On May 23, according to Chinese media outlets, the China Movie Channel Media Center announced that Jet Li has finished filming “Blades of the Guardians” alongside Hong Kong star Nicholas Tse under the direction of world-renowned martial arts choreographer and director Yuen Woo-ping.
Jet Li is now 62 years old. This marks his first lead role in a martial arts film since “Flying Swords of Dragon Gate” in 2011 — a gap of 14 years.
Jet Li rose to stardom through iconic films like “Shaolin Temple”, “Once Upon a Time in China” and “Swordsman II”.
In 2010, he was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and experienced complications during his battle with the condition. Health problems, including damage to his spine and legs from years of demanding action work, restricted his ability to continue performing.
Following “Flying Swords of Dragon Gate”, Jet Li appeared primarily in supporting roles in Hollywood productions such as “The Expendables” and “Mulan”, rather than as a martial arts lead.
Whenever images of Jet Li‘s visibly aged appearance surfaced, fans around the world couldn’t help but express sadness and concern.
Rumors even circulated that Jet Li had been blacklisted from the Chinese film industry after he changed his citizenship twice — first to the U.S., then to Singapore — despite being born in Beijing.
His withdrawal from public life further fueled speculation, with some media outlets even falsely reporting that he was gravely ill or had passed away.
During his illness, Jet Li is said to have become deeply immersed in Tibetan Buddhism. Last year, he was spotted visiting Potala Palace in Lhasa with his two daughters.
Yuen Woo-ping, the director of this new film, is known for “Drunken Master” and served as martial arts choreographer on international blockbusters such as “The Matrix”, “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” and “Kill Bill”.
The new film reportedly features many scenes set in a desert, with a significant portion filmed in China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
Jet Li, who began his career as a Wushu athlete at age 12, won numerous championships and made his acting debut in 1982 with the film “Shaolin Temple”.
As excitement builds for “Blades of the Guardians”, fans are thrilled to see a revitalized Jet Li return to the genre that made him a legend. The film promises to reintroduce one of martial arts cinema’s greatest icons in a new and powerful light.