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One of the key figures in Hong Kong cinema, Tsui Hark is a writer, actor, producer, and groundbreaking director. Born in Vietnam, he attended college in the US before working in Hong Kong television.

Hark directed his first features in the early 1980s. In 1984 he formed Film Workshop, a studio that helped boost the careers of John Woo, Chow Yun-fat, and Jet Li. Shanghai Blues, the first Film Workshop release, brought a revolutionary style and originality to Hong Kong filmmaking. Hark’s other films include the Once Upon a Time in China and Detective Dee franchises, Peking Opera Blues, and entry into the anthology film Septet.

I had the opportunity chat with the legendary filmmaker at this year’s Far East Film Festival in Udine, Italy, where he received the Golden Mulberry Award for Lifetime Achievement, in addition to introducing restored versions of Shanghai Blues and Green Snake, Hark brought his latest film,...

With John Wick 5 moving forward at Lionsgate, fans await to see how the next installment in the popular neo-noir action film series plays out after Keanu Reeves' titular character seemingly died in the last sequel. Though franchise director Chad Stahelski admits he and fellow creatives are still tweaking the John Wick sequel's story, he's sharing his vision and inspiration for the anticipated film.

Speaking with SlashFilm, Stahelski delved into his ideas for the next John Wick movie, including his influences and some potential production locations. According to the stuntman-turned-director, Chinese and Japanese cinema elements will be incorporated into John Wick 5, further boosting its neo-noir presentation.

"I will tell you as much as I know, which isn't much. Look, we have an inkling to it ... I can't tell you what John Wick 5 is about because we haven't quite got it all down. We have thoughts, I have a thematic.... You can...

John Wick: Chapter 5 gets a new tease from director Chad Stahelski, who hypes the film's globetrotting story. With each new John Wick movie, the franchise became bigger and more popular, culminating with the fourth film in 2023, which ends with Keanu Reeves' titular assassin seemingly dead and buried. The film left enough clues that Wick could return, however, and it was announced in April that John Wick: Chapter 5 is in development with Stahelski and Reeves both returning.

During a recent interview with SlashFilm, Stahelski shares what influences and cinematic styles he's hoping to incorporate into John Wick: Chapter 5. While the director makes clear that the film is currently short on story specifics, he does reveal that the works of iconic directors from Japan and China will continue to be a major source of inspiration for him moving forward, naming both John Woo and Akira Kurosawa. Global politics permitting,...

Entertainment—sometimes, just like God—works in mysterious ways. It’s like throwing spaghetti at the wall; you never know what trends will stick and which will not. There’s a very good argument to be made that when YouTube Red (remember that?) launched a sequel to “Karate Kid,” the chances it would last more than one season were very low. Damn! The chances that this new venture on YouTube will last very long were even lower.

In theory, it sounded like a great idea; then again, when you get something for free, it’s hard to convince people to pay for it despite all the best efforts. Six seasons later (one could argue they were at least a season too long), “Cobra Kai” proved to be so much of a success. Its blend of teen soapy melodrama and some solid fight choreographies was quite engaging. There are very few...

While Peacock may be known for his huge slate of reality TV, each month the streamer drops off a wide selection of films every viewer can enjoy. And we’re here to list the best of the bunch.

From family-friendly flicks mixed to with some creepy thrillers that will keep you up at night, there’s nothing better than a good movie list to watch in your free time. Some of the films named below are ultimate classics, cinematic and cultural phenomenons, and others will prepare you upcoming spinoff projects.

Here’s our list of the seven best movies on Peacock this month.

Daniel Kaluuya in “Get Out” (Credit: Universal Pictures) “Get Out” (2017)

When Jordan’s Peele’s psychological horror film hit theaters in 2017, it took audiences by storm with its twisted themes that spotlighted the exploitation of Black people and Black culture, structural racism and police brutality. Peele’s directorial debut,...

Bruce Lee’s martial arts classic with 88% on Rotten Tomatoes is a hit on streaming 52 years later. He may have passed away over five decades ago, but the inventor of Jeet Kun Do, who famously taught Chuck Norris how to fight, remains arguably the most iconic of all martial arts movie stars.

But Lee’s influence on popular culture extends beyond the world of martial arts cinema, with everyone from Arnold Schwarzenegger to Eddie Murphy to LL Cool J citing him as an inspiration. As of 2022, Oscar-winner Ang Lee was reportedly developing a biopic of the late movie icon, with his own son Mason Lee taking on the lead role.

Enter The Dragon Is A Streaming Hit 52 Years After Release It Has An 88% Fresh Rating On Rotten Tomatoes

Lee’sEnter the Dragon has again proven its power to enthrall martial arts fans, landing on the streaming charts decades after its initial release.

