Jack Ma leaps from e-commerce to kung fu
BEIJING: Alibaba executive chairman Jack Ma is taking the leap from e- commerce to a kung fu movie.
Later this month, he is to debut in the movie alongside stalwart action stars as Jet Li and Donnie Yen.
Titled Gong Shou Dao, ( The Art of Guard and Defence), the 20-minute movie will be released on Nov 11, but not screened in cinemas. Apparently, it is a stream- only version set to coincide with Alibaba’s largest sale of the year.
Alibaba had “invented” the Nov 11 sales extravaganza, known in China as “Singles’ Day”, during which those who are still single console themselves by going on a buying binge.
Writing online about the mini movie, Ma said: “That night ... that dream.” Those who read that post have been joking that Ma is apparently dreaming of shovelling in more cash into his vault somewhere in Hangzhou. The richest man in China is going to get even richer, and having a cameo role in a kung fu movie won’t hurt.
Said Jet Li, the movie’s executive producer: ”We all have the same dream to use the movie
We all have the same dream to use the movie to promote traditional Chinese culture and pay a tribute to the predecessors in the field of Chinese kung fu.
to promote traditional Chinese culture and pay a tribute to the predecessors in the field of Chinese kung fu.”
Other big names to be featured in the mini movie include Wu Jing, Sammo Hung, boxing star Zou Shiming, Thai actor Tony Jaa and retired Mongolian sumo champion Asashoryu Akinori.
Ma had long been obsessed with kung fu. He has practised tai chi for many years.
Each year, during the Alibaba Annual Party, he customarily performs a tribute to a celebrity. This year, he chose to moonwalk like the late Michael Jackson.
For the movie role, Ma intends to promote tai chi. He has already unveiled the movie poster on his microblog, with himself looking mean in the company of martial arts celebrities like Donnie Yen and Sammo Hung.
Jet Li, executive producer