Wishful thinking

Jackie Chan's voice graces a film with an Aladdin-like plot set in bustling Shanghai, Xu Fan reports.

Throughout a film career spanning five decades, action legend Jackie Chan has amazed and astounded his legions of fans with death-defying stunts. So, for most of his admirers, it might be a surprise to see the kung fu king appear as a cute and fuzzy creature in his latest outing.

In the upcoming Sino-US animated film, Wish Dragon, Chan lends his voice to the titular character, a divine dragon covered with pink fur from head to toe. There is an almost uncanny resemblance to a plush toy that most young girls will have an incredible urge to hug.

The film will open across the Chinese mainland on Friday, with its presale box office nearing 12 million yuan ($1.9 million) as of Wednesday.