Singaporean shoppers were pleasantly ambushed last night in the NEX and Vivocity centers, as the six leading cast members of the $65-million blockbuster film "Dragon Blade" appeared to promote the film's premiere.
Alongside Jackie Chan, who also produced the tent-pole epic with his Sparkle Roll Culture and Media production company, were Academy Award-winner Adrien Brody and acclaimed Hollywood veteran John Cusack, who had filmed with Chan in the Gobi Desert.
The feature film is slated to be the Chinese New Year hit during the Year of the Goat, and Chan told reporters that he will be spending Spring Festival promoting the film around the world.
The historical fantasy-action film depicts Chan as Huo An, the leader of a group called "Protection Squad," which exists among 36 nations in the region that the film is set in. The storyline sees Huo accused of treason before Lucius, a Roman general on the run who is played by Cusack, enters the picture. Lucius is trying to evade an entire army, which is under the control of a Roman consul named Tiberius, who is portrayed by Brody.
Over the course of the film, the trio engage in conflict, violence and betrayal with the desert as their backdrop. The narrative is relevant to the current political ambitions of China's President Xi Jinping, as the three characters deal with the constant drama that occurs along the Silk Road region. The area is still significant, as President Xi continues to develop his two Silk Road projects after meeting with regional partners over the last two years.
Alibaba Group's Yulebao arm holds a minority stake in the film and is interested in further work with Chan.
Patrick Liu Chunning, head of Alibaba's digital entertainment operations, confirmed on Tuesday that Yulebao will continue to work with Chan's Sparkle Roll.