Classic Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee films to be remastered with AI

Classic martial arts films starring the likes of Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee are set to be remastered with AI.

The initiative from the China Film Foundation will include classics such as 1978’s Drunken Master, 1972’s Fists Of Fury and Jet Li’s 1991 film Once Upon A Time in China, and is aiming to restore 100 martial arts films using the technology.

The project, which was unveiled at the 27th Shanghai International Film Festival, will utilise AI to enhance images, sound and production quality, while still being touted to preserve the aesthetic and storytelling (via Variety).

“From Bruce Lee to Jackie Chan, from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon to Wolf Warrior, these films have shown the world the vitality and spirit of the Chinese people,” said China Film Foundation’s chair Zhang Qilin. “They are our cinematic calling cards to the world.”

Canxing Media chair Tian Ming added “AI is the brush, but creativity is the soul. Classic kung fu films embody China’s spiritual backbone. We’re inviting global partners to join this cultural and technological reboot.”

10 films will be prioritised for the first phase of the initiative, with $13.9million (£10.35million) being allocated.

It is part of the Kung Fu Film Heritage Project, which has also confirmed what is touted as the first fully AI-produced animated feature film, A Better Tomorrow: Cyber Border. The new interpretation of the 1986 John Woo film has used AI in aspects including script and animation.

The topic of AI in film has proven very divisive in recent years, and earlier in 2025 Oscar contenders such as The Brutalist and Emilia Perez received criticism for the use of AI to alter elements of performances.

Last month, Poker Face star Natasha Lyonne was confirmed to make her directorial debut on the film Uncanny Valley, which follows “a teenage girl who becomes unmoored by a hugely popular AR video game in a parallel present”, and will use AI.

Produced by Lyonne and filmmaker Bryn Mooser’s AI studio Asteria, the plot’s video game elements are being brought to screen with an AI model that is built on copyright-cleared data, in principle being a more ethical use of the technology.

“When artists lead the tech instead of the other way round, trailblazing and unexpected advancements are possible,” Mooser said.

Meanwhile, film director James Cameron has also said he is exploring how AI can cut costs “in half” without “laying off half the staff”.

In other news, Michael Cera recently spoke to NME about meeting Chan for the first time – though the film legend wasn’t aware of who he was.

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