48 Years Later, Jackie Chan’s Martial Arts Game-Changer Is Finally Winning Over America

18 hours ago 13

Published Mar 8, 2026, 8:00 PM EDT

Denis is a news writer for Collider with close to five years of experience in the industry. He has analyzed shows across different genres, formats and styles. His favorite types of articles to write are exciting news updates and episodic deep-dives. He might say he doesn't have a favorite show, but he has watched The Wire, Shameless, The Big Bang Theory, and The Blacklist more than once. Denis is increasingly becoming focused on the global streaming arena and how media connects with audiences in various markets. Find him on X tweeting about something random that occurred to him about a TV show or the industry in general.

With over 150 acting credits to his name, Jackie Chan remains a powerhouse in the martial arts genre. The actor began his career in the 1960s playing background characters. He would appear in numerous productions for over a decade before he got his big break in Hong Kong cinema in the 1978 film Snake in the Eagles' Shadow. However, his star didn't dim there as he scaled up his career and became a household name worldwide. His global fame is largely credited to his second 1978 hit film, Drunken Master, the Kung Fu film that made Chan one of the most recognizable stars in the genre.

48 years after the film debuted, Drunken Master is seeing renewed interest in America, according to streaming data from Flix Patrol. The film has been one of the top movies on Tubi for the past week, peaking at number nine. The chart was largely dominated by movies like Armageddon, Black and Blue, and Beauty Shop. In Drunken Master, Chan put his physical and comedic abilities to the test playing Wong Fei-Hung, a young man whose father had reached the end of the line with his antics. Fei-Hung's father enlists his uncle to teach his son some manners by training Fei-Hung in drunken-style kung-fu. The skills come in handy later.

With an 81% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes and an even higher audience score on the same site, Drunken Master received largely positive reviews. The movie was a feat in itself and defined Chan's style. An even better sequel was released in 1994. Titled The Legend of the Drunken Master, the sequel is hailed as one of the best martial arts movies ever, and the 85% critics' score signals this acclaim.

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What Has Jackie Chan Been Involved in Recently?

The actor has not slowed down, even with his lengthy career and advancing age. From Hollywood to Chinese cinema, Chan continues to entertain. He recently starred in the reboot of The Karate Kid alongside Ralph Macchio and Ben Wang. While not popular with critics, Karate Kid: Legends was a hit with viewers, scoring a whopping 90% score on Rotten Tomatoes against a 58% critics' score. Chan also starred in The Shadow's Edge, Unexpected Family, and Panda Plan: The Magical Tribe. The actor has several projects in the pipeline, including an unconfirmed appearance in Rush Hour 4. His other upcoming projects include Once Upon a Zodiac, New Police Story 2, and Five Against a Bullet. None of the four films has a release window.