MeleeGurl from Kingdom Hearts Ultimania conducted an interview with the English voice actor for Zexion, Vincent Corazza.

KHU: When you first started your work as a voice actor Vince, was there someone that you looked to as a mentor/inspiration?

Vincent: My first real inspiration were the voices from Scooby Doo when I was a kid. It was my favorite cartoon, and I used to love imitating the voices on that show, and I actually got a chance to meet and work with two of my biggest influences on an episode of the New Scooby Doo a few years ago: Frank Welker who plays Scooby and Freddy, and Casey Kasem who plays Shaggy.

KHU: Looking at Zexion's character, which aspect of voicing him did you find most rewarding?

Vincent: It's always hard to pinpoint one thing that I enjoy the most about any character that I work on. For me it's always a blast to become a completely different person by just using my voice. I did enjoy the fact that Zexion is always very calculating and guarded. He's not your typical loud, abrasive bad guy; he's more devious and always plotting.

KHU: What was your first experience in voice acting Vince, and do you have any special memories of it?

Vincent: My first experience was a ****called Microphone Technique that I took while studying theater/acting at Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada. It was a second and third year ****that really opened my eyes to the art and techniques of working in front of a microphone, and I realized that I could actually have a career in that kind of work.

KHU: If you were to change something about Zexion's personality, what would it be and why?

Vincent: Nothing really. I like that he is different from the other organization members, and he seems to be more devious and calculating.

KHU: Do you have any thoughts on the Kingdom Hearts series as a whole, and if so, what are they?

Vincent: It's been a lot of fun being a part of it. The creative team are really great people, and I enjoy working with them. They are all incredibly dedicated to making the games as enjoyable as possible for the fans, and they put a lot of time and detail into making sure we stay true to the characters.

KHU: Of all your voice acting jobs Vince, how would you compare voicing Zexion to any of your other characters?

Vincent: I have enjoyed every character I've played, and it's very hard to make comparisons, since they are all a part of me and my creations, but like I've mentioned before, Zexion's a much more calculating personality and that is an interesting characteristic that I enjoy portraying.

KHU: Zexion is known to be the "Cloaked Schemer." If you were to have an Organization XIII title, what would it be?

Vincent: I think titles and nicknames are usually given by others, so it's kind of hard to come up with one for myself.

KHU: What is your favorite pass time when you're not acting/voice acting?

Vincent: My favorite thing is to spend time with my wife Jane, and I also love to surf whenever I can.

GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1996 by Pete Deemer and Vince Broady. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which purchased CNET Networks in 2008, is the current owner of GameSpot. GameSpot.com is currently one of the 200 highest-trafficked websites according to Alexa.

In addition to the content produced by GameSpot staff, the site also allows users to write their own reviews, blogs, and post on the site's forums. The forums are partially shared with those on GameFAQs, another website owned by CNET.

In 2004, GameSpot won "Best Gaming Website" as chosen by the viewers in Spike TV's second Video Game Award Show.[2] Other gaming websites such as IGN, 1UP.com, and GameSpy have been its biggest rivals. The domain gamespot.com attracted at least 60 million visitors annually by 2008 according to a Compete.com study.[3]

GameSpot's main page has links to the latest news, reviews, previews, and portals for the following current platforms: Wii, Nintendo DS, PC, Xbox 360, PSP, PS2, and PS3. It also includes a list of the most popular games on the site and a search engine for users to track down games of interest. GameSpot also covers the following platforms to a lesser extent: Nintendo 64, Nintendo GameCube, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, Xbox, PlayStation, Sega Saturn, Dreamcast, Neo Geo Pocket Color, N-Gage, and mobile games, among othersHistory

At launch, the site focused exclusively on PC games. Its sister site, VideoGameSpot.com, was launched in December 1996 to cover console games. In 1997, VideoGameSpot.com became VideoGames.com for a short period, and by 1998, the PC and console sections were united at GameSpot.com.[4]

On October 3, 2005, GameSpot adopted a new design similar to that of TV.com, now considered a sister site to GameSpot.[5]

