BioGraph
Connecting Sylvester Stallone and Ip Man
Sylvester Stallone
Joining him in the film were fellow action stars Jason Statham, Jet Li, and Dolph Lundgren, as well as Terry Crews, Mickey Rourke, Randy Couture, Eric Roberts, and Stone Cold Steve Austin, and cameos by fellow '80s action icons Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Jason Statham
Statham himself cites Stallone, Bruce Lee, Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, and Clint Eastwood as his inspirations.
Bruce Lee
After Lee was involved in several street fights, his parents decided that he needed to be trained in the martial arts. Lee's friend William Cheung introduced him to Ip Man{{when|date=August 2021}} but he was rejected from learning Wing Chun Kung Fu under him because of the long-standing rule in the Chinese Martial Arts world not to teach foreigners.
After a year into his Wing Chun training, most of Yip Man's other students refused to train with Lee when they had learned of his mixed ancestry, as the Chinese were generally against teaching their martial arts techniques to non-Asians. Lee's sparring partner, Hawkins Cheung, states, "Probably fewer than six people in the whole Wing Chun clan were personally taught, or even partly taught, by Yip Man".
teacher = Ip Man and Wong Shun-leung (wing chun), Brother Edward (boxing), Jhoon Rhee (taekwondo), Gene LeBell (judo), others
Sylvester Stallone
Joining him in the film were fellow action stars Jason Statham, Jet Li, and Dolph Lundgren, as well as Terry Crews, Mickey Rourke, Randy Couture, Eric Roberts, and Stone Cold Steve Austin, and cameos by fellow '80s action icons Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Jet Li
Chinese-Singaporean martial artist and actor
Li was initially stated to be appearing with Vin Diesel in '' XXX: Return of Xander Cage'', but according to a Facebook post by Diesel, Li was replaced by Donnie Yen.
Donnie Yen
Ip Chun, the eldest son of Ip Man, even mentioned that he is grateful to Yen for making his family's art popular and allowing his father's legacy to be remembered.
In 2008, Yen starred in '' Ip Man,'' a semi-biographical account of Ip Man, the Wing Chun master of Bruce Lee. '' Ip Man'' marked Yen's fourth collaboration with director Wilson Yip, reuniting him with his co-stars in ''SPL: Sha Po Lang'', Sammo Hung and Simon Yam. '' Ip Man'' became the biggest box office hit to date featuring Yen in the leading role, grossing HK$25 million in Hong Kong and 100 million yuan in China.
He was offered the role of Wing Chun grandmaster and mentor of film star Bruce Lee, Ip Man, in a 2008 film named after the grandmaster.
World class fighters, such as former StrikeforceMiddleweight Champion Cung Le and former World BoxingHeavyweight Champion Mike Tyson, who have worked with Donnie Yen in the films ''Bodyguards and Assassins'' and ''Ip Man 3'', respectively, have both claimed that Yen is an incredible martial artist and would do well in authentic combat. While filming ''Ip Man 3'' , crew members were worried that Tyson, who had been a professional boxer, would accidentally injure Yen.
Although uncredited, Donnie Yen was also action co-choreographer for Hong Kong Film Award winners such as ''Ip Man'', '' Ip Man 2'', and ''Bodyguards and Assassins''.
In 2007, Yen lost over 14 kg (30 pounds) to reach the weight of 54 kg (120 pounds) to better portray the slender Ip Man and the techniques of wing chun, which focuses on techniques and not strength.
In 2010, still fresh off '' Ip Man 2'', Yen was cast as Chen Zhen in '' Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen'', which was originally portrayed by Bruce Lee.
In 2015, Yen reduced his muscular physique yet again to reprise the role of Ip Man in '' Ip Man 3'' and for his role as the blind warrior monk Chirrut Îmwe in '' Rogue One: A Star Wars Story''. For his role as Xiang in '' XXX: Return of Xander Cage'' opposite Vin Diesel, Yen rebuilt his physique.
Sylvester Stallone
As well as returning cast members from the first film, the ensemble cast also included Jean-Claude Van Damme and Chuck Norris.
Chuck Norris
The same year, also playing the role of Walker, Norris acted in a crossover episode of the Sammo Hung's TV show '' Martial Law''.
Sammo Hung
Martial artist, film producer, director
awards = '''Asia-Pacific Film Festival'''Best Actor 1988 '' Painted Faces''{{awards|award=Hong Kong Film Awards|name='''Best Actor'''1983 '' Carry On Pickpocket'' 1989 '' Painted Faces'''''Best Action Choreography'''1983 '' The Prodigal Son''2009 '' Ip Man''2011 '' Ip Man 2'' 2018 '' Paradox''}}{{awards|award=Asian Film Awards|name='''Best Supporting Actor'''2011 ''Ip Man 2''}}{{awards|award=Golden Horse Awards|name='''Best Action Choreography'''2009 ''Ip Man'' 2010 '' Ip Man 2''}}
</ref> Hung then worked again with director Wilson Yip and star Donnie Yen, as the action director for the 2008 film '' Ip Man''.
Sylvester Stallone
He was also attached to star and direct a film tentatively titled ''Rampart Scandal'', which was to be about the murder of rappers Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G. and the surrounding Los Angeles Police Department corruption scandal.
Tupac Shakur
Shakur had friendships with other celebrities, including Mike TysonChuck D, Jim Carrey, and Alanis Morissette.
Mike Tyson
American boxer and media personality (born 1966)
With Donnie Yen reprising his role as the titular character, Bruce Lee's martial arts master, Ip Man, while Mike Tyson has been confirmed to join the cast.
