Jackie Chan admits he's not a young action hero any more. Photo / Getty Images
Jackie Chan admits he's not a young action hero any more. Photo / Getty Images
It's his first time working in the science-fiction genre because, although he's one of the world's highest grossing stars, Jackie Chan admits he's not a young action hero any more.
But the star is making sure he includes a scene where he scales the Sydney Opera House roof, he said at a press conference at the iconic venue on Thursday for his new film, Bleeding Steel.
It's the first film he's shot in Australia since 1996's Mr Nice Guy.
Jackie Chan in 1997 film Mr Nice Guy.
The film, a co-production by Heyi Pictures & Village Roadshow Pictures Asia, is the biggest budget Chinese film to be shot primarily in Australia.
"I love Australia and I'm almost half-Australian ... my parents moved here 40 years ago, so I love working here," Chan said.
The film which is currently being filmed around several parts of Sydney, stars two Australian actors, Tess Haubrich who has just finished working on Ridley Scott's Alien: Covenant in Sydney, and Callan Mulvey (Underbelly, Rush).
"I'm still young but not as young as I used to be so I wanted to do something different," Chan said about working in science fiction for the first time.
However, there will still be plenty of action in the film which Chan said will feature a scene where he scales the roof of the Opera House.
"Whatever I can do myself, I'll do myself but whatever I can't do I'll find a stunt double. "I'm not young anymore," he said.
The action hero has been making films for 54 years but the kung fu master said he didn't find it easy to be accepted around the world when he first started out.
"The Jackie Chan style wasn't acceptable in Hollywood, now the whole world knows Jackie Chan style," he said.
He didn't know how dangerous doing his own stunts would be, as he reeled off a list of the various injuries he's received, including broken arms, ankles and a broken back, that all came from doing his own stunts.
"Accidents just come, boom. I ask the camera man 'did you get the shot?' then I say 'get me to the hospital'," he said.
Bleeding Steel is a futuristic thriller starring Chan as special forces agent (Lin) who winds up involved in a sci-fi conspiracy while protecting a woman who witnessed a sinister criminal gang.
The film's director, Leo Zhang, said the film is the first Chinese production to combine action and science-fiction which evolved from discussions with Chan, who also serves as the movie's producer.
