Trinity Cine Asia has acquired, from Golden Dragon Pictures, VANGUARD, the ninth collaboration between director Stanley Tong and actor Jackie Chan, produced by Shanghai Lix Entertainment, Stanley's Tong production outfit.
At a time when studios are reluctant to release films due to the pandemic, Trinity Cine Asia will release VANGUARD in UK, Ireland and Russia CIS, with theatrical exhibition starting in Ukraine, on 2nd October, on a strong 163 footprint, and in Russia CIS on 15th October, and UK and Ireland late in the year TBC.
“We are delighted to be part of the golden duo that is Jackie Chan and Stanley Tong” enthused Trinity Cine Asia director Cedric Behrel. “VANGUARD is their reunion, a glorious nod to their classic collaborations like Rumble in the Bronx and Supercop. We are grateful to Golden Dragon for entrusting us with this priceless mission!”
The mission? A wildly ambitious hostage rescue that takes place, literally, on every continent in the world. When a client of the international security agency Vanguard, headed up by Jackie Chan, is kidnapped during London's Chinatown's famous Lunar celebrations, Vanguard's elite force is sent to the rescue. With effortless and dazzling choreography, the skilled fighters zip between a fast-moving river in Africa, to a heavily guarded fort in India, to a crazed car chase in Dubai, while a shocking conspiracy unravels.
About the Production
Both Jackie Chang and Stanley Tong started as stuntmen and have worked as actors, directors and action directors. For VANGUARD, they travelled to nine international locations, including London, Dubai, Zambia, and an ancient city in India. In 2019, director Stanley Tong celebrated the 40th anniversary of his film career and the 30th anniversary of his first collaboration with Jackie Chan. The duo like to work with the newest generation of actors, to pass on their decades of experience. With VANGUARD, they have nurtured young talent like Yang Yang, Ai Lun, Mu Qimiya, Xu Ruohan and Zhu Zhengting. Assigning one of Jackie Chan's signature fighting techniques to each of them, they fully prepared the young stars to create this new classic.
About the Crew
Screenwriter/Director/Producer/Action Choreographer – Stanley Tong
Hong Kong-born Stanley Tong is a highly-regarded director, producer and action choreographer. He started his movie career in 1979 as a martial arts fighter before directing his first film in 1991, the self-financed The Stone Age Warriors (1991). After it received positive reviews, Golden Harvest signed Tong as an in-house director, for whom he directed Police Story 3: Super Cop (1992) starring Jackie Chan. With the film, Tong was nominated for Best Action Choreography at the Hong Kong Film Awards and the Taipei Golden Horse Awards, where it was also nominated for Best Feature Film. Three years later, his action movie Rumble in the Bronx (1995) broke the box-office record for a Chinese-language film in the US. With the Vancouver-shot film, Tong won Best Action Choreography at the Hong Kong Film Awards and was nominated for Best Action Choreography at the Golden Horse Awards. The film also helped establish Jackie Chan internationally. In 1996, Tong made the move to Hollywood, directing Mr Magoo (1997). In a career spanning two continents, Tong has emerged as one of cinema's most sought-after action film directors, garnering both critical and commercial success.
About the Cast
Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan was born in Hong Kong in 1954. As a child, he studied under Beijing Opera master Yu Jim-yuen together with future Hong Kong action choreographers Sammo Hung, Yuen Wah, Yuen Biao, Yuen Bun, and others, forming the “Seven Little Fortunes”. Chan debuted as a stuntman at the age of 17 before his leading roles in director Yuen Woo Ping's Drunken Master (1978) and Snake in The Eagle's Shadow (1979) caught filmmakers' attention. Golden Harvest Films then signed Chan after he starred in and co-directed The Fearless Hyena (1979) the following year. Chan was sent to Hollywood to star in The Cannonball Run and its sequel (1981). After returning to Hong Kong, Chan madeWheels on Meals (1984) and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star (1985), both directed by and co-starring Sammo Hung, establishing a new popular genre of action-comedy. He next built himself a huge Asian fan base, particularly in Japan, with Police Story (1985). Later, the box office hit Rumble In The Bronx (1995) opened as the number one film in the US and broke Hong Kong box office records. The Rush Hour series established Chan's status as an international superstar; his voice-acting in the Kung Fu Panda series is also popular among audiences around the world.
His skills as a screenplay writer, producer, director, actor and action choreographer have made Chan an international film legend. He has received many awards, being bestowed with France's Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters Medal and, an Honorary Oscar in 2016, and most recently, the BAFTA Albert R. Broccoli Britannia Award for Worldwide Contribution to Entertainment in 2019. He is also a philanthropist, establishing the Jackie Chan Charitable Foundation and the Dragon's Heart Foundation, to help China's underprivileged children. Chan has produced, directed and acted in over 100 films.
