Jackie Chan is traveling back in time to the Han Dynasty to star in Daniel Lee’s period epic, Dragon Blade, according to The Hollywood Reporter. This picture tells a story of Roman soldiers, while featuring Chan as the commander of the Protection Squad of the Western Regions.
Taking place in the western regions of China, Dragon Blade recounts events that transpired when Roman soldiers got lost in Ancient China. Filming of Dragon Blade will take place in both the historical “City of Sands,” Dunhuang and the Gobi Desert, which has terrain that spans a vast amount of 1,000 miles.
Chinese director, Lee will continues his track record of historical films. His previous successful pictures include White Vengeance (2011), 14 Blades (2010), and Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon (2008), which similarly deal with characters competing for power.
Dragon Blade’s budget is breaking Chinese records, with multiple investors fueling it’s production. This is the first film Beijing Cultural Assets Chinese Film & Television Fund will invest in, and they are contributing to the high budget of $320 million. Other contributors include China’s Sparkle Roll Cultural Media, Huayi Brothers Media, and Shanghai Film Group.
In addition to Dragon Blade, Jackie Chan has three other projects lined up, including Sam Fell’s Skiptrace (pre-production). The sequels The Karate Kid 2 and Rush Hour 4 are in early stages of production.
It will be intriguing to view how China viewed their imperial neighbors before the decline of Rome. We look forward to seeing tremendous work from Chan in Dragon Blade, which hits theatres next Chinese New Year, February 19, 2015.
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