There’s Only One Actor Who Can Play Master Roshi In A Live-Action Dragon Ball Movie

One of the principal characters in the Dragon Ball franchise feels tailor-made for Jackie Chan in the event that another live-action film adaptation ever happens. As it stands, its unclear if any of the shows in Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball universe will ever get the big-screen treatment, especially when the failure of Dragon Ball: Evolution is taken into consideration.

However, such a scenario remains on the table. After all, recent projects, like Netflix’s One Piece series, have given renewed confidence to the idea that Dragon Ball can indeed work in live-action – if handled correctly. That notion goes to show that in spite of what happened with the disastrous 2009 film, speculation about a new live-action movie will continue.

Of course, it’ll have multiple challenges to overcome, not the least of which being the casting of the franchise’s central protagonist. It’s hard to imagine a perfect live-action Goku, and Vegeta, Krillin, Piccolo, and Frieza could also be tough to cast. But in the case of some, picking the right actor could be ridiculously easy.

Jackie Chan Is The Ideal Choice To Play Master Roshi In A Dragon Ball Movie

When it comes to casting Master Roshi, a live-action Dragon Ball movie wouldn’t have to look far for the right fit. One of the greatest martial arts stars of all time, Jackie Chan is the perfect candidate for the role of the Turtle Hermit, Goku’s first major mentor and the creator of the hero’s signature technique, the Kamehameha.

Although Master Roshi isn’t recognized as one of the strongest characters in the franchise, it’s important to note that he was perceived as such when he was introduced. Master Roshi was a well-respected martial artist, and the original show’s strongest character before he was eclipsed by Goku.

The reputation that Master Roshi enjoyed in the early part of Dragon Ball would make it all the more fitting that the character be played by a true martial arts icon. Being responsible for some of the greatest martial arts movies ever made, Jackie Chan certainly fits that bill.

Plus, there’s the matter of Jackie Chan’s natural, comedic style. Master Roshi is a talented and wise fighter, but also a great source of comedic relief. Anyone who plays Master Roshi needs to be able to balance both of those elements, and that’s something Jackie Chan can do well.

Playing Master Roshi Would Be A Full Circle Moment For Jackie Chan

In a sense, playing the elderly teacher to Goku, Yamcha, and Krillin could be a way to bring Jackie Chan’s illustrious career full circle. In Drunken Master, one of the two movies that launched Jackie Chan to stardom in 1978, the actor played Wong Fei Hung, a martial artist who learns drunken boxing kung fu from Sam Seed.

Sam Seed was an old, seemingly unthreatening beggar who turned out to be a master martial artist, who shaped Jackie Chan’s character into a powerful warrior in his own right. With that in mind, Master Roshi would be a reversal of roles for Jackie Chan, who can go from the crazy old master’s disciple to the crazy old master himself.

Master Roshi Already Has A Great Jackie Chan Connection

Making the casting of Jackie Chan as Master Roshi all the more poignant is that the character already has an interesting connection to the actor. During Dragon Ball’s 21st and 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament, Master Roshi competed as “Jackie Chun,” an alter ego he created to keep Goku and Krillin from knowing that they were fighting their own martial arts master.

It was revealed that Roshi’s aim was to beat both of them as “Jackie Chun” so that they’d believe that there are stronger fighters than them out there, and in turn, keep their egos in check. This plan revealed a lot about Roshi’s character, while also demonstrating how deeply invested he was in their development as fighters.

Assuming that a new Dragon Ball movie doesn’t jump too far ahead, this key chapter in Goku’s story could very well happen in a prospective film, complete with Roshi’s “Jackie Chun” disguise. Jackie Chan himself being the one to help shepherd this journey onto the big screen feels like the best-case scenario.