Forget Karate Kid, Jackie Chan Should Consider This Sandra Bullock Movie Sequel That He Turned Down 31 Years Ago

SUMMARY

• With several projects on his plate, Jackie Chan should also consider revisiting a missed opportunity in the 1993 film Demolition Man.
• Starring Sandra Bullock alongside Sylvester Stallone and Wesley Snipes, Demolition Man is a sci-fi film set in 2032.
• While he denied the offer to play the film's villain at the time, Chan should pursue a similar opportunity in its potential sequel.

The beloved action star Jackie Chan is generating buzz with his return as Mr. Han in the new Karate Kid film, starring alongside Ralph Macchio, known for the original Karate Kid movies and the Netflix series Cobra Kai. The first official look at the film was recently revealed at New York Comic Con, showcasing the duo training a new student.

Jackie Chan in The Karate Kid | Credit: Columbia Pictures

With several projects on his plate, including the Karate Kid movie and a potential Rush Hour 4, Chan should also consider revisiting a missed opportunity to star in the sequel to the 1993 film Demolition Man. He was offered the role of the villain but declined at the time.

Jackie Chan Turned Down the Antagonist Role in Demolition Man

Starring Sandra Bullock alongside Sylvester Stallone and Wesley Snipes, Demolition Man is a sci-fi film set in 2032. The film follows John Spartan, a cop who is thawed out in a utopian future to apprehend a ruthless criminal he once captured.

A still from Demolition Man | Credit: Warner Bros.

While the film received a positive response, it became one of Wesley Snipes‘ most significant roles as Simon Phoenix, the film’s antagonist. However, he wasn’t the original choice for the part.

After Stallone signed on to the project, he wanted to cast Jackie Chan as Simon Phoenix. However, Chan declined the opportunity, and several reasons have been attributed to his decision not to take on the villainous role of Simon Phoenix.

Chan was reportedly uncertain about how his taking on the role of a villain would be perceived. Known for his formidable on-screen presence, he had predominantly played protagonists and good-natured characters before shifting to more supporting roles in films like Rush Hour.

Sylvester Stallone and Wesley Snipes in Demolition Man | Credit: Warner Bros.

And, though he had played villains earlier in his career, he turned down Demolition Man to avoid any potential conflicts with his public image at the time. Additionally, he was busy working on films like Police Story and Twin Dragons in Hong Kong.

And the role eventually went to the Blade star, who had initially rejected it as well but later agreed to portray the evil psychopathic criminal in the film.

Jackie Chan Can Finally Embrace the Villian Role in the Potential Demolition Man Sequel

Throughout his career, Jackie Chan has maintained a carefully curated image as a good guy on-screen, which is one reason also cited for his decision to turn down the role of Simon Phoenix in Demolition Man.

Jackie Chan in Rush Hour | Credit: New Line Cinema

However, after decades of achievements and a solid legacy in the film industry, the actor could experiment with such roles on-screen and could take on a similar antagonistic character in the film’s potential sequel. A sequel for Demolition Man has been in conversation since its release in 1993.

Although initial plans were shelved, Sylvester Stallone expressed interest in pursuing the sequel after it gained renewed relevance during the global pandemic in 2020. He addressed the potential sequel for the film in a Q&A session on Instagram, saying,

We’re working on it right now with Warner Bros., and it’s looking fantastic… So that should come out. That’s going to happen.

Sylvester Stallone | Credit: Gage Skidmore/CCA BY-SA 2.0/Wikimedia Commons

However, there have been no further updates on the potential sequel. Nevertheless, if the sequel does come to fruition in the future, it would be interesting to see Jackie Chan take on antagonistic roles on-screen.

Demolition Man is available to rent or buy on Prime Video.

The new Karate Kid film is set to release on May 30, 2025.

Written by Laxmi Rajput

Articles Published: 2669

Laxmi Rajput is a writer at Fandomwire. She finished her Post Graduation in Broadcast Journalism and worked as a Business News writer for a year. But her interest in entertainment and pop culture compelled her to find a way towards Entertainment Journalism. She has worked across various fields and has 2 years of experience in content writing. She likes reading, music, movies, and traveling. She aspires to become a fiction writer in the future.