Michael Angarano joins Chan and Jet Li

By: Karl Schneider
Date: Friday, March 23, 2007
Source: Hollywood Reporter

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Michael Angarano is in negotiations to star alongside Jackie Chan and Jet Li in an untitled project.

The film, to be directed by Rob Minkoff from a script by John Fusco, will see Angarano play a troubled 17-year-old wannabe kung fu warrior who, after a humiliating defeat at the hands of a street gang, is sent back in time to ancient China on an impossible mission to set free the imprisoned Monkey King (Li) and return to him his all-powerful staff.

The film is set to begin production in May.

KJ's Take: Monkey King? Where the hell do they get this crap? As far as I'm concerned this is no better than any of the multitude of remakes we hear about daily. Just because it's a classic character in Asian culture means you can remake it and not have it be called crap?! Says who.

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Comments/Responses

MercurialHyperbole • Mar 23, 2007, 01:27am •

The Monkey King is a main character in the classic Chinese epic novel, Journey to the West. It influences a lot of manga and anime. First one that comes to mind is, of course, Dragon Ball. So they get this "crap" from books you don't read.

Maybe you should google sometime before you make such a foolish statement, but I do agree that this film sounds uninteresting.

godsonfilm • Mar 23, 2007, 07:58am •

DAMN!!! I was hoping that Li and Chan were going to be in a semi-serious to all out action good guys/bad buys flick similar to SPL with Donni Yen and Sammo Hung...

This sounds more like a twisted version of Karate Kid or 3 Ninjas...

And here we go again with Li in Ancient period China... serious typecasting issues here with these guys... Chan needs to do another serious role and Li needs to do more modern day action... Together they could have made a raw action flick!!! alas...

(okay I'm done venting)

monkeyfoot • Mar 23, 2007, 09:08am •

I think KJ was speaking with alittle bit of tongue in his cheek just to get some conversation started. I would prefer Chan and Li do something together set in modern times and a tad more serious ( kind of an All Asian Rush Hour) but it's too soon to tell how the bread will rise. I'm surprised there is an American director. I thought this would be a Hong Kong production.

madmanic999 • Mar 23, 2007, 09:32am •

Here is a crazy idea.... what if it was actually good, lord knows fantasy films about kids have a horrible track record... I mean just look at Narnia, Road to tarabithia, Harry Potter, They all sucked... oh wait, no they didn't, they were awesome! So this one will have a Martial arts twist and two of the top kung fu guys in the buisness, i'll give it a chance... bring on a trailer!

bjjdenver • Mar 23, 2007, 11:25am •

gods, I am with you on this one, I feel like someone ripped the carpet out from under me!
I was looking forward to this as at least being semi-serious, but now???
All they need to do is add Chuck and it will be complete.

Chuck Norris' watch doesn't have any numbers...it just says "Time to Kick Ass"!

joeyconnick • Mar 23, 2007, 12:28pm •

Michael Angarano is so HOT!

originaldave77 • Mar 23, 2007, 12:38pm •

Jackie Chan gonna use one of those asian stunt teams again? Where they suspend him with wires a la Crouching Tiger? It was noticeable in his last few efforts. As noticable as Nic Cage with a toupee.

TKay42one • Mar 23, 2007, 03:04pm •

Yeah, I say wait for the preview also. I don't think it sounds great, but it could be entertaining. And monkeyfoot, with all respect, considering how many other retarded things KJ has said, I don't think he was talking "tongue in cheek" as you suggest. And bjjdenver, Chuck Norris would be a cool addition...if this movie were made in or before 1985. WALKER: TEXAS RANGER IS FOR PUSSIES!

almostunbiased • Mar 23, 2007, 03:11pm •

- MercurialHyperbole, the monkey predates even that story. It is an ancient one passed down by story tellers before they had the written word.

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