MGM Studios is giving new life to the long-thought-dead action-comedy Shanghai Dawn that will star Jackie Chan (Rush Hour) and Owen Wilson (Wedding Crashers), according to The Tracking Board. The third film in the series was originally announced shortly after the success of 2003’s sequel Shanghai Knights but up until now has been stuck in development hell.
With the many franchises reboots in the pipeline all over Hollywood, it isn’t surprising that the project is being brought back to life. What is surprising is that MGM is behind the new movie, whereas Sony was behind the first two films. MGM is bringing back producer Jonathan Glickman, who was a producer on the previous two movies. He also worked with Chan on the Rush Hour series.
The series began with the western comedy Shanghai Noon that brought Chinese imperial guard Chon Wang (Chan) to the American west to rescue Princess Pei Pei (Lucy Liu, Charlie’s Angels). He met up with amateur outlaw Roy O’Bannon (Wilson) to help him in his adventure. Shanghai Knights brought the pair to London to find the culprit behind Wang’s father’s murderer. Shanghai Dawn will reunite Chan and Wilson and, judging by the title, they will find their way to Wang’s home country of China.
Chan will be seen next in the epic Dragon Blade that was released in China earlier this year and is currently the 17th highest grossing movie in the country’s history; it will hit U.S. theaters this fall. Wilson will be seen next in the heist comedy Masterminds this summer and Zoolander 2 early next year.
MGM is currently looking for a writer and director for Shanghai Dawn. Miles Millar and Alfred Gough, who wrote the original two movies, are currently working on the TV aeries Into the Badlands.
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