[edit] International history

GameSpot UK (United Kingdom) was started in October 1997 and operated until mid-2002, offering Europe-oriented content which often differed from that of the U.S. site. During this period, GameSpot UK won the 1999 PPAi (Periodical Publishers Association interactive) award for best website,[6] and was short listed in 2001.[7] Following the purchase of ZDNet by CNET, GameSpot UK was merged with the main US site. On April 24, 2006, GameSpot UK was relaunched.[8]

In a similar fashion, GameSpot AU (Australia) existed on a local scale in the late 1990s with Australian-produced reviews. It ceased in 2003. When a local version of the main CNET portal, CNET.com.au was launched in 2003, Gamespot.com.au content was folded into CNET.com.au. The site was fully re-launched mid 2006, with a specialized forum, local reviews, special features, local pricings in AUD, Australian release dates, and more local news.

GameSpot Japan (Japan) in its current form launched in 2007. It provides Japanese videogame industry news, previews, reviews, features, and videos as well as translated articles from the other GameSpot sites. It had recently added a larger video player and community forums to the site.

[edit] Notable staff

• Shane Sattersfield - former editor, currently editor-in-chief of GameTrailers.com
• Greg Kasavin – executive editor and site director of GameSpot, who left in 2007 to become a game developer. He is now a producer for EA Los Angeles.[9]
• Jeff Gerstmann - editorial director of the site, dismissed from GameSpot on November 28, 2007 for undisclosed reasons, after which he started GiantBomb.com[10]
• Alex Navarro - editor of the site, resigned due to dismissal of Gerstmann. Now works as a member of the community team for Harmonix.
• Jason Ocampo - former editor, currently editor-in-chief of IGN PC

[edit] Reviews and rating system

In January 2001, GameSpot introduced video reviews for games, which are released for all major games. Other games that the editors believe deserve special mention (for example, the very worst games) are reviewed by video as well. Video reviews mostly re-emphasize the written review text with clips of gameplay embedded.

GameSpot has a detailed guide that explains its reviewing policies, as well as answering frequently asked questions about its reviews.[11]

When GameSpot Complete was introduced in late 2001, older reviews were restricted to Complete members; however, those reviews became available to everyone again several months later.

All games were judged on five different categories: Gameplay, Graphics, Sound, Value, and Reviewer's Tilt. Each category is assigned an integer score from one to ten, and these five integers are combined using a weighted average to arrive at an overall score. Should a game score at least 9.0, it is designated as "superb," and given "Editor's Choice" recognition. Although many games achieve this status each year, only six in GameSpot's history have ever received a perfect ten: Chrono Cross,[12] The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time,[13] Soul Calibur,[14] and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 (PlayStation 2 version)[15] under the original system, and Grand Theft Auto IV[16] and Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots[17] under the new ratings system implemented in June 2007.

Seven games have achieved a near-perfect score of 9.9: NFL 2K,[18] NFL 2K1,[19] Perfect Dark,[20] Super Mario Bros. Deluxe,[21] Tekken 3 (PlayStation version),[22] and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 (Dreamcast and Playstation versions).[23][24] This score is no longer possible under the new ratings system.

On the other end of the spectrum, Big Rigs: Over the Road Racing is the only game to have ever received a 1.0 ("abysmal"), the lowest score possible.[25]

While games are rated mostly with regard to how they compare to the other games available on their specific platforms, games released simultaneously for multiple platforms are also compared between systems, which often results in differing scores being given to the same game depending on the system, usually due to the inherent strengths and weaknesses of each platform.

[edit] New system

On June 25, 2007, GameSpot began assigning scores by increments of 0.5 instead of 0.1.[26] It also ended its practice of giving sub-scores for gameplay, graphics, sound, value, and tilt. Instead, user reviews now possess a medal system that permits the reviewer to highlight given characteristics of the game such as its artistic design, original soundtrack, or difficulty. GameSpot believes that this will create a more detailed rating system than the previous one. The first review under the new system was for Final Fantasy Anniversary Edition for the PSP.[27] The only change in terms is the new term "Prime" for games that receive a 10.0 score, replacing "Perfect."

