Jackie Chan Upcoming Projects (And is Jean-Claude Van Damme in Rush Hour 3?)

Jackie Chan is as busy as ever, having recently agreed to reprise his role as Chief Inspector Lee in the upcoming Rush Hour 3. In the meantime, Chan has a new action-comedy, which recently premered in China, called Bo bui gai wak, a.k.a. Rob-B-Hood. The film, starring Jackie Chan and another popular Hong Kong actor Louis Koo, tells the story of three bandits who have to look after a baby they stole from a rich family and protect it against a sinister gang for ten days.

According to a Chinese-based tabloid, with no experience taking care of children, Chan was not at ease shooting the film. At the film’s Beijing premiere a few days ago, Chan said…“This is the first and the last time I will cooperate with a baby,” he said. He continued, “After shooting the film, I was determined to write a song dedicated to parents all over the world that would make children aware of all the things parents do to bring them up.” That’s apparently how the final song of the film was born.

Rush Hour 3 is currently filming on location in Paris, France, Los Angeles, and New York City. The films plot revolves around Lee and Carter (Chris Tucker) inadvertantly get mixed up with a Chinese Triad crew, while in Paris. Roman Polanski is rumored to be in the film, along with Jean-Claude Van Damme. The sexy Miss Puerto Rico-turned-actress, Roselyn Sanchez, is attached to the project as well. She appeared as customs agent Isabella Molina, in Rush Hour 2.

Brett Ratner is back at the director’s chair for Rush Hour 3 (X-Men: The Last Stand, Red Dragon), which is again being written by Jeff Nathanson (The Terminal, Catch Me If You Can) and J Ross LaManna. The film is due on August 10, 2007.

Jackie will also lend his voice to the CGI film Kung Fu Panda, as Master Monkey. Panda is a CG comedy about a lazy, irreverent slacker panda named Po (Voiced by Jack Black), who must somehow become a Kung Fu Master in order to save the Valley of Peace from a villainous snow leopard, Tai Lung (voiced by Ian McShane from Deadwood). Set in ancient China, Po enters the rigid world of Kung Fu and turns it upside down, and ultimately becomes a Kung Fu hero by learning that if he believes in himself, he can do anything.