In the 90s, Jackie upped the ante. The stunts became more dangerous, and the budgets got bigger.
If you don't know where to start, follow this path:
Jackie Chan has over 150 acting credits to his name. Navigating his filmography can be overwhelming because it spans distinct eras: the early stuntman days, the golden age of Hong Kong action, the Hollywood breakthrough, and the modern dramatic turn.
Here is a useful guide to the Jackie Chan filmography, categorized by era and style to help you find exactly what you are looking for.
If you search for a Jackie Chan film list, you aren’t just looking for a spreadsheet of titles. You are looking for a roadmap through the most breathtaking, bone-breaking, and brilliant career in action cinema history. For over six decades, Jackie Chan has done the impossible: he made physical comedy dangerous and martial arts hilarious.
From the blood-soaked swords of the Shaw Brothers studio to the vertigo-inducing clock towers of Hong Kong, from buddy-cop chaos in Beverly Hills to tragic historical epics, Chan’s filmography is a labyrinth. This guide breaks down the complete Jackie Chan film list by era, style, and stunt intensity—so you know exactly where to start and what to watch next.
This is the holy grail. When fans search for a Jackie Chan film list, they are really looking for this decade. Jackie took full creative control, forming his own stunt team (the Jackie Chan Stunt Team) and directing films that prioritized huge, single-take stunts over safety.
To the casual observer, the film list of Jackie Chan might appear as a simple catalog of action-comedies spanning five decades: a blur of acrobatic punches, improvised furniture weapons, and outtakes rolling over the credits. However, to view Jackie Chan’s filmography as merely a list of “kung fu movies” is to mistake the scaffolding for the cathedral. A careful examination of his body of work reveals not a random collection, but a meticulously constructed architectural blueprint for a unique cinematic language—one that blends the silent-era physicality of Buster Keaton, the operatic martial arts of Peking opera, and a deeply personal philosophy of risk, resilience, and relentless self-improvement. jackie chan film list
The first structural phase of Chan’s film list is the period of apprenticeship and frustration, which forms the necessary foundation. Early entries like New Fist of Fury (1976) and The Killer Meteors (1976) list him as a standard, grim-faced Bruce Lee imitator, a role that ill-fit his personality and athleticism. These films are essential to the list not because of their quality, but because of their failure. They represent the stifling mold of the traditional kung fu genre, where the hero was invincible and stoic. Chan’s dissatisfaction with this model led to the revolutionary turning point of his career: Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow (1978) and, most famously, Drunken Master (1978). These entries introduced the “everyman” hero—a trickster who wins through cunning, pain, and comedic resilience rather than divine martial prowess. The film list here pivots from tragedy to comedy, from revenge to self-preservation, and in doing so, invents a new genre.
The golden era of the 1980s and 1990s represents the high middle period, where Chan perfected his theory of “physical editing.” This phase of the list—including Project A (1983), Police Story (1985), Armour of God (1986), and Supercop (1992)—is defined by a radical commitment to the real. Unlike his Hollywood contemporaries who relied on wires, green screens, and quick cuts, Chan’s films are documentaries of near-suicide. The infamous slide down a pole of blinking lights in Police Story, the fall from a clock tower in Project A, and the hang-gliding sequence from Armour of God II (1991) are not stunts but narrative climaxes built from genuine danger. Each entry on the list becomes a dare: “Can a human body do this?” The outtakes shown during the end credits are not mere gags; they are footnotes of accountability, proving that every bruise and broken bone was real. This honesty creates a contract of trust with the audience that CGI has never been able to replicate.
The third phase—Chan’s fraught but ultimately triumphant entry into Hollywood—demonstrates the flexibility of his film list. Films like Rumble in the Bronx (1995) and Shanghai Noon (2000) are interesting aberrations. They translate Chan’s Hong Kong sensibility for a Western audience but often at the cost of complexity. The stunt work is slightly tamer, the humor more broad. However, entries like Rush Hour (1998) succeed not because of the action alone, but because Chan’s chemistry with Chris Tucker proves his comedic acting is as vital as his martial arts. Later in this phase, a mature, melancholic note appears in films like The Forbidden Kingdom (2008) and the somber The Foreigner (2017). These entries show a star reckoning with age, replacing death-defying falls with a focused, brutal efficiency that emphasizes character over acrobatics.