After receiving a degree in chemical engineering from the Royal Institute of Technology and a master’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Sydney, Dolph Lundgren started his acting career with a James Bond film (A View to a Kill) in 1985, quickly followed by his iconic performance as Soviet boxer Ivan Drago in Rocky IV, and then a string of action films. With a career spanning five decades, the man has kept busy, playing over 100 parts… and now, we have taken on the task of picking some of his best movies. Here we go:

Don’T Kill It (2016)

Directed by Mike Mendez, Don’t Kill It combines action, horror, and comedy while dropping Lundgren into the role of badass demon hunter Jebediah Woodley, who seems more interested in finding his next drink than catching demons. His vocation has brought him to Chickory Creek, Mississippi, where Christmas is being ruined...

Sylvester Stallone isn’t just the face of The Expendables. He’s the brains behind it, too. As the creator, producer, co-writer, and star, Stallone brought together the ultimate team of action heroes loaded with nostalgia, explosions, and one-liners galore. So, how much did he make off this epic franchise? Hint: It’s a ridiculous amount!

Sylvester Stallone in The Expendables (Credits: Lionsgate Films)

Four movies in, The Expendables have had their ups and downs. Big wins early, but Expendables 4? Not so much. Still, it helped the lead star earn an enormous fortune. So, how has Stallone’s legendary career padded his 2025 bank account? Let’s dive in.

Sylvester Stallone raked in $51 million from The Expendables franchise Sylvester Stallone in The Expendables (Credits: Lionsgate Films)

Sylvester Stallone didn’t just show up for The Expendables—he was the boss. Co-writer, producer, and mastermind behind it all. And, boy, did it pay off.

Yesterday it was revealed that Shout Factory is bringing a plethora of Hong Kong action titles to 4K with new Ultra HD Blu-rays. Among these releases were the Chow Yun-Fat classics, Hard Boiled, The Killer, City on Fire and the A Better Tomorrow trilogy. Blu-ray.com now has the details of special features and specs on the Jet Li Collection that was also announced. The collection is due to hit retailers on July 29.

“For the upcoming Hong Kong Cinema Classics releases, Shout! Studios, in collaboration with the Hong Kong Film Archives, has been working diligently to remaster and restore several prized hits, all scanned in stunning 4K from the original camera negatives. The video and audio have been restored, and the subtitles have been newly translated. With fans in mind, Shout! Studios is currently producing a variety of bonus content for each physical media release for this numbered and deluxe home entertainment series.

Shout! Studios is punching Monday in the face with brass knuckles by announcing an outstanding action film initiative with Hong Kong Cinema Classics! The celebration of Hong Kong action classics includes 4K presentations on Digital and physical media featuring iconic filmmakers, time-honored films, and many of the action genre’s legendary badasses of the silver screen.

The Hong Kong Cinema Classics collection brings films like Hard Boiled, City on Fire, A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, Bullet in the Head, Fist of Legend, Peking Opera Blues, and more to the stage!

Per today’s press release from Shout! Studios:

Hong Kong cinema in the ’80s and ’90s, renowned for its thrilling action choreography, distinctive visual styles, and emotional storytelling, represents a remarkable era in cinematic history, whose crime thrillers, martial arts classics, and action films, in particular, have left an indelible mark on Hollywood, profoundly influencing everything from Quentin Tarantino’s...

Shout! Studios has unveiled Hong Kong Cinema Classics Line, “a new entertainment label spotlighting a treasure trove of Hong Kong’s most captivating and cinematic masterpieces on digital entertainment platforms in 4K and definitive-edition physical releases (Uhd and Blu-ray) for collectors’ home entertainment shelves,” according to the official release. The first titles will be released this summer.

The home video company “in collaboration with the Hong Kong Film Archives, has been working diligently to remaster and restore several prized hits, all scanned in stunning 4K from the original camera negatives. The video and audio have been restored, and the subtitles have been newly translated. With fans in mind, Shout! Studios is currently producing a variety of bonus content for each physical media release for this numbered and deluxe home entertainment series.”

Many of these titles have long been out-of-print or unavailable in the west, so to have them with brand-new...

Hong Kong cinema in the ’80s and ’90s, renowned for its thrilling action choreography, distinctive visual styles, and emotional storytelling, represents a remarkable era in cinematic history, whose crime thrillers, martial arts classics, and action films, in particular, have left an indelible mark on Hollywood, profoundly influencing everything from Quentin Tarantino’s movies to the iconic Matrix and John Wick franchises. Among these are many acclaimed and popular early works by renowned filmmakers John Woo, Ringo Lam, Tsui Hark, Corey Yuen, Gordon Chan, Johnnie To, and internationally renowned actors Jet Li, Michelle Yeoh, Chow Yun-Fat, Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Leslie Cheung, and Tony Leung Ka-fai. Many of these highly sought-after movies from Shout!’s Golden Princess library and seminal Hong Kong classics have been dormant and out–of–print for decades outside of Asia.

For the upcoming Hong Kong Cinema Classics releases, Shout! Studios, in collaboration with the Hong Kong Film Archives,...

