US director Paul Feig said his upcoming action-comedy film, starring John Cena and Awkwafina, symbolises the “Jackie Chan movie that I always wanted to make”.
The Bridesmaids filmmaker appeared at the Los Angeles premiere of his new film titled Jackpot!, which follows a lottery winner who has to survive losing ticket holders who can kill her to claim the prize until sunset.
“I’m a comedy guy and to me it was just so funny, and it was a good chance to do a lot of physical comedy, which I love,” Feig told the PA news agency on why he was drawn to the project.
“I’m a big Jackie Chan fanatic and I felt like this was a Jackie Chan movie that I always wanted to make.
“I love physical comedy, but it also has a lot of heart, and that’s what I like about it. It’s got kind of a meaningful core to it too.”
Honorary Oscar winner Chan starred in more than 30 martial arts films in his native Hong Kong before achieving worldwide fame in Rumble In The Bronx in 1995.
He went on to star in a string of Hollywood films, including the Rush Hour trilogy, Shanghai Noon and its sequel Shanghai Knights starring Owen Wilson, Around The World In 80 Days and the Kung Fu Panda franchise alongside Jack Black.
US actor turned WWE star Cena described martial arts star Chan as the “greatest physical storyteller of our generation”.
“I’ve actually got to work with Jackie, and I’ve got to see him approach an action piece and shoot an action piece, not only as a performer, but as an eye behind the lens – there’s none better,” Cena told PA about filming 2023 film Hidden Strike.
“There’s a lot of folks out there doing it, and a lot of folks have done some really incredible things.
“Jackie Chan is the greatest physical storyteller of our generation, and I’m saying that coming from a vocation of physical storytellers.”
In the film, which features a cameo from US rapper Machine Gun Kelly, Cena stars as an amateur lottery protection agent attempting to protect Awkwafina’s character Katie from the hordes of jackpot hunters.
“It’s like The Purge meets Powerball,” said Cena.
Feig, who also directed Spy and the remake of Ghostbusters, said both leading actors were already attached to the project for “one of the first times” in his career, before taking it on.
“This was one of the nicest experiences I’ve ever had,” Feig told PA.
While Cena joked that Feig “shoots 15 movies in one”.
“He shoots so many different jokes and so many different perspectives, he also doesn’t waste time.
“He’s got jokes for days, and he’s open to people taking chances.”
The film also features a reunion with Awkwafina and her Shang-Chi co-star Simu Liu, who also starred alongside Cena in Barbie last year.
The new film from Feig comes after the box office success of action-comedy Deadpool & Wolverine.
“I hope Deadpool shows people that there’s a market for big comedy,” Feig added.
“Comedies kind of ebb and flow at the box office.
“We went through a big period of years where comedy was doing really well, and then they weren’t doing as well, and then studios get nervous about that.
“I’m a comedy guy. That’s my bread and butter. I love it. I just want to make people laugh – as many as we can.”
Jackpot! will premiere worldwide on Prime Video on Thursday.
