At the Bridge Summit in Abu Dhabi, Stanley Tong and Jackie Chan shared insights into their strategies, revealing how they consistently achieve blockbuster success at the global box office.
Bridge Summit Abu Dhabi: How Stanley Tong and Jackie Chan Mastered the Box Office Formula
Hong Kong filmmaker Stanley Tong shared a humorous yet revealing anecdote at the Bridge Summit, highlighting the challenges of his early career.
“You buy cars from a junkyard… One side has a door, the other doesn’t,” he recalled, laughing. With just $200 for a paint job, Tong would transform battered vehicles and “pretend it’s an international movie.” Back then, Hong Kong’s small film market forced directors to be extremely resourceful, finding creative ways to make every dollar count.
Tong explained that the wild stunts and comedic sequences in his early films — which often worried his mother — were driven by necessity. The local industry couldn’t sustain directors for long, so he had to strategize how to appeal to international audiences to survive.
This approach eventually shaped the action-comedy formula that became the hallmark of his work with Jackie Chan. “In America, action is boom, boom, boom, and comedy is more like Jim Carrey,” Tong said. “They don’t have our unique combination of the two.” By blending high-energy action with humor, shooting efficiently with quick lighting setups and tight budgets, Tong and Chan created films that broke box office records, culminating in one of their most successful Chinese New Year releases ever.
A new film inspired by the Silk Road
Four decades into his career, Stanley Tong remains motivated by cross-cultural storytelling, a theme that continues to influence his upcoming work. The filmmaker — who also serves as producer, stunt coordinator, and screenwriter — revealed that he is currently developing a movie centered on the Silk Road, exploring “how Chinese people connected with the wider world.” The project draws inspiration from the shared values Tong has observed during his international shoots, including respect for family, elders, and community.
“The world is becoming smaller, and communication is easier thanks to the internet,” he said. His experiences working overseas made him realize that audiences beyond East Asia resonate with universal emotions. “We all share the same feelings… fundamentally, we are peaceful,” Tong added, emphasizing the common humanity that underpins his storytelling approach.
AI can’t replace the heart of the story
It was only after reflecting on both his past achievements and upcoming projects that Stanley Tong addressed the role of artificial intelligence in filmmaking, suggesting that AI affects production processes rather than the core of storytelling.
He recognized AI’s efficiency, noting that it can generate content “just like that,” and mentioned that he now employs it to assist with scriptwriting and creating artwork. However, Tong emphasized that the essence of cinema remains rooted in human collaboration. “Ultimately, you still work closely with writers, directors, and actors… and you experience the entire creative journey,” he explained, underscoring the irreplaceable value of hands-on human involvement in filmmaking.
Janet Yang: Art is still a connector
Producer Janet Yang, who spoke alongside Stanley Tong, acknowledged the industry’s current challenges amid significant political divides but stressed that art remains a unifying force. “Art is the most powerful way to connect people,” she said.
Yang described the present moment as simultaneously difficult and full of potential for emerging talents. She highlighted that younger filmmakers today have “far greater opportunities” than before, even though navigating the industry often remains complex and demanding.
Advice For The Next Generation
When asked what he might do differently if beginning his career today, Tong said that even after 45 years, he still considers himself a lifelong learner. He emphasized that the one unchanging principle is the importance of thinking globally from the very start, as stories now reach audiences faster than ever.
Yang ended on a pragmatic note, acknowledging that challenges are unavoidable, yet careers can take surprising turns. “You never really know what’s around the corner,” she remarked.
