Panda Plan, an action-comedy starring renowned kung fu actor Jackie Chan, held a promotional roadshow in Beijing on Saturday, where Chan shared his personal connection to pandas, and the director discussed the creative process behind the film.
Released on Sept. 30, the film tells the story of an adorable panda cub named Hu Hu, adopted by world-renowned kung fu star Jackie, who soon becomes the target of a global crime syndicate. Jackie teams up with his agent and a dedicated panda keeper to embark on a high-stakes mission to rescue the cub.
Reflecting on his personal experience with pandas, Chan recalled how in 2009 he signed an adoption agreement with the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, a world-renowned institution for the conservation of giant pandas, donating one million yuan (about 142,485 U.S. dollars) to adopt two pandas. During the event, he shared anecdotes about traveling the world with panda dolls modeled after the real pandas.
"I adopted two pandas myself, and I even made panda dolls to take with me on my travels, from the Oscars to the Buckingham Palace. Everywhere I went, people would first recognize me and say 'ah, Jackie', then see the pandas and say, 'Oh, so cute!' and take photos. Pandas represent China, but they also stand for friendship and peace, which is especially important in today's world. I hope this film can inspire global audiences and promote peace," Chan said.
Since its release, "Panda Plan" has seen remarkable success, rising from the fifth to the third place at the daily box office.
"The film is already scheduled for release in 64 countries. We've just started with the United States, Canada, Brunei and Malaysia, and we'll continue unlocking release dates in other regions," said Zhang Luan, director of the movie.
The success of the movie was the result of the dedicated efforts of the entire cast and crew. Zhang highlighted how many of the action scenes were directly influenced by Jackie Chan during filming.
"Jackie was always suggesting new ideas. We'd try out different approaches until we found something exciting and fun. His extensive experience on set really helped us bring out the most entertaining elements from the script, refining them as we went along," Zhang said.
Starring in panda-themed action comedy, Jackie Chan shares personal connection to pandas