Then Editor-in-chief Jeff Gerstmann blogged explaining the decision but still received criticism towards this change. Despite viewers claiming to have canceled memberships and suggestions for a different increment scale (reverting back to a .1 scale, or changing to a .2 or .25 scale), the review system remains unchange

Game of the Year: Best and Worst

Every year, GameSpot holds the Best and Worst Game of the Year awards, which recognize achievements in the gaming industry, positive and negative (in the form of "Dubious Honors", containing categories such as "Most Disappointing Game", "Flat-Out Worst Game", "Best Game No One Played" and "Most Despicable Product Placement"). GameSpot also allows users on the site to vote for the winners of the "Readers' Choice" awards.

Devil May Cry 4

Devil May Cry 4 is the fourth installment of the Devil May Cry series. It was announced in March 2007 that the game would be released simultaneously for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC.[5]

In the game, the player controls both Nero, and Dante, the game's protagonist and the series' title character respectively and fights enemies in close combat using firearms, swords, and other weapons. The characters Lady and Trish from previous games in the series make appearances, along with new characters Nero, Kyrie, Credo, Gloria, and Agnus. The game is set after Devil May Cry and before Devil May Cry 2.Gameplay

Gameplay in Devil May Cry 4 is similar to previous games in the series. The player must fight through levels called "missions", occasionally solving puzzles or gathering items. Performance in a mission is graded from D being the bottom grade through C, B, A, and S being the highest grade. Grades are based on items used, Red Orbs gathered, time taken, and the amount of ****Points accumulated. Each ****Point grade has its own tag-word. For example, the SSS grade shows up as "Smokin' Sick ****" on the side of the screen when achieved. Stylish combat is the main focus of the game, which is conveyed through unbroken combos of varied attacks while avoiding damage. The player must avoid enemy attacks to continue performing combos, often by memorizing attack patterns.[6]

The Devil Trigger is a super state that enables the player to become more powerful adding a slow but steady health regeneration, with increased damage done. Devil Trigger can be activated by pressing the button to trigger it when the minimum amount on the gauge is filled or when the player is near death during combat, and also through items called Devil Stars.[6]

Dante performing one of his signature moves, the Stinger attack

Some changes introduced into Devil May Cry 4 are the presence of two playable characters, Dante and Nero, and a slight modification to the shop system. A new currency, Proud Souls, is used to buy new abilities while Red Orbs are used to buy items. Proud Souls are rewarded at the end of missions and the amount varies depending on how well the player performed. Cost of abilities also increase with the purchase of other abilities, though all abilities can be sold back for the original price.[6]

The player plays as Nero throughout most of the game. He starts and ends the game with his Red Queen sword, Blue Rose revolver, and the powers of his Devil Bringer (his demonic right arm). The Red Queen features an Exceed Gauge that can be charged up, allowing for subsequent attacks that are more powerful than regular slashes, until the gauge empties. The Exceed Gauge can also be filled by pressing the rev button at the peak of each slash, which allows for more powerful combos capable of breaking the opponent's guard. Nero also has the powers of his Devil Bringer, and can use it to pull himself towards enemies or vice-versa. The Devil Bringer may also be used for context-sensitive throw attacks, leading to high damage and various effects depending on the enemy. Nero's Devil Bringer also gains new abilities during the course of the game, such as being able to detect secret missions or caches of Red Orbs. Nero eventually gains the ability to use Devil Trigger after getting Yamato, which increases his Devil Bringer's power, thus changing his Devil Bringer attacks into more powerful versions with different animations.[6]

The player plays as Dante through seven missions, taking over halfway through the game. His gameplay is similar to that of Devil May Cry 3, with him having access to multiple melee and ranged weapons which he gains after boss battles, and being able to cycle through them freely in combat, being no longer limited to equipping two weapons of each type as he was in the previous game. Dante also starts with his four **** (Trickster, Royal Guard, Sword Master, Gunslinger), each of which grants him different abilities, but he may now switch them at will with buttons or pads on the PlayStation 3 controller or the Xbox 360 controller, unlike in Devil May Cry 3. He also gains the Dark Slayer ****near the end of his appearance, which only has one ****level and can be accessed by pressing a direction button twice. **** do not level up through experience as in the previous game, but must instead be upgraded in the shop screen in between missions or at statues. Dante can also enter Devil Trigger; in his Devil Trigger he gains most of the benefits that Nero's Devil Trigger has, though, as he does not have the Devil Bringer, he gets animation and property changes on some of his normal attacks instead.[6]