Peacock has announced the lineup of movies, TV shows, and live sports that will be available on the streaming service in May. The Peacock May 2025 schedule includes Black Bag, the Eurovision Song Contest, the Kentucky Derby, Law & Order: Organized Crime Season 5, Love Hurts, Poker Face Season 2, and more.

Black Bag is the latest thriller from Academy Award-winning director Steven Soderbergh, while Love Hurts is the latest action film from the producers of Nobody and Bullet Train. In Poker Face Season 2, Natasha Lyonne returns as the sharp-tongued human lie detector Charlie Cale, solving crimes in this mystery-of-the-week series.

Poker Face Season 2

For sports fans, the 2025 Kentucky Derby races into action on May 3. Break out your biggest hat and catch every heart-pounding second of the fastest two minutes in sports.

Music lovers, prepare for glitter, glamour, and fierce competition as the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest streams live May 13–17 from Basel, Switzerland. Join...

When you think of Jason Statham, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? If it’s a fit bald dude beating the shit out of a nameless goon, good. That means we’re on the same page. Range is not Jason Statham’s forte, nor would we expect his characters to be able to spell “forte”. But the man has marked himself as maybe The action star in modern movies. And that’s good enough for us and his millions of fans. As Frank Martin said in The Transporter: Never change the deal.

Jason Statham was born on July 26th, 1967 in Shirebrook, England. A natural and gifted athlete, Statham was competing in everything from football to diving (he would later be inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame). Then came modelling because, well, look at that jawline!

But it was the screen he was destined for.

A scene from Striking Rescue. Courtesy of WellGo USA

Tony Jaa is essentially the Bruce Lee of Thailand. He’s a gifted martial artist with black belts in multiple disciplines. He does his own stunts without CGI or wires. His films have reliably delivered plenty of high-octane action with varying degrees of story significance. Jaa’s resting face seems to be one of anger, which serves him well in this hard-hitting revenge story, Striking Rescue.

We see Jaa’s wife and daughter being murdered during the opening credits. The whole film consists of working his way up the criminal echelons to kill whoever did them in. It’s a classic formula that never gets old in the right hands, whether being executed by Jason Statham, Scott Adkins, Jet Li or any other martial artist with a SAG card (or its equivalent in the dozens of other countries pumping these flicks out). Along the way,...

Donnie Yen is returning to the world of “John Wick,” this time with some additional responsibilities.

The martial arts legend will star as Caine, the blind assassin from “John Wick: Chapter 4,” in a new spinoff film for Lionsgate. Yen will also direct the movie, which will begin production in Hong Kong later this year. The announcement was made as part of Lionsgate’s CinemaCon presentation.

Like all other installments in the ever-growing “John Wick” franchise, the Caine movie will be produced by Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee through their Thunder Road banner and by series director Chad Stahelski, who produces through his 87Eleven Entertainment production company. Yen will also serve as an executive producer.

The movie’s logline is being kept under wraps, probably in a locked drawer at the Continental.

Mattson Tomlin has also joined the project to write the film; a previous draft was written by Robert Askins.

Action megastar Jason Statham still looks powerful for a man inching toward 60. And the older he gets, the more worn and lived-in his face becomes, like my therapist’s leather couch. So what if he doesn’t take off his shirt as much anymore? He’s built like a wrestler, but graceful, too, an experienced kickboxer with a trademark, face-smashing spinning back-kick. In A Working Man, the U.K.-born Statham stars as an all-American man’s man with a Cockney accent (he was a Royal Marine long ago, you...

It's almost impossible to talk about action movies without mentioning Jason Statham and Sylvester Stallone. They're both bankable stars who have left a large legacy in their genre, so it's no surprise the two have worked together multiple times. Their most recent collaboration is on the 2025 Statham film A Working Man, which Stallone wrote and produced. Stallone is no stranger to screenwriting, having written the Oscar-winning film Rocky. He's no stranger to writing for Statham either, as he wrote the screenplay for Statham's 2013 movie Homefront.

Stallone Made Statham a DEA Agent in 'Homefront'

In Homefront, Jason Statham plays Phil Broker, a retired DEA agent and single dad living in Louisiana. Phil's daughter, Maddy, fights one of her classmates, and when Phil is called to Maddy's school to talk about it, the classmate's father tries to fight Phil. Phil beats the father, and in retaliation, the father's wife calls her brother,...

In an era before Netflix, B-tier action movies used to come out in theaters, rather than being ported straight to streaming. Think "Timecop," "Under Siege," "Kickboxer," or pretty much any other movie starring Jean-Claude Van Damme or Steven Seagal. You could even add some Sylvester Stallone movies like "Cobra" into that mix. By 2001, a lot of the camp style of the late '80s and '90s was fading from the genre, but that didn't stop Jet Li and Jason Statham from adding one more ridiculous, critically panned, but still fun sci-fi actioner.

