Kune Do, a hybrid martial arts style. Around this time, Lee landed a starring role on the American television series The Green Hornet.

During the early 1970s, Lee exploded in popularity thanks to his starring roles in Hong Kong martial arts films such as The Big Boss, Fist of Fury, and The Way of the Dragon. In 1973, Lee starred in the Hollywood-co-produced Enter the Dragon, which became a cultural phenomenon. Unfortunately, Lee passed away at only 32 years old...

Donnie Yen is continuing his return to the director's chair after a 20-year break with The Prosecutor. Having started his career as a stuntman in Hong Kong, Yen first began finding success with the TV adaptation of Bruce Lee's Fist of Fury, as well as choreographing and starring in numerous Hollywood action movies, including Blade II. Though having worked as an action director multiple times throughout his career, Yen's list of full directorial efforts is relatively smaller, ranging from 1997's Legend of the Wolf to 2004's Protégé de la Rose Noire, after which he wouldn't direct again until 2023's Sakra.

The Prosecutor sees Yen reteaming with Ip Man franchise writer Edmong Wong and producer Raymond Wong, also centering himself as lead character, Fok Chi-ho, a police detective who, after a gang leader is acquitted of his crimes, elects to become a public prosecutor instead. After joining the Department of Justice,...

Though the video game adaptation genre is more alive than ever, Donnie Yen's long-gestating adaptation of an underrated action game has found itself scrapped. Having begun his career as a stuntman in the Hong Kong film industry, Yen steadily enjoyed a rise to stardom as an actor in the '90s with the TV adaptation of Bruce Lee's Fist of Fury, as well as making his directorial debut with 1997's Legend of the Wolf. The 2000s, however, would see him break out on an international scope as he began choreographing and appearing in many Hollywood action movies, namely Blade II and the Oscar-nominated Hero.

Yen would go on to find further acclaim with his leading role in the Ip Man franchise, leading the four mainline movies and gearing up to return for the in-development fifth movie. He would later find himself regaining success in Hollywood with his roles...

Jackie Chan has had a cross-cultural appeal for a number of decades. The Hong Kong-born star began his career in his birthplace. He had his first on-screen role when he was just eight years old, acting in the 1962 film Big and Little Wong Tin Bar. After that, the star later played roles in movies alongside big stars such as Bruce Lee, with whom he acted in 1972's Fist of Fury. Other 1970s Chan films included Chinese Hercules, Facets of Love, Fist to Fist, and The Golden Lotus.

It was not until 1980 that Chan made his Hollywood debut in a movie called Battle Creek Brawl (also known as The Big Brawl). This was the United States' audience's first introduction to Chan, who would go on to become a bigger star in the '80s and '90s, acting in key works like Police Story. Now, Chan's name is ubiquitous throughout Hollywood,...

This article is part of ScreenRant's Exclusive 2025 Movie Preview. Keep an eye out for the full feature next week!

A new image from The Prosecutor sees Ip Man and John Wick star Donnie Yen squaring up to fight in his newly-directed action thriller. Yen's action movie sees him take on the role of a police officer-turned-prosecutor who is faced with a case where a man pleads guilty to drug charges he's actually innocent of. Determined to uncover the truth, he finds himself pitted against a variety of villains, who he faces with his unmatched martial arts skills. The film is set for release in North America on January 12, 2025.

Now, ScreenRant presents a new look at The Prosecutor ahead of its 2025 release, showing Yen squaring up as he prepares for the battles ahead. The image shows him wearing boxing gloves in front of a punching bag, clearly training for...

Thanks to the MCU, the concept of the cinematic multiverse is now everywhere. But action superstars Jet Li and Jason Statham got there long before the likes of Doctor Strange with this panned science fiction outing. And it’s all set to stream for free. Released back in 2001, and in a post-Matrix world, The One introduces audiences to a multiverse-hopping serial killer who, when he kills each version of himself, gains their strength, speed, and knowledge. Yes, that is the greatest action sci-fi concept you’ve read.