[edit] Synopsis

[edit] Characters

On September 6, 2006, Japanese video game magazine Famitsu reported that the series' eponymous character, Dante, will not be the protagonist in Devil May Cry 4. Instead, a new character named Nero, voiced and motion captured by Johnny Yong Bosch, will take the lead.[7] Nero resembles both Dante and his twin brother, Vergil, and is part of the Order of the Sword, a group of warriors who worship Sparda.[8]

Nero, the new main protagonist, and Kyrie look on as Dante makes his entry (in the game's Japanese version).

Nero's attire consists of blue jeans, a long blue coat, and a red vest with a hood. He wields a revolver named Blue Rose, which has a distinctive under-and-over double barrel, and a decorated single-edged sword called the Red Queen. Nero views Dante as the antagonist, after witnessing the devil hunter first killing the Order's leader, Sanctus, and then murdering members of the Order.[1] Gameplay videos and screens reveal Dante to be an enemy boss in the game.[9]

Nero's right arm resembles a demon's arm, and glows supernaturally; it is also the source of his "Devil Bringer" power. Nero has his own "Devil Trigger" transformation, consisting of a demonic spirit hovering above him.[10] Capcom promotional videos revealed that the spirit mimics Nero's actions and that the Devil Bringer moves change depending on whether or not the Devil Trigger is active.[11]

Dante, the franchise's protagonist, is also playable, and has been updated with the core animations from his appearance in Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening, as well as that game's four basic fighting **** of Trickster, Royal Guard, Gunslinger, and Swordmaster, which can be switched at will.[12] Game Informer reported that he was both an unlockable and playable character, playing an integral part of the game's storyline.[13] Capcom promotional videos revealed that, like Nero and the first Devil May Cry, the properties of his moves change if the Devil Trigger is activated.[14] Out of the 20 missions available, Dante is playable in seven of them. Returning weapons in his arsenal include the Rebellion sword, the Ebony and Ivory handguns, and the Coyote-A shotgun, but he will be able to acquire new Devil Arms after defeating enemy bosses.[15]

In the chaos, Credo, Captain of the Holy Knights and brother to Kyrie rushes her out and promises to return with help, as Nero races to fend Dante off. Eventually, Dante gains the upperhand and uses his Stinger attack, which Nero blocks with his arm. Unleashing its demonic power, Nero uses his arm to defeat Dante by impaling him with his own sword. Unfazed, Dante is impressed by Nero's abilities and pulls himself from his sword. Motioning to the Holy Knights he killed, Dante reveals that they were demons; but as for Nero's arm he says, "I suspect you carry something different than the others." Before Nero can question him further, Dante escapes as reinforcements arrive.

Nero is charged with capturing Dante and bringing him back to the Order to answer for his crimes by Credo, as Kyrie recovers Nero's present in the rubble; a necklace which she wears. As Nero, Credo and Kyrie leave the Opera House a demonic horde begins to lay waste to the city. Credo takes Kyrie away as Nero begins to slay the demons, and Credo warns Nero to be careful. Beginning his search for Dante, he is led to Fortuna Castle where he meets Gloria, a new member to the Order. Nero fights his way into the depths of Fortuna Castle. On the way, a cut scene reveals that Sanctus has been infused with the soul of a demon to be revived. Agnus, the stuttering scientist and mastermind of the Orders demonic power manipulation, is also introduced.[16]

Finally, Nero battles his way through Fortuna Castle where he stumbles upon Agnus's underground research facility. Here, it is revealed that Agnus has been using the shattered remains of Vergil's katana, Yamato, and its demonic power to create portals to the demon world all over the city; all in an attempt to harness demonic energy for The Order. In a surprise attack, Nero is wounded by Agnus whereupon Nero calls to Vergil's broken katana, Yamato, which responds to Nero's cry and mends itself before spinning willingly into his hand. Nero fends off Agnus' demonic knights with the aid of Yamato, and now an intimidating spectral blue demonic aura hovers around him before he collapses in exhaustion. Agnus flees back to Sanctus and informs him of Nero's new-found power. In a meeting with Sanctus, now regenerated, he realizes the threat Nero represents to their plans and sends Credo to take care of him, while Gloria takes over Nero's pursuit of Dante.[16]

