Stephen Chow’s ‘God of Cookery’ is cooking again — this time with a little help from AI (VIDEO)

Hong Kong’s beloved comedy legend Stephen Chow is breathing new life into his most iconic characters through artificial intelligence, as his entertainment company, Bingo Group, backs a venture called Shin Shin Legends. The initiative aims to transform cult favourites like Kung Fu Hustle, God of Cookery, and CJ7 into a global animation franchise, complete with original storylines, merchandise, and licensing opportunities.

Singaporean Ignatius Yong, a lifelong fan and senior adviser for Shin Shin Legends, is spearheading the creative direction. Yong explained that while the characters will draw inspiration from Chow’s movies, they will have entirely new backstories and personalities to differentiate them from their on-screen counterparts. Using AI, the production costs have been reduced from around 300,000 yuan per minute to between 3,000 and 5,000 yuan per minute, making it more accessible for emerging creators and independent talents.

Initially focusing on short-form animations for Douyin, China’s version of TikTok, the cartoons have already garnered over 800,000 followers, with a diverse audience ranging from children under 12 to those aged 50 and above. Collaborations with Hong Kong-based businesses, such as Chicken Egg Boy and Hang Heung, have also been explored.

Despite the primary focus on the Chinese market, Yong envisions international expansion, with plans to dub the animations into English and reach a wider audience. Though Chow is not directly involved in the production, he remains hands-on, receiving periodic updates and occasional creative input.