Jackie Chan on Dubai: I will come back again and again
IT SEEMED TO be a case of “Plush Hour” as actor Jackie Chan met the UAE’S media for 60 minutes or so on Monday night to discuss how upmarket the Emirates is as a filming destination. The Rush Hour
star who is currently filming his latest picture, Vanguard,
in Dubai spoke at Studio City and stated the city’s exceptional production infrastructure, support services and exciting backdrops make it an ideal place to film movies.
“I am happy to be back in Dubai three years after the shooting of Kung Fu Yoga,”
said Chan. “Dubai is a good place to film. This is why I have come back. I will come back again and again in the future.”
Compared to some other countries, the UAE fulfills all the promises it makes, he added.
Vanguard will wrap up the Dubai section of its filming by March 22. The movie is being shot in the UAE through a collaboration between Shanghai Lix Entertainment Co Ltd, Dubai-based Alkatraz Production and Line Producer Maxine de Vere.
Directed by acclaimed action-filmmaker Stanley Tong, Vanguard has taken in many locations including Dubai Studio City, Downtown Dubai, City Walk and its surroundings, alongside other prominent locales and residential areas, with the support of the Dubai Film and TV Commission (DFTC).
Well-known Chinese Chan in a still from his last Dubai movie,
actors such as Yang Yang, Ai Lun, Zhu Zhengting, Jackson Lou and Mia are also playing key roles in the film, which is expected to be launched globally next year. In addition, the picture also features 20 local actors who have been cast by a Dubai talent agency, as well as 10 feature artists and over 500 extras.
Jamal Al Sharif, Chairman of Dubai Film and TV Commission, said: “Dubai continues to attract blockbuster movies from the major film production markets of the world and we are happy to embrace all of them. The filming of Jackie Chan’s new movie in Dubai further reinforces the city’s growing profile as a hub for big global film productions. Dubai offers a one-stop-shop of services and a superior production infrastructure for filmmakers to produce movies with ease and efficiency. Entities
from both the government and private sector have been working with Dubai Film and TV Commission to seamlessly facilitate the production of Vanguard. I thank them for their exceptional support for this movie’s filming in Dubai.”
Majed Al Suwaidi, Managing Director of Dubai Studio City, said: “Dubai Studio City is pleased and proud to welcome legendary international action star and actor Jackie Chan. We are delighted that our sound stages in Dubai Studio City will be part of this major production. Dubai Studio City offers cuttingedge spaces and world-class facilities for film shooting and similar events. It’s the largest venue of its kind in the region. Over the years, Dubai Studio City has cemented its status as a strategic destination for not only businesses but also major film productions and movies.” (2011) (2009), Star (2016) and a host of major Bollywood movies including (2014). The rapid rise in the number of international productions choosing our city as a filming location is testament to its rise as a leading global destination for filmmaking and a regional hub for the film production industry.