While the wait continues for the forthcoming Jackie Chan/Owen Wilson threequel, Shanghai Dawn, it is finally being reported that Napoleon Dynamite helmer Jared Hess will direct the film. The news comes nine months after it was announced that actors Chan and Wilson, under MGM president Jonathan Glickman, that the film was finally moving forward more than a decade after the 2003 sequel and its preceding initial vehicle in 2000.
David Dobkin directed the first movie in the now trilogy-to-be in the wake of the Hong Kong cinema action hero’s rise to crossover celebrity stardom. Chan firsr joined Wilson in the respective comedic roles of rogue imperial guardsman Chon Wang and former bandit Roy O’Bannon in Shanghai Noon where they meet up in the 17th century old West and reluctantly pair-up to rescue the Imperial princess, played by Lucy Liu. The film’s hit success to the tune of almost $100 million dollars led to Shanghai Knights, the seuqel which reunited our stars and paired Chan opposite Hong Kong superstar Donnie Yen as our heroes fight to foil in assassination attempt against the Queen of England. The film earned slightly less at the box office with just a little over $88 million dollars.
Chan, in the wake of press over his latest slew of upcoming features, including Skiptrace, is on of three current recipients of a Governor’s Award a la The Oscars for Lifetime Achievement, which he will publicly receive this November. He is currently set to appear in Ding Sheng’s upcoming World War II action adventure, Railroad Tigers which opens in China this December with Well Go USA handling its U.S. release the same week.
Theodore Riley and Aaron Buchsbaum are providing the script for Shanghai Dawn from a story worked by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar who wrote the first two movies. Producing are Spyglass Entertainment with Millar and Gough executive producing.
H/T: THR