Wu Jing of ‘Wolf Warriors 2’ seen as next big action star
BEIJING: Wolf Warriors 2, with takings of 1.3 billion yuan ( RM841 million) is shaking up the box office in China, and star actor- director Wu Jing, 43, is being hailed as the next big action star.
The media in China is trumpeting that he has what it takes to succeed ageing action stars like Jackie Chan and Jet Li.
In the blockbuster, Wu Jing stars as Leng Feng, a Chinese soldier who was jailed for taking down the boss in charge of his town’s destruction. After his release, he travels to Africa, where he comes across a band of ruthless mercenaries.
Co- starring in the movie are Hollywood stars Celina Jade and
China’s silver screens need their own hero – someone like Leng Feng. A man who is noble and a leader in every sense of the word. Wu Jing, actor-director
Frank Grillo.
To condition himself for the challenging role, Wu Jing spent 18 months training as a soldier.
Reckoned Wu: “If I’m not a soldier, then how could I become one?”
On his contribution towards bolstering China-made movies in the smackdown against Hollywood fare, Wu said: “China’s silver screens need their own hero – someone like Leng Feng. A man who is noble and a leader in every sense of the word.”
To date, Wolf Warriors 2 has also been a box office hit in Malaysia and Australia.
In his career, Wu has inextricably been linked to action movies.
In 2006, he had starred in Fatal Contact.
The following year, he was the male lead for the film Twins Mission, starring the Twins duo and Sammo Hung.
He had also worked with Nicholas Tse, Jaycee Chan, Shawn Yue and director Benny Chan on the police action film Invisible Target which was released in July 2007.
The following March, Wu made his directorial debut, alongside action choreographer Nicky Li, on his film Legendary Assassin.
Wu played Jing Neng in 2011 martial arts film Shaolin alongside Nicholas Tse, Andy Lau and Jackie Chan.
It 2015 Wu directed the action war film Wolf Warriors and reprised a different role as Chan Chi-kit in the Hong Kong action film SPL II: A Time For Consequences.