Action superstar Jackie Chan told audiences at the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland earlier this month that major Hollywood studios are undermining contemporary filmmaking by prioritizing financial returns over artistic vision. “Right now, a lot of big studios, they’re not filmmakers, they’re business guys. They invest 40 million and think, ‘How can I get it back?’ It’s very difficult to make a good movie now,” he said during a public Q&A session on Aug. 10.
Reflecting on his early career, the 71-year-old actor contrasted the flexibility of Hong Kong productions with the rigid oversight of Hollywood. He recalled that at Golden Harvest, filmmakers were often granted the extra time or resources needed to perfect complex stunt sequences, a practice he said is no longer possible when strict budget limits and profit margins dictate decisions. “In the old days if I needed more time, they would say, ‘OK, one more month, more money, go ahead.’ That made good movies. Today, very difficult,” he said.
The actor was in Locarno to receive the festival’s Pardo alla carriera, or Career Leopard Award, honoring more than five decades in cinema as an actor, director, producer and stunt coordinator. Accepting the award, he thanked the crowd, saying, “This year I’ve been in the film industry 64 years. I probably will film more years because of your support. I’m still here. Thank you so much.”
This story is part of The Rebel Yellow Newsletter — a bold weekly newsletter from the creators of NextShark, reclaiming our stories and celebrating Asian American voices.
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