The Forbidden Kingdom : Synopsis

An American teenager who is obsessed with Hong Kong cinema and kung-fu classics makes an extraordinary discovery in a Chinatown pawnshop: the legendary stick weapon of the Chinese sage and warrior, the Monkey King. With the lost relic in hand, the teenager unexpectedly finds himself traveling back to ancient China to join a crew of warriors from martial arts lore on a dangerous quest to free the imprisoned Monkey King.

Directed by Rob Minkoff (Stuart Little, Lion King), the film marks the first-ever onscreen pairing of martial arts superstars Jackie Chan (Rush Hour, Drunken Master) and Jet Li (Fearless, Once Upon a Time in China). The original screenplay by John Fusco (Young Guns, Hidalgo) is based on the traditional Chinese legend of the Monkey King. The film is produced by Casey Silver (Ladder 49, Hidalgo, the upcoming Leatherheads) of Casey Silver Productions. Renowned action choreographer Wo Ping (The Matrix, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon) is creating the fight sequences, and the director of photography is Peter Pau (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon). --© Lions Gate