International superstar Jackie Chan said that he is happy to be back in Dubai for the filming of his latest movie Vanguard. The city’s exceptional production infrastructure, support services and exciting backdrops make it an ideal place to film movies, he said.

Speaking during a media interaction at Dubai Studio City, the action movie star said: “I am happy to be back in Dubai three years after the shooting of Kung Fu Yoga. Dubai is a good place to film.

This is why I have come back. I will come back again and again in the future.”

Chan said he is impressed with the high quality of the filming infrastructure in Dubai and the support he has received for shooting his new movie. Compared to some other countries, Dubai fulfills all the promises it makes, he added.

Jackie Chain-starrer Vanguard will wrap up the Dubai section of its filming by 22nd March, 2019. The movie is being shot in the emirate through a collaboration between Shanghai Lix Entertainment Co Ltd, Dubai-based Alkatraz Production and Line Producer Maxine de Vere.

Directed by acclaimed action-filmmaker Stanley Tong, the movie has been shot extensively in Dubai in various places including Dubai Studio City, Downtown Dubai, City Walk and its surroundings, apart from other prominent locations and residential areas, with the support of the Dubai Film and TV Commission (DFTC). The Dubai leg of the filming will be completed in a total of 30 days. Vanguard is expected to be released globally next year.

Well-known Chinese actors such as Yang Yang, Ai Lun, Zhu Zhengting, Jackson Lou and Mia are also playing key roles in the film. In addition, the film also features 20 local actors who have been cast by a local talent agency, apart from 10 feature artists and over 500 extras.

Jamal Al Sharif, Chairman of Dubai Film and TV Commission, said: “Dubai continues to attract blockbuster movies from the major film production markets of the world and we are happy to embrace all of them. The filming of Jackie Chan’s new movie in Dubai further reinforces the city’s growing profile as a hub for big global film productions. Dubai offers a one-stop-shop of services and a superior production infrastructure for filmmakers to produce movies with ease and efficiency. Entities from both the government and private sector have been working with Dubai Film and TV Commission to seamlessly facilitate the production of Vanguard. I thank them for their exceptional support for this movie’s filming in Dubai.”

Majed Al Suwaidi, Managing Director of Dubai Studio City, said: “Dubai Studio City is pleased and proud to welcome legendary international action star and actor Jackie Chan. We are delighted that our sound stages in Dubai Studio City will be part of this major production. Dubai Studio City offers cutting-edge spaces and world-class facilities for film shooting and similar events. It’s the largest venue of its kind in the region. Over the years, Dubai Studio City has cemented its status as a strategic destination for not only businesses but also major film productions and movies.”

Saeed Al Janahi, Director of Operations, Dubai Film and TV Commission (DFTC), said that the choice of Dubai as a location for Jackie Chan’s latest film reflects the emirate’s potential as a global film production hub and its ability to offer state-of-the-art movie production facilities. He highlighted the DFTC’s efforts to continuously develop its services to meet the highest international requirements as part of the objectives of Dubai Plan 2021.

Al Janahi expressed his appreciation for the efforts of Dubai government entities, including Dubai Police, Dubai Civil Defence and Dubai Ambulance, to guarantee the safety and security of film production teams. He said that several safety precautions need to be taken to shoot difficult scenes featured in action films.

Alkatraz Production, a Dubai-based production house, is closely working with Shanghai Lix to complete the Dubai leg of the film’s shooting. Having already collaborated with each other for another Jackie Chan-starrer Kung Fu Yoga in 2015, this project is the second collaboration between the two companies.

Ammar Al Khrisat, owner of Alkatraz Production, which has made five feature films over the past six years in Dubai, commented: “We are becoming one of the major film producers in the region having produced five large features. Dubai’s film industry is growing rapidly and we are becoming a key part of this burgeoning industry. We have been recognised as a leading producer. With our collaboration with Maxine de Vere, we intend to continue to support major international film productions like Vanguard in Dubai.”

Maxine de Vere, Line Producer of Vanguard, said: “It is an honour to work with Ammar and to be invited to work again with Jackie Chan and Stanley Tong. We like to make Dubai a centre for the filming of major feature films and to showcase it to the world. So many supporters have become friends over the years. Having made six major Hollywood films and three local movies in the region, I enjoy coming back to make features here.”

Vanguard is the latest in a series of international blockbusters that have been filmed in Dubai. Various major international productions have chosen Dubai as a location for their movies, attracted by its superior infrastructure, exceptional support services and exciting locales. Each new film has showcased Dubai’s extensive infrastructure to the global production community, attracting many further global movie ventures.

Dubai has been featured as the backdrop of several big-budget international blockbusters, including Syriana (2005), Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (2011) Fast and Furious (2009), Star Trek Beyond (2016) and a host of major Bollywood movies including Happy New Year (2014). The rapid rise in the number of international productions choosing Dubai as a filming location is testament to its rise as a leading global destination for filmmaking and a regional hub for the film production industry.

Filmmakers are drawn to Dubai by its robust infrastructure, advanced filming facilities including highly-equipped soundstages in Dubai Studio City, its deep pool of production talent, the availability of superior production services and the emirate’s diverse locales.