The era of the dinosaurs has come to an end. Again. And although the 7-part film series was a vision come to life (every bit representing the extraordinary ambition of Steven Spielberg), it lacked in one major aspect: the opportunity to cast Jackie Chan. Actors, no matter how big or small, have come to wish themselves on the sets of a Spielberg film, but there are a rare handful who are so vocally head-over-heels for the director that they have expressly claimed to work for him for free. Jackie Chan, just so, happened to be one of them.
Jackie Chan’s Dream of Walking Among the Dinosaurs
Jackie Chan, a master of the ’80s Hong Kong action and martial art films, has become perhaps the only other person to garner universal recognition, acclaim, and love on such a grand scale after the inimitable Bruce Lee. But throughout his career, Chan – like any other actor – dreamed of working with the greatest of the greats: Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. However, fate (and Spielberg) had other plans for the actor.
Chan recalls his first meeting with Spielberg with wonder and amazement. The latter immediately asked for the Rush Hour veteran’s autograph saying, “Jackie, hi… my son just loves you.” However, Chan’s wish to star in one of the Jurassic Park films wasn’t as easy to comply with. In an interview with Black Film, the actor revealed how his interaction with Spielberg went:
“I want to walk with dinosaurs. This kind of movie is one audience. He said No! What we like you in is Jackie Chan action. That’s what we like.”
The pair later went on to work together in a spy action movie, The Tuxedo, with Jackie Chan in the leading role. Steven Spielberg, although passing on the director’s chair on that one went on to serve as the film’s executive producer.
Jackie Chan and Steven Spielberg: A Collaboration We Need
As both the actor and the director are inching closer to their retirement from Hollywood, the pertinent matter of witnessing Jackie Chan and Steven Spielberg collaborate on a project ranks at #1 on the priority list. The actor has always been vocal about branching out into genres other than action: “In Asia, I made whatever movie I wanted to. But in America, all the scripts I receive are about the police, police, police!” And although The Tuxedo was a step away from that, it still wasn’t a definitive Spielberg experience. In an interview with Jae-Ha Kim, Chan revealed:
“If it wasn’t for the fact that this film was made by Steven Spielberg’s company [DreamWorks], I wouldn’t have done this. But I trust them. I wanted to do this movie because it was different from the scripts I usually get. My character wasn’t a policeman or a martial arts expert. I read this script and thought it would be fun.”
Chan is currently occupied with the fourth installment of the famous Rush Hour franchise alongside co-star, Chris Tucker. He has also been cast as a voice actor in Seth Rogen’s upcoming sci-fi animated film, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem as Splinter, the mutant rat who serves as the turtles’ ninjutsu and martial arts instructor and their adoptive father. The film premieres on August 4, 2023.
Jurassic Park is now available for streaming on Peacock and Apple TV.
Source: Black Film