"The One" is a movie about the multiverse long before that was cool. Directed by frequent "X-Files" scribe James Wong, it follows Li as Gabe Law, a regular police officer on a regular version of Earth. Li also plays Gabriel Yulaw, an evil version of Gabe from another universe. Yulaw was once an agent of the MultiVerse Authority,...

It can’t be denied that in the eighties and nineties, the action movies coming out of Hong Kong revolutionized the industry. Marrying the kinetic style of seventies grid house martial arts epics with the technological innovations and kinetic energy of the best American action movies of the era, directors like John Woo, Tsui Hark and Ringo Lam, and stars like Jackie Chan and Chow Yun-Fat made a huge mark internationally. In the mid-nineties, and in the face of Hong Kong’s 1997 handover to China, many of the biggest names from the scene found their way to America, and outside of Jackie Chan and John Woo, arguably the most successful transition was made by martial arts superstar Jet Li.

A former member of the Bejing Wushu team, Li’s arguably became the biggest martial arts movie star since Bruce Lee. Sure, Jackie Chan movies maybe made more money, but they,...

Wolfgang Petersen's "Troy" is a relic of a time when the Hollywood epic was still a healthy, consolidated institution -- before the superhero boom largely replaced it with "grounded," smaller-scale, mostly-contemporary set blockbusters. Starring Brad Pitt as Achilles, Diane Kruger as Helen, Eric Bana as Hector, Orlando Bloom as Paris, Brian Cox as Agamemnon, Sean Bean as Odysseus, and a host of legends including Peter O'Toole and Julie Christie in smaller roles, Petersen's 2004 film offers a loose, condensed reimagining of Homer's "Iliad," chronicling the most legendary of all ancient conflicts: the Trojan War.

While full of historical and literary liberties, "Troy" is a muscular, stirring movie that, seen today, feels like a throwback to a time when American tentpole movies were still driven by a chief concern to be fun. In that spirit, here are 15 other cinematic epics and historical blockbusters that will also show you a great,...

Released on the streaming platforms in China on Lunar New Year’s Eve, January 28th 2025, “Invincible Swordsman” is a product of Wong Jing and mainland director Luo Yi Wei. Adapted very loosely from the wuxia novel “The Smiling, Proud Wanderer” written by Louis Cha, or Jin Yong, this is basically a straight remake of Ching Siu Tung and Tsui Hark’s “Swordsman II” (1992) starring Brigitte Lin and Jet Li.

Check also this video

The film kicks off with Ren Wo Xing (Yin Zi Wai) the leader of the Sun Moon Holy Cult practicing his “Cosmic Absorbing Power” on the Blackwoods Cliff. Out of nowhere, a self-castrated man with supreme kung fu powers, calling himself Dong Feng Bu Bai or Invincible East (Kitty Zhang Yu Qi) appears to challenge him. During their fierce battle, Dong easily defeats Ren, blinds him in one eye, declares himself as the new leader and imprisons...

An action icon is all set to return to screens after being away for five years. Despite announcing his retirement, the martial arts legend and star of such action classics as Once Upon a Time in China, Fist of Legend, Kiss of the Dragon, Fearless, The Expendables franchise, and many, many more, Jet Li is all set to once again demonstrate his particular set of skills in the upcoming live-action adaptation of the comic, Blades of the Guardians.

After rumors began circulating, it has now been confirmed by Chinese Entertainment News that Jet Li will make a triumphant return to screens in Blades of the Guardians, which will adapt the Chinese manhua "Biao Ren," which in turn was given the anime treatment in 2023. Not only will the historical, fantasy, martial arts, action movie feature Li’s return, it is also being helmed by renowned Hong Kong filmmaker and action choreographer Yuen Woo-ping,...

Zoe Saldana’s Oscars win for Emilia Pérez wasn’t all cheers — Mexico wasn’t impressed. The film’s take on a cartel leader’s gender transition sparked backlash, with critics slamming its cultural portrayal and casting choices. Many felt it fed stereotypes rather than embracing authentic representation.

Zoe Saldaña in Emilia Pérez | Credits: Saint Laurent Productions

As outrage grew, Saldana issued an apology, but the damage was done. In an era demanding accuracy and respect, Emilia Pérez crossed a line for many.

Zoe Saldana’s apology over Emilia Pérez and the Mexico controversy Zoe Saldaña in Emilia Pérez | Credits: Saint Laurent Productions

Zoe Saldana walked away with an Oscar for Emilia Pérez, but her win came with controversy. The actress apologized to the people of Mexico after a journalist called the film very, very hurtful to them.

Backstage at the Oscars, a Mexican journalist confronted Saldana, saying Mexico was...

There have been several dozen films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, going strong and releasing multiple films almost every year since its beginning in 2008. The McU's overwhelming volume has inspired several conversations by pundits and critics, wherein they ponder the series as one of the longest-running in cinema history. It is, of course, by no means the longest. Indeed, a close study of cinema history will immediately reveal film franchises that handily outstrip it.

