Jackie Chan’s upcoming stuntman-horse buddy action movie Ride On has sold wide ahead of the European Film Market in Berlin. Hong Kong sales outlet Golden Network has inked distribution deals for the film across North America, Europe and Asia. The film is being sold as an homage to Chan’s classic stuntman movies.

Ride On stars Chan as a washed-up stuntman who can barely make ends meet, let alone take care of his beloved stunt horse, Red Hare. Chan’s character is in the process of seeking financial help from his estranged daughter and her lawyer boyfriend when he’s notified that his horse may be auctioned off to cover his debts. Suddenly, though, the stuntman and the horse become overnight media sensations when their real-life fight with debt collectors goes viral on social media. That earns the stuntman a second chance to choose between his movie career and his family.

The film has recently set for a wide release in mainland China on April 7, which happens to be the legendary action star’s 69th birthday.

Chan said in a statement that he’s particularly thrilled to be playing the role of a stunt man in the film, which is how he himself entered the movie business. “In the heyday of kung fu movies, you fought for real, you risked your life by really racing a fast car and really riding a wild horse. The spirit was passed on from one generation to the next,” he recalled.

The film is directed by Larry Yang, best known internationally for Mountain Cry, a festival favorite in 2015 and 2016. The $100 million box office success of his follow-up, Adoring (2019), cemented his status as one of China’s commercially bankable directors. Chan stars opposite Liu Haocun and Kevin Guo, two of China’s hottest new talents. Liu headlined Zhang Yimou’s recent spy thriller Cliff Walkers, China’s official 2022 Oscar submission. Second-generation comedian Guo stood out as the delivery boy who saves an abandoned canine from dog-catchers in Yang’s Adoring.

“The story of a man and a horse depending on each other is really interesting,” Yang says. “Moreover, the character Jackie plays this time is more down-to-earth than we’ve seen in his previous movies.”

Golden Network’s deals for the film, so far, include sales to: Well Go USA for North America; Plaion Pictures for Germany; Eagle Pictures for Italy; SPI International for Eastern Europe, Benelux and Israel; AN Media for CIS; ATV for Turkey; Phars Film for Middle East; Twin Co. for Japan; Contents Panda for South Korea; Shanghai Pictures for Malaysia; Shaw Renters for Singapore; Eagle International for Taiwan and worldwide Airline; Prima Cinema for Indonesia; Pioneer Films for the Philippines and Indo Overseas Film for India.