The debate concerning the use of artificial intelligence in the movie industry has taken a surprising turn with nearly 100 martial arts classics, including those from Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee, now destined to receive AI makeovers. A major sticking point for the 2023 Hollywood strike action initiated by the Screen Actors Guild and Writers Guild of America, the place of AI in the film industry is still a H๏τly contested issue. With studios increasingly looking to lower production costs and maximize revenue, the role of generative AI in everything from special effects, background performances, and voice-overs is currently being placed under increasing scrutiny.

At this year’s Shanghai International Film Festival (via The Hollywood Reporter), a collection of Chinese studios announced their intentions to use AI technology to reimagine nearly 100 classic martial arts movies. Dubbed the Kung Fu Movie Heritage Project 100 Classics AI Revitalization Project, the studios plan to focus on films made by Lee and other martial arts legends, such as Chan and Jet Li. Tian Ming, chairman of Shanghai Canxing Culture and Media, announced an initial fund of 100 million yuan ($13.9 million) and invited the world’s top AI animation companies to “start a film revolution that subverts tradition.”

What China’s AI Revitalization Project Means For Hollywood

The Project Will Draw Attention From All Sides Of The AI Debate

The extent to which AI technology will be used to revitalize films like Lee’s 1972 classic Fist of Fury is not entirely clear, but Ming’s comments at the event indicated that the AI remakes will include aesthetic and sound enhancements, while preserving the original storytelling. However, the original report suggests that plans for an AI-produced remake of John Woo’s 1986 A Better Tomorrow completely reimagines Chow Yun-fat’s original antihero as a cyberpunk, indicating far more changes being made than simple film print and audio enhancements.

With Hollywood studios already exploring the potential of leveraging AI and filmmakers cautiously navigating the ethical complexities of the technology’s rapidly evolving landscape, the Kung Fu Movie Heritage Project is likely to draw considerable attention from all sides of the debate. Given the decidedly mixed reactions to some of Hollywood’s previous flirtations with the technology, studios will also likely be intently studying the broader response to the efforts of their Chinese filmmaking counterparts.

Our Take On AI Martial Arts Movies

Human Prowess Is The Whole Point Of The Genre

It is hard to speak about the place of AI technology in the film industry without giving due consideration to the myriad of ethical considerations that inherently come along with it. While it would be possible to speak at considerable length about the technology’s potential impact on livelihoods or the questionable methods in which many AI models have been trained, perhaps one of the most puzzling aspects of this latest project is the presumed intent to replace human feats of athleticism with computer-generated simulations.

The chief appeal of martial arts movies has always resided in performers such as Lee and Chan executing astounding feats of martial prowess, where their bodies are essentially the main special effect on display. While audiences of the genre would probably not object to AI-backed restorations somewhat akin to Peter Jackson’s work on The Beatles: Get Back, it is hard to imagine any serious appeтιтe to have Lee’s legendary fight sequences completely replaced with an AI doppelgänger. Put simply, martial arts fans watch martial arts movies for martial artists.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

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  Jackie Chan

  Birthname

  Chan Kong-sang

  Birthdate

  
  April 7, 1954
  

  Birthplace

  Victoria Peak, British Hong Kong

  Height

  5 feet 9 inches

  Notable Projects

  Rush Hour, Police Story, Drunken Master, Armour of God 2: Operation Condor

  Professions

  Actor, Martial Artist, Stuntman, Filmmaker, Singer

  Jackie Chan is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, and filmmaker known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, and innovative stunts. He gained international fame through films like Police Story and Rush Hour, blending action and humor, and is celebrated for his contributions to martial arts cinema.

  
  

  
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• Bruce Lee
  

  Birthdate

  
  November 27, 1940
  

  Birthplace

  San Francisco, California, USA

  Height

  5 feet 7 inches

  Professions

  Actor, Martial Artist, Director, Screenwriter, Producer, Philosopher

  Discover the latest news and filmography for Bruce Lee, known for Enter the Dragon and Fist of Fury.

  
  

  
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