DUBAI: Asian action superstar Jackie Chan will be returning to Dubai to film one of his latest movies with well-known director Stanley Tong before the end of this month, the Dubai Film and TV Commission has announced.
Speaking exclusively to Gulf News, Jamal Al Sharif, chairman of the commission, said, “Dubai Film and TV Commission is pleased to announce another great Chinese movie that will be filmed in Dubai, in collaboration with Shanghai Lix Entertainment Co Ltd and Alkatraz FZ LLC, a Dubai-based production company and line producer Maxine de Vere.”
He said the film will include a number of well-known overseas actors such as Yang Yang, Ai Lun, Zhu Zhengting, Jackson Lou and Mia, besides local talent cast by a local agency. More than 20 people have been cast for the film, with 10 feature artists and 500-plus extras.
According to Al Sharif, the film will be shot in and around Downtown Dubai, City Walk and other prominent locations and residential areas with support from Dubai Film and TV Commission.
Al Sharif said, “As we know, Stanley Tong and Jackie Chan have a great affinity for Dubai and we are happy to have them back in town working with our local crew who helped in the making of Kung Fu Yoga previously. Dubai continues to attract blockbuster movies and we are glad to embrace all of them. I would like to thank all those in the government and private sector that supported Kung Fu Yoga and will extend their support to the upcoming film.”
Ammar Al Khrisat, Emirati producer and owner of Alkatraz Production who has made five feature films over the past six years in Dubai, said, “We are becoming one of the major film producers in the region with our history of five large features being shot here. The film industry is growing and we are being recognised as a lead producer. In collaboration with Maxine De Vere, we intend to continue filming in Dubai with our team.”
de Vere said, “It is an honour working with Ammar and for both of us to be called to work again with Stanley and Jackie. We want to make Dubai the centre for filming major feature films and to show it to the world. So many have become friends over the years and have made six major Hollywood films and three local films in the region. I enjoy coming back to make features here.”
FLASHBACK: JACKIE CHAN’S FIRST TIME IN DUBAI
Jackie Chan’s earlier movie ‘Kung Fu Yoga’, a product of the India-China co-production treaty, marked the martial artist actor’s first film shoot in Dubai and the entire Middle East when it was shot here in September-October 2015.
In the film, Chan plays the role of an archaeology professor from Xi’an and teams up with an Indian counterpart from Rajasthan to locate a lost ancient treasure in Tibet. In the process, they are ambushed by mercenaries, following which Chan uses his kung fu powers and knowledge of history to beat the mercenaries, find the treasure and save the ancient culture.
A fantasy adventure, the film used Dubai locales such as the Atlantis, The Palm, Jumeirah Lake Towers, Shaikh Zayed Road, DIFC, Dubai Marina, Business Bay and the open desert.
Besides Chan, ‘Kung Fu Yoga’ also starred Bollywood actors Sonu Sood, Disha Patani and Amyra Dastur, along with Hong Kong singer-actor Aarif Lee Rahman and Eric Tsang.
