Benny Chan - Director Benny Chan is recognized as one of Hong Kong’s top action directors, celebrated for his superb mastery of spectacular production designs and breathtaking stunts sequences. Starting out with smash hits like A Moment of Romance and The Magic Crane, both produced by Johnny To, he has more than 10 years of film directing and producing experience under his belt. He also turned his talents to the small screen, producing and directing the hit TV series ‘Kung Fu Master’ and ‘Fist of Fury’.

Moving up gears in 2000, he reinvented young idols Nicholas Tse, Daniel Wu, Stephen Fung and Edison Chen as ice-cool millennium action heroes in new age police thrillers Gen X Cops (1999) and Gen Y Cops (2000). Divergence (2005) garnered three Golden Horse awards (including Best Actor for Aaron Kwok) and proved Chan is every inch the slick stylist. However, it is in directing Jackie Chan in the transnational action adventure Who Am I? and the taut suspense thriller New Police Story that a special chemistry is sparked off. As his third collaboration with Jackie, Rob-B-Hood generated even greater rapport on and off screen.

Director’s Comment
After New Police Story, Jackie and I spent several months kicking around new ideas for our next project. Even though making another action film was our priority, Jackie made a special request – he didn’t want to play another cop. He wanted to play a different type of character and infuse new elements into his films. He didn’t want to repeat himself, he wanted a twist. Driven by this new challenge, we worked very hard to come up with something different but drew a blank until late one night in the workshop, Jackie, script writer Alan Yuen and I came up with something rather daring – Jackie Chan the hero will become Jackie Chan the thief. For the first time, he’ll be on the other side of the law. This character is not just any ordinary thief, but a 3-in-1 thug, liar and compulsive gambler. A thief who’s willing to steal anything for money, except for this particular assignment, he’s not stealing rare gems or anything valuable but a Baby!

Since we have decided to make this action comedy with a hook, much emphasis was placed on the comical element. We designed the “Thieving Musketeers” and gave Jackie two partners in crime – Michael Hui and Louis Koo. With three renowned comic actors on board, we were quite confident that the chemistry between this trio would send sparks bursting through the screen. The next step was casting the Baby. After over 100 auditions, we finally found Matthew. Unfortunately, it also marked the beginning of the darkest days of my film career.

This is a story about three burglars who were hired by a mafia boss to kidnap a baby. According to the original plan, the 30-million dollar reward would allow the trio to retire and never have to work a day in their lives again. During the short time they had to babysit, they have bonded with the Baby, who has helped each of them discard the corrupted life they have obsessively pursued over the years and rediscover the simple pleasures of life. At the eleventh hour, the trio had to make a choice between the reward and their conscience. The film is a roller coaster ride of fun and excitement that can pull at a few heartstrings along the way.

Jackie has more screen time with the Baby than anyone else, hence making the filming all the more difficult. Baby Matthew cannot work more than 8 hours a day, and he takes two or three naps during that 8-hour period. No one on the set is allowed to make any noise, so everyone had to communicate with sign language, a bit like those old silent films. Babies are tough to shoot because they never do what you want them to. For example when I needed him to laugh, he won’t oblige. I can easily use up to a 1,000 feet of film on him and still can’t get the shot I want. In the end, I ended up with nothing but crying shots. Whatever expression I need from him, it’ll easily take half a day to shoot. Needless to say, despite using a second unit, I’m way over budget.

No matter who you are, no one can command a baby to act. Losing your temper is definitely not the way to go about it. He simply doesn’t care who you are, not even an international superstar. The only way to do it is with time, patience and money to guide him in each shot. A does of tender loving care will also come in handy.

Another difficulty lies in the choreography of the action sequences. Rob-B-Hood marks the third and most challenging film I have made with Jackie because a lot of the action sequences involved Baby Matthew. Whether it’s high up on the ferris wheel, inside the roller coaster or those high speed car chases, Matthew is right there along with Jackie. Jackie is used to doing all those incredible stunts by himself, coordinating with a fellow actor is challenging enough, let alone a baby.

The cast and crew of Rob-B-Hood have all given their best during filming. I believe each and every one them can and will rise to the occasion when faced with a challenge. This is something I truly admire.

	Jackie Chan - Thongs Jackie Chan throws us another curveball by portraying a good-for-nothing, happy-go-lucky, small-time crook with an addiction to gambling. With his natural sense of humor, he brings us plenty of laughs as a loveable rogue who combines quick wit and a good nature with a streak of wickedness. And for the first time on screen, Jackie shows us his most tender face as he becomes totally helpless before a cooing baby.
	Matthew Medvedev - Baby After over 100 auditions, they finally found baby Matthew. The $30,000,000 baby ! :)
	Louis Koo - Octopus As Octopus – the youngest member of Rob-B-Hood’s trio of merrymen – Koo’s dashing heartthrob image is perfectly suited to play the self-styled Casanova, whose opportunism makes him throw in his lot with kidnappers. Luckily for him, he is gradually inspired by Thongs’ virtuous transformation to mend his ways.
	Michael Hui - Landlord Affectionately known as Mr. Boo in Japan, his seminal comedy series in the 1970s (Games Gamblers Play, The Last Message, Private Eyes, Security Unlimited) broke all time box office records. In the last decade, Hui has shifted his focus to civic leadership roles. After a two-year absence from the screen, he makes a long-awaited comeback as Thongs’ penny-pinching landlord – a role that Hui has got down to a T over the years.
	Gao Yuanyuan - Melody Her enthralling performance in Shanghai Dreams caught the eye of Jackie Chan who handpicked her as the leading lady in Rob-B-Hood. She plays a nurse and pediatric advisor whose unconditional love melts Thongs’ heart and puts him back on track in life.

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