Directed by James Wong of Final Destination, and, erm, Dragonball Evolution fame, and written by Wong and Glen Morgan, The One stars Jet Li in dual roles as both hero and villain alongside Jason Statham, Delroy Lindo, and Carla Gugino. Featuring fight choreography by the late, great Corey Yuen, The One is all set to stream for free on Tubi from December 1. You...

Bruce Lee was a famed martial arts expert who completed only a handful of films before his untimely death in 1973 at the age of 32. Let’s take a look back at all 6 of his films, ranked worst to best.

Born in the Chinatown neighborhood of San Francisco, CA, in 1940, Lee was raised with his family in Kowloon, Hong Kong. He began appearing in several films as a child, often in small bit roles, but abandoned acting to pursue a career in martial arts.

His hiatus from the screen didn’t last long. In 1966, Lee was cast as Kato in the short-lived television adventure “The Green Hornet,” later making appearances as the character on “Batman.” He played a small role in the mystery film “Marlowe” (1969) as a kung fu fighter who destroys private eye James Garner‘s office before suffering a tragic demise.

Lee became a leading man after returning to...

Mainland born Lo Wei was an actor whose film career flourished after migrating to Hong Kong. After directing “The Black Butterfly” for Shaw Brothers, he followed it up with “Death Valley” starring the same pair of male leads. He is best known as the director who launched the kung fu film careers of Bruce Lee in “The Big Boss” and “Fist of Fury” and also Jackie Chan in “New Fist of Fury”.

Master Chao Yun Yang (Lo Wei) of the Chao Manor in Death Valley is getting old and thinking of retiring. Since he has no children, he wants to give everything he owns to his nephew Chao Yu Lung (Yueh Hua), a righteous swordsman who wields a pair of deadly short swords. Before the opening credits roll, we see him easily dispatching a group of bandits and he even pays for their burial. Furthermore, he also picks up a cowardly lone traveler,...

Despite only having a short stint as a kung fu movie star, Bruce Lee had a tremendous impact on the genre, one that steered the direction of so many Hong Kong movie studios for years. For filmmakers, there was obviously a lot to learn from Bruce Lee's martial arts movies, but some did more than just take inspiration from the fighting in his films; a sizable number copied them directly through a strategy now commonly known as Bruceploitation.

Movies associated with the Bruceploitation era typically starred actors with stage names similar to Bruce Lee's, so much that the difference sometimes only came down to the spelling. This approach also extended to the stars' physical appearances, as several of these actors were cast based on their resemblances to Lee. Unsurprisingly, this unapologetic effort to capitalize on Bruce Lee's popularity certainly received its share of scrutiny. However, that's not to say that Bruceploitation movies weren't entertaining.

The legacy of Bruce Lee remains one of the most enduring tales of all time with his global reputation being built on the back of his dedication toward and expertise in martial arts. The film industry that accepted him and elevated him to a pedestal happened to posthumously deify the legend in the audience’s eye just enough to make him immortal.

Bruce Lee in Fist of Fury [Credit: Orange Sky Golden Harvest]

The tragedy that permeated the atmosphere upon the news of the actor’s death was insurmountable. It was not natural for the entire world to mourn a martial arts figurehead who mostly worked in Hong Kong action films, making a brief but transcendent transition to Hollywood. The global cult-like following of Bruce Lee remains a matter of fascination and much study.

The Curious Case of Martial Arts Legend, Bruce Lee Bruce Lee in Fist of Fury [Credit: Orange Sky Golden Harvest]

In a shocking turn of events,...

Jackie Chan is celebrated as one of the greatest kung fu film actors of all time. His classic kung fu movies have their own unique blend of physical comedy, complicated fight choreography, and elaborate stunts. They were not only full of action but were connected to the traditional martial arts to the skill, discipline, and incredible kung fu techniques. Though he went on to become an action star around the world, in his earlier kung fu movies, Chan captured the best of both worlds: the raw power of bare-knuckle fighting and the elegance of the old school martial arts.

