China is launching an ambitious initiative, the Kung Fu Movie Heritage Project: 100 Classics AI Revitalisation Project, to digitally restore and reimagine kung fu films starring icons like Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee, leveraging artificial intelligence. Announced at the Shanghai International Film Festival, this project promises to bring the magic of Jackie Chan AI remastered kung fu movie classics to a global audience, bridging cinematic tradition and cutting-edge technology.
AI Breathing New Life into Martial Arts Cinema
The new project, introduced by key presenters at the festival, aims to utilize advanced AI technology to restore and enhance historic martial arts movies, including legendary titles fronted by Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, and Jet Li. With an investment of about 100 million yuan (roughly $13.9 million), Chinese film studios are undertaking a mission to upgrade a hundred beloved films into high-definition versions. These digital enhancements are designed to help classics such as Fist of Fury, Drunken Master, and Once Upon a Time in China captivate new and diverse audiences around the world.
Beyond restoration, the initiative marks a paradigm shift towards AI-generated remakes. One standout example is director John Woo’s celebrated A Better Tomorrow, which is being transformed into A Better Tomorrow: Cyber Frontier, a cyberpunk-themed animated film. This major effort is claimed to be the world’s first full-length animated movie made entirely with AI, reflecting a fresh approach that may streamline film production and reduce reliance on traditional large crews and lengthy timelines.
Industry Leaders and Key Visionaries Express Optimism
Zhang Pimin, chairman of the China Film Foundation, framed the project as both a preservation effort and an innovation driver.
“It is not only film heritage, but also a brave exploration of the innovative development of film art.”
—Zhang Pimin, Chairman, China Film Foundation
Tian Ming, chairman of project partner Shanghai Canxing Culture and Media, echoed the call for global collaboration.
“We sincerely invite the world’s top AI animation companies to jointly start a film revolution that subverts tradition.”
—Tian Ming, Chairman, Shanghai Canxing Culture and Media
Aiming to link tradition with tomorrow’s technology, Zhai Xuelian, secretary general of the China Science Fiction Industry Investment Alliance, added,
“[It] has shown us the infinite possibilities of the integration of traditional culture and future technology, and also the future development direction of traditional classic film and television, which is to use the new generation of science and technology as a fulcrum to allow the world to better experience the traditional charm and vitality of Chinese culture.”
—Zhai Xuelian, Secretary General, China Science Fiction Industry Investment Alliance
An Era of Cinematic Innovation on the Horizon
The project’s dual approach—restoring cinematic history and pioneering AI-created productions—underscores China’s vision for the future of film. With studios and organizations like the China Film Foundation and the China Science Fiction Industry Investment Alliance backing the move, this pioneering work is set to shape global film trends.
As China leads the way with the use of AI to breathe new life into kung fu favorites, industry observers expect Hollywood and other U.S. studios to consider AI-driven remakes of their own classics. The prospect of studios worldwide adopting AI technology could usher in a new age of filmmaking, influenced by the technological strides demonstrated in Shanghai.