Nero, spurred on by his desire for the truth encounters Credo who has been infused with demonic power. Transforming into a demon, Credo thinks himself an angel, "the next step in evolution." Dismayed at Credo's betrayal, Nero defeats him whereupon Kyrie appears finding Nero standing over her defeated brother. Agnus, takes advantage of the situation and kidnaps Kyrie after convincing her that Nero is a demon. Distraught with how his sister was used, Credo apologizes to Nero, promising to return once he has investigated Sanctus's true intentions.

Nero continues on his journey, now to save Kyrie from Sanctus, and once more meets Dante. With his quest to capture him long since forgotten; he wishes to simply pass Dante. However, Dante wants Yamato returned to him stating that it simply has too much power to be trusted with anyone. A fight ensues where Dante is victorious; however, he reveals that it was a test to make sure that he could trust Nero with it for the time being. They trade names and form a steady alliance as Nero continues forward. Suddenly, Gloria appears before Dante as Nero leaves; however, it is revealed that she is actually Dante's partner, Trish. Thus, it is revealed that Dante has had Trish snooping as Gloria for the entire game. She questions whether Dante should allow Nero to keep Yamato and Dante reassures her.

Finally Nero finds Sanctus with an enormus statue, in Sparda's image, which he calls the Savior. Sanctus reveals that only Yamato and the sword Sparda, along with Sparda's blood can awaken the Savior and unleash hell. They battle and Sanctus uses Kyrie as a human shield to distract Nero and capture him. Suddenly, Credo, having abandoned his faith, returns and attempts to rescue the two. Unfortunately Credo is defeated by Sanctus who using Yamato, subsequently stabs Nero. Revealing that Nero is a decendant of Sparda's blood The Savior awakens and Nero is absorbed within it. Dante and Trish appear, unable to stop the proceedings, as they promise Credo in his final moments to save Kyrie and Nero.

Agnus, under the city, opens the hellgate with Yamato, which releases countless demons upon the city. Using The Savior to defeat the oncoming demons, Sanctus enacts his ultimate plan by putting the city through hell and then acting as their "Savior" Sparda, in order to raise the people's faith and worship. Dante, making his way through Fortuna, succeds in destroying all the hell gates and kills Agnus, sealing the final hell gate. Finally taking on The Savior, Dante takes Yamato and drives it through the Savior's chest, where Nero reclaims it inside. Facing Sanctus, Nero sees Sanctus's twisted interpretation of Sparda's will and defeats him, freeing Kyrie in the proceess. In the aftermath, Nero returns Sparda to Dante when The Savior awakens, having absorbed Sanctus. Destroying this final demon, Nero makes peace with his arm and sees Dante off.

Having already returned Sparda, Nero attempts to give Yamato back, but Dante, instead, intrusts Yamato with Nero saying that since Yamato means so much to him, "That's the only kind of gift worth giving." Dante leaves and Nero and Kyrie reconcile in the ruins of Fortuna. Stating that he is the most human person she has ever known, despite his demonic heritage, they are about to kiss when they are interuppted by scarecrow demons. Nero readily goes to face them off.

Meanwhile, Lady returns to the Devil May Cry office where she had formerly hired Dante to go to Fortuna. Having completed the job, she arrives with meager pay for them; which Trish and Lady argue over. Dragging Dante into the argument while he reads a magazine, a phone call interrupts as Lady nears the door. Trish answers and reveals the caller is offering a job, which Dante happily accepts. As Dante suits up, Lady excitedly asks Dante if she can tag along, to which he laughs, "Sure, but don't expect to get paid!" As the trio bursts out of the door, Dante, Lady, and Trish all pose as Dante says, "Alright babes, Let's Rock

