The plot is currently unconfirmed but rumor has it that The Forbidden Kingdom is about a New York teenager who is obsessed with Hong Kong cinema and classic Kung Fu movies. Jason (Michael Angarano), is a boy who is always bullied at school. He is determined to learn kung fu to protect himself. One day in a Chinatown pawnshop, Jason makes an extraordinary discovery - a Chinese staff. It is the legendary Ru Yi Bang staff of the Chinese sage and warrior, Sun Wukong the Monkey King. A mysterious power in the staff transports Jason back to ancient China [...]

China's official Xinhua News Agency has quoted Chan's own criticism of the film: "The movie I just shot with Jet Li, The Forbidden Kingdom, actually isn't that great... The Forbidden Kingdom is a movie made for Americans... Chinese viewers may not like it. If I say it's a good movie now, then many people will be filled with overly high expectations and be disappointed when they see the movie."