One might immediately think of Godzilla, for instance, a film series that has been chugging along pretty steadily since its debut in 1954. To date, there have been 38 feature films (in both Japan and America) in the "Godzilla" franchise. Some deep-cut kiddie-entertainment enthusiasts may be able to recall that there are already 43 animated movies to star Mattel's Barbie, and that's not even counting Greta Gerwig's live-action blockbuster. Those 43 movies were made between 2001 and the present.

Jackie Chan's animated series from the 2000s has landed itself a new streaming home.

Jackie Chan Adventures will be available to stream on Tubi for free on March 25th. Originally airing from the year 2000 to 2005, the animated series introduced a whole generation to Chan and his extensive on-screen career. Created by John Rogers, Duane Capizzi, and Jeff Kline, the series had a total of 95 episodes spanning 5 seasons.

RelatedHow Jackie Chan Adventures Introduced a Generation to the Martial Arts Legend

Here's a look back at Jackie Chan Adventures, the cartoon that introduced young audiences to the eponymous Hong Kong action film legend in the early 2000s.

The series, fittingly, followed a fictional version of Jackie Chan, voiced by James Sie. This version of Chan is both a martial artist and an archaeologist originally from Hong Kong, now living in San Francisco. After discovering a magical talisman, the fictional Chan's life...

Zoe Saldaña has become Hollywood’s go-to actress in big-budget movies in the fantasy genre. She has appeared in Pirates of the Caribbean, Avatar, Star Trek, and the MCU. Before her Oscar-nominated role as Rita Mora Castro in Emilia Pérez, Saldaña played the badass female superhero, Gamora, in the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy.

Zoe Saldaña as Gamora in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3 | Credits: Marvel Studios

Saldaña embodied a true intergalactic warrior in her role as Gamora and executed some finely choreographed action set pieces in the films. Interestingly, she revealed one legendary action hero as her reference for the role. She revealed that her stunt works in Gotg reflected Jet Li’s works.

Zoe Saldaña explains why she preferred Jet Li’s stunts over other action legends like Jackie Chan Jet Li in a still from The Expendables | Credits: Lionsgate

Zoe Saldaña is very particular about her stunt scenes in her action films,...

“An Eye for an Eye 2: Blind Vengeance” is, as the title clearly suggests, the sequel to a film from 2022. The Chinese action superstar Xie Miao played “the blind swordsman”, a fighter named Cheng Xiazi who earns his money as a bounty hunter. He meets a young woman named Yan Ni (Gao Weiman), whose entire family has fallen victim to a brutal attack. Cheng is only reluctantly persuaded to help her with her mission, which is of course revenge. The film lasts 77 minutes and is a flagship product of the bustling Chinese streaming service iQIYI. iQIYI, it seems, produces new films and series practically around the clock. These are now also finding fans in the West. As different as the quality of these products might be – the output of iQIYI alone is impressive.

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Quick LinksSylvester Stallone's Rip-Roaring Action FranchiseDwayne Johnson's Dream Role Could Be the Perfect Addition

Silver screen legend Sylvester Stallone tapped some of Hollywood's most beloved action heroes to headline his explosive and thrilling franchise The Expendables, with famous faces like Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, Jet Li, and Arnold Schwarzenegger being just a few of the big names to appear in the rip-roaring film series. In the blockbuster hits, Stallone portrays Barney Ross, the leader of the titular elite team of mercenaries who go on daring missions and take out violent adversaries while saving innocent lives.

The first installment made its spectacular debut in 2010 and was a fun, nostalgia-fueled experience for moviegoers who loved the bold and over-the-top action and colorful characters, with the series paying homage to the beloved action flicks of the '80s. Fans may be surprised to learn that Dwayne Johnson had previously expressed interest in joining the electrifying franchise,...

The universe can be a pretty crummy place sometimes, so it's important to seek out every last nugget of joy or, absent something so extravagant, just a smile here and there to ward off total despair. You could argue that we don't even deserve the latter in extraordinarily crummy times such as these, and maybe this is true, but I like getting out of bed in the morning, so I'll afford myself the privilege of hope however it materializes. Did the Cleveland Cavaliers win last night? That's one foot on the floor. Did I text with some out-of-town friends I haven't personally seen in months or years? There's another. Did John Carpenter just win a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association? Oh baby, we're up and headed for that first cup.

The New Hollywood era produced more commercially successful and critically acclaimed filmmakers than the man who gave us "Halloween,...

This might surprise you, but Jet Li's Western films -- ones shot primarily in English -- have grossed basically the same amount as Jackie Chan's (not counting Chan's voiceover work in animated films). Each of them have brought in just over two billion dollars with their English-language releases, but the odds are pretty good that regular moviegoers will recognize Chan far more often than they do Li. Why? That's a good question, and the answer probably has something to do with Chan's ubiquitous presence and those aforementioned family-friendly animated films.