What sets him apart from other martial arts actors is his gift for blending comedy with heart-pounding action. Whether portraying a mischievous, incorrigible student in Drunken Master or a sympathetic, bullied orphan in Snake in the Eagle's Shadow, Jackie fully embodies the characters he is portraying and his films all have...

In 1985, Jackie Chan grabbed an umbrella and ran towards a moving bus. Here’s how Police Story changed action cinema forever.

There had never been an action scene quite like the one that appeared in the first few minutes of 1985’s Police Story. Jackie Chan’s plucky cop, in dogged pursuit of crime boss Chu Tao (Chor Yuen) engages in a wildly destructive car chase through a hillside shanty town, demolishing rickety buildings and detonating gas bottles in his wake. When Tao and his goons then make their escape on a stolen bus, Chan’s Sergeant Kevin hooks onto the back with the help of an umbrella, his body flung to and fro as the vehicle lumbers through traffic.

The scene is brilliant not just because Chan’s risking his neck by doing his own stunts. It’s not just brilliant on a technical level (the planning that went into...

Asian cinema has gifted the world with a plethora of iconic fighting movies that blend intense action with rich storytelling and cultural depth. Together, these films represent the diverse and dynamic world of Asian fighting movies, captivating audiences with their artistry and action. A few favorites include:

Enter the Dragon (1973) – Bruce Lee

A classic with Bruce Lee’s,”Enter the Dragon” sets the stage for martial arts films with groundbreaking choreography and charismatic performances.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) – Directed by Ang Lee

This movie was extremely popular across the globe and introduced audiences to the poetic beauty and elegance of wuxia cinema.

Ip Man (2008)

This movie is a biographical martial arts film that tells the story of the legendary Wing Chun master Ip Man, who later became the mentor of Bruce Lee, and his resistance against Japanese occupation in China during the 1930s.

The Raid: Redemption (2011)

“The Raid: Redemption” showcases...

Kung fu movies thrill audiences with astonishing choreography and blend reality with entertainment in iconic martial arts moves. Techniques like the realistic Eagle Claw and acrobatic Butterfly Kick showcase martial arts prowess in popular films worldwide. From the legendary Bruce Lee's Fist of Fury to Jackie Chan's Snake in the Eagle's Shadow, kung fu movies continue to captivate audiences.

Kung fu is a very difficult martial art to master and has been at the core of many iconic films. A major appeal of kung fu movies is, unsurprisingly, the breathtaking choreography and intense discipline of many signature moves that make the martial art so uniquely special. Some kung fu moves used within these movies are as fictional as the characters who perform them, such as the ridiculous, but still iconic, Five Point Palm Exploding Heart Technique from Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill series.

However, other moves, as well as looking incredible,...

The British Film Institute (BFI) is set to make waves with its upcoming “Art of Action” season, anchored by a re-release of Kathryn Bigelow’s 1991 cult classic “Point Break.”

The U.K.-wide celebration of action choreography in cinema will run from October to December, offering audiences a high-octane journey through the evolution of the genre.

BFI Distribution will bring “Point Break,” starring Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze, back to U.K. cinemas on Nov. 8. The film’s return to the big screen after years of limited theatrical showings is expected to be a major draw for both nostalgic fans and new viewers alike.

The “Art of Action” season, presented by the BFI Film Audience Network using National Lottery funds, aims to showcase the artistry behind action sequences that have kept audiences enthralled for decades. The program will feature a diverse array of films, including silent era classics like Buster Keaton...

Some actors opt to do their own stunts to elevate their performances, like Tom Cruise and Charlize Theron. Hollywood actors like Jackie Chan and Keanu Reeves have built personas around doing their own stunts. From Harrison Ford to Michelle Yeoh, many actors do their own stunts in action-packed roles.

