In the US, numerous new projects were presented at the American Film Market and distribution rights were put up for sale. This also included a new film starring Jackie Chan.
In ‘Panda Plan’ from director Zhang Luan (‘Give Me Five’), a baby panda becomes a worldwide sensation. Because the furry animal looks even cuddlier than all its peers with a dark ring around one of its eyes. But this brings into the picture a very wealthy Middle Eastern magnate who wants the baby panda for himself. He hires a gang of mercenaries to raid the zoo and steal all the baby pandas. But luckily Jackie Chan is there… and soon he’s in the thick of it. It’s up to him to save the animals.
Jackie Chan plays Jackie Chan!
Despite the cuteness factor of the baby panda, which certainly helps the project, at first glance it sounds like a new version of the famous ‘Die Hard’ concept of the man who is in the wrong place at the wrong time and does it alone does with a superior force of criminals or terrorists. So why does the project still sound so wild?
Because in ‘Panda Plan’ Jackie Chan plays not just a cop or a zookeeper with an elite soldier past, but a fictionalized version of himself. The fact that the elderly actor Jackie Chan suddenly has to save the situation and of course realizes that there is a difference between movie stunts and the arguments that are needed now, is probably responsible for a large part of the comedy.
“Panda planis currently being filmed and is expected to be released in 2024. Jackie Chan recently celebrated a major success with the stuntman comedy “Ride On – The Second Chance”, which was released directly for home cinema in Germany.