Longtime action fans know that Li has delivered just as many absolute bangers as Chan, but while the latter made his name with comedy and a creative use of his environment, Li secured a spot in the action hall of fame based almost solely on his blisteringly fast skills. A fantastic fighter and athlete, as at home on...

Karate Kidactor Ralph Macchio says he feels like he has a “responsibility” to keep up the legacy of the franchise. In a new interview with GamesRadar+, Macchio talked about playing the role of Daniel Larusso throughout the years as well as the new Karate Kid: Legends film and the final season of Cobra Kai.

Cobra Kai returns to Netflix on Feb. 13 with the final five episodes of the series’ sixth and final season. The show, set about 40 years after the 1984 original Karate Kidfilm, features Macchio reprising his role as Daniel as well as William Zabka’s Johnny Lawrence and sees the pair running two competing karate dojos.

RelatedThe Karate Saga Nears the End With Cobra Kai Season 6 Part 3 Trailer

The last trailer for the Karate Kid/ Cobra Kai franchise is here.

“Paying the Legacy Forward”

“Throughout the Cobra Kai series, there have been those mentor moments, those parenting moments. So...

Jackie Chan and Jet Li starred in 2008's The Forbidden Kingdom, their only action film together. Martial arts fans can now revisit their scenes in ultra-high definition from Lionsgate's special home release.

Lionsgate Home Entertainment is launching The Forbidden Kingdom in 4K HD Blu-Ray this February. Per Geek Vibes Nation, the special edition SteelBook is packed with special features including a Dolby Atmos audio track for a more immersive experience. Fans can revisit the film (and its deleted scenes) with full audio commentary from director Rob Minkoff and screenwriter John Fusco (The Highwaymen). The release also comes with a blooper reel, a post-credits staple of Jackie Chan films. The Forbidden Kingdom is a must-watch for martial arts fans; it's the only film that pits Chan and Jet Li in sparring scenes.

RelatedNetflix Users Can't Stop Watching This Jackie Chan Action Trilogy

One of Jackie Chan's most popular action trilogies...

Jet Li was one of the most prolific action stars of the 1990s, making a slew of brilliant martial arts and action films back-to-back with great directors. Now, some of his best (and also more difficult to find) films of the era are getting a 4K reissue on digital platforms thanks to Shout! Studios. The five Jet Li classics being re-released are: Tai Chi Master (1993), The Legend (1993), The Legend 2 (1993), Fist of Legend (1994), and The Bodyguard from Beijing (1994). The films become available in 4K on Feb. 18, 2025, through the usual digital platforms. They will also be available together in a digital bundle for the first time on Apple TV and Fandango at Home. The press release from Shout! Studios states:

"The cinema of Hong Kong in the ’80s and ’90s, particularly Jet Li’s martial arts films, is renowned for its thrilling action choreography, unique visual styles, and engaging storytelling. Behold...

Early Hong Kong classics from Jet Li, including works from celebrated filmmakers Gordon Chan, Yuen Woo-ping (perhaps best known by western audiences for his work on “The Matrix”) and Corey Yuen will finally arrive on digital 4K on Feb. 18, courtesy of Shout! Studios in collaboration with Li.

The releases include 1994’s “Fist of Legend,” 1993’s “Tai Chi Master,” “The Legend” and “The Legend 2,” and 1994’s “The Bodyguard From Beijing.” These are the movies that made Li an international superstar and paved the way for him to appear in western blockbusters like “Lethal Weapon 4,” “Romeo Must Die,” “The One” and “The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor,” along with Sylvester Stallone’s “Expendables” franchise.

“Thanks to our new partner Shout! Studios, movie fans can now easily enjoy these entertaining films in stunning 4K on various digital platforms. I hope a new generation of audiences will be introduced to these...

The cinema of Hong Kong in the ’80s and ’90s, particularly Jet Li’s martial arts films, is renowned for its thrilling action choreography, unique visual styles, and engaging storytelling. Behold the spectacular Hk action classics from prolific actor, martial artist, and producer Jet Li and early works by celebrated filmmakers Gordon Chan, Woo-Ping Yuen, and Corey Yuen when Fist Of Legend (1994), Tai Chi Master (1993), The Legend (1993), The Legend 2 (1993), and The Bodyguard From Beijing (1994) are set to unleash on Digital in 4K on February 18, 2025 by Shout! Studios, in collaboration with Jet Li.

“Thanks to our new partner Shout! Studios. Movie fans can now easily enjoy these entertaining films in stunning 4K on various digital platforms. I hope a new generation of audiences will be introduced to these action classics that give a glimpse to the talent of directors, writers, actors, stunt people, and crew that come from the rich history of Hong Kong cinema,...