Li Lianjie (born April 26, 1963), better known by his stage name Jet Li, is a Chinese martial artist, actor, Wushu champion, and international film star. After three years of intensive training with Wu Bin , Li won his first national championship for the Beijing Wushu Team. After retiring at age 17, he went on to win great acclaim in China as an actor making his debut with the film Shaolin Temple (1982). He went on to star in many critically acclaimed martial arts epic films, most notably the Once Upon A Time In China series, in which he portrayed folk hero Wong Fei Hung. His first role in a Hollywood film was as a villain in Lethal Weapon 4 (199, but his first Hollywood film leading role was in Romeo Must Die (2000). He has gone on to star in many Hollywood action films, most recently starring beside Jackie Chan in The Forbidden Kingdom (200, and as the titular villain in The Mummy: Tomb Of The Dragon Emperor (200 opposite Brendan Fraser.The fame gained by his sports winnings led to a career as a martial arts film star, beginning in mainland China and then continuing into Hong Kong. Li acquired his screen name in 1982 in the Philippines when a publicity company thought his real name was too hard to pronounce. They likened his career to an aircraft, which likewise "takes-off" as quickly, so they placed the name Jet Li on the movie posters. Soon everybody was calling him by this new name, which was also based on the nickname, "Jet," given to him as a young student, due to his speed and grace when training with the Beijing Wushu team. He made his debut with the 1982 film Shaolin Temple. Some of his more famous Chinese films include:

• The Shaolin Temple series (1, 2 and 3), which are considered to be the films which sparked the rebirth of the real Shaolin Temple in Dengfeng, China;
• The Once Upon a Time in China series (Chinese title: Wong Fei Hung), about the legendary Chinese folk hero Master Wong Fei Hung.
• Fist of Legend (Chinese title: Jing Wu Ying Xiong), a remake of Bruce Lee's Fist Of Fury.
• The Fong Sai Yuk films about another Chinese folk hero.

Li starred in the 1995 film High Risk, where Jet Li plays a Captain who becomes disillusioned after his wife is murdered by crime lords. Along the way, he pairs up with a wacky sell-out actor, Frankie (played by Jacky Cheung), and proceeds to engage in a series of violent battles in a high-rise building. The setting is similar to that of Die Hard and both their Chinese film titles. This movie is notable in that director Wong Jing had such a terrible experience working with Jackie Chan in Jing's previous film City Hunter that he chose to make Cheung's character a biting satire of Chan. Jet Li would later publicly apologize to Chan for taking part in it.

[edit] American films

In 1998, he made his American film debut in Lethal Weapon 4 which also marked the first time he had ever played a villain in a film. He agreed to do Lethal Weapon 4 after the producer Joel Silver promised to give him the leading role in his next film, Romeo Must Die (2000) which was a box office hit launching his career as a leading man in Hollywood.

Li turned down Chow Yun-Fat's role in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) because he promised his wife that he would not make any films during her pregnancy.[1] He also turned down the role of Seraph in The Matrix trilogy, based on his belief that the role was not one which required his skills and that the films were iconic and stunning enough without adding his name to the cast list.

In 2001, he appeared in two more Hollywood films: The One and Kiss Of The Dragon opposite Bridget Fonda which did moderately well at the box office. In July 2001, Li agreed to produce and star in an action film with Jackie Chan which was to be released in 2002 or 2003, but no further news of their collaboration surfaced until 2006. In 2002, the period martial arts epic film Hero was released in the Chinese market. This film was both a commercial and critical success. In 2003 he reunited with producer Joel Silver for the action thriller film Cradle 2 The Grave where he starred alongside rapper DMX and fellow martial artist Mark Dacascos. In 2004, Li lent his likeness, voice and provided motion capture work for the video game Jet Li: Rise To Honor.

Li departed from his usual martial arts action films with the 2005 dramatic film, Unleashed (a.k.a. Danny the Dog), where he portrays an adult with the mentality of a child who has been raised like an animal. Although his martial arts skills were utilized extensively, it was a somber film with more depth than had been previously seen in Li's films, and co-starred dramatic actors Bob Hoskins and Morgan Freeman.

In 2006, the martial arts film epic Fearless, was released worldwide. Although he will continue to make martial arts films, Fearless is his last Wushu epic. In Fearless, he played Huo Yuanjia, the real-life founder of Chin Woo Athletic Association, who reportedly defeated foreign boxers and Japanese martial artists in publicized events at a time when China's power was seen as eroding. Together with the film Fist of Legend, Li has portrayed both Chen Jun, the student and avenger of Huo Yuanjia (aka Fok Yun Gap), as well as Huo Yuanjia himself. Fearless was released on January 26, 2006 in Hong Kong, followed by a September 22, 2006 release in the United States where it reached second place in its first weekend.