Finally, the late-career entries—Kung Fu Yoga (2017), Vanguard (2020), and Ride On (2023)—form a coda of reflection. While critically mixed, these films are thematically crucial. They are not attempts to replicate the stunts of a 30-year-old. Instead, they explore legacy, the passing of the torch, and the toll of a life lived for the camera. Ride On, in particular, is a meta-narrative about an aging stuntman, and it only has meaning if one has followed the full arc of Chan’s list from the beginning. The outtakes in these later films no longer show raw ambition; they show a master grateful to still be standing.
In conclusion, Jackie Chan’s film list is more than a discography of action vehicles. It is a singular, lifelong artistic statement. From the failed imitations of the 1970s to the death-defying masterworks of the 80s and 90s, through the commercial compromises of Hollywood and into the graceful acceptance of age, each film is a brick in an edifice built on the radical idea that action is character, that pain can be funny, and that the most heroic thing an artist can do is show the audience the truth of their own fragility. To read Jackie Chan’s film list is to read a memoir written not in words, but in broken bones, spit-takes, and the enduring smile of a man who simply refused to fall.
Jackie Chan ’s filmography is a massive collection spanning over six decades and more than 150 films. His career evolved from a child actor and stuntman for Bruce Lee into a global icon of "action comedy," a genre he pioneered by blending dangerous stunts with slapstick humor.
Below is a curated look at his most significant films, categorized by their impact on his career and the genre. The Early Breakthroughs (Late 1970s) In the 90s, Jackie upped the ante
After struggling as a traditional martial arts lead modeled after Bruce Lee, Chan found success by injecting comedy into his fights. Snake in the Eagle's Shadow
The library was quiet until Ben stumbled upon an old, leather-bound binder in the attic of his grandfather’s shop. On the spine, written in bold marker, were the words: "The Ultimate Jackie Chan Film List."
As Ben flipped through the yellowed pages, he wasn't just looking at names; he was looking at the evolution of a legend who has appeared in nearly 150 films. The list began with the early days of a stuntman from the China Drama Academy. The Early Chapters: Finding the Style
The first few entries were marked with red stars. These were the breakthroughs: Snake in the Eagle's Shadow (1978): The moment Jackie mixed comedy with kung fu. Drunken Master
(1978): A fan favorite that solidified his status as an action icon. The Fearless Hyena (1979) : Noted for its creative "pot fight" scene. The Golden Age: Hong Kong Mastery
The middle of the binder was packed with notes on jaw-dropping stunts. Ben’s grandfather had scribbled "unbelievable mall fight" next to Police Story (1985) . Other highlights included: (1983): Known for the famous clock tower fall. Wheels on Meals (1984): A classic collaboration with Sammo Hung. Armour of God II: Operation Condor (1991) : An adventure that felt like a martial arts Indiana Jones. The Global Invasion: Hollywood and Beyond
The final pages of the list reflected Jackie's move to the global stage, where he brought his signature "goofy humor" to the West: Rumble in the Bronx Drunken Master II (1994)
(1995): The film that truly broke him into the American market. Around the World in 80 Days (2004): A star-studded adaptation showing his versatility. The Karate Kid
(2010): A modern classic that introduced him to a new generation. Kung Fu Yoga
(2017): His highest-grossing film in China, proving his enduring star power.
As of April 2026, Jackie Chan remains a figure of immense influence, with a net worth estimated at $400 million, much of which he has pledged to charity. Closing the binder, Ben realized that "Jackie Chan" wasn't just a list of movies—it was a story of a stuntman who changed cinema forever.
| Series | Films | |--------|-------| | Police Story | 1, 2, 3 (Supercop), 4 (First Strike), New Police Story, Police Story 2013 | | Drunken Master | Drunken Master (1978), Drunken Master II (1994) | | Rush Hour | Rush Hour 1–3 | | Shanghai | Shanghai Noon, Shanghai Knights | | Armour of God | Armour of God (1986), Operation Condor (1991), Chinese Zodiac (2012) | | Lucky Stars | Winners & Sinners, My Lucky Stars, Twinkle Twinkle Lucky Stars | | Project A | Project A, Project A Part II |
✅ Tip: For streaming availability, start with Police Story (1985) or Drunken Master II (1994) for classic Jackie, and Rush Hour (1998) for Hollywood Jackie.
After Bruce Lee’s death, studios scrambled for a replacement. Jackie was groomed as the "next Bruce" by director Lo Wei. The result was a string of box-office disappointments. Jackie hated these films because they forced him into a stoic, angry hero mold—the opposite of his personality.
The "Angry Young Man" Jackie Chan film list: