Jackie Chan, 70, De-Aged To 27 Years Old Using AI For Chinese Film
Video screenshots via A Legend / Weibo
Jackie Chan, cinema’s martial arts star, has swapped his wrinkles for a fresh face—digitally, at least. In A Legend, a Chinese fantasy film directed by Hong Kong producer Stanley Tong, the legendary action hero appears to be about 27 years old, courtesy of artificial intelligence.
In the film, a sequel to the 2005 flick The Myth, Chan plays Professor Fang, a seasoned archaeologist leading a team on a glacier expedition. The plot revolves around the professor’s discovery that the texture of relics unearthed during the dig resembles a jade pendant from his dreams. This revelation triggers a quest deep into the glacier. Flashbacks reveal Chan’s younger self in the Han dynasty, who falls in love with a sword-wielding maiden.
The movie employs de-aging technology to show a youthful version of Chan, a choice that has been both a talking point and a source of debate among viewers. Critics argue that the digitally “rejuvenated” actor appears unnatural and struggles to convey genuine emotions, with some describing the AI representation as “distracting.”
Jackie Chan will have a de-aged version of himself appearing in his new film, A LEGEND aka THE MYTH 2.
— Fu for Thought (@fuforthoughtpod) July 23, 2024
I don’t think it looks terrible. I just hope it’s necessary for the plot and isn’t just a cheap gimmick. pic.twitter.com/R0Dhpc8Lox
One viewer noted that the AI Chan seemed to be perpetually smirking, resulting in laughter resounding throughout the theater. Other detractors have expressed concerns about audience expectations, suggesting that moviegoers might feel deceived if they were looking to see the 70-year-old Chan performing stunts only to be presented with a younger digital double.
Image via A Legend / Weibo
One critic billed the film as “a failed AI movie experiment” that proved machines weren’t able to replace humans in acting yet. A reporter for 8days in Singapore, where the movie was released with English subtitles on August 1, echoed this sentiment, describing the young AI Chan as looking like “ wooden board or the worst actor in the world.”
Chan isn’t the only star getting a virtual facelift. In Hollywood’s upcoming Here (directed by Robert Zemeckis), Forrest Gump’s Tom Hanks and Robin Wright have gotten the AI facial treatment to appear decades younger. The film focuses on a single location—a living room—over the course of a century, with the entire movie shot from one camera angle.
[via Straits Times, 8days, AsiaOne, South China Morning Post, images via A Legend / Weibo]