Now this is cool. Image above: Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh in Tai Chi Master. Image courtesy of Jet Li and Shout! Studios. In the very late 90s, when I finally discovered Hong Kong cinema, Jet Li was one of the foundation stones of that early DVD era. As an early member of Netflix in their physical media days, I rented every Jet Li movies on the service, based on reviews I'd read at Hong Kong Cinema - View from the Brooklyn Bridge, and was astounded by nearly every one. Several generations of physical media later, Shout Studios will bring five cornerstone action films to 4K. Per the official announcement this morning: "The cinema of Hong Kong in the '80s and '90s, particularly Jet Li's...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Jackie Chan and Jet Li star in the martial arts action adventure The Forbidden Kingdom, arriving on SteelBook February 25 from Lionsgate. A discovery made by a kung fu-obsessed American teen sends him on an adventure to ancient China, where he joins up with a band of martial arts warriors in order to free the imprisoned …

The post Arriving on SteelBook Feb 25: Jackie Chan and Jet Li in The Forbidden Kingdom appeared first on Horror News | Hnn.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been on the trend of exploring an ambitious concept in its movies with the “Multiverse.” It started in some of the original comic stories, but now it’s really been used to capitalize on a bevy of crowd-pleasing moments. Other movies, such as Everything Everywhere All at Once, also use the multiverse to explore the different branches of life created by a single act. Even properties like Mortal Kombat are getting in on the game. While the “parallel universe” plot device has been used in many sci-fi stories in the past, back in 2001, a little action movie attempted to introduce the idea of the “multiverse” to a mainstream movie audience. Today, we take a look at Jet Li’s The One and see how it holds up with its own take on the concept.

Ok, so let me start this off by being real. The One...

Quick Links His Small Moment In Collateral Has The Transporter Brushing Shoulders With Tom Cruise Transporter 3 Finished His Trilogy And Solidified His Place As An Action Star The Remake Of The Italian Job Gave Him More Screen Time With Hollywood A-Listers Ghosts Of Mars Was His First Foray Into Action-Horror Jet Li and Statham Face-Off In War At The Height Of His Action Fame The Unhinged Nature of Crank Added Humor To His Action Persona Statham Returns To His Wiley Crime Origins In The Bank Job Transporter 2 Was Unhinged But A Wild And Fun Sequel Snatch Showed Off Statham's Wit And Range When Given Another Guy Ritchie Film The Transporter

Since the late '90s, when he appeared in Guy Ritchie's breakthrough film Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels, Jason Statham has shown an incredible amount of range and resilience in the ever-changing and competitive genre of action. His ability to be the steely hero,...

Streaming platforms have a habit of reviving long forgotten or hardly spoken about movies from the past, and that is true of the 2001 Kung-Fu action movie Kiss of the Dragon entering the Top 10 on Tubi after landing on the platform. Starring Jet Li, in what some regard as his best English-speaking movie, the film did not score highly with critics, but like many action movies, it delivers some intense and crowd-pleasing fights that are enough to make it worth a watch for die-hard fans of the genre.

Kiss of the Dragon was written and produced by director Luc Besson, who also helmed The Fifth Element and Scarlett Johansson action movie Lucy, and, along with Li, starred Bridget Fonda, Burt Kwouk, and Tchéky Karyo. The synopsis of the movie reads:

“Jet Li plays Liu Jiuan, China's top government agent, who arrives in Paris from Shanghai to carry out a sensitive, top-secret mission.

Since the days of classics like Bullitt and Dirty Harry, the action genre has turned into a box office powerhouse, with the 2010's boasting some big ones. The action genre has been a staple of cinema since the earlier days of film. It's been a key to building up careers of Hollywood giants like Bruce Willis through franchises like Die Hard. Often focusing on wronged heroes embarking on a quest for vengeance against criminals and terrorists, the genre is loved for its flashy fight sequences and tough protagonists.

From the late '60s on, each decade of film has produced its share of classics, and the 2010s were no different. Although the decade did begin with a slew of lackluster action movies, the genre soon picked up steam as an array of new franchises were kicked off or taken to new heights. From remakes of classic action movies to ground-breaking revenge thrillers,...

While the downfall of physical media has been predicted time and time again, 2024 has proved the opposite with many impressive and interesting releases, not juts Asian titles. However, when it comes to Asian cinema many boutique labels especially have given film-lovers the opportunity to (re-)discover many gems of the cinematic landscapes of Japan, Korea, Hong Kong and Thailand to name but a few. The following list may serve as an overview of some of these releases, some of which may stand representative of a whole catalogue from a production company.

Without further ado, let’s delve into the list of the 30 best physical media releases of Asian cinema in 2024, in random order

1. Seven Samurai (BFI)

Akira Kurosawa’s masterpiece certainly needs no introduction and its release on 4k was one of the most anticipated releases for connoisseurs of Asian cinema. While there is also the Criterion edition of the film,...

