We’ve all known the end was coming to Jackie Chan’s career for some time now. After all, you can only put yourself through so much physical punishment before it takes its toll. Now Chan is searching for his own successor utilizing the most advanced strategy available in this post-2000 age: the reality television show.
Yup, Jackie Chan has cashed in on the overused device and is searching for his replacement through Jackie Chan’s Disciples, a Chinese reality show that was opened to a few American contestants as well, with four making their way past the California auditions and into the final competition: Phil Sahagun, Julia Ling, Sarah Shan, and Xin Sarith Wuku, according to Filmstalker.
I’d love to be excited about this, but the truth is the kind of artist Chan once was – the kind he’s probably looking for his disciple to be – now borders on obsolete. American cinema would never let Chan do the kind of stuntwork that made him famous in China, eventually leading to his degradation into action/comedies with Owen Wilson and Chris Tucker. He doesn’t need a reality contest to find someone capable of playing that. Hollywood can find it without him. So either Chan is just lending his name to a contest that really doesn’t mean much, or the winner will only be making movies in China, which are less accessible here. Either way, this isn’t terribly relevant.
Some people might be interested in Jackie Chan’s search for his successor or his philosophy on kung fu and dance mixed to make a beautiful performance style. For them, here’s a clip from Chan’s Disciple. Filmstalker has another one available over there.