Acting is an incredibly challenging job that requires actors to give and do a lot, but some actors take things even further by doing their own stunts. It takes a huge amount to make a movie, with most of the work that goes into the project never actually being seen in the finished product. From costume designers to cameramen, and from the sound department to the special effects, there is a lot that happens behind the scenes. However, one important aspect that is intended to be on-screen, but carefully constructed to hide key details, is the stunt team.

Actors typically put...

Real-life tough guy actors don't just excel in action films - they come from various backgrounds and genres. Bruce Lee's martial arts prowess influenced Mma; his legacy lives on through Jeet Kune Do. James Caan, Chuck Norris, Steven McQueen - tough guys onscreen and off, with military or fighting backgrounds.

From the time that the big theatrical action movies began to gain popularity in the 1970s and 1980s, filmmakers set out to find actors who not only looked the part but were also real-life tough guy actors. From names like Chuck Norris and Bruce Lee, who came into Hollywood as legitimate tough guys, to actors who developed real-world fighting skills after getting their start, many tough guy personas on screen are so endearing to watch because they're authentic.

Real-life tough actors don't just appear in action movies, either. There are faces who have been involved in science fiction movies and TV shows,...

Pluto TV, Paramount’s free streaming service, has revealed its May highlights. The Pluto TV May 2024 schedule includes Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month programming, more anime content, new channels, and new film additions.

Pluto TV is the leading free streaming television service, delivering hundreds of live linear channels and thousands of titles on-demand to a global audience.

The Emmy Award-winning service curates a diverse lineup of channels in partnership with hundreds of international media companies. It offers a wide array of genres, languages, and categories featuring movies, television series, sports, news, lifestyle, kids, and much more.

Pluto TV can be easily accessed and streamed across mobile, web, and connected TV devices. Headquartered in Los Angeles, Pluto TV’s growing international footprint extends across three continents and over 35 markets.

Pluto TV May 2024 Programming

Asian American, Native Hawaiian, And Pacific Islander Heritage Month

To pay tribute, Pluto TV...

When it comes to the legacy of Dragon Ball, canon plays a more major role than its characters. This is because even though there are so many Dragon Ball films, none of them are considered canon in the series’ universe, except Dragon Ball Super: Broly. In the series’ long run, Broly has made quite a few appearances in the series, but he became an official part of the franchise when his standalone film was released.

Broly in his Legendary Super Saiyan form

But when we talk about Dragon Ball Gt, the only series that was aired after Dbz ended its run became a hated non-canon series of the franchise. However, the show featured one of the coolest Super Saiyan transformations. Yes, the much hated Dragon Ball Gt featured SSJ4 transformation unlocked by Kakarot and The Prince of All Saiyans; and this form could make a return in Dragon Ball Super!

For many around the world, there’s one name at the top of the action totem pole: Jackie Chan, and today marks his 70th birthday.

If you only know him as a goofy martial arts comedian from the Rush Hour and Shanghai Noon series, then consider this a wake up call. Because when Jackie did things His way on his home turf, he churned out some of the best action movies you’ll ever see.

Many would point to Drunken Master II as Jackie’s magnum opus. Fair enough, that is an all-timer, but for an example of his best modern day martial arts action, mixed in with some crime drama and his signature comedy, one of his absolute best outings is 1985’s Police Story.

In the 1970s, Jackie Chan soared to fame internationally once he was finally able to break out of the shadow of Bruce Lee. When Chan...

This article contains massive spoilers for "Monkey Man."

The medium of cinema is brilliantly, endlessly malleable. It's an art form able to communicate so many perspectives, stories, emotions and the like, yet there are some genres that feel especially inherent to the medium. Action is undeniably one of these; even the most basic, average action movie combines elements of sound, cinematography, actors giving performances that are equal parts physical and vocal, music, choreography and more. In other words, it takes every element available to the filmmaker to construct a convincing, engaging action sequence, something that can't be exactly replicated in, say, a song, picture, or painting.

