Jackie Chan has completed filming in Kazakhstan for Armour of God: The Ultimate. and spoke at a press conference in Astana on October 7. The actor shared how the project began and gave special thanks to Vice President Erlan Karin.
According to Chan, he first met Erlan Karin in China in 2017–2018. They met over tea and dinner, where Karin suggested filming the movie in Kazakhstan, and Chan agreed.
The actor admitted that he knew little about the country at the time.
“I didn’t know of a story, and I wasn’t very familiar with Kazakhstan’s culture,” he recalled.
Chan said he receives similar invitations all the time.
“People often tell me, ‘Come film a movie in my country, shoot something here.’ And then nothing happens,” he said.
An Invitation to Astana
About a year later, Erlan Karin invited the actor to Astana. Chan remembered that it was cold and snowing in the capital. There, he was told that the team had been assembled and work on the project had begun.
And the project really did come to life. Later, Chan travelled to Aktau to discuss filming locations.
Karin also helped Chan learn more about the country by sending him videos and a book about Kazakhstan.
“I especially want to say thank you to Erlan Karin,” the actor said.
Chan described the Kazakh crew as one of the best film teams he has ever worked with. With more than 100 films under his belt, he has plenty of experience to compare it with.
Filming began in summer 2026. The crew worked in Almaty, Almaty Region, Mangystau Region, Astana and Turkistan. One of the main filming locations was the Bozzhyra tract on the Ustyurt Plateau.
Some scenes were filmed in Baku and Hong Kong, while production will continue in Shanghai. In September, German actor Til Schweiger joined the project.
What the Film Is About
Jackie Chan once again plays the treasure hunter known as the Asian Hawk. This time, his character is searching for an ancient artifact called the Tumar, with a bounty of more than $20 million. The story is set around the Caspian Sea.
The film is scheduled for release in 2027.
Meeting at Akorda
Earlier this week, Erlan Karin met with Jackie Chan and the film’s producers, Esmond Ren, Rustem Omarov, Igor Tsai and Orynbasar Kudaibergenov. They discussed international cooperation in cinematography and new joint projects.
The Vice President noted that President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev places particular emphasis on the development of new technologies and the creative industries. According to Karin, major international productions help develop Kazakhstan’s domestic film industry and promote the country as a filming destination.
They also discussed the use of artificial intelligence in filmmaking. Karin cited the Astana AI Film Festival as an example, noting that the competition received more than 8,000 submissions.
