A new trailer for Daniel Lee’s historical epic, Dragon Blade, has found its way online and stars Jackie Chan, Adrien Brody and John Cusack.
Focusing on the story of the Han Dynasty — an age of economic prosperity in the country of China circa 220 BC — Lee’s ambitious film will center around Chan’s character of Huo An, a powerful commander of an elite task force known as the Protection Squad of the Western Regions.
In terms of story, we understand that Dragon Blade will have similar beats to Ridley Scott’s sword-and-sandals epic Gladiator, as the story will follow a wayward Roman soldier who crosses paths with a former guard (Chan) in the Western desert. It’s not a terribly original plot by any means, but given that the entire film is in Mandarin, it’ll be interesting to see Brody and Cusack’s respective performances against the backdrop of one of the most seminal periods in Chinese history.
Dragon Blade is poised to roar into cinemas abroad on February 19 — the first day of the Chinese New Year. Currently, Jackie Chan’s latest is without a US distributor, but should the historical epic prove to be a success overseas then it may be picked up before long.
Huo An (Chan), the commander of the Protection Squad of the Western Regions, was framed by evil forces and becomes enslaved. On the other hand, a Roman general escapes to China after rescuing the Prince. The heroic duo meet in the Western Desert and a thrilling story unfolds.
