Jackie Chan’s early career was marked by setbacks and a string of box office disappointments in Hong Kong, but through persistence and a bold departure from the established martial arts movie formula, he emerged as an international icon. The story of Jackie Chan early career struggles reveals how the actor’s refusal to be a Bruce Lee clone—and his determination to inject his own personality into the genre—transformed him into a legend.
Overcoming a Reputation as a Box Office Failure
In the 1970s, Jackie Chan described himself as “box office poison.” Despite entering Hong Kong cinema as a stuntman and later stepping into leading roles, Chan’s initial films failed to make him a star or find commercial success. He headlined several projects in the latter half of the decade, but his repeated attempts to gain a foothold in the film industry did little to improve his reputation or prospects.
Chan’s first chance as a leading man came in 1976 in New Fist of Fury, an unofficial sequel to Bruce Lee’s acclaimed Fist of Fury. Following this debut, he starred in a succession of kung fu titles such as Killing Meteors, where he acted opposite Jimmy Wang Yu, as well as Hand of Death, Shaolin Wooden Men, To Kill with Intrigue, Snake and Crane Arts of Shaolin, Dragon Fist, Half a Loaf of Kung Fu, and Spiritual Kung Fu. Despite appearing as the main character in most of these films, none proved to be box office hits, and several faced delays before release. The movies were typically rooted in serious, traditional kung fu plots that relied on revenge-driven storylines far removed from the comedic and innovative style Chan would later pioneer.
Frustration mounted as Chan watched these projects struggle, yet he lacked the industry influence to alter their direction. He recognized flaws in the films’ execution but could not make his voice heard in the productions. Reflecting on that era, he stated:
“My reputation was, fairly and squarely, box office poison.”
—Jackie Chan, Actor and Martial Artist
He describes this stage as having gone “to hell and back” and reveals that he was acting in movies he didn’t believe in, without the authority needed to steer creative decisions.
The Trap of Imposing Bruce Lee’s Persona
The failure of Chan’s early career was rooted not only in the films’ financial returns but also in their attempts to mold him into something he was not. In the wake of Bruce Lee’s death in 1973, Hong Kong’s film industry searched for a successor, and Lo Wei, who directed Chan in New Fist of Fury, hoped to engineer “Bruce Lee the Second.” This approach required Jackie Chan to imitate Lee’s intense martial artistry and unbreakable screen presence, overshadowing what made Chan unique.
Chan was pushed to adopt traits that clashed with his instincts as an entertainer. Rather than showcase his remarkable comedic ability and everyman relatability, he was typecast into serious, invincible fighter roles. This trend continued as Lo Wei’s production company retained contract control, forcing Chan into a steady output of similar movies, with little room to demonstrate his real talent. He neither had creative control nor the opportunity to contribute to character development or story direction, and the atypical confinement cost his career valuable momentum.
Breaking Away: A New Direction Revitalizes Chan’s Image
The defining change in Jackie Chan’s trajectory came when an alternative path opened up. He appealed to independent producer Ng See-Yuen, explaining his frustration at being forced into Bruce Lee’s mold and requesting a chance to do things differently. As part of this discussion, Chan outlined how he wanted to break away from Lee’s powerful, untouchable screen persona and inject vulnerability, humor, and relatability into his characters:
“Bruce Lee always kicked high, but I keep my legs low to the ground. Bruce Lee would scream and roar while fighting in order to demonstrate his power and rage, but I prefer to cry and pull out faces, to show how much pain I’m in. Bruce Lee is superhuman in the audience’s eyes, but I just want to be a regular guy. I just want to play ordinary, flawed people who sometimes despair. They aren’t heroes; there are things they can’t do.”
—Jackie Chan, Actor and Martial Artist
Convinced by Chan’s vision, Ng See-Yuen allowed him to play the kind of role he imagined. The result was two films in 1978: Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow and Drunken Master. Both movies gave Chan the freedom to create a new kind of martial arts hero—one who mixed physical prowess with slapstick comedy and a sense of fallibility. These productions sharply contrasted with the serious revenge narratives of his earlier work. Instead of near-mythical heroes, Chan portrayed characters who made mistakes, suffered setbacks, and let audiences laugh alongside them.
Breakthrough Success With “Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow” and “Drunken Master”
These two films proved transformative, drawing large crowds and redefining what a martial arts movie star could be. Their comedic approach, paired with inventive fight choreography, distinguished them from the Bruce Lee-inspired classics and showcased the unique qualities Jackie Chan had long wanted to share with audiences. These films revitalized interest in Chan and highlighted the limitations of his previous, more rigid roles.
Box office success soon followed, even surpassing some of Bruce Lee’s movies in commercial performance. The positive reception to Drunken Master and Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow enabled further opportunities, leading to another collaboration—Fearless Hyena—which cemented Chan’s new screen persona and further proved his mass appeal.
Jackie Chan’s success did not go unnoticed by leaders in the industry. Lo Wei, recognizing a reinvigorated star, arranged a contract for Chan with Golden Harvest, the accomplished studio that helped build Bruce Lee’s career. With this partnership, Chan gained access to higher-budget productions and broader distribution, advancing his reach within Hong Kong and beyond.
Establishing a Lasting Legacy
The turning point marked by Drunken Master and Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow did more than revive Jackie Chan’s fortunes; it set the model for the films that would define his global career. The formula perfected in these works—combining underdog characters, physical comedy, and intricate stunts—formed the backbone of subsequent hits and attracted the attention of Hollywood. In 1980, Chan further refined his style in Young Master, expanding his influence and establishing himself as a singular figure in the entertainment world.
Chan’s journey from struggling actor to an international martial arts sensation underscores the importance of authenticity and creative risk. Rejecting the pressure to imitate Bruce Lee, he redefined what it meant to be a hero on screen, earning lasting fame by staying true to his vision. Today, his resilience and willingness to chart his own course remain an inspiration to artists everywhere and ensure his continued legacy in the world of cinema.
