Jackie Chan and John Cena, the action-comedy film Hidden Strike, may finally be released after falling into post-production purgatory. The film was originally titled “Snafu” and has seen the popularity and success of Jackie Chan-led action films in China, such as Skiptrace, which grossed $131 million in 2016, and Kung Fu Yoga, which grossed $256 million in 2017, in China.
Hidden Strike finished filming in 2018 but was never released due to many different internal and external variables. The COVID-19 pandemic was the original reason for the film’s delay. However, demand for more homegrown Chinese-language blockbusters such as “Hello, Mom,” “Battle at Changjin Lake” and “Moon Man” has increased after theaters in China began to reopen. Aside from the market changes, during the F9 2021 press conference, Cena accidentally acknowledged Taiwan as a separate country from China, which could lead to further delays for Hidden Strike.
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Finally, after all these delays, XYZ Films released the Hidden Strike trailer. The trailer is 2 minutes and 20 seconds long and can be watched below. Set on the cusp of a future oil war, whatever that means, Cena and Chan must find a way to stop it. The Hidden Strike trailer gives viewers a glimpse at the dynamic between Cena’s reckless character and the calm and composed Chan.
Stealth Strike, directed by Scott Waugh of Expendables 4 and Need for Speed fame, is as ridiculous as it is funny. After 5 years of idle post-production, some are excited that the film is finally coming out. Others may have lost interest. Hidden Strike had to deal with many challenges and overcome many setbacks. However, it might still be too much.
There is currently no release date for Hidden Strike. There’s also no mention of where the film will be released. It could be in theaters, or it could be on some sort of streaming platform. That’s likely because the film’s market has changed dramatically since it was originally filmed; they may want to wait for the reaction to the Hidden Strike trailer before moving forward with plans for distribution. The film may not even have a market in North America or overseas. It will be interesting to see how successful Hidden Strike is when it finally releases.