From battling alongside Jet Li in Once Upon a Time in China and America, facing off with Jean-Claude Van Damme in Knock Off, battling The Rock in The Scorpion King, acting alongside Quentin Tarantino in Alias, taking a memorable elevator ride with Ryan Gosling, through Stunt Coordinating everything from the Rush Hour, Mcgyver and Revolution TV series, Jeff Wolfe has been making his mark on the industry both infront and behind the camera.  He's just made his feature Directorial Debut with the newly released Zombie thriller Outbreak and we picked his brains about the journey from humble beginnings through the mayhem and madness of martial arts movie making and more, to directing his first movie in the midst of an actors strike. Mike: I was...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Donnie Yen was incredible as the blind assassin Caine in Keanu Reeves’ fourth John Wick film. He even landed a spin-off movie for his character, announced by Lionsgate last year. His filming experience in John Wick 4 was far safer, considering that he sustained some serious injuries during his stunt in other films.

Donnie Yen as Caine in John Wick | Credits: Lionsgate

In particular, Yen recalled that his worst on-set accident happened when he filmed alongside fellow actor Jet Li. Interestingly, Yen was injured twice when he filmed with Li, with the movies taking place a decade apart. In both instances, he got accidentally hit by Li and saw blood coming out of his face.

Donnie Yen’s worst set accident happened while filming alongside Jet Li Donnie Yen and Jet Li in Once Upon a Time in China II | Credits: Golden Harvest

Donnie Yen opened up about his most...

Dragon Ball may not have gotten a worthy live-action adaptation yet, but one epic Jackie Chan fantasy movie comes close to qualifying as a spiritual adaptation of the renowned anime. Created by Akira Toriyama in 1984, Dragon Ball went on to become one of the biggest and most internationally acclaimed shounen anime franchises in the 90s and the aughts. Over the years, the franchise has only grown from strength to strength, paving the way for newer additions, including video games, manga spinoffs, and films.

In 2009, Dragon Ball was also loosely adapted as a live-action movie, Dragonball Evolution, which turned out to be a commercial and critical disaster. Owing to its inability to get anything right about the original anime and manga, the movie was panned by viewers and critics worldwide, forcing many to grow skeptical towards anime-to-cinema adaptations in general. However, before Dragonball Evolution presented one of the worst live-action takes on anime,...

Schwarzenegger. Stallone. Van Damme. Gibson. Snipes. Ford. When you make a list of the most popular action heroes of all time, there’s another name that needs to be added to that list – Liam Neeson. Over the last sixteen years, he’s headlined a neverending series of action thrillers that have propelled him to a much higher echelon of fame than he’d ever been on before, with him only ever becoming an action star once he was fifty-six. Ultimately, it was all due to a low-budget, European-financed action flick, which came very close to going direct-to-video and reached theatres in Europe a full year before it opened in North America. That movie is Taken, and we’re going to tell you how it revitalized the career of a man who – at the time – was generally considered a top-tier character actor with limited box office appeal. That’s right – it...

The 1990s was a peak time for martial arts movies, with a distinctive '90s' fusion of old-school kung fu choreography, hyper-dynamic action sequences, and different martial arts styles that thrilled global audiences. Martial arts cinema was making a distinct change at this time as more classic Hollywood elements were being used throughout films as their popularity grew. The best films of this era used those elements while remaining true to Eastern martial arts traditions that focused on stories of honor and redemption to make films that were both exciting and emotionally satisfying.

The 1990s weaving of acrobatic fight sequences with larger-than-life characters made the decade a golden age for performances in martial arts films. Jet Li’s Chen Zhen in Fist of Legend (1996) and Jackie Chan’s Wong Fei-hung in Drunken Master II (1994) both had incredible charisma and depth in their onscreen roles, making the martial arts more than mere action and combat.

The Jet Li science fiction movie from 2001 where the famed martial artist played nine different characters accurately predicted a big franchise trend in the 2020s. Jet Li's best movies highlight his legendary abilities within the action genre, with many titles such as Hero and Fearless showcasing both his physical prowess and his strong acting skills. However, the action genre was not the only one to experience Jet Li's talents, especially in the early 2000s as he branched out into telling other kinds of stories.

Jet Li, during that time frame, tried to establish himself in the science fiction genre through his starring role in the 2001 film The One. While that film ended up being one of his less popular additions, it did allow Jet Li's wushu fighting style to be displayed in new ways and let the film experiment with certain concepts. Some of those concepts ended up becoming popular later,...

It’s astounding how many great modern martial arts movies have received near-universal praise on Rotten Tomatoes. While it’s well known that iconic classics of years gone by, like Seven Samurai and Yojimbo, have long been favored by movie critics, these films' legendary status can sometimes overshadow the merits of more recent martial arts triumphs in the 21st century. That’s why it’s important to take the time to praise modern martial arts movies that have pushed the genre into brave new territory in recent years and continued to enthrall viewers with spectacular fight sequences.

Some of the all-time great martial performances occurred in the 21st century, and acclaimed directors like Zhang Yimou and Ang Lee have kept the quality of martial arts cinema high. These excellent films boasted spectacular performances from modern martial arts stars like Tony Jaa, Jet Li, and Michelle Yeoh. While martial arts cinema...