Perhaps this is one reason why so many action films dabble in myth: the very construction of an action film requires the establishment of a hyper-reality, so it follows that larger-than-life themes, tropes, and traditions would fit inside such a world. This is a...

Bruce Lee's impact in bringing Kung Fu to the West and influencing subsequent movies cannot be overstated. Snake in the Eagle's Shadow set the stage for Jackie Chan's signature comedy Kung Fu style. King Boxer and Crippled Avengers were international successes that showcased the best of Kung Fu cinema.

The 1970s was an incredible time for Kung Fu movies, as it was the heyday of the world’s biggest martial arts stars and there were so many great films to check out. From incredible historical epics to slapstick comedy movies, Kung Fu cinema during the 1970s was vast and varied as some truly unique films were being made, and the genre was being discovered by an international audience. With fast-paced fight sequences, expertly choreographed battles, and intense martial arts showdowns, Kung Fu movies were truly at their peak during this decade.

The success of Kung Fu movies during...

"New Fist of Fury" launched Jackie Chan's career as a leading man, showcasing his martial arts skills and professional relationship with director Lo Wei. "Snake in the Eagle's Shadow" established Chan's unique comedic fighting style, allowing him to relax in his performance and showcase his talent. "Shinjuku Incident" marked a departure from Chan's usual roles, showcasing his dramatic range and versatility as an actor beyond physical comedy.

Jackie Chan is a brilliantly talented actor, but only a few of his movies can be considered defining moments in his career. The Hong Kong national began performing as a child, appearing in small roles since the age of 5, and has since spent an incredible sixty-two years developing and honing his acting skills. While many will know Jackie Chan for his martial arts skills, he's proved his versatility as an actor and has a wide range of abilities as a performer.

In his long career,...

Bruce Lee was a martial arts polymath, incorporating various styles into his fighting repertoire. The impact of Lee's martial arts scenes on cinema and fighting styles is undeniable and far-reaching. Lee's creation of Jeet Kune Do showcases his ability to adapt and innovate in the world of martial arts.

Bruce Lee practiced several martial arts styles over the years. Having acquired an interest in martial arts at a very young age, Lee spent most of his life developing his skills as a fighter. While most martial artists tend to devote their time to mastering a single way of fighting, Lee always evolved, picking up moves, stances, and ideas from other styles. Unlike the biggest actors in the martial arts genre, Lee never had a black belt and only spent a very short period as a student in a martial arts school.

Despite that, Bruce Lee is still renowned as a...

In the 1970s and 80s, two genres of movies really took off: the slasher and the martial arts film. After the popularity of John Carptenter's Halloween in 1978, the slasher craze dominated the next decade, whether it was Jason Voorhees and the Friday the 13th franchise or countless copycats. Movies centered around martial arts did big business as well, thanks to the early '70s Bruce Lee films Fist of Fury, The Way of the Dragon, and Enter the Dragon. When Lee sadly passed away in 1973 at just 32, he passed the torch to other martial arts experts, including one Chuck Norris.

Jackie Chan frequently collaborated with actors like Yuen Biao and Sammo Hung in many of his iconic movies. Chan also worked with stars like Michelle Yeoh and Anita Mui, building connections from his time as a stuntman. From Bruce Lee to Andy Lau, Chan's career is marked by numerous co-stars, creating a rich tapestry of martial arts cinema.

Jackie Chan was the most recognizable Hong Kong actor of all time and throughout his filmography, which included appearances in more than 150 movies, he has frequently collaborated with many of the same actors. A major reason for this was that the studio Golden Harvest, who played a major role in introducing Hong Kong action movies to the world, often relied on the same pool of actors that included Chan. This meant, Chan was often cast opposite the same performers, in particular his close collaborators Yuen Biao and Sammo Hung, who collectively became known as the Three Dragons.