" I stepped into the martial arts movie market when I was only 16. I think I have proved my ability in this field and it won't make sense for me to continue for another five or 10 years. Huo Yuanjia is a conclusion to my life as a martial arts star. "

Li has stated in an interview with the Shenzhen Daily newspaper that this will be his last martial arts epic, which is also stated in the film's television promotions. However, he plans to continue his film career in other genres. Specifically, he plans to continue acting in action and martial arts films; epic films deal more with religious and philosophical issues.

Li's 2007 Hollywood film, War, was released in August of that year, and re-teamed him with actor Jason Statham, who previously starred with him in The One, and action choreographer Corey Yuen. War raked in a disappointing $23M at the box office, becoming one of Li's lowest grossers in America; however, it was a hit on video, accumulating nearly $52M in rental revenue, more than doubling its box office take.[2] With the exception of Romeo Must Die and the worldwide release of Hero, most of Jet's American films have been only modest hits like Kiss Of The Dragon, The One, Unleashed, Cradle 2 The Grave, and the worldwide release of Fearless.

In late 2007 Li returned again to China to participate in the China/Hong Kong co production of the period war film The Warlords with Andy Lau and Takeshi Kaneshiro. This film with its focus on dramatics rather than martial arts netted Li the Hong Kong Film Award for best actor.

Li and fellow martial arts veteran Jackie Chan appeared together onscreen for the first time in The Forbidden Kingdom, which began filming in May 2007 and was released to critical and commercial success on April 18, 2008. The film was based on the legend of the Monkey King from the Chinese folk novel Journey to the West.[3][4] Li also starred as the lead villain in the fantasy action film The Mummy: Tomb Of The Dragon Emperor with actors Brendan Fraser, Isabella Leong and Michelle Yeoh.[5]

Jackie Chan, SBS, MBE[1] (born Chan Kong Sang, 陳港生, on 7 April 1954) is an actor, action choreographer, film director, producer, martial artist, comedian, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer from Hong Kong.

Chan is one of the best-known names worldwide in the areas of kung fu and action films. In his films, he is known for his acrobatic fighting ****/a>, comic timing, use of improvised weapons and innovative stunts. Jackie Chan has been acting since the 1970s and has appeared in over 100 films. Chan has received stars on the Hong Kong Avenue of Stars and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. As a cultural icon, Chan has been referenced in various pop songs, cartoons and video games. Besides acting, Chan is a Cantopop and Mandopop star, having released a number of albums and sung many of the theme songs for the films in which he has starred. In 2008, Chan sang at the 2008 Summer Olympics closing ceremonyEarly life

Chan was born in 1954 in Victoria Peak, Hong Kong (then a British Overseas Territory), as Chan Kong Sang (meaning "born in [Hong] Kong") to Charles and Lee-Lee Chan, refugees from the Chinese Civil War. He was nicknamed Pao Pao (Chinese: 炮炮, literally meaning "Cannonball") because he was always rolling around as an infant. He also had a brother name Soo-Sung Chan and a sister Tai Chan.[3] Since his parents worked for the French Consul to Hong Kong, Chan spent his formative years within the grounds of the consul's residence in the Victoria Peak district.[4]

Chan attended the Nah-Hwa Primary School on Hong Kong Island, where he failed his first year, after which his parents withdrew him from the school. In 1960, his father emigrated to Canberra, Australia, to work as head cook for the American embassy, and Chan was sent to the China Drama Academy, a Peking Opera School run by Master Yu Jim Yuen.[4][5]

Chan trained rigorously for the next decade, excelling in martial arts and acrobatics.[6] He eventually joined the Seven Little Fortunes, a performance group made up of the school's best students, gaining the stage name Yuen Lo in homage to his master. Chan became close friends with fellow group members Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao, the three of them later to be known as the Three Brothers or Three Dragons.[7]

Jackie Chan began his film career as a stuntman in the Bruce Lee films Fist of Fury (1972) and Enter the Dragon (1973, pictured).

