SWITZERLAND, Aug 10: During a Q&A session at the Locarno Film Festival, Jackie Chan expressed his belief that the quality of modern Hollywood movies is suffering because studios are overly focused on financial returns.

“I think the old movies are better than today,” Chan remarked.

He explained that many big studios are run by business-minded executives rather than true filmmakers. “They invest $40 million and think, ‘How can I get it back?’ You can’t go over budget. It’s very difficult to make a good movie now.”

Speaking with Locarno festival head Giona Nazzaro, Chan recounted stories from his career, including his start in the film industry, his Hollywood experiences, and performing many of his own dangerous stunts.

Throughout the discussion, Chan emphasized his commitment to mastering all aspects of filmmaking—from acting and stunt work to directing and sound. He joked that only two people in Asian cinema possess such a broad skill set.

“In all of Asia, only two directors can do everything: writing, directing, acting, stunt coordination, fighting, and editing. One is Sammo Hung, the other is Jackie Chan,” he said, adding with a smile, “And I’m better because I know how to sing.”

Chan explained that he learned to sing because he didn’t want to be limited to stunt roles. Early in his career, appearing on U.S. late-night shows, he was always asked to perform fights or stunts, which he realized wasn’t sustainable.

“I thought, I cannot do this forever. It’s just too dangerous,” Chan recalled. “They’d ask me how to punch and kick. I thought I should learn to sing. So I started learning.”

He said his professional goal became longevity, with a personal mantra: “I want to be the Asian Robert De Niro.”

Chan also shared that by the early 2000s, he grew frustrated with Hollywood, feeling disconnected from American audiences and disappointed with the quality of scripts offered to him.

Before deciding to step away from Hollywood, he took on one final project—the buddy cop hit Rush Hour.

“Rush Hour was my last try. If it didn’t succeed, I was done,” he said. Despite production challenges like budget limits and tight action sequences, Chan believes the film was a turning point.

“I think Rush Hour changed the culture,” he said.

Chan added that his overarching goal in Hollywood has always been to serve as a cultural bridge between the U.S. and China.

This year at Locarno, Chan was honored with the Pardo alla Carriera award for lifetime achievement. His early directorial works, Project A and Police Story, were also screened at the festival.