Jackie Chan endured significant struggles in the Hong Kong film industry during the 1970s, facing the label “box office poison” before engineering a remarkable Jackie Chan career transformation. Despite repeated early setbacks and being cast in the shadow of Bruce Lee, Chan eventually found global fame—ultimately redefining martial arts cinema and establishing himself as a pop culture icon.
Early Setbacks in Hong Kong’s Film Industry
Before achieving international acclaim, Jackie Chan began his career as a stuntman, slowly rising through Hong Kong’s competitive film circles. He landed his first starring role in 1976 with New Fist of Fury, a Bruce Lee sequel, and quickly followed with several more kung fu films. Movies like Killing Meteors, where he played a villain opposite Jimmy Wang Yu, and productions such as Hand of Death and Shaolin Wooden Men, consistently cast him as a traditional martial arts hero or adversary. However, these roles brought little financial or critical success, and most of the films failed to resonate with audiences or help Chan’s reputation.
In this period, Jackie Chan admitted that the continuous cycle of unsuccessful films weighed heavily on his career prospects. By his own reflection in Never Grow Up, he explained,
“My reputation was, fairly and squarely, box office poison.”
—Jackie Chan, Actor. Without the clout or freedom to influence projects, he found himself locked into contracts that perpetuated roles and narratives far removed from his own vision.
The Quest for Creative Control
The string of disappointments was rooted in how the industry tried to recast Chan as a replica of Bruce Lee, particularly after Lee’s untimely passing in 1973. Studio bosses, including influential producers like Lo Wei, sought to fill the enormous void Lee had left behind. Consequently, in movies such as New Fist of Fury, Chan was directed to emulate Lee’s style, with stoic aggression and virtually unstoppable fighting ability. This formula clashed with Jackie Chan’s true skillset, which favored comedic timing and a more vulnerable, relatable protagonist.
Chan’s artistic frustrations deepened as he appeared in further projects under Lo Wei’s production company. The lack of creative input left Chan playing characters who, as he saw it, offered little room for humor or self-expression. Rather than building on his signature blend of agility, improvisational stuntwork, and humor, Chan was boxed into serious revenge-driven storylines that neither reflected his unique approach nor appealed to his sensibilities.
A Pivotal Break with Tradition
The turning point in the Jackie Chan career transformation arrived when he found an ally in movie producer Ng See-Yuen. Growing weary of being cast as “Bruce Lee the Second,” Chan took a risk and pleaded for the chance to redefine his screen identity. He famously argued,
“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
This honest declaration resonated with Ng See-Yuen, who agreed to cast Chan in two new projects. The films—Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow and Drunken Master—offered a radical departure from the relentless Bruce Lee comparisons. Instead of the invincible archetype, Chan portrayed everyman characters who bumbled, joked, and exhibited very human weaknesses between bursts of inventive martial artistry.
Drunken Master and Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow Mark a Turning Point
Both titles released in quick succession, immediately rebranding Jackie Chan within the industry. Unlike the somber, revenge-driven tone of his earlier work, these new movies let Chan infuse humor and acrobatics into his fight sequences, emphasizing underdog heroes. Audiences reacted positively to his blend of clownish charm and genuine martial prowess, propelling both movies to box office triumph. Chan’s ascendance drew attention from studio Golden Harvest, known for backing Bruce Lee and other major genre talents. Their partnership enabled Chan to access bigger budgets and wider distribution, further expanding his influence.
In these pivotal years, Chan’s collaboration with Ng See-Yuen and projects like Fearless Hyena gave him continued momentum. Eventually, his ability to direct and star in his own projects allowed for even greater creative freedom, solidifying the formula that would come to define the “Jackie Chan movie”—fusion of spectacular stunts, inventive combat, slapstick humor, and fallible heroes.
Lasting Impact and What Came Next
The success of Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow and Drunken Master not only overhauled Jackie Chan’s career but set a new bar for martial arts cinema worldwide. His emergence as an audience favorite showcased the power of authenticity and self-advocacy in the entertainment business. The transformation also served as a blueprint for future actors and filmmakers, proving that taking creative risks and appealing to genuine strengths, rather than imitating icons like Bruce Lee, could redefine an entire genre.
Chan’s subsequent work with Golden Harvest further elevated his status and opened doors to international markets, most notably Hollywood. His groundbreaking roles throughout the 1980s and beyond stand as testimony to the importance of personal vision and refusing to settle for imitation. Today, Jackie Chan is celebrated not only for his athleticism and humor but for the remarkable resilience he demonstrated during his dramatic career transformation.
