Jet Li helped distinguish himself from his fellow kung fu movie legends, Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, with his starring role in Martial Arts of Shaolin. When it comes to the greatest kung fu film stars of all time, there’s little doubt that Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan are the two names on the list. Arguably the closest one behind them is Jet Li, who has amassed an impressive resume of acting credits, with the vast majority of his roles being in Hong Kong films. He has a diverse range, with his work encompassing modern-day action movies, fantasy films, and period pieces. But what nearly all of Jet Li’s best movies share in common is their reliance on his kung fu skills.
His decades in the industry have allowed Jet Li to contribute some of the best movies in the martial arts genre, including Fist of Legend, Fearless, and Once Upon a Time in China. And like both actors, his success in Hong Kong eventually led to interest from Hollywood, who have on occasion cast Li in some big-budget action films. Interestingly, one of the many important milestones in Jet Li’s martial arts movie career is one that’s not shared by Chan or Lee, and that’s a collaboration with Shaw Brothers.
Jet Li Made One Movie With Shaw Brothers, Something Both Bruce Lee & Jackie Chan Never Did
Martial Arts Of Shaolin Gave Jet Li His First & Only Shaw Brothers Collaboration
Jet Li made his movie debut in Shaolin Temple, a successful kung fu film that immediately led to a sequel, New Kids of Shaolin. The two movies were extended into a trilogy with 1986’s Martial Arts of Shaolin, which differed from the previous installments in that it was produced by Shaw Brothers. Being the star of a Shaw Brothers movie was a big step-up for Jet Li, considering that the first two films were with a small company, whereas Shaw Brothers was the powerhouse of the kung fu movie industry.
Despite Shaw Brothers’ legendary reputation for making many of the best kung fu movies in the history of the genre, neither Lee nor Chan ever partnered with them.
Shaw Brothers had a strong and consistent stable of recognizable actors, better production values than its contemporaries, and a slew of talented directors at their disposal. Their films built the careers of several prominent faces associated with the genre, such as Gordon Liu, Lo Lieh, Lau Kar-leung, and Cheng Pei-pei. Shaw Brothers was also responsible for several movies now known as some of the greatest martial arts movies ever made: 36th Chamber of Shaolin, Come Drink With Me, and Five Deadly Venoms. With their pedigree, being in a Shaw Brothers movie feels like it would be a badge of honor.
Why Bruce Lee & Jackie Chan Never Made Any Shaw Brothers Movies
They Considered Signing With Shaw Brothers, But Didn’t
Martial Arts of Shaolin served as Jet Li’s first and last appearance in a Shaw Brothers project, which is notably more than what Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan did. Despite Shaw Brothers’ legendary reputation for making many of the best kung fu movies of all time, neither Lee nor Chan ever partnered with them. However, that’s not due to a lack of opportunities. At different junctures, both Chan and Lee explored the possibility of appearing in a Shaw Brothers film, but these efforts failed to pan out.
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In fact, when Bruce Lee returned to Hong Kong in pursuit of a career in kung fu movies, Shaw Brothers was the first studio he sought out. According to Bruce Lee: A Life by Matthew Polly, Lee tried to negotiate a contract with Shaw Brothers but wasn’t satisfied with the pay. As a result, he turned his attention to Shaw Brothers’ much smaller rival, Golden Harvest, and made a name for himself with them via The Big Boss, Fist of Fury, and Way of the Dragon. Reportedly, Bruce Lee did circle back to the idea of a Shaw Brothers movie, but the actor died before that plan could be realized.
Similar to Bruce Lee’s initial contact with Shaw Brothers, Jackie Chan also considered working for Shaw Brothers but wound up contracted to Golden Harvest instead. According to Chan, he wasn’t convinced that Shaw Brothers was interested in transforming him into an international star. Not only that, but he was aware of the massive amount of talent Shaw Brothers had at its disposal, which indicated to him that there were limits on how far their partnership could go. Jet Li’s situation was considerably different; rather than get tied down by a multi-film contract, he starred in Martial Arts of Shaolin and then moved on to other ventures.