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Sure, there are plenty of great free movies on YouTube—but while YouTube is awesome, it’s not the only game in town. So we decided to put together a list of other sites that also offer free movies, break down the pros and cons of each one,...

Bruce Lee's impact on action cinema is still felt today, yet Hollywood never fully embraced martial arts movies after his death. Martial arts movies remained a big business in Asia, but in the U.S., major mainstream releases rarely focused on martial arts as their main theme. The structure of Bruce Lee's movies borrowed from James Bond, which made it difficult to combine martial arts with the boom of sci-fi action movies in the 1980s.

While Bruce Lee’s fame made it seem like martial arts movies were ready to become a mainstream phenomenon, there is a range of reasons that this trend never really took off after his untimely death. Lee was a one-of-a-kind star. The actor’s movies brought martial arts to the mainstream and changed the history of the action genre in the process, influencing most of the biggest stars in martial arts cinema history during the decades after his death.

One of the great thrills of old school kung fu flicks is the juxtaposition between the dance-like choreography and bone-crunching violence. Bright splashes of blood are made more shocking by the balletic quality of the fights themselves. This is the contradiction at the core of almost all classic martial arts films; the spirituality inherent in Shaolin Kung Fu coexists with its potential to cause serious bodily harm. Many of the best releases of the 70s and 80s golden age understood how to blend Zen-like philosophy with animalistic anger, and revenge storylines allowed for especially potent drama. Here are five of the most down-and-dirty payback plots from the heyday of Hong Kong action.

5. The Duel

Chang Cheh's Ti Lung and David Chiang team-up from the year before, “Vengeance,” might be the obvious choice, but “The Duel” is an underrated slice of Triad grittiness. Lung and Chiang are two of the coolest...

Usually, when people think of the greatest decade for action movies, the 80s are what they think of. After all, this is the era that gave us Lethal Weapon, Die Hard, the Rambo movies, and so many more. But, the nineties was just as important a decade, giving birth to just as many legends of the genre, and it was the last significant era for R-rated action flicks. But what are the best action movies of the 90s? It’s tough to say, but here are 10, plus an honourable mention, that we think we deserve a place in the pantheon.

Honourable Mention: Demolition Man:

When this came out in the fall of 1993, it wasn’t considered all that special. It apparently lost money at the box office, but within a few years, this Sylvester Stallone/ Wesley Snipes mashup became a major cult classic, and now it’s one of the...

Bruce Lee's influence on martial arts films made them a global phenomenon and led to the rise of other big-screen martial artists. There are numerous other martial arts stars from the '70s and '80s whose work would be highly cherished by Bruce Lee fans. From David Chiang to Angela Mao, these martial arts stars have had extensive careers and continue to be recognized as legends in the industry.

Bruce Lee might be the most well-known martial arts star, but there are also many other kung fu stars that his fans would love. Instrumental in popularizing martial arts films around the globe, Bruce Lee's greatest movies like Fist of Fury and Enter the Dragon are staples in the kung fu genre that remain influential to actors, directors, and filmmakers in the action genre. Despite only making five kung fu movies before unexpectedly and heartbreakingly passing away in 1973, Bruce...

Old-school kung fu movies, like those featuring Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, had a major impact on the action genre, captivating audiences worldwide. Some underrated kung fu classics, such as The 36th Chamber of Shaolin and My Young Auntie, showcased impressive fight sequences and subverted gender roles. These old kung fu movies, while initially accessed through poorly dubbed English versions, still left a lasting impact on the genre and continue to be enjoyed today.

Old-school kung fu movies have dominated the action genre at a global level since the 1960s up to the 1980s, boasting stars like Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan. While Lee changed martial arts movies forever with cult classics like Fist of Fury and Enter the Dragon, Chan added a humorous punch to the kung fu formula. With most of these movies being produced at meager budgets by Hong Kong studios, these enthralling action flicks ended up...