At the age of 8, he appeared with some of his fellow "Little Fortunes", in the film Big and Little Wong Tin Bar (1962), with Li Li Hua playing his mother. Chan appeared with Li again the following year, in The Love Eterne (1963) and had a small role in King Hu's 1966 film, Come Drink with Me. In 1971, after an appearance as an extra in another King Hu film, A Touch of Zen, Chan began his adult career in the film industry, initially signing to Chu Mu's Great Earth Film Company.[8] At the age of 17, he worked as a stuntman in the Bruce Lee films Fist of Fury and Enter the Dragon under the stage name Chen Yuen Long.[9] He received his first starring role later that year, in Little Tiger of Canton, which had a limited release in Hong Kong in 1973.[10]. Due to the commercial failures in his early ventures into films and trouble finding stunt work, in 1975 Chan stared in a softcore porngraphic comedy film named All in the Family, which later became the only adult film Chan made and a film where there is not a single fight or stunt sequence involved. [11]

Chan joined his parents in Canberra in 1976, where he briefly attended Dickson College and worked as a construction worker.[12] A fellow builder named Jack took Chan under his wing, earning Chan the nickname of "Little Jack" which was later shortened to "Jackie" and the name Jackie Chan stuck with him ever since.[13] In addition, Chan changed his Chinese name to Fong Si Lung, since his father's original surname was Fong.[13]

[edit] Film career The 1978 film Drunken Master brought Jackie Chan into the mainstream.

[edit] Early exploits: 1976–1980

In 1976, Jackie Chan received a telegram from Willie Chan, a film producer in the Hong Kong film industry who had been impressed with Jackie's stuntwork. Willie Chan offered him an acting role in a film directed by Lo Wei. Lo had seen Chan's performance in the John Woo film Hand of Death (1976) and planned to model him after Bruce Lee with the film New Fist of Fury.[8] His stage name was changed to Cheng Long (Chinese: 成龍, literally "become the dragon") to emphasise his similarity to Bruce Lee, whose stage name was Lei Siu Lung (Chinese: 李小龍, meaning "Little Dragon"). The film was unsuccessful because Chan was not accustomed to Lee's martial arts **** Despite the film's failure, Lo Wei continued producing films with similar themes, resulting in little improvement at the box office.[14]

Chan's first major breakthrough was the 1978 film Snake in the Eagle's Shadow, shot while he was loaned to Seasonal Film Corporation under a two-picture deal.[15] Under director Yuen Woo Ping, Chan was allowed complete freedom over his stunt work. The film established the comedic kung fu genre, and proved to be a breath of fresh air for the Hong Kong audience.[16] Chan then starred in Drunken Master, which finally propelled him to mainstream success.[17]

Upon Chan's return to Lo Wei's studio, Lo tried to replicate the comedic approach of Drunken Master, producing Half a Loaf of Kung Fu and Spiritual Kung Fu.[13] He also gave Chan the opportunity to co-direct The Fearless Hyena with Kenneth Tsang. When Willie Chan left the company, he advised Jackie to decide for himself whether or not to stay with Lo Wei. During the shooting of Fearless Hyena Part II, Chan broke his contract and joined Golden Harvest, prompting Lo to blackmail Chan with triads, blaming Willie for his star's departure. The dispute was resolved with the help of fellow actor and director Jimmy Wang Yu, allowing Chan to stay with Golden Harvest.[18]

[edit] Success of the action comedy genre: 1980–1987

Willie Chan had become Jackie's personal manager and firm friend, and has remained so for over 30 years. He was instrumental in launching Chan's international career, beginning with his first forays into the American film industry in the 1980s. His first Hollywood film was Battle Creek Brawl in 1980. Chan then played a minor role in the 1981 film The Cannonball Run, which grossed US$100 million worldwide. Despite being largely ignored by audiences in favour of established American actors like Burt Reynolds, Chan was impressed by the outtakes shown at the closing credits, inspiring him to include the same device in his future films.

The film Police Story, nicknamed "Glass Story" for its stunt work, is set in a modern period.

After the commercial failure of The Protector in 1985, Chan temporarily abandoned his attempts to break into the US market, returning his focus to Hong Kong films.[14]