For some reason I fell for the announcement of Jackie Chan retiring from action films. I know it almost seemed plausible at the time and like something he was really willing to commit to but then he goes and says something like this:
Here is what Chan said at a press conference for his next film, Chinese Zodiac:
“Sly had invited me to be in ‘Expendables 2′ but I was too busy filming ‘CZ12′ and couldn’t make a commitment to the film. But he did extend his invitation to the third movie, which I agreed on the condition that I will be appearing as more than just a minor role with a few scenes.”
I like the idea of Jackie Chan as a member of The Expendables but more importantly I like his preference to be more than a minor role in the film. Chuck Norris’ appearance in The Expendables 2 was nostalgic and humorous but also extremely brief and underwhelming. It’s nice to have all of these old action stars on screen with each other but I think having a person appearing for maybe 5 mins of screen time is more of a Pyrrhic victory than a grand-slam If they’re going to get Chan involved then they better do it right.
Also interesting is his comment regarding a film referred to as “Skip Tracer”. It sounds like a typical buddy film that Chan is known for here in the U.S. but then he mentions the script being in the hands of Chris Tucker, or something, and how it may somehow transform into a 4th Rush Hour film.
Meanwhile, Chan is prepping for another Hollywood project tentatively titled Skip Tracer. It’s the latest script to pair the 58-year old entertainer with “a counterpart from the West”; moreover, Chan feels there’s a chance it could end up morphing into the fourth Rush Hour installment (though, he’s not over-enthused about that prospect):
“The script is currently viewed by Chris Tucker. Personally, I feel that if he were to pick it up, it would be better if we turned it into “Rush Hour 4″ but I do think that three movies for the franchise is a perfect ending. It would be better to start a new buddy movie with someone new.”
Now I remember something about a 4th Rush Hour film being announced, probably because I wrote the post, and figured at some time that film would see the light of day but man alive Chan sounds more enthused about working with Sly than working with Tucker. If I were to try my best to read between the lines than I guess what he’s saying in this comment is that a 4th Rush Hour film would make more sense with their bottom line rather than a new franchise would, but he’s really not interested in getting back into that franchise at all. It’s no secret that Chan is not super-proud of the Rush Hour films but loves the paychecks they bring. I’m disappointed that Chan isn’t yet taking on the more dramatic oriented films that he announced earlier this year but I’m okay with what he has planned as of today.
And just to remind you how awesome Jackie Chan is, here’s a video I found of 10 of his most amazing stunts:
Who else should be an Expendable?
Via: Screen Rant
